R E M E M BR A N C E — I've loved Aretha Franklin since I was about 10 years old, which would have been 1967. I used to eat dinner and then go to my room and open up my little record player and spin Aretha and Motown 45-rpm records 'til it was time to put on my pajamas and brush my teeth. Much later, I shared this love for music with my late, best buddy, Andy. I loved Andy, as a kindred spirit and as the brother I should have had, from the minute I met him in 1978, a friend of a friend from Vassar. We ended up being roommates in West Hollywood for a short time, and remained best of best friends for the next 22 years. He bought us tickets for an Aretha show in Atlantic City for my 35th birthday, 1992, and Teddy Pendergrass was in the front row in his wheelchair. I can't believe it's been almost 20 years since that crazy, awesome, night. I can't believe Andy died more than 10 years ago, now. I can't believe his birthday would have been this month; we should have shared our "fabulous NOT Fifties," and our "seriously NOT Sixties," together. Ain't no way it's been that long. Ain't no way I'm the one left to meander this rocky Earth alone. Ain't no way.
It's not that much of a video, lol, but it's the best recording of the song by Aretha I found on YouTube.
For my new readers unfamiliar with my work, this is a portrait I did of Andy from a photograph taken ca 1980. It measures 24" x 24" and is now hanging in Andy's mother's home. We used to do The New York Times' crossword puzzles for hours on end, and we spent a lot of time on NYC's subways. This is an homage to those checkerboard puzzles, the intricate tilework in original NYC subway stations, and to the multi-colored rainbow ways we viewed the world and led our lives.
That's a nice tribute you had done for your friend. I'm more familiar with her later work, Pink Cadillac which Bruce Springsteen also likes to sing. Is she the same individual with the crown shaped hair? lol
ReplyDeleteah, PInk Cadillac is from "Who's Zoomin' Who," from 1985. Great album! So many memories!
ReplyDeleteCasey, that was very touching. I am moved. Thank you...
ReplyDeleteKatie
Thank you Woody and Katie. Sometimes I just need to share more of me than my new flowers or my newest $1.19 Cars of the Week. Sometimes, I'm just so sad I need to share my losses, too. Thanks for understanding.
ReplyDeleteSo wonderful to see some of "you" Casey...I know it isn't always easy to share, but what a wonderful tribute to your friend and your loss and your life...
ReplyDeleteI still am out here checking in and enjoying your blog...just moved from one end of the state to the other...I am SO over moving, but life sometimes moves us where she wants, hm?? A new adventure and because of the internet, I get to take my "old friends" along with me...I'm so glad as you all seem to ground me..especially with beautiful posts like this one...
Thank you my friend..
Mare
Hi Mare—good to hear from you! I dread the day I'll have to move. I don't know how you do it. But you're right, you have a lot of friends online for continuity.
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing Andy with us. You have such a wonderful way of bringing the past to life. It's a gift that you have and I'm grateful that you are willing to share that with us. You are so fortunate to have had a friendship like that.
ReplyDeleteThe way you speak of Andy reminds me so much of my friend Raymond, whom I met in 1980 and we became fast friends and shared many "adventures" until he died on January 1, 1989. It's hard to believe he's been gone for 21 yeasr because he's still an important presence in my life.
Paul, NYC
CASEY, I KNOW HOW YOU MUST FEEL. IT HURTS TO LOSE A BEST FRIEND. MY BBF IS FIGHTING CANCER RIGHT NOW AND THERE'S NO WAY I CAN GET TO HER BECAUSE SHE LIVES IN THE MOUNTAINS OF N.Y.. WE TALK ON THE PHONE WHEN SHE FEELS UP TO IT. YOUR LUCKY TO HAVE FRIENDS THERE IN TOWN. TURN TO THEM WHEN YOUR BLUE. I LOVE THAT PICTURE. IT'S A WONDERFUL WAY OF SHOWING YOUR LOVE OF I'M SURE A HANDSOME YOUNG MAN.
ReplyDeleteYOUR VERY SPECIAL. I WISH YOU LIVED NEXT DOOR. YOU COULD PAINT AND I COULD SIT AND WATCH YOUR FLOWERS GROW.
GRANNY
We may just represent a bunch of digitally converted binary numbers (1's and 0's) that make up text and respond back to you, but we'll always here to care for our great friend and influence, Casey.
ReplyDeleteWT