Glory days

Had a funny dream last night.

This happens about once every three or four months. We're putting on a show. Something goes wrong. Either we forget to promote it and nobody shows up or some technical snafu disrupts the show. I usually wake up saddened that we really aren't doing another show.

For the uninitiated, my gig back in the early-to-mid '90's was performing what we called a Tribute to Elvis show. Every year, usually in the late winter or early spring, we'd hold a big bash at Halls High School.

I recruited a band (in the later years it was the group from Memories Theater in Pigeon Forge), back-up singers and dancing girls. Bandit Lights and M&L Sound came too. We raised money for school projects and such. I was always amazed that anyone showed up.

It was fun. But you know what's funny? I didn't realize then that we were part of something that would never come around again.

Sometimes I think that's the way it works. You don't realize a good thing until it's gone. I've had to learn that lesson, it seems, over and over again.

My last big performance was 11 years ago. For a while after high school, we would occasionally perform smaller sets, with back-up singers and recorded music. My last one of those happened near the end of 1997.

I sometimes marvel over the fact we pulled that off. I'm still grateful to all the people who showed up --- and who remember.

I don't know what my dream means. I doubt there is any Freudian message thrown into it; I think I just miss performing.

I guess it's just another reminder that life is short. So the thing to do, then, is enjoy it while the ride lasts.

Even if that means popping on a pair of blue suede shoes...