Rain (and RobinElla) on a Friday night

Call me simple minded, but one doesn’t have to be rich to be wealthy.

Don Williams told us years ago that a country boy can find silver in the stars and gold in the morning sun. So true, but I’d add good friends, good music and good conversation to that mix, too.

Don’t know where you ended up Friday night. After work and a late interview, I headed out to West Knox to pick up my pal Matt. We drove to Maryville and waited for pal Drew to finish work. Guys’ night out!

We ducked into the Tomato Head about 8. It fronts historic Broadway in Maryville’s downtown district. The waiter seated us so that we could watch folks stroll by and enjoy the remains of the day.

Shelton and I split a large pepperoni; Drew opted for a smaller pie. We got caught up with one another, laughed about all those things three longtime friends laugh about. After a few minutes, the stress of the work week was but a distant memory.

RobinElla began singing about 9:30. Basking in the glow of her sweet sound, it’s easy to forget about time and life and all that other jazz.

She treated us with a wonderful rendition of her toe-tapping, heartstring-pulling original tune, "Left, Right, Back Together." I nodded my head to the beat, grinned like a newborn baby, clapped my hands in delight. As an old friend says, it was a moment, and it worked.

The pretty lyric says it all: "We landed on a cloud, and all our troubles went away..."

I lost myself somewhere in the music. Rain began to fall outside after awhile, creating an almost ethereal mist, the perfect backdrop for Robin’s remarkable talent. I looked at my friends, thought about the songs awhile and thanked God for all of life’s simple blessings.

OK, so I’m corny. I admit it.

But rain and RobinElla, good friends and better conversation on an easygoing Friday night?

Don’t try to tell me it gets any better than this, folks. Won’t believe it for a minute.