Put the Bud Light Back on Ice
The world outside the Garage doesn’t stop turning when I step in on Wednesday night for our Open Mic, as much as I’m willing to want it to or as much as I’m wanting to will it to.
Last night, for the second time in the almost three years we’ve been congregating to play and sing and chase our dreams, I was pulled away by my real job as Wake Forest beat reporter for the Winston-Salem Journal. The first was when Jim Grobe was considering an overture to leave for Arkansas. The second was last night along about 8:30 when I learned that Al-Farouq Aminu was leaving Wake to make himself available for the NBA draft.
The person who told me said that I could call Coach Dino Gaudio for confirmation. I had put a call in to Gaudio in the early afternoon for a reaction to other story I wrote about assistant coach Dave Wojcik leaving to become associate head coach at Boise State. When Gaudio hadn’t called back by 6:30 I headed down to Burke Street Pizza to eat a pregame meal of Philly Cheese Steak Sub and firm up my set list for the night’s show.
I could do without the quote from Dino on Wojcik, because I had the story from the horse’s mouth. But when I was told about Aminu, I knew I had to spring into action. True, everyone expected Farouq to leave, but even something that is expected is news when it involves one of the most talented players to ever play at the school you cover.
After turning the ram-rod duties for the Open Mic over to my trusty wing man, Professor Johnny Hoots, my next thought was to drive out to the hacienda, about 15 minutes north of town. Instead I headed over to the office, a few blocks away. Knowing, as they do, my weekly flight from reality, the guys on the desk were surprised to see me. But these people are pros, and they immediately saw the scoop for what it was.
So as they were tearing up the front page of the sports, I was dialing Gaudio. Thankfully he was expecting the call, so we talked about Aminu and Wojcik and he even gave me the tidbit about Ish Smith and Chas McFarland participating in next week’s Portsmouth Invitation, a showcase for players with NBA aspirations. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again. Dino Gaudio is an exceedingly easy coach to work with, and I appreciate his understanding and cooperation. On this day I wish he had called me back earlier, but that’s my problem, not his. And he was there for me when it counted.
The story has a happy ending. I made it back to the Garage in plenty of time for my 9:45 set, the place was hopping and we had a rocking set with Hootie on bass, Bubba Speer on harmonica and Shawn McDonough joining us for harmony. Opened with Mind Your Own Business by my hero, Hank Williams, and also did my favorite Buddy Holly tune Rave On. We closed with one of mine Open Mic Night Down at the Rubber Soul written in homage of the late, great bar down on Burke Street.
“I fell in off the street,
Didn’t know who I’d meet,
They took me in,
We became fast friends,
They absolutely insisted,
I play and sing,
It makes you scared,
It makes you numb,
But it’s the price you pay,
If you want to become,
The star of your dreams.’‘