8/15/21
Nothing like old friends…
Earlier this summer, one of my closest friends sustained a severe ‘head injury’ and it was my fault. After finishing a local performance, I placed my old friend, a 1981 Guild D-45 cutaway, in her case, and thinking I had zipped the case shut, became distracted in conversation with a fan at the event. When I picked up the case to leave, my old friend came out of the case and did a complete face plant on the concrete floor. Horrified, I reached down to pick her up and when I did, I became nauseous at the sight of what would have been diagnosed, in a human patient, as a severe head trauma..the headstock was almost completely severed from the neck of the guitar.
When I got home, I immediately phoned the only guitar repairman that has ever worked on this guitar (30+ years), Mr. Greg Krochman of Classic Ax, in Nashville, TN. I sent pictures of the injury and asked if he could treat the patient. He said, “Hard to tell…you’ll need to bring her to me.” So a quick road trip to Nashville a few days later took me to his new location (after he was nudged off Music Row in the name of ‘progress’…read that however you like), where I left my friend in the capable hands of this master craftsman and then made the drive back to the Delta. My ‘sub’ guitar through the next several weeks was the guitar I went to college with, a 1970 Fender Newport acoustic. It’s always been my favorite ‘writing’ guitar, and it served me well while I waited on the outcome of ‘surgery’ on the Guild. Did I mention that American Airlines broke the headstock on the Guild in almost exactly the same place 17 years ago (another story for another time…)? Not knowing what the total ‘medical bill’ would be for surgery and hospitalization, my sweet church family at St. Luke UMC, in an exceptional act of kindness and generosity, took up a collection towards the repair and recovery of my old friend.
I got the call from ‘Dr. Greg’ in mid-July so I hopped in the car to go pick up the 
‘patient’ who was being discharged after a successful surgery. Not only had the surgery been successful, but with some additional PT (neck adjustment, new strings, new pins, etc.), my old friend played like she did when she was new 40 years ago. I was overjoyed to say the least:)
I have several of these old friends, and like their human counterparts, each is different and special in his/her own way…and each contributes to my life is ways for which I am eternally grateful. Since you’ve been kind enough to put up with this rambling medical analogy, let me introduce these friends to you.
Nothing like old friends…
I recently returned from the annual ‘Summer Gathering’ with my sweet YaYas (lifelong friends) down on the Mississippi Gulf Coast..I’ve lost count of how many years we’ve gathered, but suffice it to say it’s been a LOT of years. I know this because the main topics of our conversations have shifted from the challenges of middle age and career adjustments to the joys of grandchildren and the comparison of medications and health conditions brought on by the inevitable aging process. So very grateful that all three of us could once again gather for a few days of doing nothing together except lounging in the pool, binge watching Manifest and feasting on home-cooked vegetables, summer peaches, and fish from the Gulf.
Nothing like old friends…take a moment to call/text/email/visit one of your old friends today…they are PRICELESS gifts.
+peace+
Tricia
