Sunday, November 8, 2009

Un-Disappointing


I love quotes, little atom bombs of wit, wisdom, and wackiness. When I taught I wrote a quote on the board every day. Any nudge to thought is a step in the right direction, I figured. Some, even my favorites, the pithiest pearls I knew of, would go un-remarked upon all day; others, even the most innocuous, would spark debate, discussion, disagreement all day long.

The other day, reading an obituary/appreciation of the one-of-a-kind Jim Dickinson (of all the Dickinson tributes written in the three months since his death, my favorite is here) in the great British music magazine Mojo, I saw this line from Dickinson, who had played with Dylan, among dozens of other legends: "Many things in life are disappointing but, rest assured, Bob Dylan is not one." I love that, not just for the nod to Bob. I love that comforting caesura of "rest assured," and I like how the quote got me thinking about other things in life that, rest assured, are not disappointing. I think of it in two ways: something that always satisfies, but even further, something that actually lifts you up, turns you around, in effect, un-disappoints you. For me, such as:

  • watermelon
  • digging out a pair of sandals from underneath a chair to wear on a warm November day
  • riding rollercoasters with my nephews
  • exchanging mixes with my nieces
  • mom's chili
  • Jack's laughter
  • a Somie story
  • bonfires
  • blowing bubblegum bubbles
  • talking sports with the UPS guy
  • stumbling upon yet another showing of The Godfather saga on cable
  • an ice cream cone
  • a beer, a bag of peanuts, and a bleacher ticket to a baseball game
  • a Hogan's Heroes re-run
  • "American Pie" appearing on the radio when I'm driving alone at night
  • a cold shower after a summer's lawn mowing
  • a hot shower after an autumn's lawn mowing
  • The Big Lebowski
  • Bob Dylan and The Band's "Apple Suckling Tree"
  • a high, soft flop shot to within gimme range
  • a Scottish accent
  • Joe Tait calling a Cavs game
  • a T.C. Boyle short story
  • anybody saying the word "blunderbuss"
  • a little kid playing with little cars or horses
  • watching a Zamboni machine do its thing

Jim Dickinson and The New Beale Street Sheiks-You'll Do It All The Time

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