From: Joe and Cass Leone <leone@xxxxxxxx> Date: December 21, 2006 3:10:35 PM EST To: Roscoharp@xxxxxxx Subject: Re: [Harp-L] taking a compliment
On Dec 21, 2006, at 1:39 PM, Roscoharp@xxxxxxx wrote:
Hey list,
Great timing for this thread. Last night at our low key weekly Wed. gig a
guy I'd never met pulled me aside & said, "You're the fourth best harmonica
player I ever heard." (I'm thinking-'This will be interesting'.) He says,
"There's Stevie Wonder," (allright!! ) "Bob Dylan," (oh well), "& that dude who
sang Alice's Restaurant!" (there ya go) "You're right behind them guys!"
Later,
Rosco
Well, for me there is no such thing as best (or worst) harp player. Nor best or worst anything for that matter. I have a long held policy that nothing Nor no one can ever be best or worst.
Let me explain my (twisted?) logic. (oh he!!, groan, here we go again..)
I will refer to someone as the SECOND greatest guy (or gal) I have ever met. I will also allow as how a certain person is the SECOND biggest 'butt-wipe' I have ever known. (And I'm SO sure that someone (somewhere) is also probably saying that about me). I have said these things for a reason.
I am not dead yet and I'm afraid that if I award FIRST or last place to anyone or any thing, something (or someone) may come along tomorrow who is AHEAD or behind of my original pick. Sooo, it's like in figure skating. I can't give someone a 10 right off the bat when there are still a few more skaters who haven't skated yet.
Ergo, for me the highest level one can achieve is SECOND best or worst.
As for compliments, someone would tell me I was good and I would smile or chuckle and say "You don't get out much, do you". It was all said in fun but once (once is all it took), I watched a man's face turn from an expression of glee to one of dismay. I was real quick to realize that I had hurt his feelings. I had actually insulted him. I quickly back peddled and said I was just kidding. That seemed to de fuse the situation. Ever since then, I have merely said something like "You're so kind", OR "I need to keep you around". With the girls, I usually say "Can I adopt you?"
p.s. when I say girls, I'm talking 40-80 years old....tee hee
smokey Joe & the cafes are back at the oldest original established floating crap-jam in SW Fla.