Posted: February 11, 2020
Well, this is a peculiar little piece. Jim has a lot of friends, a stack of acquaintances but only a few close buddies. As time goes on as a married couple people tend to get together with other couples. As a single guy, I see it all the time. A single person is sort of not as much in the picture. But Jims (and Janice’s) buddy Adrian is an exception. They have a long time friendship with him and have seen him through various phases in his life – as a music student at university, as a musician/ composer taking his identity from whoever he was backing up, and through various romantic relationships. Janice and Jim have been in partnership with him in music ventures and in various personal pursuits.
I find it interesting that good friends don’t have to see each other constantly to have a strong relationship. Jim’s relationship with his buddy Jim H. in Ottawa is like that. Big gaps in seeing each other and then they get together and it’s like they live down the street from each other. The same goes for his buddy and old business partner John. It took me longer to rebuild my relationship with Jim. I had been out of the picture for a long time and never really made any effort to be on the scene, but it is good to back.
So back from my ramble to the topic at hand. Adrian floats in and out of their lives, popping up at Christmas to bake with Janice or in Key West for some sun or in London with Jim when delivering art for Janice.
So that’s the background on Adrian. On September 15th, I get this long email that Jim has sent out late at night after an art show that Janice was in. It was a fun show put together by AWOL Collective the group that Janice has shown with, in Miami, New York, and Toronto. It was on the fourth floor of an apartment building – guerilla gallery sort of thing – very Brooklyn.
A number of friends like Andre and Lee had shown up and it was a pretty good opening.
In Adrian’s busy schedule he showed up with the amazing Liz (Liz Lockrey – see Adrian’s website in Links we love).
So after the show, a few glasses of wine and some food were consumed and it’s pretty clear to me that Jim opened a bottle or two when they made it home.
Now I don’t know why Jim sat down to the computer later that night but he felt compelled to write down the poem below.
A RIFF ON ADRIAN
Licks at his fingertips
Dough in his freezer
Luna on his shoulder
Mama Bear in his heart.
Licks at his fingertips
Ostinatos to the schooled,
Played with conviction,
Has them all fooled.
Licks at his fingertips
Dough in his freezer
Luna on his shoulder
Mama Bear in his heart.
Dough in his freezer
For cookies and pies,
Dough in the future,
From royalties & royalty.
Licks at his fingertips
Dough in his freezer
Luna on his shoulder
Mama Bear in his heart.
Luna on his shoulder,
Friends and family too.
Living vicariously,
Without the miles of the road.
Licks at his fingertips
Dough in his freezer
Luna on his shoulder
Mama Bear in his heart.
Mama bear in his heart,
At rest, but never resting,
Guiding him always
Passed, but always present.
Nice poem lad. I like it. So why did I post it today and not when Jim scrawled it down? Well, today is Adrian’s birthday. HAPPY BIRTHDAY ADRIAN! I look forward to hanging with you one day in the future.
P.S. as always, feel free to share the poem but please credit it to me.