LASAGNA

I decided to make some lasagna yesterday. I don’t often make it because there are only two of us eating and it’s impossible to make a ‘mini-lasagna’. It simply isn’t worth the time. Besides, I had bunch of late-season eggplants and tomatoes that needed to be used up and lasagna seemed a good way to incorporate all those things. Of course, I still had to go to the supermarket to get fresh ricotta and sweet sausage, and a box, (yes, I said box) of tomatoes. Not to sound too much like a commercial, I LOVE Pomi tomatoes in the box. Anyway, back to the lasagna. After slicing, breading and baking the eggplant, and cooking each component separately, sausage, onions, mushrooms, and tomato sauce, I began to “build” my lasagna, as they say on the Food Network. Layers of mozzarella and ricotta separated layers of sausage, onions, mushrooms, and pasta, all surrounded by the tomato sauce and baked for one hour. Out of the oven came this gorgeous, lightly browned, fragrant, huge pan of lasagna. Betty and I each enjoyed a square with a nice burgundy, but now what? Our two helpings were a meager subtraction. There was still one heck of a lot of lasagna to dispose of. Well, okay,  I’ll freeze some, I thought gamely.  I cut four more helpings and put them in two freezer bags. Great. Now I only had enough to feed a small bar full of drunks at last call, arguably the hungriest group of people in the world. If I froze all that was left, I’d have an entire freezer full of lasagna. It was good, but really, how much could we eat? While it’s true we were both once hungry drunks at last call, neither of us can eat the way we used to. I left a couple of helpings in the refrigerator, so we could have it one more time this week. That still left a goodly chunk, which Betty suggested we give to our neighbor, who gave us butterfish in return. I’m going to cook the fish tonight, and our neighbor has already eaten and applauded the lasagna. I love this town. 

Looking Back

   My recent retirement from the last of my activities on stage has caused me to look back over a lifetime of performing. It’s certainly been, in the words of the late Mr. Garcia, a long, strange trip. It’s one I always knew would end, and I’m actually surprised to see it lasted as long as it did. I mean, like so many of my generation, I never believed I’d live past thirty, and doing shows at age 68 was ‘way beyond my reckoning, for sure.

   There have been many great times, and many not so great ones, too, like any profession. I never got very famous. I used to wish for that but now I’m glad it didn’t happen. I managed to make a fair living, without the huge sacrifices that come with fame. I had a lot of fun, and got to travel all over the country, which was nice. Remember when it used to be fun to fly? I met some famous people, some nice, some not. The nicest famous person I ever met was Liberace. I won’t name the worst. I got to work with some really fine musicians, some of whom live right here in Provincetown. You know who you are, and you have my everlasting respect and gratitude.

   The whole week before my last show, I wondered what it would be like. Would I cry? Would I laugh? Would my voice be in shape? Would I remember the song lyrics? Would it be too hot? Would it be too cold? Would anybody come to the concert? And on and on. At last, the moment arrived, and I found myself calm, and why not? My musician friends surrounded me, people I have sung with for the last 17 summers, and there were many familiar faces in the audience, as well. It was, quite simply, everything I could have asked for. The song, which I had been working on for a year, flew out of my mouth as though I’d been performing it forever. (I’d never sung it before in public). All of my worries disappeared, and it became one of those moments I cherish on stage, when it’s all just right. Perfect.

   So, this is a thank you note to all of you who helped make Sunday, Sept 13, 2015 a very special day for me. I’m glad you liked my song, that day and all the days you’ve sat and listened. Without you there would be no song, just some screeching in the shower. Of all the places I have performed, Provincetown is my favorite, and I’m glad if I made some of you happy with my music and antics on the stage. It’s been fun for me, too. Thanks.  

PS: Stay tuned for the next act!