My daddy died from a heart attack at the age of 47. He introduced me to music, and he loved it so. Hank Williams, Little Jimmy Dickens, Patti Page and Perry Como – he loved them all.
I’ve been playing onstage since I was 16 years old, and I’ll be 65 in August. Thanks to blind luck and Maggie. We’ve had a busy year playing on the road and building our house concert site here at Maggie’s Farm, our seven acre farm near the Econfina Creek in the Florida panhandle.
Last week, I started griping about pains, like someone had beaten me with a 2X4. Heart? Nah…must’ve been the flu, maybe even pneumonia. I took another aspirin, then another.
One week of griping before Maggie said, “You’re going to the doctor.”
“Doc,” I said when we got there, “I think I have pneumonia.”
“No,” he said. “You had a heart attack, and I think you’re having another one right now.”
So, a long ride to the hospital in the ambulance, a trip through the OR for 3 stents and now I’m sitting in a narrow hospital bed typing away….still here…hopefully a little wiser.
I still have the music, still have the time. At least, as much as anyone does. See you down the road,
Mike
