Bo Diddley could have been a teacher.
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A million thousand years ago, my brother and his friends were going to see Bo Diddley in Boston at a bar called Harper’s Ferry.
I asked to tag along. Harper’s Ferry was one of the premier venues to see music—it was a cavernous hall with amazing acoustics.
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Wanting to float around the place without the “brotherly bodyguards”, I left them at the bar down the way. At the time, I was a fan of shooting pool with strangers. These strangers were good at pool. After having body parts handed to me, I decided it was time to start drinking.
I did happen to know Tony, the back bartender, so I made my way to his bar. The man had a hand like an anvil, so my cocktail was a direct line to “chatty Risa”. The place was pretty empty, except for an older gentleman who was sitting at the end of the bar. He wore a black hat with turquoise amulets circling the crown.
Even tipsy Risa was smart enough to notice who he was—so I introduced myself. Bo was charming and eloquent, and his first question to me was “Do you want to get with me? “ I noted his wedding ring, and declined.
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Faced with a real live legend—a man who was one of the the fathers of rock and roll. What would I ask him?
“What would you have done if you weren’t a musician? “
He thought for a moment. “I think I would have been a teacher. I think I could have helped young people”.
Most of me is glad I only have the memory.
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We then talked about normal human things—he told me about his wives in Florida, and how hard it was to be on the road all the time. 15 minutes flew by, and he realized it was time for him to go.
He signed a program for me unasked, shook my hand and went off to do his show.
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At this point the crowd had started to filter in. I was making my way back to meet the boys—remember, this was before cell phones were ubiquitous. No selfie, no recording it — part of me wishes there was. Most of me is glad I only have the memory.
I had just found my friends and was telling them about what happened. They did not believe me — until Bo walked by and said “Hi Risa” with a little wave on his way up to the stage.
All jaws met floor. Except mine, cause it was too busy grinning.
By Risa Dale
This article was originally published on Medium. Read the original article.
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Photo: Getty Images
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