The week was pretty normal. I mean there were the work days, and then there were the CE on-line education days. There were gym days, and there were days I watched the clouds and sun out in the yard in between everything else. It was pretty normal except for TOP GUN Wednesday (Any day I wear my white scrubs to the office is deemed a "top gun" day.). As expected, the whites in the sunlight reflected light that could be seen off in the distance. I didn't actually witness this myself, but a few of the office patients and a couple of the store vendors mentioned it when they saw me walk by or saw me eating in my normal lunch spot. Magically wearing white triggers a psychological order of priori that essentially tells most of us, "White are the good guys...white represents the light, the truth, and what is clean and what is healthy." Without getting into a talk of social conditioning, the response was funny to watch and listen to what thoughts came out of people. One guy said, "I thought you were the milk man." Another one said, "I thought of the ice cream man, " and yet another said, "I saw angels in the sky as you walked through the court." I had to laugh at that last one, but it may have some relevance. Hahaha.
Top Gun Wednesday was pretty low stress and with it moments of content ending with my trek to the gym to work off body tension from earlier work-outs this week and continue my rehab of my low-back and ass/leg pain. Yup. The leg pain is still with me, but it's improving. As is my usual routine, I played some Prince, or at least I had been in the last week getting ready for some karaoke. I drink my pre-work-out drink and make the walk into the gym just after 7:00 PM. I waved hi to the front desk manager and chit-chatted with her a bit only to walk away wondering what her story was. I laughed at myself for maybe giving her just a touch more attention than I might other front desk girls. My former was in stretching but at a later time than usual. I smiled thinking of the Purple Rain lyrics, "It's such a shame our friendship had to end...Purple Rain..Purple Rain," and got to the locker room to ready for my warm up. I checked my calendar cause it must've be about three weeks (+/- a few days) since I've seen her. I mention the three weeks cause it's usually the time she shows up in my real-life movie after not seeing her around and concluding she moved. She looked healthy and appears to have gotten some 'nose' work done. Not that she needed it, but she thought she did, and I guess it was time. We did the 'try not and notice the other' person routine, but let's face it, it's Gold's Gym and people get noticed for shape, size, and their level of fitness, and 'we've' come a long way babe! LOL. So, went the week till Thursday morning after my normal coffee and client training session.
It was my first time getting him into and out of what was becoming the next Minneapolis 'Purple' themed night club scene-The Visage Club. The call came in from his personal body guard that he was approaching and needed a table to take in the scene from, which at the time included an areal show on silk ropes and a hoop. As I watched his purple limo pull up, I wasn't sure what to expect as I hadn't actually seen him up close. His driver got out and greeted me, and then a very small framed person got out from the back. He looked at me, and I asked if there was anyone else that would be joining him essentially hiding the fact that I thought Prince had a front man that would go in and check the scene out first before he would actually get out of the limo. It was in that moment that I realized it was him! Neither him nor his driver picked up that I didn't know it was him as I lead them up the back door and hall to the VIP booth were I watched from the distance as another one of my teammates stood near the booth to keep would-like-to-touch you people away. Eventually his very tall and super hot girl at the time showed up in another limo with a few of her girls essentially crowding out the area. Eventually he slipped out as I followed with his detail. He stopped and turned just before getting into his limo and said, "Nice suit. Have my guy call you so we can arrange some other things." I nodded in affirmation and gave the wave off. The girls eventually left. What would happen later as a result of this encounter is part of the stories of my life as a nightlife lord in Minneapolis.
As it all passed through my mental conscious again, I was emotional because it wasn't just one of the greatest musicians and artist in the world that just passed away into the night, he was a fellow Minnesota man. His childhood and my own had many commonalities, and what might have likely turn into the story we read about in the news on another black person being gunned down or put into jail or found guilty of some trumped up charge of possession or prostitution turned out much different--it turned out much different--he was able to rise above his environment and made it work for him, and he became who he was...PRINCE, and if it could happen to one Minnesota man, it could happen for others. So I am sad the Purple One is no longer with us, but what he left behind, his musical legacy, will be part of our cultural heritage forever. That's all I have to say about that.
It's my birthday week, and I'm coming home to celebrate my own aging but also the life and times of the man! I will hopefully be joined by as many of you that are willing to go have a drink or two at the VFW where I'm gonna sing some Prince, some Rock'n Roll, and maybe some blues. I'm not sure how it's gonna pan out, but I'm gonna be home for a little bit and enjoy a few days off, some family and friend time, and remember the last year as a step in the right direction. Who knows...I might even eat some cake, run the lakes, and hopefully get to visit Paisley Park to pay my respects. Till then, I guess we all just spent a little bit of time remembering and listening to some Prince. "Be well. Do good work, and come on back." G. Keiller.
#MNMAN #MNPEOPLE #GETADJUSTEDTOTHEGOODLIFE #CALIFORNIADREAMING
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