Tedeschi Trucks Band at The Keswick - Poem: Last Night's Concert

Susan Tedschi is of Italian origin. She's married to Derek Trucks, formerly with the Greg Allman Band.

She's a tiny lady with a mightier-than-thou voice. Born a Catholic, she didn't like the music at the family's church - they're from Boston - so she started attending black churches and sang with the choir.

That's damn smart and damn brave.

Looked to me like there were 11 people in her band, a regular hand-picked orchestra. They put on a great show complete with a light show on the ceiling.

Derek and Susan have two young children.

The opening band was called The London Souls.

Awesome! I thought, well, these are two of the Tedeschi Trucks. Soon the other members will join them.

Wrong! These were The London Souls. Powerful band. Powerful singer. I thought it was a woman but obviously when you see the photo it's a guy.



Before I leave for the Keswick I take a brief nap and actually fall asleep. What a busy day I had. Saw the film Suffragette at the Huntingdon Valley Library.

When I spoke with Judy Diaz, she agreed with me that it wasn't that good of a film. We didn't care all that much what happens with the main characters.



Then stopped at Mom's who wanted to know more about what I'm reading in my autism book and the derivation of the word autism and when it began.

It was always here, Mom, I said. It's just a mutant gene. Then she wanted to know why it's more prevalent today.

Mom. Here's what the Internet says about it.

Spoiler alert: There is no rise. It's the way you count the stats.

So I'm driving down Edge Hill Road toward the Keswick. I pull over with my blinker on. People squeeze past me, tho there's plenty of room.

Damn! I've forgotten to put my ticket in my pocketbook.

Do a U-turn on the narrow street, speed home and retrieve ticket, then drive lickety split to the Keswick.

From dark un-carred roads to bright lights and a modest amount of traffic.

Contrasts!

Ah, there it is up ahead, the bright lights of Keswick Village. In a burst of genius, I turn right to park instead of left, b/c I see people coming from that direction.

Find a perfect parking spot and LOCK my car.

Show starts at 8 pm. I arrive 10 minutes early.

This woman turned off the FLASH on my camera.

I'm in seat Y. The second last row. Joe is holding a drink in his hand. He's on the aisle seat. MY seat.

I'll give you $20 he says if you lemme sit here.

I say nothing and move to his seat, next to Mary Ellen Lynn, a mail carrier. We become friends during the show.

Joe, a construction worker - it's all I've ever done, he says - met Mary online. He lives in Scranton, she lives in the Lehigh Valley.

They go to concerts together. They're both very affectionate lovable people.

She used to live in Feasterville.

She lives near her 93-yo grandfather who still drives, even tho he has glaucoma. He asked his doc if he should smoke marijuana for it and they agreed. It's helping him.

I tell her that before I left for the show, I took my blood sugar.

38.

Isn't that low, she asked, so low you might pass out.

Yes, I said and told her what I ate to bring myself back to life.

I had no idea I was low - had just awoke from a nap - until I bent over my notebook where I record the results, and it looked like there was an empty spot in the notebook.

That means: you're low. Vision affected.

Two cartons of Chobani choco rasp and a million Triscuits stuffed in my mouth.

She was worried about it. I reassured her.

Mary, like me, doesn't like driving in the dark. She'll be sixty and will retire soon from the post office.

Joe is an Illustrated Man. At 69, he just got a new one on his right arm. It's simply gorgeous!

People have so many interests!

I left early, telling Mary I have a lot to do at home. Compass of course. But I am so darn tired am gonna go upstairs after bloggin. And checking my sugar. I can get on the bike if need be.

Oh! Right before I left for the Keswick I got an email from the East Jasmine Review.

Dear Ruth Deming,

Thank you for sending us "Tommy Boy on the Ladder of Life." We love it and would like to publish it in the next issue of East Jasmine Review. Our next issue is scheduled to be released in March 2016.

Sincerely,
Candice Green and Anthony Isom
Fiction Editors

I could NOT believe it. When I get these emails, my eye wanders to the right. So I saw 'love it and would like to'

Do you know how many times I've submitted it?

Based what happened to my former accountant, XX, who went to the seminary and was assaulted by a couple of priests. It was painful for him to talk about it. They got him drunk. Dunno if they knew he was victimized by more than one of the priests.

He left the seminary. After that he became mentally ill, but could still function. I love that man!!!

I will not tell him about my story. It would drudge up horrible memories.

 Wha?????  Oh, it's the Truckers performing.

 Am still looking for the back cover for the Compass and thought if I could get a great shot.... Mary took a pic too with her smarty pants phone but it didn't come out.

I left at 10 15, after saying good bye to Mary. Gave her my biz card. Hope she emails me. She really liked that I do things by myself and I love living alone. She has three kids herself and visited the middle one today.

I always photograph the Band's Bus. 

My other car is a.... couldn't read it.

The band lives in Jacksonville, FL.

Keswick Village was lit up like an ice castle. I turned around and headed for my car, wearing warm jacket, Jade's cap - Happy 8th Wedding Anniv - and sneakers.

Must ride my bike since I just checked my sugar. 240. I can't inject at night... might wake up dead in the morning.

LAST NIGHT'S CONCERT

The email comes in
they send it to
thousands

I pretend it's just
for me. The Tedeschi
Trucks band is coming
to the Keswick.

I don't bite. Tickets
cost money. Money I
must save. To buy, as
I did today, Easter books
for my two wondering
grandchildren.

A month goes by.

The Truckers were
sold out. But lucky
for us, they agree on
one more show.

I bite.

Wearing my black
driving glasses, I
speed faster and
faster toward the
theater, excited
as if meeting a new lover
for the very first time

It's not impossible
I might thrust
myself onstage.
A band member might
think, "She reminds me
of my grandmother! Wonder
what she's like under
the covers."

Alas, I chicken out.
People are friendly,
Hi there, Rich and Barb
to my right, Joe and Mary
on the left.

My body won't sit still.
Fans are dancing in the
aisles. Closing my eyes,
my body takes over, a flower
pushing upward in the earth.

Every one of the 1300
people are deep in their
thoughts, the new theater
of the absurd, The
The Roman Colosseum where
Gladiators fought

the Greek theater where
Euripedes turned his
tragic eye
and me, hearing the
mighty voice of Susan
Tedeschi!

A tiny woman the
heavens granted the
pipes of a Billie
Holliday, a Stevie Nicks
and now a Susan Tedeschi. 

***

Got my front and back cover for the Compass.