Dead Poets

Not too long ago, I was sitting in my bread truck, in the parking lot of Korte's grocery store.

My wife was grabbing something inside, so I just leaned back and listened to Lou Reed.

On his song "Small Town" he states that Warhol was so inspired by Truman Capote that had young Andy known where he lived....he would of camped out at his front door.

Then it occurred to me that if I were to write a similar song about Finley, I wouldn't know who his "Capote" was, so I pulled out my cell and called him.

"Mike Finley here."

"Mike, it's me....who did you idolize growing up?" Pause-Pause-Pause.....

Well, I kinda thought he might mention John or Paul, Finley has 1001 Beatles stories, and 1/2 of them are dreams he's had over the years where he was the 5th Beatle.

My mentor answered.

"Mark Twain, simple....it would have to be him. he was brilliant, you could never get anything over on ol' Twain, yeah....I'd pick him."

As his answer sunk in, it started to make sense, but before I locked it away in my mental warehouse, Finley continued on....btw, the following is a Klecko paraphrase...

"You remember I went to France a few years ago, right? While I was in Paris, I stopped in the Pere Lachaise Cemetery and visited the grave of Oscar Wilde. Oscar was really a wonderful writer."

Then Mike told me stories about how Oscar could out drink minors who downed drinks on the lift as they descended underground, and how he would always hold flowers as he read, and how this made him come across fop like. Mike said in some respect he was making fun of himself before other people could.

So now I interrupt......

"Wasn't Jim Morrison buried in that graveyard as well?"

"Yep." answered Finley.

You went and saw his grave too, right? Pause....more pause, then Finley replied......

"Why would I? I had just seen Wilde's grave, Morrison would have been a downgrade."