We went to different schools together

Dwain Walden

One of the pleasures of writing a column is the interaction with readers. They often respond via phone calls, e-mails and even personal visits. Sometimes they agree, sometimes not. Sometimes they ask what I’ve been drinking.

Some time ago, a fellow called me and said, “Just read your column. We’ve must have gone to different schools together.” That was quite possible since he was from Ohio.

Just recently I wrote a column about music — noting that many of today’s kids are listening to their parents’ music (60s an 70s stuff). And I commented that the music of that era had staying power.

Several readers responded, and one fellow agreed with me that the music of that day was better than today’s because back then the singers could perform without using one hand to hold their pants up. If you’re going to play a hot guitar, it’s going to take both hands. I suppose a drummer could let his butt hang out and not miss a beat.

One e-mailer from Valdosta referred to my observation that there are only 12 notes in all of musicdom, and all of the songs ever written came from a mixture and timing of those 12 notes.

He said he had never thought of there only being 12 notes. I told him after much thought on the subject that the 12-note matter could be applied in broad analogy. For instance, if all the world’s music can come from just 12 notes, then that could mean that greater things might come from smaller committees. I tried to tie the 12 disciples into this thing but I haven’t worked that out yet.

One friend was so moved by the column, he brought me a 3 CD set of Rod Stewart songs, who I mentioned as one of the “old guys” still around filling music halls. By the way, I also mentioned Jimmy Buffet in that reference.

In that column I noted how music is an emotional universal language. I also noted that all around the world we laugh and cry in the same language. A responder from Thomasville said even though he was a philosophy major, he had never really thought about the laughing and crying thing. I was impressed since I only took one philosophy course in college and that was because I had to have an extra five hours credit. And because there really are no wrong answers in philosophy if you can contemplate your navel and “shoot the bull.” (Of course you have to know the difference between Plato and Playdough.)

One former Moultrian, who now lives in North Georgia called me and said he enjoyed my columns and asked me if I preferred Jim Beam or Jack Daniels, upon which we had some deep discussion. I won’t go any further into that conversation. Or just let me say, being a Baptist, I’ll take the fifth.

I have found that column writing is somewhat therapeutic. And when I say therapeutic, I don’t mean that writing a column keeps me from going crazy. But in my journey it does help me define the depth of the ruts and the slope of the ditches. Those are good things to know if you don’t have four-wheel drive and your muffler drags.

Now for those of us who went to different schools together, we’ve got to come up with some way to have a class reunion. And remember what I said about small committees.

(Dwain Walden is editor/publisher of The Moultrie Observer, 985-4545. E-mail: dwain.walden@gaflnews.com)

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