What Would Willie Do?

Those of you who have known me for a while might have the suspicion that I am wound up a little tight. This is not entirely wrong. I have a tendency to go at things full tilt. This could be signs of a manic/depressive disorder or too much caffeine and beer.

Lately things have been a little rough. Life doesn’t always work out according to plan. Expectations often exceed recompense, you can’t always get what you want. Fortunately there is always a country song to set things into perspective. I was riding to meet a friend at 5:45 AM with all of my turmoil's rumbling in my mind. My head light went out and I had to stop and fix it. I had hit a bad bump and things got loose. It occurred to me that I had better get my mind on my riding and forget about the distractions. Then it hit me, the song that fixes everything. “What Would Willie Do?”

I got myself all worked up about the local bike club. I didn’t think the race course they selected was all that safe and when I protested I got shot down pretty hard. It was hey you, get off of my cloud. The club is taking a direction I don’t agree with and getting involved with too many events without enough money or volunteers. I was taking it all seriously and personal, getting way to emotionally involved and then I thought, What would Willie do?

Well he’d just take a deep breath and then he’d let it all go.

Right now my bike repair business is tanking.  No one has been in for service or repairs for weeks on end. There is a new bike shop with lots of shiny bikes, a good looking young owner and air-conditioning. There isn't even a single mosquito in his whole shop. I was starting to feel like nobody liked poor pitiful me any more but it hit me again, What would Willie do?

And he’d take another deep breath and let it all go.

Then my bank says if I don’t have $10,000 in my account they are going to charge me $20 a month for checking. My cat is 14 and not getting around too well. I’ve had four flat tires in three weeks . I have a catering job and a major art show coming up and I am really starting to stress, and heading for my 19th nervous breakdown and....What would Willie do?

and he’d take another deep breath.... and he’d hold it.

Yes there is always a good country song for just about every situation. In this case it isn’t really “ What Would Willie Do?” It is a song by one of the old outlaws though. It’s “Luchenbach, Texas” or Back to the Basics of Life. I did a lot of thinking and beat myself up pretty bad for not doing better. This of course did no good what so ever. So I am going back to the basics of life. I am going to get my catering job done, whittle away my to do list one step at a time and put up one hell of a show. I’m going to appreciate my ancient cat while she’s still with us. The bike club is going on low priority and riding is going on high priority. The bike business will get reinvented as something else, or not. The main thing is to quit whining and get back to having fun and enjoying life and the time I have with my wife. It’s time to remember the basics of life.

Sometimes you get what you need.

Special thanks to Bruce Robison, Waylon Jennings and the Lads.