The other day I found a Rush CD when I was looking for something to listen to .
It had been a gift from my buddy and former boss Keith McLendon.
I put it on and had a blast of the past as I remembered him giving me this compilation CD of his favorite group. He had done it because I had told him one day, I didn’t really care for the group. It had been my ex-wife’s favorite band and I guess there was a little bit of bias against the band because of that. Plus honestly, I just never got why everyone loved their music so much. I had never really listened to much of their music because the few songs I had, grated on my nerves. So yep, I made this view known one day in the office when their music came on the radio. Keith was in total disbelief.
“You just have not listened to the right stuff,” Keith said. “I am going to give you a CD of their best and I bet you will end up liking them.”
In a matter of days, I had this Rush CD in my possession.
To humor Keith, I listened to it.
I couldn’t believe it.
Keith was right. I found songs I really liked.
Needless to say, Keith had a big smile on his face when I admitted I did like the music he had made for me.
I realized Keith had been out of my life for almost three years. He passed away on July 28 in 2019.
As I listened to the first song, I found myself remembering when Keith and I first met way back when I first moved to Carbon County.
I was bartending at the Lazy River Cantina and Keith came in with Chili Rollinson. I knew Chili from Kisten Campbell, Jimmy Campbell and the whole generation of local young adults, who today may not be considered so young.
Anyway Keith discovered I had lived in the Houston area at one time and we started talking. We clicked pretty fast. Keith was one of those people who made friends easily. After the boys had a few drinks, Keith wanted to do a shot of tequila, but didn’t want to do it alone. He offered to buy me a shot and I like tequila. We toasted and our friendship was born.
Anytime we went out drinking, a shot of tequila was mandatory.
Keith was great with graphic art and I remember using him when I worked for a Spanish liquor company to come up with a design for a few different drinks I was promoting.
He was also excellent at editing. When I was working on a writing project some years back, I had him go over my work. That is when he learned I could string some lines together to make a story.
I have always enjoyed writing and overseas a few different magazines published my work. I was even a nightlife reporter for a Taipei magazine that had a circulation of about 250,000. It was very exciting for me when one of my stories was on the front cover.
But my writing was mostly on nightspots and the trending drinking culture, all of which is very interesting to me. I never really considered it really reporting, and I certainly never gave up my day job to write.
It never even occurred to try and make a living as a reporter for a newspaper. Then one fateful day a little over five years ago, I called Keith to ask him a question on possibly doing some educational classes on bar culture. I was getting his opinion where I should try to start these up in town.
He did not seem to think it would be worth my effort and then said, “You know how to write and I just lost a reporter. Come to work for me.”
Huh?
After my initial shock, I told him I would give it a try.
That is how I came to the Saratoga Sun.
Keith treated me so well. He took me out to lunch often for my efforts. When the weather would be bad, because I live in Hanna, he would have me stay with him at his house where he would have me watch Marvel and DC movies. Most mornings he would zip out a little earlier but not before he had some breakfast waiting for me. Keith really was an awesome host and friend.
Our friendship which was fairly strong to begin with, just got better as I worked at the paper. He was so proud when I took some first place awards at the Wyoming Press Association the first year I was entered. He told me, to win first place my first year was unheard of. Well, maybe, but Josh Wood did the same thing his first year.
Maybe it is in the coffee we drink at the office that allows rookie reporters to do well at these award ceremonies.
To say I was crushed when I learned of his death, is not strong enough. I admit to probably crying on several occasions as I took in he was gone and not coming back. My newspaper mentor and friend was gone.
But he really isn’t.
Three years might have passed, but I am very aware of his presence in my life. Without him, there would be no writing columns or stories on Carbon County in the Saratoga Sun by me. I would have missed out on so much on what my day-to-day life is now. There would be so many people I wouldn’t know.
Most importantly, at least in his eyes; if he had not come into my life, I would still tell you I thought Rush was overrated.
As July 28 comes and goes, I guess it should be noted, I did a toast not so long ago in memory of Keith with a half dozen people at the Rustic bar; proving he is not forgotten.
Of course it was tequila.
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