MUSIC is BACK!

"You're daddy moved out," Came my mother's rattled drawl as I descended the stairs on Saturday morning. "All his stuff's gone." Being only five years old, my thoughts weren't on the following days, or the days prior. I didn't think about the fighting, nor the tears, nor the fact that my mother's heart must be consistency of the the strawberry jam she spread on my toast every Sunday morning and served with eggs. I ran directly to my dad's record player declaring that he'd "better not have taken my music!" Sleeved and sitting a-top was Wheels are Turnin' by R.E.O. Speedwagon containing "our song," I can't Fight This Feeling-- A strange song for a father and daughter, but to me was just a memory of mid-afternoon dances on top of my pop's feet.  That record stared back at me with assurance that he'd be back for me-- a promise we'd have another dance.

I spent many years after that listening to that old stereo in my Laura Ashley decorated bedroom, hopping around to the American Graffiti soundtrack. Finally, one day it disappeared, most likely around the time I realized it didn't play CD's. The Laura Ashley lilacs were replaced with paint my mother likened with the color of snot, and magazine cut-outs of Beck Hansen, and Kurt Cobain. Teenagers, sheeez!

Post-high school, I scooped up all of my musical affections, and realized I wanted my records and my record player too. Upon moving to NYC, I had my mom ship my/her/my dad's old turntable to me, specifying that she needed to provide proper cushioning and wrapping for each little piece. Well, my mom's no dummy, but she is busy-- so of course, the damn thing ended up at my door in knots and bits. Unusable! I was brokenhearted, and refused to throw it away for years.

Good news though! Today I picked up a whole stereo system off Craig's List with the following:

1. Rotel RX-403 Stereo Receiver

2. Technics Turntable SL-BD20D

3. Sherwood Double Tape Deck (Circa 1984)

4. Equalizer (But doesn't matter because we're not using it.)

FOR the grand total of (Drum roll, music dorks.) 20 BUCKS!

Yay.