A hero I never met died today.

[pstall]

Gerry Rafferty. Most will know him from Stealers Wheel with the song Stuck in the Middle with you or of course the epic, Baker Street.

Baker Street IS the song about my life. Yep I'm going there ya hard hearted cynics.

1978 may be one of the greatest years of my life. Made all stars on most of my sports teams, my girlfriend at the time was one of the best if not the best looking girls around. My paw paw on my moms side was still alive and all my favorite sports teams were winning championships. Jumping trash cans with my bike, long summers, not a care in the world. All my childhood friends and me were the kings of our little sliver of the Earth.

Baker Street came out in 78 and while only 10 and not fully aware of the scope of great music, the song just stood out.

As I got older and wilder and chased and caught enough skirts that would make Tiger Woods blush and sold enough drugs and did deals that even dudes in gangs were like damn Stall, you are the man. But the drugs, women, outrageous parties, random road trips where I would wake up in other parts of the country and not know how I got there grew tiresome and it wore down my soul.

Baker Street would come on out of nowhere and the song would speak to me. It was about me.

I hope for any of ya that even took time out to read this has a song or two like that that you go hey, that song is about me. Living your life with no self awareness can be damaging.

Ya live long enough, your heroes from various elements of your childhood start to fade away. It's not always easy to accept but you do. Oh sure, it's not the same as family or friends, but your heroes. They are benchmarks of your youth and some exits of becoming a man. Only so many songs and films have a profound impact on you. Never let those that do go.

peace