I thanked my driver for finding me. Thank goodness the GPS is good enough to locate my building in this huge complex; I just wanted to get the hell out of there after this crazy, unreal dental visit where this place tried to give me a 600% markup with my really good insurance through Costco (sorry, guys – only available in 8 states).

So after I took a few calming breaths, I laughed about how the song – Blondie, “One Way or Another” was making me feel old. My driver had a ’70’s station playing on his satellite radio. He said he thought it came out in the ’80’s, so I looked it out, and nope – 1978, which happened to be the year he graduated high school. [I didn’t tell him I was 4 years old then.] I asked him where he grew up. He said he was in the desert in southern California, an hour from everything. He could get to the beach, the sand dunes, concerts, you name it. After hearing these things over and over, is it any wonder that people wanted to live in California when it was hip and not so expensive?

I asked him what his family was like. He said his dad wanted to be in films, but he always ended up being more of an extra. But then he always got together with the guys. And by “guys,” he meant Kirk Douglas and some other big names, to play poker and help them part with their big money. Of course, no one minded, it was just guys being guys sitting out back and smoking and drinking and talking shit.

My driver said his brother got into show biz too with his own production company. He ended up being a writer and worked on “The Big Bang Theory.” He named some other project that was supposed to be known but honestly, I’m not great with current stuff; I’m usually about 3-5 years behind. No money for instant gratification. But I love hearing about creativity.

My driver’s mom was a jazz singer too, so she could hold her own in this family. The whole family was musically and theatrically driven.

I asked him what line of work he pursued. He said he was the black sheep, and he was an airline mechanical engineer. Super straight, no nonsense, no singing or dancing or acting. (Notice how his acrylic screen is especially engineer-inspired.) I told my driver that as long as he supports his family and other artists, that’s all that matters. Art helps us understand life. He agreed.

Punk Rock Saved My Life poster

Ella Fitzgerald tote bag

Boeing 747 Family Blueprint shower curtain