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ON MARRIAGE
In Search Of The Twelve String Guitar
Have you ever wondered what makes a really good marriage? According to my brother-in-law, he and his wife know the secret. It takes going the extra mile, putting the other first, and doing whatever it takes, no matter how long it takes, to make things work.
TRB, as he is affectionately referred to by my sister Wanda, writes what he calls a "MondayGram" for the office where he works. He shares birthdays, interoffice trivia and personal incidents to banish Monday Morning blahs. I have been privy to some of Thomas's funny stories as my sister forwards one from time to time. The one below is hot off the press, shared this week with his office personnel, shared here with permission. I share it because it says, in his words, what I say on this website. Marriage is a wonderful union that has to be worked out, one day at a time. But when a couple is united and determined, memories such as the following are for the keeping and they grow more precious each year. As TRB states, "None of my stories would happen if it were not for a loving wife and my kids."
~In Search Of The Twelve String Guitar~
In 1970 I completed my first term of enlistment at Fort Carson, CO and got out of the Army. We went back to Mississippi where I worked the night shift in the data processing center of a bank. While I was out of the Army (about 60 days), my wife gave me a 12-string Epiphone guitar for Christmas. I’d obviously mentioned that I’d like to have one because several singing groups used 12-string guitars in their bands at that time and while stationed at Fort Carson, a couple of my buddies strummed around with a guitar and I learned a few chords.
I loved my 12-string and carried it with me with every move and occasionally had time to pick it up and strum a few chords now and then. Another buddy of mine who worked with leather, made me a special guitar strap with my name on it…it was just something that was different and it was mine and I continued to haul it around even though I never really became a very good guitar picker…it was mine.
Somewhere between Denver, CO, Fort Worth, TX and Albany, NY, the 12-string became damaged with a warped neck. I remember from time to time trying to determine what it would take to repair my 12-string without spending a fortune. A little detail about the guitar…it was a 1970s or so Epiphone, made by Gibson Guitars and one of the last ones made in the United States. They are made in Japan now. After a lengthy tour in Albany, NY as the Battalion Sergeant Major of the Recruiting Battalion there, I was selected for Command Sergeant Major and was assigned to the 6th Recruiting Brigade in San Francisco, CA. In February 1994 I left for San Francisco by myself and my family was to follow when we got into military housing. This is not the first time I went to my next assignment, leaving Wanda to tie up the loose ends and coordinate with the movers. This move was no different….EXCEPT, my family decided it was time to truly clean house and rid ourselves of unused and unnecessary excess which included my damaged 12-string.
Sure enough, when our household goods arrived in San Francisco, I began looking for my guitar but it was not to be found. My family had given the damaged guitar to one of my son’s friends. Needless to say I was devastated, without good reason, but nonetheless devastated. It was like losing an old friend, one that I liked but could not control or learn to totally understand. Since 1994, several times a year, I would have these feelings of losing a friend even though it was beyond repair for all practical reasons, yet I still randomly unloaded guilt onto Wanda and the kids every chance I got for leaving behind my 12 string guitar.
About five years ago she tried to replace my missing 12 string with a brand new shiny 6 string guitar as a Christmas present, but it just couldn’t take the place of my 12 string. So after years of listening to me complain she began to search for a 1970s vintage Epiphone 12-string guitar, searching Georgia, Texas, California, Mississippi - primarily on Craig’s List. Finally, she got a response from some guy named Jason who lives in the San Fernando Valley in California. They exchanged texts, e-mails and Jason sent pictures of the 12-string he had and believe it or not, it looked just like my old 12-string - without the warped neck. Wanda was excited and couldn’t wait to get the guitar to surprise me for Christmas 2010. When she asked how he came to have the guitar, Jason informed her of his business. Apparently he cleans out storage lockers, houses and rooms for businesses. He contracted with Warner Brothers Studios in Hollywood, CA to clean out a couple of old movie sets that they had not used in a while and planned to renovate. As Jason was surveying the area, in one of the buildings there was an old recording studio which hasn’t been used for 40 years. Warner Brothers told Jason to clean that studio out as well. Inside the storage room, Jason discovered many items but three unique ones…two were Les Paul electric guitars and one 12-string Epiphone acoustic guitar, all over 40 years old and untouched for that length of time. Jason found the two Les Paul’s were worth a lot of money and immediately sold them, then simply put the 12-string on Craig’s List…but only for about an hour as Wanda saw it and quickly called him. After learning its history and reviewing his picture she knew this was the ONE. She asked him to take it off Craig’s List, which he did.
You might think finding the guitar was a major accomplishment and the end of the story but be patient, the story doesn’t end here. We had planned to spend Christmas 2010 in California with our daughter and her family and it just so happened, my son-in-law, Rich had business in the San Fernando Valley the day of Wanda’s arrival to California. He agreed to go by the address Jason had provided and pick up the guitar. As Rich and a co-worker arrived at the address, they rang the door bell and knocked…but no one answered…he knocked again and the door opened and they were surprised to see a man in nothing but his underwear, which is okay except that it was early afternoon. Rich explained why they were there and the man informed him that he knew nothing about a guitar at all, but did invite them in.
Reluctantly they entered the house only to find a younger man who was in his underwear too, but at least was wearing a tee-shirt. Both knew nothing about a guitar for sale but did confirm the address was correct. The younger man said, “Wait a minute”, the guy who lives out back might be the one you’re looking for. His name is Jason and lives in a garage apartment in the back of the house. They walked back to the apartment and sure enough Jason was there and confirmed he was the one with the guitar for sale.
As Jason invited them in, he stopped and asked them if they were FBI agents. Rich convinced him that he was just there to get the guitar, nothing else, and after talking with Jason, they discovered the question about the FBI was valid as Jason was a member of the infamous Hell’s Angels…what are the odds? But, the story still goes on.
After retrieving the guitar which was in its original carrying case with rusty strings and looking very much its age, Wanda carried the guitar to Wally of Wally’s World Music Store in Thousand Oaks, CA (yes - Wally of Wally's World) to get it cleaned up and have new strings on it. Wally looked at the guitar and verified it was a 1970s original and further stated the only reason it could be in such great shape was because it was ‘like in a time capsule for 40 years’.
Needless to say my Christmas present in 2010 was very special, thanks to a wife whose creativity and determination made it happen. Now I have to take lessons after all she went through to find this treasure. But the story doesn’t end here…even though I was able to play and sing “Jingle Bells” with my two grand children.
While we were at the airport for our return to Georgia, Wanda had just gone through the security check point and was putting on her shoes. Sitting beside her, putting his shoes on, was Clint Black, the renowned Country and Western singer and Grammy winner along with his wife Lisa Hartman, the actress, and their young daughter. Wanda glanced at him, knowing who he was and said “You sure do look familiar – even without your guitar” He told her that he probably had delivered flowers to her home at some point in time, since he works at the local florist.
They had a great conversation. She briefly told him about my Christmas present and the difficulty getting it. He was impressed and pulled a guitar pick out of his pocket and told her to give me his own pick to use with my guitar. Who knows, I might bring my guitar to work one day and we’ll all sing.
Yes - I had a great Christmas, thanks to my family and of course thanks to Jason and Wally and whoever decided to store a 12-sting guitar for 40 years.
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"Chains do not hold a marriage together. It is threads, hundreds of tiny threads
which sew people together through the years."
~Simone Signoret~
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