down, but not out

Not much has happened in the past several weeks. After the Super Bowl, I bought a large collection of 78s & LPs for $400, but the seller withheld one important LP - a Dean Martin Friar's Club Roast LP - and hasn't offered it to me, so I might have to take him to small claim.

For the record, I had the collection delivered to Dave Grudt's on the evening of Feb. 7, went through the records and didn't see it. During the following weekend, Dave delivered the records, and we put them in the garage. I looked through them completely, didn't see them, so I called the seller - Frank in Signal Hill - and he said he'd look for it. Didn't hear from him again.

On about that same day, I got ill, bad cold, not the flu, and to this moment, I've suffered from remnants of it. I'll probably send him a demand letter first thing next week.

Yesterday, I got a call from "Mary" who had a lifetime of records to sell. Went over to her house at Senasac & Monlaco. She invited me in, and there she was, a gray haired dike and her two dike roommates, a giant screen TV on the wall. In her record room were several shelves of LPs, a nice looking juke box and some 45s boxes, all immaculately kept. One collector, named Bob from Tustin, had been there and bought some stuff, but I've never seen so many well-kept boring records in one place. Nothing there, except for one single on Sabra.

Anything else? She told me she brought home some dirty 45s, but they were in her car and she was embarassed to show them to me. I helped her get over his embarassment, and she took me outside, past the tornado damage and into the garage where sat, that's right, unsleeved dirty 45s, but decent, r&b, soul and some downright weirdies. I found 90 plus, for $40, so I had to go to the bank. Forgot that Sylvia holds our only ATM card and she was out shopping with Shea, so after I fought my way back through a traffic accident at Carson/Bellflower, found I had $36, brought that to her, and that was OK, for now. Strange day indeed.

Not to mention that Shea's Medical card expired, and she had to call her Medical social worker to get it reinstant, else pay 1.50 for neuronten which helps prevent seizures. All in all, a trying day, and I'm just beginning to beat the cold/flu.

Radio, Records and Wrecks

So wha' happened in the most recent several days of my life. On Sat., Feb. 5, checked out a rather impressive record collection - mainly 78s, some LPs, good # of 20th Century Fox 78s, offered $350, he called back later and insisted on $400, cash. Don't like the guy, but I'll do the deal.

On Sunday, Feb. 6, went to Robby Russell's Super Bowl Party. Robby was roaring drunk and pissed off at Cheril whom he insisted would never work with him again, even tho he loves her. This tended to impinge on the fun of the party, especially for Sylvia. But we did watch the whole game there, while Robby called her voicemail and told her he'd never work with her again, and her with him. It was all pretty pathetic, but he's a great & generous host.

On Monday, Feb. 7, met "Frank" at Grudt's and took possession of the records. Upon further inspection, I feel I got screwed, as one important LP, a Dean Martin roast wasn't there. I'll have to go thru all of the boxes at Grudts before I make up my mind whether to bitch to Frank. It's getting pretty unpleasant. I asked him to provide a receipt for the cash, he forgot, then wondered why I wanted one.

On Tuesday, Feb. 8, at 7, went to a L.B. Police meeting at Polly's on the Shore, then came home, returned to the Beachcomber, came back, saw a wreck on the way (Monlaco at Rutgers - more on that later), I wrote, interviewed, wrote some mo', pretty much got my Beachcomber stories out of the way.

On Weds, Feb. 9, I went to WPMD for my interview with Owen McFadden at BBC2, who's producing a documentary, Doo Wop Days, spent 45 minutes on the phone with him, then Craig dubbed off a CD of it. Very interesting process and I hope I did well. Before I came home, went to the Y to work out and jacuzzi. In the cuzzi, I spoke with one of the people in the wreck I'd seen after the fact the day before and got some very personal details - I told him I wrote that column for the Beachcomber.

Tonight, I interview with Freddie B on KCEO, MOR show.

good record show, good dry and warm week

So, I'm thinking, why not go to this antique amateurs show at Sims Park in Bellf., after all, Chas. Cohen insists he'll have great 45s for me to look at. So on Sunday at about 8:20 a.m., off I go to Sims. Met there with hosility, "you can't come in until 8," said some chicken shit broad who was guarding her own hen house and all the other dealers too, like it was her mission on this planet to make sure I didn't trod on her floor until the perfect designated moment. The pick hit was...Cohen brought records all right, some Beatles some Elvis, "oh I picked out the best, left the junk at home." I guess he's an expert. I'll probably call him to check out the junk, but I wish to lay low until I get the bad taste out of my orifice.

Then on to the Record Show, where men know therir 45s, but know little of life itself, even tho 45s are exactly that. Picked up some interesting sides, cheap, Ray Johnson, Donnie Bowser, other weird and wacky ones. All in all, a good show.

Did my regular workouts this week, it's getting to be fun.

Now Blas Vallejo and Stan Mayo are calling, they want me to be on his new www.route66radio.us in the worst way, and you know what, I just might give it a try...in the worst way. And Fred Bergendorff wants to interview me on his MOR music radio show. And mo.

Today, we went to Royal Dragon Buffett in Bixby, very good, very greasy, very cheapy, nice way to while away the shards of the day, overlooking the 405 in its backyard.

Lots of stuff gwane on, that's what I recall. Another busy week comes to a close with my show tomorrow and more stuff after that.