No. 660 – Manic Depression

Performer: The Jimi Hendrix Experience

Songwriter: Jimi Hendrix

Original Release: Are You Experienced?

Year: 1967

Definitive Version: None

This song got Debbie into Seal, because Seal did a raucous version of this song on the Jimi Hendrix tribute album that came out in 1993. It’s a pretty good version, with Slash on guitar, but there’s only on Hendrix. Then, when I came into the picture and brought Seal’s two albums with me, she pledged allegiance to Seal.

But this song means something a little bit different to me. My friend Jim lives far enough out in the suburbs that we don’t see each other as much as we could or even as much as I might like. But, and forgive me if I’ve mentioned this before, when you live at least an hour’s drive apart, that’ll happen.

However, Jim and I work fairly close to one another (before each taking the long commute home in opposite directions), so that makes meetings that revolve around work possible. One time, we decided to meet up for dinner in Park Ridge at a Mexican restaurant that’s there.

Laurie wanted to come along, so she would have to take the train from her office downtown. Beforehand, she was a bit nervous about taking the train. She wasn’t used to the Metra, like I was, and was unsure she would be able to figure it out.

Laurie’s M.O. is, as she says, to panic first whenever faced with something new and different. So I did a little poking around online and gave her very specific directions to get to the train station downtown, which train to take and at what stop she should get off. I did a map search and found that the restaurant was almost right by the train station. It should be no problem, I assured her.

I drove over from Deerfield and found parking right outside the restaurant—downtown Park Ridge apparently isn’t much of a party town at 6 p.m. on a Wednesday. Sure enough, as I got out of the car, I saw the Metra pull up and Laurie get off. She made it, no problem, just as I said. She said she really liked the Metra; it’s so easy. Ah, another convert.

Jim was waiting for us, and we had a pretty decent meal. I liked having Mexican so soon after coming home from our Mexican vacation, and after being asked, I showed off my bright blue 20-peso note to the waitress.

Originally, my friend Dave, whom Jim had met several times because of BBT, was supposed to join us. Now that I think about it, his being in town was what prompted our dinner together. Dave was in Chicago from Grand Rapids for a newspaper conference of some sort, but his session went longer than anticipated, so he missed dinner and arrived just as Jim was about to leave.

So instead of just staying at our table, we went to the bar for a drink and further conversation. Finally, it was time to head our separate ways, and Laurie and I hiked back to my car in the warm, spring night after what had been a good evening with friends.

It was April 23, 2008, and that would be the last normal day I’d have for the next 10 months.