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Kat Gayson's avatar

Sounds a bit like The Overlook in The Shining. Watch out for those creepy twins by the elevator ! REDRUM !! Stay safe and hope you're well soon.

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Richard Shindell's avatar

Thanks. I feel fine now.

Just as I was leaving...packing the car...this rocker looking fellow of certain age appeared out of nowhere. He looked a little like Albert Lee with dyed black hair and a beanie. He had seen the guitars and wanted to talk shop. Very nice fellow. Apparently he'd been there all along. What a strange scene.

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Kat Gayson's avatar

haha. Such a strange place.....I may have to check it out, take a night to visit~~ I'm not far away, in Connecticut.

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David G Hinkes's avatar

You sure that it was NOT Albert Lee?? (LOL)

Could've requested a few bars from one of Emmylou's songs on the Twangcaster!! ;)

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Georgette's avatar

National Comedy Center?!

This fevered ramble is priceless. I can't stop laughing. Thank you thank you thank you!

(Check out the Lucille Ball statue at the Lucille Ball Memorial Park in Celoron, New York. My former coworker opined that she looks like Pink on meth.)

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Richard Shindell's avatar

She does look like Pink on meth!

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Richard Shindell's avatar

and here's a link about those statues. There have been two versions. Make sure you scroll down for the a pic of the one they call "scary Lucy": https://deadline.com/2016/08/lucy-statue-lucille-ball-scary-lucy-carolyn-palmer-1201799668/

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Andy Ecelson's avatar

Lovely piece of writing. But is there any post Rapture? I just assumed we'd all be burning in hell with no access to the wine list?

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Richard Shindell's avatar

I don’t know. I did very little fact checking for this one.

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Andy Ecelson's avatar

Your training for the priesthood was no assistance, then?

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Richard Shindell's avatar

Nope. But it seems to me a good priest would stick around to tend to those left behind. Amirite?

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Andy Ecelson's avatar

You're not wrong.....

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Jenn Eustace's avatar

According to Tim LaHaye and Jerry B Jenkins, there's at least 13 books worth after.

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Richard Shindell's avatar

Oh good.

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Andy Ecelson's avatar

I had no idea these people existed and now I find myself going down another rabbit hole...

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Jenn Eustace's avatar

Oh yes, the whole Left Behind series: one for adults, one for kids, et c.

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David G Hinkes's avatar

I am hoping it is like the flick "Rapture-Palooza", and all of us non-believers can just go on living decent, normal lives with NO concerns whatsoever about burning in the devout faithfuls' fire lake in the 'bad place' (once we all defeat 'The Beast', of course!). ;)

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Betsy Salkind's avatar

I love your music and you’re writing. Do you ever come to Los Angeles? Hope you feel better soon.

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Richard Shindell's avatar

No plans to go to LA, or anywhere! My schedule is a tabula rasa.

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Richard Shindell's avatar

And for those of you who are asking how I’m feeling, I’m fine as of today. And last night at Caffe Lena I felt almost good enough to sing, or good enough to almost sing! Thanks for asking.

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Lisanne Elkins's avatar

It was beyond awesome to see you perform last night. My 21-year old daughter (one of the younger ones in the room) commented on your brilliant guitar playing. We've missed you. Please come around to Westchester/NY vicinity sooner than later. Oh, and thank you for playing "There Goes Mavis."

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Richard Shindell's avatar

Thanks Lisanne. My voice was on the edge of catastrophe all night. I had to make up for it with fancy strummin;.

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Lisanne Elkins's avatar

No worries...i am certain your devoted fans were also so glad to see you back out there again!

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Amy Rigby's avatar

Oh wow Richard - are you staying in... the Institution? I played a house concert at one of the cottages there and, well it's as odd as Lake Chautauqua is beautiful. Your story is hilarious! We'll send a search party if we don't hear from you again shortly.

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Richard Shindell's avatar

I was not staying in the Institution, but a newish place in Celoron (love those old Upstate NY town names). Not to be confused with Celeron, an Intel processor. It was so weird I may have to go back for a writing retreat. And consider this response proof of life.

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Fragments and Thoughts's avatar

Forgot about the new hotel there. Chautauqua Harbor. I grew up near Celoron. You mentioned “old stomping grounds.” School?

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David G Hinkes's avatar

Almost sounds like a brand name for a particle accelerator (must be my current Princeton locale making me think this way??).

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Fragments and Thoughts's avatar

Hotel Lenhart, Bemus Point? The Athenaeum in Chautauqua? Webbs, Mayville? Lily Dale? Lakewood? I don’t think there’s a hotel there. Those took us around the lake.

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Joseph McMullen's avatar

Richard, it sounds like you have plenty of material from your hotel stay for future songs. Get well soon.

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Jane L's avatar

Sorry to hear you were ill- likely some nasty virus (Covid?) after being in lots of playing spaces crowded with people. I am still vibrating after your visit to Pittsburgh last week. Your music and creativity does resonate... Keep up the sobriety journey- you won't regret it even if the journey takes sidesteps at times. Rooting for you and looking forward to your next live performance.

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Richard Shindell's avatar

Thank you Jane. I remember speaking with you, too briefly! Keep up the good work.

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Michael Roney's avatar

You can really paint a picture, Richard. (But we knew that.) Your description is both eerie and humorous! I guess that place makes its nut for the six warm months of the year, and then stays open with some highly personalized service for any itinerate seekers who dare to traverse its threshold.

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Richard Shindell's avatar

Thanks Michael. Threshold is the right word. But I will cross it again!

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Naufragous Kat's avatar

The ague. Perhaps that’s what it is. I’ve just endured Day 3 of some sort of upper respiratory malaise — consecutive tests on Day 1 and Day 2 declared COVID not the culprit — and am considering throwing myself upon the mercy of a local urgent care facility tomorrow if I feel no better.

It’s rare for me to be sick for more than two days, so whatever this particular stripe of ague is, it’s potent.

A weird, largely abandoned hotel sounds like a rather more suitable place to endure such a malady than the discomfort of home. I’m glad the timing worked out for your ague to fall between gigs.

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Richard Shindell's avatar

The timing and geography were PERFECT! Get well.

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Diana Moses's avatar

Glad to learn from the comments thread that you're better.

I've been appreciating the trip down memory lane that hearing about "[the] grippe" triggered -- I've been thinking about valises, going marketing, being stout, and other words and phrases my grandmother used to use.

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Richard Shindell's avatar

Luncheon meats.

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Diana Moses's avatar

I think to my grandmother, that was delicatessen, but yes.

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Lisa Janson's avatar

Get well soon, Richard.🙂

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John Tweedy's avatar

REDRUM!

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Richard Shindell's avatar

Newman!

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David G Hinkes's avatar

You should tell Lucy (Kaplansky) about that place.

She'd most likely get a kick out of it given how her parents were devout fans of "I Love Lucy", hence her getting that name. ;)

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Julie M's avatar

Glad to hear you're feeling better 🙂

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