Last tuesday I had a gig with Dr. Kickbutt in Oshkosh to play music at a retirement home for a Christmas party. The gig was booked several weeks ago for a start time I thought was 1:00pm and the people organizing the party thought was 1:30pm. Not a big deal but when I showed up at noon to get ready, the director of the retirement home thought I was really early and for a 1:30 start time she was right. I told her we can do a 1:30 show without a problem and I called the doctor to tell him the show was pushed back a half hour. He had to do some switching around but said he could do it.

Fast forward to 1:05pm. Everything was just about set up, but no sign of the doctor could be found and that’s late even for him. I get a call from him and he tells me he’s circling the building try to find the entrance and looking for a place to park. I frantically tell him he better hurry because it turns out the start time is 1:00pm and not 1:30 like I told him earlier. The director heard me, comes running over and says, “No, no, the show is at 1:30.” I covered the phone and said in calm voice, “I know.”

It was great, the doctor starts going off on instruments, set lists and running across the parking lot. The director was laughing and I just listened to the doctor go on and on.

I only let him sweat for a minute and at 1:30 sharp we played a great show full of punch and cookies and ending with Santa and a very fun version of Jingle Bells.

Merry Christmas,

Miller