08/16/2024
Happy Birthday Topper!!
“Hohner Marine Band - Key of G
“See the USA in your Chevrolet”…
…A 1970 Malibu SS, 2 Door, with a Toshiba 8-Track Tape Player, to be exact. Mom bought it new, but by 1979, a newer Buick in her driveway paved the way for me and that vinyl roofed ‘70 Chevy beast to roam the streets of Birmingham, AL. The only thing better for this ol’ boy, in 1979, was the deluxe pad I shared with my band mates. Three bedrooms, three baths, with washer/dryer, and a scenic view. Did you know they used to swap dumpsters twice a week at 6 am, in Hoover, AL?
I was working at a record store, and the band was playing 10 or 12 shows a month. Top that off with a mere $72.00 a month investment for rent and utilities, and that spells R O C K S T A R!
Yep, things were so flush in the big city, we opened up our Casa to every kindred soul we knew. One of the most unique characters “to enter our colorful commune was the legendary Terry O. Price. That summer, in 1979, during a show at Fandango Saloon, in Mobile, AL, we discovered he could not only play the hell out of the harp, but could bring down the house with his version of The Rolling Stones’ “Miss You”.
“Hey, Top…you want to come up to Birmingham and do a show with us at The Nickel?” And, with a click of his tongue, he replied, “Okay, RC.”
As the weeks rolled by, like the reels on the TEAC, it became apparent Topper had a new home and we were going to need a lot more Hamburger Helper. How were we going to get it, you ask? That’s exactly what I asked Top and he replied, “I’ve got a plan.” After just a few days, and days, and days, he slinked into my room and slyly said, “RC, take me to the bus station.”
The beautifully designed Birmingham Greyhound Bus Terminal was pure Art Deco for transients. In those days, it gave the Municipal Airport a run for its money when it came to daily activity, as it was one of the larger hub cities in the Southeast. Just think, you could buy a ticket from Birmingham to Memphis for $26. Fifty-two stops and three days later, you would reach your destination and double your money!
The day of RC and Top’s big adventure started off with a pack of Easy Widers and a double album cover. As members of the “afternoon club”, it was about 1:00 when we jumped into the Malibu and headed downtown. It’s amazing how youth can be so blinding sometimes; I still wasn’t sure why we were going to the bus station. For all I knew there were “some Puerto Rican girls who were dying to meet” me.
About the time we pulled up to the terminal, Top jumped out and said, “Leave it running.” At that point, I pretty much knew what I was in for and into. About 10 minutes later, five-feet-eight inches of muddy water came flying out of the station with suitcase in hand. “Hit it!” And, hit it I did. We were on the interstate, about halfway home, when my adrenaline rush turned into “what’s in “the suitcase?” Did you know that in 1979 a kilo of hash came wrapped in a burlap bag, sealed with a Pakistani stamp?
“Damnit, Topper!”
Don’t worry, I’m gonna give you some.”
Thanks, Greyhound! Leave the driving to us.”
Excerpt From
Fables and Stories
Rick Carter
https://books.apple.com/us/book/fables-and-stories/id1601706507
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