Larry's Confidence Game CD
As you may have read previously, I have a job.
I work at a UPS Store not far from my home in Northern Virginia. I make $10 an hour plus medical insurance (which is probably worth about a half million more a year to me. Life is different at 56).
Everybody thinks I am wealthy (ex-rock star, and all) and can’t figure out why I work in a store. I need the money, folks…same reason most of us have a job…and I really need those medical benefits
I went in late this morning. When I arrived I was informed by my co-worker that I missed two stroller-pushing 30-something females peering in the window of the store, hoping for a glimpse of the rock star that works here. I’m quite the conversation piece here in the village.
My co-worker was outside having a cigarette and saw them perambulate up, stop, peer in the window and overheard one of them telling the other all about me (what does she know, exactly?), describing me as tall & distinguished looking…which, as we all know, means I have gray hair. I had gray hair when I was 26, but don’t ever recall being called “distinguished-looking”…”drug-drenched” came up a couple times.
Later in the day, a woman came in and said, “Hey, the rock-star guy” by way of greeting me. Apparently, her and her husband and infant had come some weeks earlier and needed me to notarize (yes, I am a Notary Public…an actual officer of the court) several thousand documents for a real estate transaction and my co-worker, who never misses an opportunity to do so, broadcast my former status to them.
I know folks’ intentions are good. They seem genuinely impressed at my history. And it certainly beats someone saying “Wow, FIREFALL, you guys really sucked”, which has never happened, by the way…at least not to my face.
It’s just hard for me, standing there in my UPS Store polo shirt with my UPS Store name tag on in my UPS Store to connect to it, and them, in any meaningful way. It’s a little surreal. I feel a bit like a museum piece…or worse, the bearded lady in the sideshow.
All that’s my problem, I know.
I thank people for their kind words and appreciation, notarize their docs and ring them up .
LB
www.larryburnett.com
Tags: day job, Firefall, Larry Burnett
Sounds to me as though your making peace with your past as well as your present … you will always be a “Rock Star” the question is … can you be comfortable in your own skin … can you follow your bliss and harm no one?