The Writer's Life 2/26 - Up & Down Beats

The crimes of illegal immigrants are used as a political wedge. Here's one that begs leniency from authorities. It's detailed in an article in today's NY Post, here edited and pared by yours truly: "Asher Potts was the big man on campus at Harrisburg HS — member of the National Honor Society, runner-up for last fall’s homecoming king. With a 4.16 grade-point average, he was everything an American teenager was supposed to be — that is, except for being an actual American teenager. The '18-year-old' Potts was really 23-year-old Artur Samarin, a Ukrainian national who overstayed his visa and hatched a plan to remain in the USA by posing as a high school student. Samarin spent four years at Harrisburg High in Pennsylvania under the false name. He even got a Social Security card and was enrolled in the school in 2012 by two adults who claimed to be his parents. He was charged Tuesday with tampering with public records and identity theft for obtaining an ID under false pretenses, said cops, who were impressed by Samarin’s work ethic. 'He was a very studious kid and tried to learn as much as anyone would teach him,' said Harrisburg police Capt. Gabe Olivera." He sounds like, a keeper, the type of person this country needs. Good luck, sir.

Steve, aka Mr. Conspiracy, stopped by the floating book shop, noted the beautiful Disney booklets I had on display, and said his wife might be interested in them for a relative's kids. I mentioned that I'd researched her work in quilting and crochet, and he said she'd also done album covers, most notably for jazz bassist Jaco Patorius, whom he described as a little guy. Mr. C said JP once slept on the floor of his wife's apartment when she was living in Boston. He borrowed a pair of her pants to wear to a gig and never returned them. He was troubled, diagnosed as bi-polar, a condition exacerbated by alcohol and drugs. He was dead by 35 in 1987, but not before he'd cut 15 solo LP's, eight others as a member of Weather Report, and received two Grammy nominations. I know him from his work on four Joni Mitchell albums. He is a member of the Down Beat (Jazz Magazine) Hall of Fame. In posthumous tribute, Fender put out a bass that still carries his name. Here's a pic:
 

The floating book shop also had a visit from Bad News Billy, who I hadn't seen in months. I was sorry to hear that his favorite aunt recently passed away. As we were conversing, he pulled a straightened wire hanger from his car and wedged it in the well of his windshield wipers. Earlier, he'd had to break in after having locked himself out. I asked if it wouldn't be easier to keep a spare key in his wallet, as I do. "I do," he said. "I left my wallet in the car." I couldn't help laughing. Still, he was kind enough to buy the last two bootleg DVD's I had on hand, and a CD of Beethoven's Moonlight Sonata, which he will give to his brother. My thanks, sir, and also to the two kind folks who bought two of those Disney booklets. The decision I'd made to forgo my usual nook, where the wind was howling, paid off. I earned enough for a couple of slices at Delmar.
Vic's Short Works: http://tinyurl.com/jy55pzc

Vic's 5th Novel: http://tinyurl.com/okxkwh5Vic's 4th novel: tinyurl.com/bszwlxh

Vic's 3rd Novel: http://tinyurl.com/7e9jty3

Vic's Short Story on Kindle: http://tinyurl.com/k95k3nx
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Vic's 2nd Novel: http://tiny.cc/0iHLb Kindle: http://tinyurl.com/kx3d3uf
Vic's 1st Novel: http://tinyurl.com/l84h63j

Website: http://vicfortezzaauthor.my-free.website/