The Writer's Life 11/16 - Pizza

Who doesn't love pizza? Who would guess that it's been a great tool in crime fighting? Here's the gist of a terrific article in today's NY Post by Kirsten Fleming, edited by yours truly: Deliveries have tipped authorities off to international fugitives, and preserved DNA evidence that blew open a gruesome D.C.-area quadruple homicide. In Illinois the mugging of a deliveryman led investigators to criminals who had murdered a man in Georgia. “Pizza hunger trumps better judgment,” says a former FBI criminal profiler. “Because none of these people would have been in prison today if they hadn't picked up the phone and called up for a Domino’s pie.” Sometimes pizza is a tool of intervention. In 2015 a woman called 911 and “ordered” a large pie so as not to tip off her assailant. When the dispatcher questioned her, she calmly responded, “Yeah, I know. Can I have a large with half pepperoni, half mushroom and peppers?” When pressed, the woman stayed the course, saying: “Yeah, do you know how long it will be?” The dispatcher checked the address and noted there had been multiple domestic violence calls to it. When cops arrived, they found the woman had been beaten and her boyfriend drunk. He was arrested. Kudos, madam and the dispatcher.

RIP jazz/blues master Mose Allison, 89. I'd frequently heard his name but was completely unfamiliar with his work, so I did a search. The list of his albums at Wiki numbers more than 30. His music influenced many, including Jimi Hendrix, the Rolling Stones, Tom Waits, the Yardbirds, John Mayall, J. J. Cale, Georgie Fame, and the Who, who made Young Man Blues a staple of their live performances. Blue Cheer recorded his Parchman Farm on their debut album in the early 1970's, as did John Mayall and many others. The Yardbirds and the Misunderstood both recorded versions of his I'm Not Talking. Manfred Mann also recorded a version for the BBC, although it was basically Paul Jones performing solo with his harmonica. Allison's Look Here was covered by the Clash on Sandinista!. Leon Russell covered Smashed! on his Stop All That Jazz. Allison performed with Van Morrison, Georgie Fame, and Ben Sidran on Tell Me Something: The Songs of Mose Allison. Elvis Costello recorded Everybody's Cryin' Mercy on his Kojak Variety and Your Mind Is on Vacation on King of America (bonus tracks). Allison's I Don't Worry About a Thing plays during the opening credits of The Whole Nine Yards (2000). Bonnie Raitt recorded Everybody's Crying' Mercy. Well done, sir. (Info from Wiki)

It'd been more than a month since I'd seen Political Man. He has not been chastened by the election. He is still dubbing Trump a racist and a Nazi. This was pooh-poohed by my Tuesday benefactress, who happened to show at the same time. I doubt she voted for The Donald. I've offered her a pick of any books she desired as a token of my appreciation, and to date she has selected only one - a tribute to FDR. Anyway, among the dozen or so she donated today, several were taken by a woman who pulled her fancy car to the curb and asked for works of interest to children. I chuckled as I heard Rush Limbaugh's voice coming from her radio. My thanks, ladies, and to Barry Spunt, who overpaid for Boys in the Trees: A Memoir by Carly Simon, and to the woman who bought an Aunt Dimity mystery, and to Lev, who bought an illustrated Bible for kids. I also had a visit from Ol' Smoky, who says he may soon be off the street, set up in an apartment near Bleecker Street. May it be so.

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