B. Mitchel Reed – KLOS – November 4, 1980 – Ellis Feaster Collection –
“She’s on her own planet, isn’t she?”
You wish. You look at this kid and you wonder how it happened. Minding your own business – had plans – none of them involved getting married or being a dad. It was an accident.
And on a good day, the accident impulsively fandangos and stares at the sky and loves dressing up as anything other than a kid. You swear she’s a miniature replica of an adult. She hands you “the look” – the furrowed brow and beady eye. Comes from your side of the family. Has taken over her third grade class.
Where is mom? Funny you should ask.
You met mom at a concert – Santa Monica Civic. Never saw her before in your life. Came with friends. Left with you. Mott The Hoople ringing in your ears. Made wild, crazy, unprotected love in your Datsun, parked on PCH, smack in front of a full moon. Love was all over the place. It strangled the air.
Became joined at the hip. You tell her you met her in another life. She’s older than you – she told you. You have no secrets – maybe one.
Summer ended – she left – didn’t tell you. Left a note – going to Oregon. Heart joins stomach crashing to the floor. You get weepy and stay weepy for weeks. You finally convince yourself life is like that and love is random.
Life goes on – UCLA – film school. You’re political now – “sixties were the rehearsal for the eighties”. Phone call from home – strange woman with package at the door – get there quick.
The kid – who goes by the name of Rainbow is dropped off by Mom. You are perplexed. Kid looks a lot like you. Note says she’s yours now – life too big, can’t handle kids. You think back – PCH – Full Moon – the long-lost Datsun – sound of jaw dropping on floor. Your parents are tickled at the thought of being grandparents all of a sudden.
You are frozen. Bizarre concept. Dates are out – raised eyebrows are in. Rainbow likes you. She grins. What do kids eat?
Thank god there’s B. Mitchel Reed – he makes sense of it all.
Here’s 20 minutes worth of B. Mitchel Reed, holding forth at KLOS on November 3, 1980.
