dwight walk

The years I spent with Chris were, in all candor, among the best years of my life. My little straw blond Texan with the big blue eyes and the brightest smile this side of Dallas. Mad about design, mid century architecture, and cars of the 70's, we connected on many levels. On our first date we ended up back at his place, reading the 1973 Sears catalog and admiring the Harvest Gold, Poppy Red and Avocado appliances. You get the idea.

We brought new things to each other. I taught him a lot about automobiles, how to find them and how to restore them. He introduced me to a his favorite architect Bruce Goff. I taught him about Case Study Houses. He taught me to appreciate postmodern deconstructionism. And he made me into a Dwight Yoakam fan.

My favorite vocalists are almost always female. I do truly seem to prefer their voices to those of men. But there are exceptions. I had a Dwight album before I met him, but I wasn't a devotee. Chris had every syllable that Dwight had ever recorded. It was the soundtrack to our first summer together.

We saw Dwight in concert at the House of Blues in December 2001 as part of my Christmas gift to him. He was touring "Tomorrow's Sounds Today", and opened with this song. Take a look at the video- dancing on Bertoia wire chairs, with Lava Lamps and Egg Televisions in the background, a lucite suspended womb chair and George Nelson ellpitical lamps overhead. It's Bakersfield A Go-Go, and its a Polaroid of Chris and I. Portrait of the writer at his happiest moment. And I love that sexy little side step dwight walk.....don't you?