Reach Out, I'll Be There ...

Perry told me earlier in the week that his family was visiting for the weekend and, since I “Ain’t Too Proud to Beg,” I wrangled an invitation to join them for Picnic Pops. I’ve been to many of the Symphony’s summer evening concerts and they never fail to disappoint. Well, maybe it didn’t go quite as planned that year they performed those awful show tunes and the skies opened up on us, but the rest of ‘em have been great fun. “Get Ready” for a night of craziness!

I had heard many things about Perry’s sibs (all good, of course … just in case they’re reading this!) but it was the first time I met any of them. When you hail from podunk Hillsdale, the six degrees of separation thing comes into play a whole lot faster.

Scott is a high school friend of Perry

though he actually graduated with Perry’s sister Pam

and is now dating Perry’s sister Penny

(Did you follow all that or do I need to include a flow chart?)

Cherri, of course, didn’t become part of the family until many years later.

I immediately hit it off with everyone. We laughed and danced the night away to Motown’s Greatest Hits with thousands of our closest friends. Or was it “Just My Imagination”?  I swear I’ve NEVER seen such a large crowd at Picnic Pops, though I suspect it had something to do with the fact the concert had been rained out the night before. Instead of being “Up On the Roof,” we ended up sitting in the nosebleed section halfway up the first ski slope (thank goodness for great camera zoom), but had a riot nonetheless. Can’t remember when I last had that much fun. Needless to say, none of us wanted it to end.

I even managed to (sort of) figure out the video feature on my camera. If you thought I was dangerous before ...

Back at the ranch (a/k/a Cherri and Perry’s house) more adult beverages flowed and the silliness continued. It was amusing how a simple game of “P is for …” can quickly go downhill. Correct me if I’m wrong, but I believe the last time I threatened to skinny dip in their pool was following a Picnic Pops concert and the consumption of mass quantities of alcohol.

Good times, bad hangover. Will I ever learn?