Thursday, May 2, 2024
Ten years or so ago myself, my wife Patricia and our two boys were flying to Las Vegas for a brief getaway. We ran into Elwood, who I knew as a customer and fellow jazz fan, waiting to board the same flight. He approached us to say hello and then gave me a few pointers on clubs to go to in Vegas to hear good jazz.
Five hours later we were both at the arrivals area getting transportation. He was dressed to the nines , as usual, and struggling with two suitcases. I had arranged a rental vehicle with lots of room so I offered him a ride, at first he declined saying he would take a taxi but I sort of insisted that it would be quicker to jump in with us.
The problem was that the previous time I was in Vegas the rental car agencies were right across the street from the airport and I assumed they were still there. They were not. They had been moved to a separate building that involved a ten minute ride on a shuttle bus. The five of us and our considerable luggage took the bus to the rental center which was itself the size of a small airport. Elwood again, said that he didn't want to be a bother and would still be happy to take a cab. Nonsense, I thought to myself, we're in this too deep and I wanted to see it through.
They brought our car, a medium sized SUV, we started to load it but soon realized that it wouldn't hold five people plus luggage. They brought us a full sized SUV but it had the same problem. Frustrated and angry with myself I pointed at a mini-van and said just give me that. We finally got him to his hotel just before midnight and two hours later than if he had ignored me and taken a cab, but he was still cheerful, wished us well, and reminded me to check out those musicians.
That was that, so I thought.
A month or so later he called me at my office and asked if I had thought about who to see at the upcoming Sasktel Jazz Festival. I had not but he then gave me a quick rundown of who's who and made a few suggestions. [It should be noted that his jazz scholarship was as advanced as his fashion sense.] According to him the must see concert was Christian McBride at the Bassment.
I politely thanked him and said I would give it some thought. No, he said, he wanted to thank us for the ride we gave him in Vegas a few weeks ago, and he was sorry he was so much trouble. "I want to make it up to you. You , Patricia and the boys will please go to the concert as my guests, I've arranged for four ticket and a food and bar tab, and I'll see you there."
It was a great concert.
Typical Elwood.
Our condolences from the Caldwell family.
