Apres-Show ... at the American Inn...
Like Peggy said, the American Inn seemed to cater more to our kinds of folks -- always were a lot of bob-tailed road tractors parked there ... lots of truckers getting to sleep in a real bed, get a shower, etc. Even the "Non Smoking" rooms had a scent of cigarette to them ...
But the place had a pool .... and bar. with a lounge area. And .... best/worst of all ...
....
A karaoke machine!!!
So there we were ...Cletis, Paul, Mongo, Lonnie, John and Theresa, Terry and Gloria, Galeen (the party queen!!), Steve ... And I can't remember if Scott and Sherrie had started staying with the Aldersons at this point or not, but they were probably there ... A room full of other folks, too ... the Stovebolt Stalwarts. I don't exactly remember all who were i the room... Fess up if you were!
It had been a long, fun day in the sun, going around the show looking at trucks, talking to people, meeting new friends, catching up with old ones ... So, after a quick refresh in our rooms, we all congregated at the bar for .... beer call!!
bunch of Stovebolters ... beer .... more beer .... a karaoke machine ... It didn't take long for Cletis to wander over to the karaoke machine ... like a weary pilgrim drawn to the temple of his redemption ... he made his offering ... and the devotions began ...
I don't remember the song, but Cletis poured his heart into it. Which was good because he didn't sing particularly well..... sorry old friend. But we were all fairly lubricated at this point and heart is more important than talent anyway.
It wasn't long before Cletis had backup -- like ants drawn to sugar, Mongo and I staggered over from the bar and joined in -- and just like that, the legend was made/born/hatched -- "Cletis and the 'Bolts!" We actually tried a little harmony with Cletis carrying the main tune. And while it was a valiant effort, none of us were in any danger of getting called to the Grand Ole Opry. Mongo's and my harmonization efforts were ... comical. Probably the beer. Anyway, he'd try to go high, I'd try, then to go low ... neither of us could get very far. So we'd switch -- he'd go low and I went high ... yeah, right. It was all a bunch of screeching but everyone was fairly lit so we were all having a grand time.
And then ... the magic really happened. We discovered the Stovebolt Reunion/American Inn Official Anthem when Cletis selected the next song to massacre -- Jimmy Buffet's "Margaritaville"
By the third stanza, the whole bar was on its feet (one way or another ...) bellowing out "WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAASting away again in Stovebolterville...!!!" Even Scott Ward ...
I think even the folks over at the Holiday Inn Express were joining in we were so loud.
And then .... and then... and then , frankly, I really don't remember too much about the evening after that. I do recall that it was kinda hard to get up early the next day to meet Jim Carter for breakfast ...
Looking back, I don't think we sang all that bad. We were having a good time so who cares? Things got even better the following year when we moved out to the pool and Cletis brought his guitar.... we met MexicoSab and RustyRod almost made me a quadriplegic ... But I'll save all that for later...
Fond memories.
I miss Cletis.
