A month after his father's passing, a man named Oscar shared memories of his own father with his son, Eugene. Interestingly, his father was also named Oscar, which technically made him Oscar Jr. Oscar is telling Eugene, while they are in the living room, "Son, your granddad had his obsession with music while I was growing up, he had his powerful stereo system and he used to run this down to you me, your Uncle Ed and your Aunt Alyse, 'Y'all are not to play music on my stereo, don't touch it, don't look at it, don't breathe on it, and don't even think about it. I got y'all, your own stereo, so y'all don't have to mess with mine!" Oscar also adds, "that if any one of us disobeyed his rule, there would be severe consequences and all three of us would painfully pay the price. Your grandma asked him, 'Does that rule include me also? If it does and I am not allowed to listen to my music on your stereo, then you don't get to touch it, don't look at it, don't breathe on it, and don't even think about getting into (her body)!' Dad, of course relented, if he wished to maintain getting action from mom. He definitely can't make love to his stereo (Eugene is laughing). He can love it, but he certainly can't make love to it (both laughing). He meticulously organized his record collection in alphabetical order unless special categorization was required," Says Oscar adding, "Whatever we removed to play, better be in the right jacket when we return and in good condition. Oh, there would be moments when we would be in the living room dancing and partying, as he was using the stereo. That would be what we called our family time. If relatives or friends visit, my pops have the stereo pumping, it's like almost every Saturday there was like a party at the old house." Eugene is admiring his father's story getting inspired, with Oscar adding, "we had dance contest, like the soul train line and musical chairs to make the party more exciting." Eugene asked, "What's a soul train line, dad? I remember the musical chairs from the kiddie parties I used to attend, dad! Is the dance like the electric slide, the cha-cha slide or the cupid shuffle, dad?" Oscar shaking his laughing, telling his son about the origins of the soul train line, even watching some clips from the old TV show, Soul Train on his cellphone.
Oscar tells Eugene, "Also, I remember a moment back in seventy-nine, your grandfather got really angry at mom's cousin Leon over a scratched record he just bought. The record was an old Teddy Pendergrass album called Teddy. What happened was that he would come from work as usual anxious to play music on the stereo after he took his shower and before dinnertime. He goes into the living room wearing his bathrobe to play music on the stereo, so he can unwind and relax with his glass of scotch in his hand, as he was about sit laidback in the lazy-boy recliner. As soon as he puts the record on the turntable, he places the needle on the surface and the first song plays, the record starts skipping and repeating. Dad was furious, listening to a butchered version of a song he likes being played on his stereo, every one of us was interrogated about what happened to his record, moms told him she had lent the record to Cousin Leon. He furiously phoned Leon, shouting really loud, that the whole block could had heard him, he was yelling on the telephone, that the neighbors could hear him, 'I don't care if he's in the middle of eating his dinner; tell him to put down the pork chop and get his ass on the phone, right now! Butchering up my new Teddy Pendergrass album, forcing me to listen to Teddy sing the first part of turn off the lights, over and over. Ain't this a mother? Chump hung up the phone on me? I don't believe this! Hanging up the phone on me. Who does he think he is?' Angry, your grandfather was about to get dressed and go over to Leon, to personally confront him. However, your grandmother had persuaded him it is not worth travelling all the way to Hollis Queens from our home in Crown Heights to fight with Leon over a scratched record. She urged him to buy another copy of the record from the store. My father's deep passion for his music was evident. He really like his music; I also like his choice of music also and I am going to really miss the old man." Eugene adds, "Me too, pops!
THE END
