I'D ALWAYS heard that
The other night, Lou and I were watching "Jeopardy," and the final category was "Billboard Hits." He started calling out different groups from the past before the question even came up, as if that were going to help.
His mind went off on a tangent, as it often does, and he tried to come up with the name of a group from the 1970s. He started giving incredibly obscure hints:
"They were a crossover band."
"Really popular."
"Something to do with
Then, he mentioned the lead singer, a woman, had drug problems, and I thought, well, that really narrows the field.
How many rock 'n' rollers have been there?
He said her first name was something like Dee Dee, and he was going through the alphabet, muttering, "Edie, Gigi," and so on.
By this point, I was getting a flicker of recognition. I heard a distinct voice in my mind. I grasped for the lyrics of "Landslide" and recalled something about seeing a reflection in snow-covered hills.
I shouted: "Stevie Nicks! Her name is Stevie Nicks! And the band is Mac-something " I muttered, trying to fill in the blanks.
"Fleetwood Mac!" he shouted in response. "It's Fleetwood Mac!"
We were so excited, you would have thought we won the lottery.
I started thinking about the clues he'd given and asked what in the world the name had to do with a car.
Apparently, Fleetwood was a popular Cadillac model back in the day. In Lou's mind, he connected the band with a Cadillac.
I'd like to say this was an isolated incident, but it wasn't. Instead, I think it's indicative of what happens when people are together for a long time.
Lou and I clearly know how the other thinks after 20 years. I have to say, it scares me, just a little, when he tosses out random clues, and I know what he means.
The connection comes into play at other times, not just when we're watching "Jeopardy."
I don't remember names as well as I used to. I give the excuse that, because of what I do, I have a zillion names and faces rolling around in my head, and I can't possibly keep them all straight.
It's not just the people I meet on the job. Lou takes photos of sports teams, and I help him with that. We've met
When we see one approaching us on a field,
And what usually happens? I know the person's first or last name--but rarely both.
I'll toss out that name, he'll fill in the blank, and we'll greet the person as if there was never any doubt in either of our minds.
Only we know that our brains work better together than separately.
Cathy Dyson: 540/374-5425
Email: cdyson@freelancestar.com