Eric Mills

As you may know, I’m a little obsessed with numbers. For example, I’ve just broken over from 999 to 1002 miles on my current bicycle odometer (was reset in April). I have a hard time climbing stairs without counting them, and although I don’t have it as bad as the protagonist from The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time, I do pay attention to the makes and models of vehicles on the road.

Last night, as a birthday present, Lisa took me to see Paul Simon. The most salient aspect of the experience in my mind? Numbers.

0 – The number of people sitting down during favorites (which really are all songs that aren’t slow)

1 – Simon and Garfunkel were one of the first acts to use ethnic names as title of their pop group (both Simon and Garfunkel are Jewish names).

2 – The number of songs played from the days of Simon & Garfunkel (an almost unrecognizable version of Mrs. Robinson), which in my opinion, is better than it is with Garfunkel.

3 – The number of times he said something to the audience (like most good performers, he lets his music do the speaking).

4 – Count ‘em, yes, FOUR encores. 1 – Call me Al, 2 – 5 songs 3 – Bridge Over Troubled Water and 3 more , 4th – just Paul and his guitar.

65 – Paul Simon is 65 years old. And he rocks. His voice is still exactly as it sounds on the albums. Exactly as it sounds in The Graduate, and his songs are imbued with life and benefit from a harder edge exemplified on his new album, Surprise.

Paul Simon, live, around the corner from our house, was absolutely the best live music experience of my life.

I’ve always known that cats don’t like water very much, but this incident takes the cake. Our house has been without water for 2 days. Why? I’m glad you asked. I didn’t know either, until I called the water company and they assured me that, even though I have a habit of paying bills a few days late, they would never turn off the water because of that; moreover, my bill wasn’t even paid late. Then they asked the million-dollar-question: “Do you have any little children, Mr. Mills? Someone who could reach the valve and turn it off?”

“No little ones” I said, while realizing what had happened. In her excitement for the new balls and other toys, our little kitty had turned off the water main in the house. You always knew kittens didn’t like water, you just didn’t know the extent to which they could go to assure a waterless house!

read more about Shimmy