Well, that’s another Cheese Days in the books

Last year, I wrote about the nostalgia I felt during Colby’s Cheese Days weekend. How, as I flitted from one event to another for the paper, memories of all my past experiences with the event had come bubbling up.

This year, my dad’s side of the family was up for the weekend from Ohio and Florida. And well, let’s just say that the new experiences that I laid witness to pushed nostalgia far to the side.

Had you told me before the weekend that my cousin-in-law Tyson would find himself drumming on stage with the Dweebs on Saturday night, I would have probably suggested that you not quit your day job to become a fortune teller. Heck, two hours before he eventually went on stage I hadn’t even known that he could play the drums.

And yet, lo and behold, that’s exactly what happened, as he stepped up to set for a rendition of Rick Springfield’s “Jesse’s Girl.” Sans his shirt, because...well, of course. In Florida, you can’t drum with a shirt on.

I’ll admit, I may have had some small part in that, having somewhat jokingly, somewhat seriously encouraged the action when he asked me if he should ditch his T-shirt a few minutes before he went up there. So I guess I’ll say both “I’m sorry” and “you’re welcome” for my small part in that, just to cover all my bases.

Now, if you had parlayed that previous prediction with the bet that my grandfather would be joining Tyson on stage, directing the crowd and playing the cowbell, I would have said that you should stay far away from Las Vegas, Atlantic City, or any sort of gambling website. And yet, as almost fever dream-ish as that scenario sounds, any person crazy enough to put down money on such a hypothetical bet would have walked away with a significant chunk of change. Part way through the song, when they announced that “LeRoy Underwood” would be joining them on stage, my thoughts immediately jumped to my dad and I could only mentally shake my head and hope that he would remain completely clothed. However, it was LeRoy Underwood the first who ambled up to join his grandson-in-law with the band, rather than the second, which came of even greater surprise. I don’t think you could have paid me whatever ridiculous sum of money you would have won from that bet to get up there with them, so I have to give them credit where credit is due. It’s definitely something that will be added to the long list of nostalgic memories from Colby Cheese Days, that much is certain.

While that was certainly one of the more memorable events of the weekend, there were plenty more that were had. It was great to have the family in town, even if I got destroyed in Risk and still might be dizzy from all the spinning rides I gave to nieces and nephews and cousins. We don’t get to see each all that often, given the distance and everyone’s busy lives, so these types of get-togethers are always a fun time. Now I just have to get Rick Springfield out of my head...

A C ertain Point of V iew