I Ain't As Good As I Once Was

For those not familiar with Toby Keith, "I Ain't As Good As I Once Was" is a first-person narrative of a guy who realizes that the reality of his age has set limits on how bold his actions can be. But, more fundamentally, it speaks of a man's influences as he ages; the proverbial angel and devil on each of his shoulders.

James Robert "Robbie" Copeland has always been a blur in this area. He was the first person I saw (besides my parents) when I got back from France in 2001. But our first activity was to smoke a blunt in the parking lot at Regency Square with some girls who had just started their own "rap label". "Welcome back to Richmond," I recall him saying to me, with a slight chuckle. He rallied all of my old friends to come to New York for my wedding, but he also rallied me to party like a rockstar until 4 AM the night before.

So, when Robbie and his fiancee came up to Stamford this past weekend, I knew the lines would be blurred again. And it was proven to me when I walked into Cost-Less Liquors: rather than my usual purchase of a bottle of wine or a six-pack of imported beer, like it was automatic, I went straight for the 30-pack of Bud Light. This stayed straight throughout the weekend, from the copious consumption of that 30-pack to the vine-swinging at the Frisbee Golf course.

For me, Robbie resembles the time of my life when the only consequences were that if you drank too fast, you'd run out of beer. "So what if you have to go to work tomorrow? I gotta go to work, too. The night is young and those girls wanna party!" Not as a person, but as an institution, Robbie reminds me of a time in my life that was black, white, and free of complications. Even if it's just for a weekend, it's fun to revisit that time in your life, in a much more watered-down way.

The last verse of "I Ain't As Good As I Once Was" goes:

I ain't as good as I once was/
That's just the cold, hard truth/
But, I still throw a few back/
And talk a little smack/
When I'm feelin' bulletproof/
So, don't double dog dare me now/
Cuz I'd have to call your bluff/
I ain't as good as I once was/
But, I'm as good once as I ever was

As we grow older, we might understand the consequences (mental and physical) that our actions can have on ourselves. But, for that one time, it's a helluva lot of fun. Thanks for a great weekend, dude.