The Life At The Party

I wanna be there!!!! It sounds like it would be a great party and I have always been up for a fun time. There will be the music. Of course, Classic Rock will dominate, for it is my favorite style of music. The Beatles will sing ''In My Life'' and about that girl Prudence. The Stones will give you all shelter and be street fighting men. But, wait, there will be other styles of music that I hold dear to me heart. A large dose of Motown and R&B. The Temptations and Sly and the Family Stone and Marvin Gaye. Plus, James Brown and Brother Ray. Fast, good, loud music to get your juices going. And, then, some slow songs to soften your heart. Pre-Rock and Roll. Sam Cook will sing about a change that will come. Frank will tell you that it is 3am and there is no one in the place but you and him. Tony Bennett will tell you he wants to be around. Setting the mood with music is paramount to any party.... There will be movies to enjoy playing on the big screen. All my favorites. Michael killing Sollozzo in the restaurant in ''The Godfather''. Jake and Elwood singing and dancing up a storm in ''The Blues Brothers''. Jack Nicholson discovering the secret that shocks his soul in ''Chinatown''. Yes, my wake will be fun!!!... Now, no worry, I am fine. I am very healthy-- at least that is what my doctor tells me. And, I feel fine also. So, I am not planning on going anywhere anytime soon. I hope to be around many years with all of you. Recently, though, I have sadly gone to many wakes. I pay my respects, as a person should do. I honor the departed and the family. It is solemn. It is traditonal. It is respectful. Nothing wrong with a wake and a funeral... It is just I never wanted this for me. When I pass I have given strict instructions to my family that after my body leaves the morgue I will go to the crematorium. My ashes will be thrown to the wind sometime after. That is how it should be with free spirits like myself. We do not go into the ground or a wall or stay in an urn. I can't think of anything more confining than that [ and, yes, I know you are dead and can't feel it but it still feels creepy to me].  I want no tears over my body as I lay in a casket, while people, with good intentions, tell my loved ones how good I look lying there. I don't want my survivors-- both family and friends-- to go through the grief stage. I don't want you sad, but, in a good environment celebrating my life. My send-off will involve positive feelings and good, hearty laughs. Hence, the party... And, it will be one fuck of a party!!! It will be at an Italian restaurant in Des Plaines, where I grew up. It used to be called ''Nick's La Catina'' but, many years ago it switched names to ''Giuseppe's. Same owners. Same damn good dago food, too!!! The gravy [ that is what real Italians call the red sauce] is wonderful. Try the lasagna, always my favorite there. No matter. There will be a wide selection of foods to choose from. Both on their menu and what I supply. There will be tasty helpings of cheeseballs, cheeseburgers, pies and cakes, that will be alongside all of the pasta. Muncha!! I suppose I should have some Tums handy too, for after the meal. You all saw me eat. You saw the joy that food brought my life. If you do not roll out of there with a full belly and a tight belt, I will haunt you... You all know that there will be beverages there. Strong liquid to toast with. I would be remiss as a host if I did not get you all shit-faced. After all I am paying for the party-- with the money I am saving by not having a wake and funeral-- so, feel free to get hammered and remember the occasional times you saw me take a drink or two... You must promise me you will have fun. That I cannot provide. I will get things set up for you with the ingrediants to have fun, but, it is up to you to take it from there. I know you will, for that is why I have chosen to have you all close to me all these years. Tell the stories about me, both good and bad. I know you have them. These stories will provide the emotional feeling feeling at the party, and, also, show a representation of who I was. Many of you will be meeting each other  for the first time at this shindig. I have a wide spectrum of people that I know who never intermingle with each other. When the stories start going there may be some family and friends who may disagree with said story and the sparks could fly. Hot damn, that is when it will really get interesting!!!!... Be truthful. You all know I hate phoniness and arrogance. If there is someone in the room that I did not like--- someone, perhaps, trying to shed some guilt on how they treated me when I was alive-- please have them escorted out. And, when they are outside give them a swift kick in the balls for me also. I want this affair light-hearted and sweet. I want loud laughter of my past follies... There should be tears, too, but, please, keep them at a minimum. Crying is laughter turned upside down. If there is no crying at times than I have not done my job as a full human being. Tears are anger and sadness, but, they are also another expression of love-- through the filter of sadness. Cry from the heart for me. I will feel it wherever I am at, and, somehow, I will respond back to you with love...One last thing you have to promise me. At the end, when people are filled with that love, you must take that spirit in the room with you back to your regular lives. I know you will, but, humor me here. It is all that I request of you. Make sense of my life and learn from my mistakes. Take my good points and expand on them in my memory. I can think of no higher tribute to me than that. You are the people I love and care about. I have many faults, but, choosing fine people close to me is perhaps my strongest asset. I am proud that all of you have brightened my life. ... As I said at the beginning, I am not going anywhere soon, at least to my knowledge. When I do die I am sure I will be the first to know about it. I am just giving you all an invitation ahead of time to come by. Smile and laugh for me. Wherever I will be I will be smiling back at you. I will even try to stop by and say hello in some form, in my own fashion. This will be my last party on this side... And, when we are all together on the next side... Hold on, Heaven!! The Scoleri crowd is here!!!!!