The story of Atlanta goes back many years. It gains its name as the terminus (the original name of the city) of the state we know as Georgia. The capital has been placed in many cities over the years, but here is where it stuck. Railroads were built here and it soon became the through point for the southeast. It is located close enough to the sea and Savannah but so too close to the interior. And then there is the river. As the Chattahoochee River flows south, it winds and bends. Sometimes slowly. Sometimes swift. It swells with the rain and falls low when the needed water is lacking. It’s an excellent thoroughfare for traffic, because it can be deep in many places. And with shallow bottom boats, it’s a breeze. But there are rocks and rapids and like any river, it can be treacherous. To get stuck...that is a captain’s nightmare.
Here is where we begin this story. Not too far from the banks of the Chattahoochee and indeed in the heart of Atlanta. An area we call Little Five Points. Roads merging and creating a great giant traffic jam, but it has culture. Specifically a record shop. It went by the name of Wax’n’Facts. It still does. Rare music if you want it, and they had it. Bootleg albums, CDs that were hard to find and just an endless supply of music when that was what we all wanted back then.
[Sidenote – I purchased my first CD in 1987 and still own it. Sits within the rest of them...over 300 now. Was larger, then smaller, and now larger again. I like to own the music I want to hear. The 1st was Billy Joel’s Greatest Hits, Volume I and II. The 2nd was Sergeant Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band. I still have that too. Two versions, actually.]
So the scene is this...two idiot boys. Way too young to be there by themselves. Let us assume a parental figure dropped them off to make them happy. And they start tossing records around...just all over the place. But they aren’t albums...vinyl. Not even CDs. They are cassette tapes. Easy to toss. The Beatles. Billy Joel. Genesis. Phil Collins. Steve Winwood. The Stones, Lou Reed, Bowie and Elton John. Maybe even something harder...Black Sabbath, Metallica, Iron Maiden or Judas Priest. Possibly some cool shit like Pet Sounds. Or even better Joni Mitchell. But maybe it was the Shags. Maybe it was…
Anything.
Two idiot boys that just want to buy. Just want to listen...hear...feel. Get them home and revel in the glorious nature of this music. That’s what we are dealing with here. The conversation might go something like this…
“Did you hear the latest Costello album?”
“No. Why? I heard that Keely liked it, but I don’t know her that well. I’d like to!”
“You idiot! It’s awesome.”
“Then get it. Maybe Kathy would like it.”
“You son of a bitch!”
“Sorry...sorry. Go ahead...get it.”
It went nothing like that. Well, it went something like that. It usually did. But the above scene never happened. It happened close to that, but not in that way. There was usually a lot more cursing, a lot more mentions of “jack” (not a name of either of us...just what we called each other) and a ton more putting each other down. Because we could. Because we knew it didn’t matter and where our real emotions stood.
But we’re still standing outside the record shop...manna from heaven. And we take the music home. And we listen to it!
Memory plays tricks, but it was a Turtles Records and it was John Lennon’s Imagine and the song “Crippled Inside.” I should have known that then...as I should know that now. I can still see that scene play out before me. The two of us laying on his bed, his strong sound system giving us these amazing notes and lyrics. Just washing over us. Beautiful, harsh...and beautiful again. The entire album.
What does that have to do with an AAR, you ask? Pretty much nothing. Except this memory and what I am about to write takes place in nearly the same area. Centuries are involved, as are cultural differences. I want to make this a story. But I’m also learning (again) how to play the game. I’m always trying to learn how to play the game. I think Keith was trying to do the same.
I want to write, and I have this pushing thing at me that wants to write about my best friend. He never understood this game (or Axis and Allies, Risk or Chess) but I can say he played it first. I didn’t have the computer to do it justice at the time. But once I took off...well, just look at my sig. You won’t find him here. He never joined.
He never did.
So...what’s the story? Answer is I don’t know. Could be a gameplay. Could be a historybook if I get far enough. And it could be a narrative if I keep placing these personal things into it. Which I’m likely to do. Because I want to write. How I do it? I don’t know. You’ll just have to read (I hope.)
I’m listening to the band Rush right now and they are telling me to show, don’t tell. So…
The Creek Nation as of 1444...is isolated. They have some enemies, namely the Cherokee to the north. Choctaw and Chickasaw are neighborly. The later more friendly than the former. It’s an interesting position. To wit:
In three years, I have stabilized the economy. Hired an advisor even. He’s to help with...anything, frankly. It’s a lonely start. It will be years before I deal with Europe. So it’s just build, build and build. I’ve done so by recruiting another archer unit (and hiring a general.) I have the feeling I’m going to need it. Adjusting this and that.
It’s been 2 years since I played EU4, but now is a best of time as any to start again. Like I said, I just want to write...something. Is there an over-arching theme? Actually yes. Will it be apparent? Mayhaps not. But I hope you’ll read it. I promise that I will include the game. Rather fun, really, to get back into it. After all, EU is what got me into all of this in the first place.
Here is where we begin this story. Not too far from the banks of the Chattahoochee and indeed in the heart of Atlanta. An area we call Little Five Points. Roads merging and creating a great giant traffic jam, but it has culture. Specifically a record shop. It went by the name of Wax’n’Facts. It still does. Rare music if you want it, and they had it. Bootleg albums, CDs that were hard to find and just an endless supply of music when that was what we all wanted back then.
[Sidenote – I purchased my first CD in 1987 and still own it. Sits within the rest of them...over 300 now. Was larger, then smaller, and now larger again. I like to own the music I want to hear. The 1st was Billy Joel’s Greatest Hits, Volume I and II. The 2nd was Sergeant Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band. I still have that too. Two versions, actually.]
So the scene is this...two idiot boys. Way too young to be there by themselves. Let us assume a parental figure dropped them off to make them happy. And they start tossing records around...just all over the place. But they aren’t albums...vinyl. Not even CDs. They are cassette tapes. Easy to toss. The Beatles. Billy Joel. Genesis. Phil Collins. Steve Winwood. The Stones, Lou Reed, Bowie and Elton John. Maybe even something harder...Black Sabbath, Metallica, Iron Maiden or Judas Priest. Possibly some cool shit like Pet Sounds. Or even better Joni Mitchell. But maybe it was the Shags. Maybe it was…
Anything.
Two idiot boys that just want to buy. Just want to listen...hear...feel. Get them home and revel in the glorious nature of this music. That’s what we are dealing with here. The conversation might go something like this…
“Did you hear the latest Costello album?”
“No. Why? I heard that Keely liked it, but I don’t know her that well. I’d like to!”
“You idiot! It’s awesome.”
“Then get it. Maybe Kathy would like it.”
“You son of a bitch!”
“Sorry...sorry. Go ahead...get it.”
It went nothing like that. Well, it went something like that. It usually did. But the above scene never happened. It happened close to that, but not in that way. There was usually a lot more cursing, a lot more mentions of “jack” (not a name of either of us...just what we called each other) and a ton more putting each other down. Because we could. Because we knew it didn’t matter and where our real emotions stood.
But we’re still standing outside the record shop...manna from heaven. And we take the music home. And we listen to it!
Memory plays tricks, but it was a Turtles Records and it was John Lennon’s Imagine and the song “Crippled Inside.” I should have known that then...as I should know that now. I can still see that scene play out before me. The two of us laying on his bed, his strong sound system giving us these amazing notes and lyrics. Just washing over us. Beautiful, harsh...and beautiful again. The entire album.
What does that have to do with an AAR, you ask? Pretty much nothing. Except this memory and what I am about to write takes place in nearly the same area. Centuries are involved, as are cultural differences. I want to make this a story. But I’m also learning (again) how to play the game. I’m always trying to learn how to play the game. I think Keith was trying to do the same.
I want to write, and I have this pushing thing at me that wants to write about my best friend. He never understood this game (or Axis and Allies, Risk or Chess) but I can say he played it first. I didn’t have the computer to do it justice at the time. But once I took off...well, just look at my sig. You won’t find him here. He never joined.
He never did.
So...what’s the story? Answer is I don’t know. Could be a gameplay. Could be a historybook if I get far enough. And it could be a narrative if I keep placing these personal things into it. Which I’m likely to do. Because I want to write. How I do it? I don’t know. You’ll just have to read (I hope.)
I’m listening to the band Rush right now and they are telling me to show, don’t tell. So…
* * *
The Creek Nation as of 1444...is isolated. They have some enemies, namely the Cherokee to the north. Choctaw and Chickasaw are neighborly. The later more friendly than the former. It’s an interesting position. To wit:
In three years, I have stabilized the economy. Hired an advisor even. He’s to help with...anything, frankly. It’s a lonely start. It will be years before I deal with Europe. So it’s just build, build and build. I’ve done so by recruiting another archer unit (and hiring a general.) I have the feeling I’m going to need it. Adjusting this and that.
It’s been 2 years since I played EU4, but now is a best of time as any to start again. Like I said, I just want to write...something. Is there an over-arching theme? Actually yes. Will it be apparent? Mayhaps not. But I hope you’ll read it. I promise that I will include the game. Rather fun, really, to get back into it. After all, EU is what got me into all of this in the first place.
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