The Rollins Story

Here's the Rollins story. Stop me if you've heard this one.




Back when I lived in Phoenix, my buddy Lee and I went to a Rollins Band show. I had been drinking and decided that it would be a good idea to stand still in the middle of the pit to prove how hardcore I was. Needless to say, someone helped me learn a valuable lesson about humility and personal safety. On a side note, I noticed that no one hit me from the front. They only came up behind me, as if they weren't manly enough to charge me face to face. An injury is always better with a little vindication sprinkled on top.

So anyway, I managed to twist both my ankles that night. After the show I hobbled to the buss where Rollins was signing autographs and I was asking the crew as they loaded if they had any duct tape so I could stabilize my ankle. After a few failed attempts to get someone to acknowledge me, Rollins turns and says " Listen man, we don't have any duct tape. Why don't you go hobble to an ambulance or something." Somewhat crestfallen after one of my idols admonished me so curtly, I limped on and had Lee give me a ride home.

Years later I managed to see him perform again, this time at a spoken word show at the Variety Playhouse. I went to where he was taking photos and signing autographs and I told him the Phoenix story. He looked at me and said "Wow, so what happened to you?" I told him I did the only thing I could do and hobbled home. I said that despite his terse reaction many years prior, I still wanted to be just like him. He then says to me, "No man, I want to be just like you."