It’s 1992. We’d just moved to Denver . I was still getting used to the town
and its denizens. I was a little apprehensive when Sue told me I had to meet
this guy she’d met at her job at the Bank of Cherry Checking (Creek). She said
we could be brothers.
Then I met him. Turns out my wife knew me pretty well even
in ’92.
Richard “Jay” Cozza. Cozza the Elder. Joey Baggadonuts. Jay
turned out to be the longest tenured person I have met in Colorado and have been fortunate enough to
count as a friend. Bike Race Promoter. Announcer. Garage door installer. CD
“Uncle Vinnie’s Closet” builder. Baseball fan. Racontuer. Purveyor of all
manner of Andy Griffith trivia. All around good guy.
I tend to associate people I meet with their musical tastes.
I don’t do it to judge but to understand; there is a huge clue to the personality
type of a Metallica fan to people who someone conversant in Sonny Rollins music.
I had discovered this tune while perusing the WWUH-FM library one day. I liked
it and played it. After talking with Jay at this party, I discovered he was a
big fan of the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band (who shortened their name in 1976), too.
He also loved this obscure instrumental from their LP “The Dirt Band” called
WHITE RUSSIAN. They composed it after touring the USSR in ’77.
Anyway, I throw this out in tribute to a wonderful, loyal,
hilarious, tenacious & resilient friend. May whoever reads this be blessed
enough to have a friend as good to them as he has been to Susan & I. Happy
birthday, Jay.
PS – I can be sentimental because he doesn’t visit FB,
otherwise he’d kick my ass. LMAO
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