Baby Mojo takes 6 steps and listens to Leonard Skinner

This afternoon Baby Mojo took six steps.  He’s been flirting with more than two steps for the past week so to see him taunt gravity was fun to see.  I contemplated telling my wife that I saw more than two steps before her.  The pros and cons I weighed and while I was thinking on this fate intervened and produced a story and some fabulous memories.

Since I worked in radio and was from the south I was very familiar with Lynard Skynard.  I always liked their deeper stuff better and personally strayed away from the AOR staples that get driven into our subconscious if you live south of the Mason-Dixon Line.  Granted I was guilty of yelling “FREEBIRD” at more than one occasion, which usually involved alcohol and occasionally was accompanied by karaoke.

On September 20, Leonard Skinner, who was the inspiration for the band, Lynard Skynard, died at his home in Jacksonville, FL.  Mr. Skinner was a gym teacher at Robert E. Lee High School in the late 60s.  He didn’t like long haired hippie types and one day sent a couple of them to the principal’s office.   As fate would have it, one of those long hairs was in a band who later named themselves after a teacher.

Mr. Skinner gradually grew into his fame and even introduced the band at a concert.

I heard the story about Mr. Skinner and Lynard Skynard this morning before Baby Mojo took his six steps.  When Baby Mojo took his six steps I immediately thought of their song Gimme Six Steps.  Then, after humming the song for half an hour I realized it was Gimme Three Steps and I was really just a casual Lynard Skynard fan at best. 

However, all of this thinking about Lynard Skynard reminded me of one time I was working in radio. It was nearing the top of the hour and the cute news girl was preparing her copy.  I was playing That Smell and as the song ended I said “classic Skynard with That Smell and speaking of smell lets go to Marsha for the news”.  Marsha didn’t appreciate my witty DJ banter, but I thought it was hilarious. 

With luck tomorrow Baby Mojo will go on a proper walk, maybe even run-and Mommy Mojo will be here to see it.