Tossing Salt Presents:
A Day of Dougie
Writing Songs, The Complete Man, and Jimmy’s Seafood House
DougMaynard.com
Doug Maynard

I can’t sleep even though I have a doctor’s appointment at 8:00 am. Isn’t it always the way? So why not do a Day of Dougie? I already have something in mind for one of the topics and well, I haven’t written one of these since Tuesday. I may as well keep the momentum going, right? So here we go. The discussion topics are writing songs, the Complete Man, and Jimmy’s Seafood House. And away we go.

Writing Songs

I went into our spare bedroom, aka the junk room, to look for something. I found what I was looking for. And I found something else too. Two sheets of paper are sitting on top of a box. One had the addresses and phone numbers of a friend from twenty years ago. Unfortunately, Kever passed away a few years ago so I don’t think this will do me any good anymore. He was headed up to Sanford and wanted to make sure I stayed in touch. Damn, I miss that dude.

And the other is what looks like an attempt at songwriting. Four verses and a chorus. And it’s not very good. It could be, but just reading it now, I’m not impressed. But I wrote it in March 1990. I was twenty-four and this would have been when I was living/working in McColl, SC at Nic’s Pic Kwik. So now, I’m going to share it with you. I hope you like it. Enjoy.

Chain Reaction

I’ve got a pistol in my pocket
And it’s ready to explode
It’s a simple common knowledge
while we’re pushing overload

We can break into the stories
And my friends are turning gray
I’ll be looking for the glory
When I take you all the way

(Chorus)
It’s a chain reaction
what you do to me, you know
It’s a fatal attraction
when you look at me, yeah
It’s spinal traction
what you do to me
It’s a chain reaction
what you do to me

I’ve got a steaming load of thunder
when you touch me deep inside
I’m in the deepest world of wonder
You take what I can’t hide

With your steamy eyes leering
And all systems on the rise
I feel you while I’m dreaming
tell common sense goodbye

(Chorus)

It’s a chain reaction
What you do to me.

Okay, I don’t think Paul McCartney has anything to worry about, but this was written almost 35 years ago. And that makes it cool.

The Complete Man

I was cleaning out my wallet a few weeks ago and found an old scrap of paper that’s been there for at least twenty-five years. It’s something I wrote down long ago after seeing in a documentary that James Dean carried around a similar note in his wallet oh so many years ago… it says:

“The Complete Man – These Are His Needs: The need for love and security. The need for creative expression. The need for recognition and self-esteem.”

I think that pretty much says it all… Words worth taking note of… Truth!

Jimmy’s Seafood House

I think this was my 3rd job ever. It’s now called Captain Larry’s and located in Laurinburg, NC on S. Main Street and that was a great job for a lost and wayward 16-year-old. I was there for almost three years, hired as a dishwasher, but also worked as a plate fixer and cook for a while as well. I left that job to go work at Convenient Food Mart, aka Jimmy Lee’s, and have been in retail ever since. Well, not anymore since I had to retire, but for quite a long time. But Jimmy’s holds a special place in my heart, working with guys like Jim Manship, Deano Medlock, John Singletary, etc. True, we walked out of there every night smelling like tuna, but the people were awesome and we had fun too. Water fights, drinking vodka, pissing off Dan, the assistant manager, and so many other things.A great time in my life.

And there you go. Thanks for reading and tolerating me in my whimsical ramblings. Now, it’s time to go to bed. I only have to be up in three hours. Bah, who needs sleep. It’s overrated. I’m out of here, my friends. I’ll see you later today after I do the doctor’s stuff. Be good.

Ubuntu!