John Nichols

It was one in the morning, one night in June, three years ago. I had just got out of my car when some kid with a gun started hitting me in the ribs with the weapon while yelling, "the money, the money, the money". My life flashed before my eyes in a nanosecond, as fear and anger took hold of me. I said, "okay, okay, stop, that thing's gonna go off." "Look I only have fifteen dollars." I also had a shopping bag carrying my old, busted up shoes, since I had bought a new pair earlier that day and was wearing them. I just kept thinking that I was going to get shot and that there was so much I still wanted to do with my life. It was the longest two minutes of my life. I thought, "great, I'm staring death in the face and he has all gold teeth, while one of his pupils are much larger than the other." Death is a crackhead with a 9mm and an undechipherable tatoo on his neck. The funny thing is, I kept cool and managed to to reason with this strung out bastard to keep my wallet. (because replaceing credit cards and your license is a huge pain in the ass) I got two blocks away when he took off and called the police on my cell phone since the guy hadn't checked my pockets for it. I had called Baltimore's finest earlier that year when my apartment had been burglarized and it took them like 16 hours to respond. I had now figured out the quick response code word for the police. All you had to say is, "gun", and presto, five squad cars show up in about two minutes and twenty seconds. One of the officers had a good laugh when I told him that my mugger had recieved my old stinky shoes. Looking back on it now, it is quite funny. However, since then, I quit my day job and became a full time musician. I don't make a lot of money but, I'm a lot happier now. I just thought, how do I want to be remembered when I pass away? Will it be just that? Me passing away into the night, a broken down man who manages a coffee shop? Or will I have made some kind of difference, no matter how small, to someone else? I had a friend like that once. When he passed on, there was a celebration of his life by the people who knew him and the music he left behind. He did not turn a priest into a liar during his funeral, like some some others I had been to. Therefore, after that night in june, I resolved to start putting my music out there and to only do things that will ultimately make me happy. I'm not always mr. sunshine, but I am in a better place than I was then. What makes me happy now is singing my tunes, and playing bass with my friends bands. You may see me around town playing in my own group or backing up some of my friends like: Shane Gamble, and various other acts that hire me to play bass.