Almost 30 years ago when I was 19, I saw an ad that Buddy Rich and his band were coming to Indianapolis to play at a bar. Actually, it was a dive.

After some pleading with my mother, I was allowed to "sneak in" with her help. As I look back on it, I'd like to remember myself as brave but naive is a better word. I looked nineteen and in my arms I took a picture of Buddy and a pair of sticks in the hope that he would use them.

I watched the first set and at that point the owner caught me. Over the normal noise level, I told him I didn't want anything to drink, I wasn't going to cause trouble, I just wanted to see, hear and meet Buddy. He told me to stand next to the bar and not move. If I could do anything, I could follow directions!

At intermission I was allowed into Buddy's dressing room. At 6'1", I towered over him and I was starstruck. He asked me a few questions, took my Ludwig 8A Ed Thigpens out of plastic and played "air drums" with them and then signed my picture.

That picture showed Buddy playing Slingerland drums again after a 20 year hiatus from the company. Slingerland announced his return at the same time they featured their new Set-O-Matic tom tom holder. Somehow I got a copy of the publicity photo.

So, as Buddy was autographing my picture, all I could think of was that I should ask him about that new mounting system. He looked at me, completely deadpan, and said "A tom mount's a tom mount".

I took my picture, said thanks and walked out to the car. My mother asked me how it was. I remember saying: "I saw what he did. I heard what he did. I just have no idea how he did what he did".

I still have the sticks. I still have the picture and I still have the awe.