“Carson, you need to take some time off and get out of here for a while.”

“Why, is my hair standing up again?”

“Yeah, but it’s worse.  You keep saying you will get your best people on it, but your best people don’t seem to want to be on it anymore.” Said Fred.

“What?” I said.

“Damn, your left ear must be not be working anymore. I guess that voice keeps whispering in your other ear. Find a great place to go Carson, but remember to take it easy, but don’t let the sound of your own wheels drive you crazy. And don’t forget, wherever you go, remember that you’re the new kid in town, everybody loves you, so don’t let them down.”

“I don’t want to hear it.””

Hear what?” said Fred.  “Shouldn’t be a problem anyway because you only hear half of what I say anyway Carson.”

“You seem to have forgotten that I’m not the new kid anymore Fred, there’s a new kid in town, and I just don’t want to hear it.”

Maybe he’s right. I’ve decided I’m going to Winslow Arizona.  Seems like a nice quiet place to find a peaceful easy feeling and enjoy the view of some sparkling earrings against her skin so brown, moving back and forth in cadence as she floats in front of my hungry eyes.  Damn, that’s a delicious image.

So, I found myself running down the road, trying to loosen my load, heading down the highway to Winslow, and I couldn’t get the thoughts of those seven sick ICU patients off my mind, but I had to do it, delete them, or I clearly would not be able to take it easy in Winslow.  By the time I crossed the New Mexico/Arizona border, that load finally fell off my shoulders.  I walked through the town of Winslow, found a corner beer stand, then I stood on that peaceful corner, drinking a cold brew, and then it happened – it was a girl my Lord, in a flatbed Ford slowin’ down to take a look at me. Her blues connected with my blues, she rolled down her window and said in a soft, whispery voice “Where’ya headin’ there cowboy?”

I have never been called a cowboy before, and she wasn’t just another woman, with sparkling earrings dangling. So, I decided that this was the time to act like a cowboy immediately.   I had to think quickly what to say, and where I was heading, so I said, “Thank ya ma’am” and I tipped my hat Stetson to her. “I’ll be headin’ anywhere you want to take me, I’ve got a peaceful easy feeling.”

“I’m going to Sedona to hike in the Red Rocks and feel some magical vortexes. I could use a hiking partner.”

Then I thought why the hell not, we may lose, and we may win though we will never be here again. So, I told her, “open up I’m climbin’ in, let’s take it easy.”

Credits: Italics from Eagles songs: “Take it Easy”, “Peaceful Easy Feelng” and “New Kid in Town”