The Late Great Paul deLay

Editor's Note - The story below is true and accurate to the best of my knowledge in the drunken state Colin and I were in that night. Goodbye Paul. It was a pleasure to meet you, sir.

The Hollander
Sometime in the early 90's, I chanced to meet a young man named Colin McCartney. Colin "everybody must have a healthy Colin" McCartney was a fine Irish Catholic lad. He was also the single most politically conservative guy I have ever met. After many a drunken night arguing the finer points of the political dealings in America, we came to be close friends.

MUSICAL INTERLUDE:
One muggy ass evening in downtown Portland, Oregon. Colin & Chuck decided to quench their thirst for pretentious beer, testosterone charged sports, music at ear damaging decibels, and incredibly horny broads by stepping in to the Virginia City Cafe. For a goof, and hoping that some roughneck types would take them for a gay couple, they bought matching tee shirts at the door. "This is your brain...this is your brain on drugs...this is your brain on drugs at the Virginia City Cafe". One will have to imagine the hillarious fried egg pictures on the fronts.

Now as the Portland Trailblazers were busy getting their asses kicked by the L.A. Lakers on live national TV, the bar was quite crowded. We're talking 13 people thick just to wait for their first beer. Being the enterprising young knuckleheads that they were, Colin & Chuck noticed the oversized half-round booth in the corner with a single oversized gentleman sitting there underneath the coolest Fedora hat. Quickly they seized upon the opportunity and strolled over to ask the oversized Fedora man if they could join him. Perhaps he would like to partake in a beer on their tab for his kindness? With a look of mild surprise that Colin & Chuck recognized but did not understand, the large man in question said "Sure, what are your names? Are you a gay couple?"

Many pitchers of pretentious beer later, the large friendly man in the cool Fedora asked if the guys happened to know who he was. "Yah, you're the really cool guy who bought us all this beer and we will probably try to steal your hat before this is all over."

The man smiled and said " I like you guys, you wanta party with me and my buddies and some hot chicks after the bar closes tonight?"

You can probably surmise the rather enthusiastic answer the boys gave that question.

About then, a member of the band who had been busy all this time setting up equipment on the stage, got on the mic and said "Ladies and gentleman, it is my great pleasure to introduce the greatest blues man this city has ever known - Please welcome Mr. Paul Delay!!!"

The cool Fedora man chugged down his beer, thanked Colin & Chuck for their company, and said "Boys, I gotta go to work now, meet me out front when the bar closes". Then he leaped (yes leaped) up on the stage, whipped out his harmonica and thanked the cheering crowd. When the initial applause died off, he waited a beat, then announced to the audience "Folks, I'd like you to meet two good friends of mine, Colin & Chuck. Bartender, all their drinks tonight are on my tab. And ladies, I hear they are both single. Don't let the tee shirts throw you, they aren't gay. See you two at the after party tonight!"

That was Paul Delay's last show before going off to jail for a year on cocain charges.
POSTED BY JACQ AT 10:18 AM
5 COMMENTS:
screwball said...
now that's perfect.
THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 01, 2005 11:30:00 AM
rich bachelor said...
Yeah, no shit. I met Mr. Delay, post coke, post pokey. Nice guy.
The Virgina, however, is a pain in my ass. Shame, too. Used to be cool. Where in the hell was a stage in that space?
THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 01, 2005 2:49:00 PM
cats dig me said...
Remember this was early 90's, like probably 90, maybe even 89. The place had just been remodeled into a yuppie brew pub and was still kinda cool. I heard the coolness shot out the door very soon after that. Too bad. The stage was straight back from the front door. as you walked inta da joint- the bar and brewery were to your left, tables to the right and the teeniest dance floor ya ever saw straight back by that little stage (which had been modified for Mr. Delay's gerth)
THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 01, 2005 3:23:00 PM
cats dig me said...
There is a second part to the story that I didn't work in. A year later Colin & I went back to the Virginia Cafe to watch the Blazers lose again. Paul was there again, having his I just got outta jail show. He spotted us after some song ended and pointed us out to the audience again. Good after party.
THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 01, 2005 3:45:00 PM
rich bachelor said...
And go check my space over there for my own story concerning the V.
THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 01, 2005 5:04:00 PM