Christmas 1995, first Christmas in Memphis after divorce, so it's just me, my brothers, sister and Dad heading to Grandmom's.
That was the year Dad found and took away the six secret vhs tapes Brock made for us that included Pulp Fiction, The Crying Game, Interview with the Vampire, Hellraiser, Reservoir Dogs, etc. The Hellraiser tape had a George Carlin special which contained this final bit:
The risk I took to sneak the Hellraiser tape out of my Dad's apartment was spurred by the one tape I did get away with that Christmas, an audio cassette of What am I Doing in New Jersey? that I dubbed from Brock's original copy (one of many oxymorons Carlin was quick to point out).
George Carlin turned on my questioning mind. I was thirteen. Perfect timing.
Summer 1997, we discovered a copy of his book Brain Droppings at the TN Tech bookstore. During our middle-of-the-day break at band-camp, we saw a Bible study group in one corner of the courtyard.
We bought the book and started our Carlin study diagonally at the other end. We each did readings.
Me: If you love someone, set them free. If they come home, set them on fire.
Holly: The bigger they are, the worse they smell.
Chuck: Octapus - Eight-sided vagina
We soon had many more members sitting near us, passing the book around.
Thanks, George, and now you know for sure whether there's hope for us or not. I'm sure you're in the big electron somewhere, gettin' high with Lenny Bruce. I can only hope that I'll meet you there as young as you were before you died.
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