Monday Morning Stories With Mookie - Episode 33

The Time Mookie Thought He Was Going To Meet The Bassist From The Band "Toto"

Back when "Megan (*)" and I lived in Colorado Springs, we both worked 2nd shift at our respective jobs - she at MCI, while I slaved away at Wal-Mart.  One night Megan came home and told me that her department was going to have a "picnic" at her work on a particular Sunday afternoon.  The immediate family of the employees were invited, and it was to be a nice potluck social gathering.

As her and I didn't have any real friends or family in the area (in other words...anything else better to do), we thought we'd go and be social.

The festivities were going to be held out behind the building where there was a nice picnic area and a HUGE lawn where people could play games.  As the event drew nearer, Megan reported that they had gotten a band to play at picnic. I inquired as to who the group would be, figuring it was some employee's high school kid and their friends.  She said: "I forget the name, but they said the bassist used to play for the band 'Toto."

My reply was "TOTO??  Like '(I Bless The Rains Down in) Africa' and 'Rosanna' - Toto?"

She says, "I don't know, I guess."

EFFING NICE!!

I should mention I have no idea who the bassist for Toto is.  I didn't even bother to look it up.  It doesn't matter though because I will be able to tell people I met the bassist from Toto!  Yes I am retarded.

From then on, when the topic of the picnic came up, we affectionately started referring to the guy as "Toto Guy," and we were going to to the "Toto Guy Picnic."  This went on for like two weeks.  Finally one day Megan came home from work and had some news to share with me.

R:  Hey, remember how I said that the bassist from "Toto" was going to be at our picnic?
M:  Yeah!
R:  Well I found out today he's not the bassist for Toto.
M: Huh?
R:  Yeah apparently he was the bassist in some band that OPENED for Toto one time.

WELL WHO GIVES A FLYING RATS ASS ABOUT THAT??  I'm sure there have been a billion no-name bands that opened for Toto!  Needless to say I am bummed at this news.

The day of the event arrives, and its safe to say my enthusiasm is now lacking due to the disappointment over the Toto Guy.  Everything is fine at the picnic, and everyone is being social and eating from the lovely potluck everyone contributed to.  Over in the corner I see a little 3 piece band setting up - a drummer, a guitarist, and a bassist - The Guy Who Opened One Time For The Real Toto Guy.  They eventually start playing, but it was this "easy listening" type of music that just sort played in the background to the picnic.  All I could think of was "You play this crap?  No wonder you only opened for  Toto once."

In the end, I honestly think I was more bummed than anything that we had to stop using the nickname "TOTO GUY."  Because honestly....who remembers the bassist in Toto anyway??

FYI:  I looked it up on Wikipedia.  David Hungate was bassist until 1982, and then Mike Porcaro took over.  A guy named Nathan East is the bass man now.  You're welcome.


Miss a previous Episode of Monday Morning Stories with Mookie?  Go HERE.