cheat codes and love songs

i used to hang out with my neighbor jason means when i was a kid.  he was a packers fan, so i had to look past that, but we had many other things in common: riding bikes, playing whiffle ball, swimming, watching the cubs lose, smoking candy cigarettes, and trying to beat iron mike in punch out.

jason's mom, who later became my spanish teacher, was always spinning records.  her favorite album to throw in rotation was the greatest hits of julio iglesias (who, along with billy dee williams & jimmy smits, are the smoothest dudes in the business).  i enjoyed the latin crooner, although it seemed like an odd soundtrack to our bazillion alley-oop dunks on the nerf hoop.  the tune stuck in my head was his pop smash to all the girls i loved before, a duet with willie nelson.  

i later made my professional debut when i was in high school, playing an unaccompanied version of that song inside the livestock barn at the union county fair.  my reed was acting up, but the blue ribbon sheep didn't seem to mind.  the thrill i got out of playing in public got me hooked on music.  

dig the video with julio and comic genius johnny carson.