A Nice Genius and a Good Hillbilly

MY TWO HEROS, Albert Einstein and Davy Crockett, actually had a great deal in common, believe it or not, and maybe the things they had in common are the reason I admire them. First and foremost, both were eccentric as hell, and that I really love. Neither one believed in following the herd, conforming to soical conventions, following in the footsteps of others. Einstein wouldn't wear socks, or neckties,and Crockett walked around Washington D.C. as a member of Congress from the state of Tennessee carrying a loaded rifle and wearing a coonskin cap. They were both saying "I'm gonna do things my way, come hell or high water." Also, both of them played the violin. Einstein played Mozart, rather well, but not great, and Davy played Turkey in the Straw, The Old Grey Mare, songs like that, hillbilly songs, fiddle style, and word was he could make the thing sound like any bird in the woods. Davy never had anybody to show him how to play the fiddle; he just picked one up, bought one in Washington, and taught himself, over time. He taught himself how to read and write, amazingly. Both Crockett and Einstein had incredibly high moral standards, and both of them were incredibly generous, and just plain nice, down to the very core. Neither of them could say no to any request. If Davy had a niekl in his pocket he bought the first round of beer, and the last. Einsteine once bought an elevator for a two story house because "the salesman was such a nice young man". Einstein spoke out against the excesses of corporate capitalism and militaristic nationalism, and neither of them ever turned down a request for an autograph, and there were many. Crockett fought for the rights of the Indians, during a time period when nobody, but nobody else did. Many of his fellow Tennessee neighbors didn't agree; the settlers hated Indians, and that hurt Crockett in his politickin' fer office, but Davy knew right from wrong. Einstein had no patience with stuffy, arrogant intellectuals who act like they know everything but really have very little original to say. Crockett did not like fancy dressing rich easterners who acted like they were better than he. Crockett was cocky but sweet and Einstein was humble and sweet. I like both styles, somehow.