Lakeway Activity Center
Not This Time: Life Without Poodie
RECEIVED Fri., May 15, 2009
Dear Editor,
Poodie and I met in the summer of '76 ["Off the Record," Music, May 15]. I'd moved to Austin to play music, and Richard, our manager, took us to see Willie Nelson at Soap Creek Saloon. Poodie spotted Richard as we started to pay and said, "Let those boys in." Later, when I was the day bartender at the Hole in the Wall, Poodie became one of my regulars, and our friendship grew.
Whenever Willie was at Austin City Limits, Poodie would stick a pass on me, and we'd hang out. I love Willie, and I have seen him many times, but hanging out with Poodie was special.
One day Poodie walked in, put a guitar case on the bar, and said, "See if you can tune it." It was Trigger, Willie's guitar – the most famous guitar in the world. I tuned it each night during the ACL taping of "The Big Six-0."
Poodie was on the road when Donna and I were married in '84. She and I would join Poodie at the Hilltop for games and birthdays. When he became an owner and they changed the name to Poodies Hilltop Bar & Grill, I started bugging him for a job – I became the day manager in June 2007.
Poodie was a rascal. The last time he sat at the bar, with a Bud Light and a shot of chilled Hornitos Reposado, he was teaching some friends a dice game. He talked about how he and Willie had won all of Owen Wilson's, Billy Bob's, and Woody's money the night before.
To carry on without Poodie would be near impossible if not for the things he taught me. The show must go on. I now ask myself, what would Poodie do? He often told me, "Timing is everything." Not this time.
Poodie and I met in the summer of '76 ["Off the Record," Music, May 15]. I'd moved to Austin to play music, and Richard, our manager, took us to see Willie Nelson at Soap Creek Saloon. Poodie spotted Richard as we started to pay and said, "Let those boys in." Later, when I was the day bartender at the Hole in the Wall, Poodie became one of my regulars, and our friendship grew.
Whenever Willie was at Austin City Limits, Poodie would stick a pass on me, and we'd hang out. I love Willie, and I have seen him many times, but hanging out with Poodie was special.
One day Poodie walked in, put a guitar case on the bar, and said, "See if you can tune it." It was Trigger, Willie's guitar – the most famous guitar in the world. I tuned it each night during the ACL taping of "The Big Six-0."
Poodie was on the road when Donna and I were married in '84. She and I would join Poodie at the Hilltop for games and birthdays. When he became an owner and they changed the name to Poodies Hilltop Bar & Grill, I started bugging him for a job – I became the day manager in June 2007.
Poodie was a rascal. The last time he sat at the bar, with a Bud Light and a shot of chilled Hornitos Reposado, he was teaching some friends a dice game. He talked about how he and Willie had won all of Owen Wilson's, Billy Bob's, and Woody's money the night before.
To carry on without Poodie would be near impossible if not for the things he taught me. The show must go on. I now ask myself, what would Poodie do? He often told me, "Timing is everything." Not this time.
Brooks Brannon
