The Man came into my life because I invited him, its important for both of us that we remember that. Especially me.
I was chasing the shadows that since I was a boy had promised to reward me. They gave me nothing, and maybe that was exactly what I deserved. Unattainable dreams, you gotta love 'em, but you can't have 'em.
Took me a while to realise that my dream didn't die, but once I couldn’t chase it with a whole heart, it simply moved on.  For a dream, being unattainable loses it grandeur when the desire of the chaser diminishes even slightly.
All I really wanted, and this is me being totally honest, was to be recognised. As a songwriter. As a guitar player. As someone gifted and different.  All I really wanted was the recognition, the money and the luxury and the life that came as a result were indeed welcomed with open arms, but it was the recognition alone that I craved for.
And I got everything I ever dreamed of except the recognition it felt like I was left holding the knife that had been stuck into my gut as I watched my assailant walk away.
And then I met The Man,  Manny Hansen. He had knife wounds, emotional and actual, but neither concerned him a great deal. He'd also been an assailant in his time. And his time was very long.