Serendipity is dead

I came rolling into town the other night (town being Edmonton), down Whyte Avenue with Bob Dylan, Las Vegas NV 2001-08-24 as my soundtrack, only to see Megatunes plastered with signs proclaiming 75% off. Closing.

I first found Megatunes about five years ago, on a previous trip to Edmonton. I stopped in just to check it out and was stunned by their selection. I was playing a lot of bluegrass at the time, and I was hunting for Tony Rice. I don’t remember what I bought that day, but I know that I passed up a copy of The Pizza Tapes (Jerry Garcia, David Grisman, and Tony Rice) to get it. I could have spent my way right out of a marriage that day, easily.

Last time I dropped in, earlier this year, the selection was much less impressive.

I suppose time wounds all heels. The march of progress never ceases. You don’t have to hunt down The Pizza Tapes anymore; you just go on iTunes and buy it when the mood strikes you. And I suppose that this is a good thing. This is, after all, how I got a copy.

But I sure am going to miss serendipity.