The place: A small apartment belonging to a friend of my sister in Placerville California.

The time: The late 70's.

The event: My sister was visiting a friend of hers who had just gotten her first apartment. While they were talking about this and that I was bored. But this was the big city of Placerville and they had something my small town of Rescue California did not have... CABLE.

I asked if I could watch some TV. "Of course", the older kids said immediately and turned on the Television. Having no remote I sat my 7 or 8 years ass right in front of the TV so I could reach the knob (Yes for those of you younger than even me, we had knobs on TV's back in the day).

I went from station to station looking for a cartoon. I stumbled upon a cartoon about a woman (I think she was a Queen) who would not go to the bathroom because she was scared of the toilet. I started to laugh. At the end of this cartoon the lady died I think, I don't remember it all because the next thing I saw was an older bearded man named George standing on a stage saying all of the words I had heard but was told to never say. Yes, at the age of 7 or 8 I had stumbled upon HBO and one of the early George Carlin HBO specials.

My life was changed forever. Rollerf***ing was another cartoon he had on that special and I nearly pissed myself laughing. But it was not the hope of another short cartoon that held my interest, it was the intelligence of this man who cussed up a storm but in a manner that made it seem OK, almost professional.

When I heard of his death today at the age of 71 I was taken back to that room with the wood lined walls, vaulted ceiling and view of the Sierra Nevadas that went on for miles. The smell of Pine, Oak and Manzanita hit my senses as strongly as if I were standing standing there again with the deck doors open. 7 Words, Plastic, Stuff and more Stuff, Religion, Politics, Sex... Over the next 30 years I have seen or listened to every CD I have ever found of his, every book including Silly Putty and Napalm which was an instant classic, and later this year I was finally going to see the man live in Vegas. I passed up that chance about a year ago because I was busy.

I was busy. What a poor excuse for not taking the time to see a man who changed my life in so many ways. It was because of George Carlin that I found the the funy in so many things in life and in so many other comedians who I would otherwise not have thought much of. You see, George Carlin was a writer, a cataloger, an organizer. This man was not just funny. He worked his ass off at being funny. Natural talent for being funny exists, sure it does, no argument there. But to make something mundane funny, to take something and relate it to others, to bring people a smile and then do it for 5 decades.... that takes work.

I don't care if I take s*** for this article or not. It's under politics for a reason. The man in question referred to himself as "A footnote in history" after the 7 Words skit created a law suit that ended with The Supreme Court hearing the case. The Supreme Court, can you believe that? A comedian sparked a 1st Amendment controversy that went all the way to the highest court in the land.

George lost his wife a few years ago and I remember thinking then, I need to see him live soon. I wish I had not passed up that opportunity last year.

Mother f***er!

He was the King of Comedy in my mind and will remain so.

But what would I know; I'm just an Average American.