"Because"

 Well, a second member from my drinking group has passed. Not sure why, but just Because. Jim Austin Sr. left this world on February 6. 2025. He was 96 years old, having only 24 Birthdays since he was born on a leap day. I had hoped to celebrate his 25th Birthday in 2028. I have never been to a party for a 100 year old.

I met Jim through my boss John Pitkethly. John had previously worked with Jim and was bringing him to Hubb's Pub for Friday afternoon beers. One time Jim brought his wife Ann, and I chatted with her knowing she was from Vermont, just like Jim. She said she had gone to Beeman Academy and I found out that she knew the Shacketts; Stella, Bobby and Lillian. Stella is my mom. Small world!

I continued to see Jim after Ann died, and he was a regular at Coasters. Then in 2014, I retired and I started to hang with a small group on Tuesdays and Fridays. Early places included Coasters, Rum Island Grill, and Charley and Jakes in Indian Harbour Beach.

Then we found a great place in Satellite Beach called Whiskey Beach Pub with a great bartender Tracy. That is Jim in the blue shirt. Mac, on the left, was the first of this group to pass last year.

Even at 89, Jim would still shoot a game of pool at the Whiskey Beach Pub.

Then Whiskey moved south on A1A to the old Cove. We did not like it as much and then Tracy left and went to the Key West Bar. So we ended up going to Lou's Blues. There was a curved part to the upstairs bar that became our spot...Photo from 10/24/2017

The core group (Mac, Jim, Peter, John, Ken) at the curved bar...Photo from 6/25/2019

Photo from 7/2/2019

Mac and Jim in the blue lighting of Lou's Blues...

Mac and Jim being flashed by me...RIP guys!

Then the pandemic hit in 2020 and we went no where for a while but slowly went back to Lou's. We started sitting out on the fresh air deck. Jim arriving in his truck in 2020.

Jim wearing one of the shirts he picked up in the Philippines. A story for a different day.

On the deck at Lou's. Peter, John and Jim.

Jim and Peter giving me an old man's finger...haha

Some days we would head inside. There was a bartender names Meghan who use to give Jim a few green olives with his beer. She also would do a shot of pickle juice with him. Kind of weird but they both seemed to like it. That's Ken with Jim on 2/23/2021, the week Jim turned 93.

Then age was finally starting to catch up with Jim. He was not driving himself around any more so when his son Robert visited, we would arrange to go out for a beer. We went to Cadillac Cove which had replaced Whiskey Beach Pub. Lou's had stairs and Cadillac Cove did not. Here is Jim, Ken and Robert.

Jim had stopped drinking beers a while before so we were all surprised when he said he wanted one. This photo was from 4/19/2024.

On November 16, 2024, I would have my last beer with Jim. This is me with John and Jim at Cadillac Cove. It was a nice day to be with old friends...

Some of Jim's kids were also there...you never want something to be the last time...

But sometimes you don't have a choice...Because...

There was a big crowd at the Memorial...(all of my photos are in the link below)

Jim made sure that his wife's grave always had roses. The family decided to let Jim take these to Ann himself...RIP Jim Austin!

After the ceremony in Palm Bay, we headed to Hell n' Blazes in Melbourne where Jim treated us all to a few beers and lunch. One of Peggy's friends decided to buy us a shot of whiskey and a shot of pickle juice. I had never done it before, but for Jim, I was willing and able.

This is a link to the photos I shared on Google Photos.

Jim Austin Album

About Title

"Because" is a song written by John Lennon (credited to Lennon–McCartney) and recorded by the English rock band the Beatles. It was released on their 1969 album Abbey Road, immediately preceding the extended medley on side two of the record. It features a prominent three-part vocal harmony by Lennon, Paul McCartney and George Harrison, recorded three times to make nine voices in all.

The song begins with a distinctive electric harpsichord intro played by producer George Martin. The harpsichord is joined by Lennon's guitar (mimicking the harpsichord line) played through a Leslie speaker. Then vocals and bass guitar enter.

"Because" was one of few Beatles recordings to feature a Moog synthesizer, played by George Harrison. It appears in what Alan Pollack refers to as the "mini-bridge", and then again at the end of the song.

Lennon said the song was inspired by Ludwig van Beethoven's Moonlight Sonata.

"I was lying on the sofa in our house, listening to Yoko play Beethoven's 'Moonlight Sonata' on the piano. Suddenly, I said, 'Can you play those chords backward?' She did, and I wrote 'Because' around them. The song sounds like 'Moonlight Sonata,' too. The lyrics are clear, no bullshit, no imagery, no obscure references."