My Tele

I own a wonderfully beat up 1969 fender telecaster. It has all the look of a road dog bar band been played forever look. It plays and sounds like a dream. There is a story here. There was this guitar player I had known in Fairbanks for a number of years. He was what you might call a bit out of control ( he had a certain zest for particular substances if you get my drift) He was a strange looking guy. We used to call him 'Skellator" cuz he was bald on the top had long white hair and had spent so much time in dark bars either playing or bar tending that he was "Pasty"white. He looked like a walking Skellator. I saw him playing at this fest we were playing at as well and he had this old Les Paul and the old beat up Tele. I remember thinking how cool his tele looked and how if he ever wanted to sell it I'd like to buy it. All of this guys stuff was really old and really beat up. His PA was sold sometime in the late 70's. That was for all I know the last time he bought a chord. I let it past and went about my business. A year or two later I was in this pawn shop on 2 street and there hanging on the wall was that tele. I asked the gal what she wanted for it...300.00 bucks a totally killer deal.She had said she had tried to call him but the number he left was disconnected. Problem was I didn't have 300.00 bucks on me(I was rebuilding after a horrible divorce) I had 20.00 on me asked her if she would hold it for me till that Friday. She said she would. I made two payments and walked away with that guitar.As with any of this guys stuff it was beat to shit. I took the guitar up to my tech and had him replace the keys(I kept the old ones even though they didn't work) I had the frets replaced and new pick-ups installed.(keeping the old ones) Now what was funny is he and I shared the same bass player. Dave the bass player had a gig with him that friday and one with me that saturday. so I told Dave to let him know I now owned his tele...the next day Dave told me he was totally bummed now everytime he sees me he says.."Hows my Guitar Doing?"......dude it ain't and will never be your guitar again.....