Jerry Garcia Visits Sewanee

Well, ok, so I'm stretching the truth, but . . . one of his ties made it to the Hospitality Shop, the local nearly new shop that supports the hospital. I snapped it up for my nephew, who almost never has to wear a tie, but who loves ties, is a maturing Deadhead and owns other Garcia ties.

What I wonder is this: how did a man known for brilliant musical improvisation and drug experimentation get into the tie business in the first place? And what does it mean for grown men to collect his ties -- one of the West's symbols of male power -- and then wear them to business meetings?

For whatever reason, I find them rather attractive, especially when my nephew wears them. Thanks to Jerry, he can spiff up in something redolent of power and the '60s, all in one stylish knot.