11. Johnny Cash’s Checklist, Part 2
While many of the entries on Cash’s to-do list were comical, such as number 6 “eat” followed by number 7’s “not eat too much,” other entries showed a more serious and emotional side to the famous musician. The very first entry on the list is “not smoke,” which must have been difficult for Cash, who struggled with alcohol and drug abuse for most of his life. Amphetamines, in particular, were a struggle of Cash’s with his wife often hiding or flushing his pills down the toilet.
Number 8 on his list, worry, is perhaps a joke but could also show insight into his mental state, especially if he was attempting to stop smoking or possibly even attempting to get clean during the period in which the note was written. Coming off of stimulants like amphetamines and nicotine can cause a great deal of stress and anxiety.
The last two items on the list, “Go see mama” and “practice piano” are almost childlike in their sweetness and innocence. It’s hard to picture the man in black going to visit an elderly mother and then settling down to practice his piano like a good young choir boy. Unable to resist one last joke, Cash filled in the Notes section of his piece of paper with “not write notes.”