I didn't realize that it was Friday the 13th yesterday, until I head the ominous sound of drunken college kids singing outside my bedroom window. Yesterday was just bad luck.
I couldn't stop seeing bizarre exchanges. Jake rattling on about human misery parties and Dan saying, The only thing that brightened my day today was coffee. It took Frank and I an hour to go from uptown Minneapolis to downtown St. Paul. Yesterday the truth came clear. We are going nowhere.
Frank and I had stayed in Nicki's apartment on Thursday night. We came down to see Bright Eyes and to visit. Bright Eyes were amazing--a mad, quavering voice backed by a 15-piece orchestra. All the while, I stood by wrecking my own voice slowly, sucking the smoke from the recessed filter of my Parliament Lights. This was a change from my regular American Spirits.
I did have my American Spirits on hand on Wednesday when we played a garage in Young America. Matt and Alycia had always assumed that we were talking about an organization when we'd mention Young America. Oh no, it is an area on the outskirts of West Bend, WI with a bridge that crosses over the Milwaukee River. Anyway, instead of marking 9/11 with silent vigils and calls to action, our band rocked the kids. Well, Celeste told me that it looked more like we had rained on them. Drenched them dumbstruck. I prefer to think that most of them were just stoned out of their minds. It was a good feeling, though, to be approached by three unwashed 15-year-olds, asking about our next show. I laughed and answered, probably in another 4 months. At least I answered honestly.
Because, in truth, we are going nowhere.