One Night Only

Bumper to bumper, Shawn's inching along, moving at a snail's pace. It'd be quicker to walk at this rate. Some crazy motorcyclist flies by weaving in and out of traffic, along the emergency shoulder, across 4 lanes of traffic. He's the guy that's gonna hold us all up later as the emergency services peel him off the back of some trailer or scrape him off the asphalt, all blenderized up with his fibreglass crotch rocket and ballistic nylon body armour. Why did he take the car? Shawn's beyond frustrated, he's moved into aggressive affirmations: Please someone hit me in the face the next time I decide to drive through the city at rush hour on a whim to pick up tickets. Please please please, with a blunt  object, right to my temple. Hard. The cars inch forward, red lights fading then slamming back on, re illuminating the creeping dusk like angry fireflies. His favourite time of day, quickly being lost to gridlock. The magic hour. At least the humidity broke. Windows down, public radio blaring with a surprisingly good playlist. Shawn triple checks the tickets. They're still there, right where he put them, outside pocket of his courier bag, zipped into the inside pouch. Safe in hand. Thirteen years since their last tour, no way he was missing them this time around. Everyone is getting old. Older. Shawn still feels like his 23 year old pot smoking grunge loving guitar playing obsessively self absorbed emotional train wreck of a man child he always was. Only more self actualized, if that makes sense. He feels like a cliche but man, that band, that music. It defined his formative years. It's why he learned to play guitar, to write, to sing like him, even. Eventually he found his own sound and voice but those first three albums, wow. Shawn's betting on the crowd being a bunch of like minded dudes, die hard fans like himself, eager to relive their youth and rock out with their cocks out one more time before they head home for 11 to take the dog for a late walk or check on the kids and make sure lunches are packed for the morning. Shawn has to make sure his phone is charged in case he gets called in on a case. He made sure he was off shift but he's still on call for psych cases. Hopefully all the crazies will be at the show so if  he's needed, he's where he wants to be.

Comments

  1. AnonymousJuly 11, 2013 at 11:54 PM

    Ahh band? Can't wait for MY BAND ...NIN...after Trent swore it was over. We were crying damn him.

    But he took time to get married, have a kid, win an Oscar (wtf?), tour his wifes band and finally come back to us!

    Nov. 8th Staples Center LA...our heads like holes!
    -jt

    @taylor900

    ReplyDelete

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