Five Song Friday: The Myth of Tomorrow
This Week: Haunch Doodles, Pale Parts and Enigma Burritos
Last week a happy homeless man drove me to the airport.
He smiled the whole way and laughed at his own jokes.
This guy volunteered a lot of details about his life, including the fact that I was sitting in his sometimes house.
I learned that he and his (slightly) older wife also stay in a trailer parked on the property of an assisted living facility. They both work part-time in exchange for bathroom privileges and rent.
I learned that he left the Philippines for America and loves “his Uncle Sam.”
Now, my preference is usually to ride in awkward silence.
I’m a big “stare out the window and watch the world go by” kind of guy. I spend most of my days stuck inside my own enormous head, so it’s very easy for me to NOT talk.
My wife is not like this.
When my wife gets into taxi cabs and Ubers, her opening line is usually “What’s your story?” or “Are you having a good day/night?” or “Where do you think we go when we die?”
She is genuinely curious and not shy with the questions.
I secretly love this because drivers are flattered and excited to share.
Who can blame them? After a whole day of brooding potato heads like me, they are probably relieved to engage in actual human conversation.
My wife is also much better at talking and her face is infinitely less scowly and hairy than mine, so people feel compelled to share.
In fact, there’s something about her that encourages strangers to overshare.
She can walk into a 7-11 for five minutes and come out with a harrowing tale of drug addiction, recovery, murder, redemption and lust.
Salespeople often mistake her for a therapist, so if we want to go rug or sofa shopping, we need to allot extra time for tears and hugs.
She comes out of public restrooms with stories like she just left a pitch meeting at the Lifetime Network.
Which made it even more confusing that this guy was opening up to ME.
All I said was “good morning.”
I had zero Oprah or Phil Donahue energy.
Nothing about me said TALK.
But he did.
And I listened. And I laughed. And he had things to say that I probably needed to hear.
He felt lucky.
Not lucky to be homeless or struggling or whatever, but lucky to be alive and lucky to be healthy.
He felt lucky to wake up that morning.
Lucky that he lives in the United States and drives a nice minivan and doesn’t have to do yard work.
Lucky that he can work seven days a week because why not.
And then he said he doesn't believe in tomorrow.
Maybe not those exact words, but over and over he said that all we have is this moment and why complain and why worry if all is good right here and right now.
He doesn’t watch or read the news because bad things are always happening all over the world. He’s not there. Why fill your head with terrible things that aren’t directly affecting you?
Why worry if all is good right here and right now?
“There is only TODAY!”
Then he told a bad joke and laughed so hard you’d think he was hearing it for the very first time.
I laughed too.
Not because it was funny, but because I wanted to be part of the same right here and right now.
I wanted to feel lucky.
Sincerely,
DJ CrankyPete
Five Song Friday 092
“No Kid (Acoustic Version)” - Urban Dance Squad
I’ll spare you the super hyphenates and any referral to the music these guys make as a kind of “sonic stew.” Here are the facts: they are a Dutch rap rock band formed in the late 1980’s. If I was a much dumber kid with lots more money I probably would have gotten their logo tattooed somewhere on my body following their manic, mosh-tastic show at the old 9:30 Club in Washington D.C. But common sense prevailed and now I don’t have to explain to my grandkids why Grandpa has a blurred badge doodle on his wrinkly haunches.
“Legs Out for Summer” - Animal House
It’s cold outside so I thought we could all use a reminder of the warmer days of not long ago. Get your legs out, along with your other assorted pale parts, and soak up those potentially harmful radioactive rays. Nothing says summer like skin cancer! Except maybe watermelon. And fireflies! Definitely fireflies.
“Music Machine’” - Gabriella Cohen
Music seems really hard to me, which is why I’m probably drawn to songs that sound effortless. I like to close my eyes and imagine that Gabriella Cohen just happened upon a group of musicians playing in the subway and she grabbed the microphone to lay down some vocals before the next train arrived. A cigarette is also involved.
“Detritus Andronicus’” - Chemtrails
I’ve made the conscious decision to avoid learning about the whole chemtrails controversy/conspiracy. I enjoy looking up and seeing huge winged machines drawing fluffy white lines across a bold blue sky. It’s pleasing to my eye. The last thing I want to think about is the government adding toxic chemicals to the atmosphere. Why would the government even do that? They love us!
“Out of Gas” - Modest Mouse
I could have sworn that I was listening to this album when my car died on I-95 driving home from Northern Virginia, but I just did the math and it does not add up. I was coming back from seeing the Rolling Stones during their Steel Wheels tour at RFK Stadium in 1989. But this album didn’t come out until 1997. I would have bet money on it, but now that I think about it, I was probably playing this album and driving a completely different shitty car at a completely different time. Now I’m questioning every memory I’ve ever had. Time is folding in on itself. My life is an enigma wrapped in a riddle. We’re through the looking glass people!
“We're gonna need some more FBI guys, I guess.” - Dwayne T. Robinson