Just What I Needed

Last time on Soul To Body: http://lancemyblogcanbeatupyourblog.wordpress.com/2012/04/24/100-word-song-waiting-on-a-friend/

The tall, thin young man with inked arms took two steps toward him and asked.

“You remember me, I’m Ryan?”

He remembered. Two years earlier, before his wife got sick, they celebrated her birthday by getting matching infinity symbol tattoos on their right hips. Ryan did the tattoo work on them.

“Yeah, I do. You still tattooing?”

His throat tightened. If he left now, the damage would be minimal, he figured.

“Only part-time. That shop got closed down, man. The owner, Ziggy, was dealing out of that place. I’ll never forget you and your wife. You were the happiest married people I’d ever seen. I told my girlfriend the other day about you two. Crazy, huh? You meeting her, today?

He just smiled. His wife did that to people. They never forgot her. “How stupid of me to think I wouldn’t run into her, here.” He thought to himself

“No, I’m not. She passed away a few months ago. But I appreciate you thinking about her.”

The front door to Smyth’s Olde’s Pub opened and Mallory entered. She tossed her new coif of auburn hair streaked with blonde. The sun caught her face as she turned toward him. It looked like caramel ribbons waving in the reflection of the large glass paned door. Carrying a brown handbag on her right hand she hugged him with her left arm and whispered.

“You look great. I like the sports coat and jeans look on a man.”

A waft of Calvin Klein Eternity distracted him. He looked over her tight blue dress that showed plenty of C-cup cleavage. They walked behind Ryan who sat them in a secluded table hear the back.

“Thanks for coming, Mallory. I know we’re having to keep whatever this is, in confidence so,  I appreciate you for that.”

Mallory reached across the table with delicate manicured fingers and touched his trembling hands

“I’m here to be whatever you want.”

He didn’t pull away.

“Right now, Mallory, you’re just what I need.”

****blogger’s note*****

This is a new story episode of Soul To Body, about teenaged Violet and her grieving father. It’s also my response to trifecta Writing’s “confidence” 333 words challenge. http://www.trifectawritingchallenge.com/ You can find the rest of Soul To Body, so far, here: http://lancemyblogcanbeatupyourblog.wordpress.com/soul-to-body/

Today’s song inspired everything associated with this post. The line “it’s not the perfume that you wear, it’s not the ribbons in your hair” is something I’ve wanted to use for weeks. I’ve heard The Cars Just What I Needed several times and finally found a way to use it. Here’s the perfume, the ribbons and the cars.

100 Word Song – Waiting On A Friend

I can say this because I kind of, sort of, maybe, in a way, run things here; this past week of 100 Word Song was the most creative one ever. All of you dug deep inside your dark, hard crusted souls and delivered some brilliant writing. The best part of the week were the new regulars, like According To Mags, Badrinath, and today’s hightlighted 100 Word Singer, Michele from Old Dog New Tits. Yes, she has tits in her name and that means I can’t read her stuff from work, despite the fact that the Tits refer to a dog and thus makes her blog educational. At least that’s her story. Here’s her piece from last week http://olddognewtits.com/2012/04/20/accidentally-nostalgic-for-100-word-song/  . Michele and I talk on the twitter about music so I figured she could deliver something versatile and fun to write about. She did. This week’s choice is Waiting On A Friend from The Rolling Stones. Leeroy the robot is expecting greatness from each of you.

Here’s my 100.

Last time with Soul To Body: http://lancemyblogcanbeatupyourblog.wordpress.com/2012/04/20/never-let-you-go/

He traded texts with Mallory during his business meeting. Paranoia became his companion as he swiveled his head to see who was watching him during a three-block walk.

As he opened the door to Smyth’s Olde Pub, the smells recalled when he’d played guitar there in a southern rock band called Boxer Ego, before he met his late wife. He figured it’d be a place he wouldn’t feel her presence.

A tall, thin, well-tattooed young man greeted him.

“Hey there. So are you by yourself?”

He looked away and stuttered his reply.

“I’m uh, just, um, waiting on a friend.”

 

You can find the rest of Soul To Body, so far, here: http://lancemyblogcanbeatupyourblog.wordpress.com/soul-to-body/

For the newer people, everything you might want to know about 100 Word Song is here: http://lancemyblogcanbeatupyourblog.wordpress.com/100-word-song/ See all of you next Tuesday.

This week’s song to play with belongs to The Stones. Thanks Michele. Here’s Waiting on a Friend.

Karma Police

To whom it may concern,

The smell of coconut suntan lotion turns my stomach. Nobody will look me in the eye. I’m tired of crying every day. Since you all don’t have the courage, I’ll apologize to myself.

Sincerely,

me

****blogger’s note***

This is my letter of apology, as dictated by this weekend’s Trifextra- http://www.trifectawritingchallenge.com/ For this week’s challenge, you have to write a letter of apology in exactly 33 words. Addresses, salutations, closings, etc. (should you wish to include them) do not count in the 33 words. You can call this a a vague entry. But it means the world to me. No, I won’t elaborate.

Today’s song is perfect, in so many ways. If Radiohead were in charge of my funeral, this is what they’d open with. I hope the right people are reading and listening. Karma’s a real thing. And it’s a major bitch.

 

 

The Talk

Hey, you got a few minutes? There’s something I’ve been meaning to discuss. I think it’s important. I know you know some of what I’m about to go over. Your friends, your family, the lovely internets; they all have information. I just don’t think you’re going to hear the truth, the real hardcore, TRUTH about what drugs and alcohol are and can do to you. Most people won’t admit what they’ve done and how, if any of it, was positive.

I was young, about 15, when I first started drinking alcohol. I did it because my friends were drinking. I wanted to fit in and see if it would make me feel cool, older, even help me be comfortable around the opposite sex. You know, it did. It’s fool’s gold. What I mean is the high is temporary. When you start drinking, you have no idea what a tolerance is, so you drink too much for your body and you’ll either throw up, get sleepy, or lose your inhibitions so much you’ll do something regretful, if you remember it at all.

Don’t get me wrong, is partying fun? Yes. Blowing off steam can make great memories. The catch about doing it with alcohol or drugs, which we’ll get to in a minute, is, you don’t remember everything. There were concerts by great bands that alcohol took away my recollection of how good the show was or wasn’t. This is why, in 1994, when I saw The Rolling Stones in the Meadowlands in Jersey, I stayed sober. The show was amazing.

The only other thing I want to tell you about drinking is, if you ever consume alcohol stay out of a car. That means don’t drive one impaired and never get in one with someone who’s looped. I’ve lost several friends over the years because they made that mistake.

Drugs are a different ballgame. Most of the greatest music recorded, books written, masterpieces painted and sculpted were from artists higher than kites in March wind. But drugs are bad. I want to tell you to never do drugs but I don’t want to be pious or arrogant. Drugs can be fun. They work. Some of them work really well. But fallout from doing them is even greater than booze.

People seem to love marijuana. It chills them out. It takes away stress, even more than booze does. It never did anything for me. It makes me sleepy, hungry, and paranoid. I can be all three of those things without testing positive for on a drug test. I don’t know if the mary jane is addictive. I think chemical makeup of a person is way unstudied and definitely under discussed. Do I think an mj habit can be detrimental to ambition. Yes? The penalties for getting caught with weed are too severe for having it and trying it. I don’t recommend it, at all.

The only other drugs I’ve tried are cocaine and LSD. I’m here to tell you, they are even better than advertised. They are also really dangerous. I had good and bad experiences with both. There was a time in my life when coke dominated my days and nights. I’m ashamed of this. Cocaine caused some long term heart problems that I deal with today. It also made me dependent on bad people. I understand the allure but I’ve never seen a person who does hard drugs succeed in life, other than artists and I believe they’re the exception. Of course, most of them are dead. It’s like making a deal with the devil. You get short-term awesome, then long-term misery.

Drugs and alcohol are bad. But, like anything, moderation is a key. If you are in a controlled environment with people you trust and no automobiles to drive or police to arrest you and the amount is small, then substances can be a unique experience. But, just like eating McDonald’s everyday is bad, so are drugs and alcohol.

Just promise me you’ll come talk to me if you’re ever in a situation where you need help, advice, or a ride with no judgement til the next day.

****blogger’s note****

Yesterday my friend Scarlet, aka @Scarlet_Ibis was at a D.A.R.E lecture at her daughter’s school and she was struck by the lies and misinformation given. A year or so ago my teenage daughter was given a talk to by her mother and I about booze and dope. It was like you read above. Since my history with both is more chequered than my wife’s I got thrown under the bus and yet, no one died or hated me. In my opinion, this is the talk that needs to be given, not just say no. Feel free to agree or disagree. It’s the internets. Come at me bro.

Today’s song is what they should teach in schools. It’s Lynyrd Skynyrd, 34 years ago, giving you everything you need to know about drugs and alcohol. Here’s That Smell….

 

Only A Memory

For only the second time in the history of My Blog Can Beat Up Your Blog, someone asked to to guest post. Jamie over at www.chosenchaos.com asked me to write a letter/talk to your 18 year old self. Her only requirement – be honest. It posted last week. So here’s what I imagined time travel would be like between 41 year old me and 18 year old me. For the picture alone, this should entertain you.

November 1988, University of Alabama dorm room:

“Hey, sit down and shut up. You don’t know everything. I mean it. Now, turn down The Smithereens and give me 10 minutes. I said turn it down, not off. That’s a good song.

Let’s get started.

That reddish-blonde haired chick you’re obsessing over in your 10 o’clock math class? Forget it. She’s eighteen kinds of crazy. She doesn’t dig you, for you. Move on.

All this punk, alternative, garage band, college radio music you think you discovered 3 months ago? Stick with it. Don’t ever doubt it. It will rule the world in 4 years and you’ll look smarter than everyone else.

Go see a regular doctor and a therapist. Tell them what your head is like on an every day basis. Don’t leave anything out. Take the medicine they give you. Your life will be a lot better than it would’ve been without me talking to you.

Don’t sleep with every girl that says she loves you. There’s only one that really does and currently, she’s 11 years old. Live your life the way you want to. You’re a writer and you’re a nice guy. Get over the second one. It’s the way you’re wired. The people who don’t like you for that, well, they won’t matter.

Stay away from female musicians. Every damn one of them. Just do what I say on this and stop arguing.

Mom and dad love us, well, you and later me. But they don’t get us, errr, well, us. That’s ok. Appreciate them and start doing that sooner rather than later. Without them, you don’t follow through with college. Also, they end up saving your ass when you’re 35 years old. Well, if you stay away from female musicians, you won’t have to worry about it, but you won’t. Dude, I know you, you won’t.

In 2008, you’re going to meet this smokin’ blonde with a great smile and two kids. Don’t act like a scared little bitch when it happens. You’ll freak her and them out. Be cool. She’s the one. Again, just trust me and shut up. Good grief you’re a whiny, know it all, jerkhole at 18. I should punch you in the face. But in a few months you’ll go to the wrong bar, dance with the wrong girl, and someone twice your size will knock you out. You’ll learn a lot. Can’t wait for that.

Being a dad is more important than anything you’ll ever do. When you become one, grip it like there’s no tomorrow.

That short story about robots in love you wrote in the red notebook next to your alarm clock radio? It’s horrible, but it’s your start. When it gets rejected in a couple of years by the professor who calls you untalented, don’t stop. You’ll regret it more than the female musicians.

One more thing and this will seem weird. Somewhere in this room is a Craig Biggio Topps rookie card. Don’t lose it when you move into your apartment next year. You’ll need the money, later.

I have to go. Us at the age of 13 is about to do something monumentally stupid. I’ve got to see it, again.”

Today’s song is probably what was playing in that dorm room, in 1988. The Smithereens or The Cult. Here’s Only A Memory. Enjoy laughing and listening to my dumb teenage self.

Fire Woman

For the first three months of My Blog Can Beat Up Your Blog, i wrote to my wife and a few close friends. Literally, it got 5 hits a day, maybe 10 when I talked about them. I decided to reach out to other people who wrote. I’ve believed so many of the horror stories about the innerwebz. It’s all serial killers and felonious freaks, right? When I had a myspace music blog several years ago, I delt with musicians and music business types. I always kept my distance. But last August, so one year ago, I ran across some people and joined their writing communites. No one tried to lure me into their van with candy. I didn’t get a single devil worshiping marriage proposal. Instead, I discovered people who shared my anxiety disorder, liked the same music, and were positively and negatively tormented, as I am, by their art. Now, My Blog Can Beat Up Your Blog is rocking 75 hits a day and I have made some excellent friends.

One of those people, Karen, bestowed a blogging award:

http://karensomethingorother.blogspot.com/

Karen’s Canadian which means she has to be funny or she’d be depressed. She doesn’t take herself or her blog seriously. She has a cool family she loves.

I think the rules are I recommend some random number of blogs to pass the award to and tell you things about me. I’ve done similar memes in the past. Karen hates rules as much as I do. So I’ll let you in on your favorite robot human hybrid then suggest some blogs you should be reading because. I’ll see you again in a day or two with some fiction.

1- I like to walk on the left side of people. I feel completely lost and out of sorts walking on the right side. If you see me, and I’m on the right side of someone, know that internally, I’m ablaze with anxiety and doubt and I may explode.

2- I don’t like to wear shorts, even to work out. I have 3 pair of shorts and maybe 2 pair of workout shorts. I don’t put them on unless the workout pants are filthy and/or my jeans are unavailable. I think most dudes look stupid in shorts. My legs are fine, in shape and presentable, I just prefer to show them only on the beach or to my wife.

3- I write EVERYTHING in a notebook with a number 2 pencil THEN transfer it over to computer. What you are reading now was scribbled earlier on paper. I’m old school.

4- I don’t really like food. I mean, I like really good food, but I can skip most meals and be ok. This is the robot part of me. If you told me, tomorrow, that I had to take a pill and never eat food again, I’d be ok. Being married to a chef who obsesses over food is hard for me or maybe it’s hard for her because I say “i don’t care” when she ask me 3 times  a day what we are eating.

5- I like hanging out with women more than men most of the time. I talk a lot. I live with 4 women. Include my mother in law, sister in law, niece, and close friends and I am around as many as a dozen women daily. That being said, every once in a while, I need beer, football, testosterone, and a dude hangout. So if you are reading this and have sports tickets or know a place with good brew, call me. I’m desperate.

Here are places I go for art, laughs, perspective, uniqueness, community, and calm:

Deana aka The Bobina – http://mythoughtsonthesubjectareasfollows.wordpress.com – my wife and my best friend

Abby – http://abbyhasissues.com/ - hilarious and as weird as I am

Chopper Papa – http://chopperpapa.com/ a great guy with a great perspective

JenO- http://mytornadoalley.com/ - talented Canadian writer with a good sense of humor

Tara – http://thinspiralnotebook.wordpress.com – she takes beautiful pictures and writes with flair and style.

Jenna – http://t.co/OD1NiaH, http://t.co/OD1NiaH, http://t.co/8dkvmez, http://t.co/qYjSvbB - she writes everywhere with kindness

You know, go look at my blogroll. They’re all amazing. Just read them.

This is also a nod to 30 Days of Shameslessness http://lancemyblogcanbeatupyourblog.wordpress.com/2011/08/09/30-days-in-the-hole/. It’s number 23 – “share a secret”. I shared several.

Today’s song is from The Cult and their underrated Sonic Temple album. This was a college song for me. I played it constantly. It also speaks to some of the great women I know in my house and on the internets. Here’s Fire Woman.