2001-03-13 - 18:51:38
Last night was pretty crazy. I've been rehearsing for SXSW. Justin, the keyboard player, had a gig at the Empanada Parlor, so I went by for a beer. The singer was late, so they dragged me up to sing a couple of tunes. I sang "My Funny Valentine" and "Ain't Misbehavin'". Damn, it was so much fun. It felt really fucking good to sing a couple of standards, I think I wanna start some kind of happy hour band. Nothing fancy, just a groovy little combo. Anyway, I went to the bar, had a few beers and some chow. A woman came in with her 14 year old sister, who promptly jumped up onto the barstool next to mine and ordered a Sprite. Now, what I'm gonna say next could be taken completely wrong, so let me announce formally that I don't have any desire to pitch woo with eighth graders. But, this young girl was very beautiful and very clever. A Kate Moss looking cherub, of course she already had more curves than Miss Moss. We started talking and I asked her what she did besides go to school. "Flirt" she replied, batting her baby blues. "You're well on your way" I laughed. We talked for a while and I delighted in listening to this young mind, so open, so positive, so full of purpose. Plus, it made me remember what it felt like to be that age. Pierre, the bass player, showed up and sat with us. "Is this your new girlfriend?" he asked. "Yes, we've been going steady for about an hour now!" she said. I laughed and started the old, "I'm strangling in this relationship, I need out, I need my space, etc…" we laughed and laughed. I said, "I'm gonna have to ask for my I.D. bracelet back."
"I sold it."
"You sold my I.D. bracelet?"
"Yes, to buy this lip gloss." She opened the gloss and applied it thoroughly.
"I'm afraid I'm gonna have to ask for that lip gloss back." She began to fake heartbreak and choked back pretend tears.
"O.K. if I must."
She gave me the gloss just as the bartender, a lovely woman, walked by. "Hey, wanna go steady?" I asked holding up the gloss. "Sure!" she snatched up the gloss and waltzed down the bar. The young girl ran after her screaming "Hey, gimme my lip gloss!" Pierre, leaned over and said in his very French accent, "Who is that chick, she's hot!"
"She's fourteen, Pierre."
"No shit?"
"Yes, fourteen, jailbait in the worst way. Anything you might be thinking could be considered a felony."
"Holy shit!"
"Yeah, chill out before you get deported."
She came running back with the lip gloss and said, "What are you guys talking about?"
We looked at each other for a second and both burst out laughing.
