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Notes From The Flip Side: 03.12.2000

"I swear I way more than half believe it when I say that somewhere love and justice shine. Cynicism falls asleep. Tyranny talks to itself. Sappy slogans all come true. We forget to feed our fear."

The Weakerthans

Waking up on Saturday mornings to golden dawn. Remembering late nights in the laundromat, quietly folding clothes while someone swept up. A middle-aged guy across the table asking me in broken English if I could take a look at his radio; it wasn't working. The Beach Boys playing from a tinny speaker. "Sometimes the music is your only friend," he said to me with a smile. Loading my clothes into my car. Going home.

Downtown afternoons, walking through the streets, drinking coffee and watching brilliant white light play on the buildings. Saxophone players drinking Southern Comfort on street corners under construction while playing something that would have made Charlie Parker smile. People in expensive clothes walking by, talking to ghosts on their cell phones about where they're going to meet.

The air is finally clear and clean after weeks of rain. The sky is blue and the wind is a cool caress on my face today. I'm in love with a kiss on the cheek from several weeks ago. I'm in love with the pigeons swaying on the wires across the way and the stray dog that's walking toward me, sniffing at the cracks in the sidewalk. I'm in love with the silver glare that the sun leaves on the ocean. And I know that this is enough for now.

Off The Top Of My Head ...

  1. I just discovered that a band named Atom & His Package did a song titled "Punk Rock Academy." For the record, this site's domain name was inspired by Down By Law.

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Now Playing:

The Weakerthans' "Fallow," Dillinger 4's "Midwestern Songs of the Americas," Grade's "Under the Radar," Dropkick Murphys' "Do or Die," The Get Up Kids' "Holiday."

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Last modified on Wednesday, March 26, 2008