at last it warms up.
played a show tonight with the great b rd baker and through a drinking feeling got to play along with the ever smiling man of mystery and generosity jascha updike.
trying to play the common life, post-concert beer and pizza on a second floor deck. round about midnight there was a screach of tires and a loud bump. the crowd on the deck hushed and stood up to look over the railing.
a car on the street below had run into the driver's rear corner of my trusty dying volvo.
the driver got out and looked at the damage in the headlights, then looked up and around. he saw us and yelled "who's car is this?"
"it's mine"
"well come here, we got to talk about this!" he said in a more accusational voice than was required of him in the present situation.
i trudged down the steps, feeling guilty as sin for playing a decent show, hanging out with some friends, and drinking a few beers.
when i got to the street the driver made me take a good look at my car to see if there was any damage. it being a tank of an old volvo, there was no damage. the front of the other car had a corner mark in the hood, however. i also took a good whiff of his breath from 4 feet away and caught plenty of alcohol.
"i've got insurance and everything i'm just not the kinda guy who runs off after somethin' like this, that ain't me. but it looks like everything's fine. we cool?"
"sure" i just want to go sit on the deck and finish sulking my night away.
"a'right then, have a good night"
"yeah, you too, take care of yourself, man."
"you too"
and i headed back up for a last beer and he drove off with the corner chunk out of the hood and one front tire and one back tire on either side of the yellow line, slowly all the way up the street and out of site.
the volvo might be a little upset that i didn't stick up for it more, but she still drove me to my next stop in the morning.

jonas