More than you really need to know about Birdmonster

Tuesday, January 24, 2006

So I went walking today. Not too far, mind you, just a few blocks down to a corner store and coffee shop while Peter did a little early morning, gruff-voiced singing. The mission was a success, bearing that I got my morning paper and too-large cup of coffee. I was proud of embracing my San Francisco-ness by walking the half-mile in this city of cars. Of course, on my stroll back, I was approached by the only pedestrian without a dog or stroller, who proceeded to ask me for cigarettes, drugs, and the Sports Section. Three resounding "no"s later and with a block to go before I could peel off politely, I decided to ask him where he was off to.

"The pet shop, man," he said. "I'm gonna get a hamster."

"Nice," I replied. "What are you gonna name it?"

He giggled. Really. "Nothing, man! I'm gonna use it as bait to catch a fucking shark."

I will never walk anywhere again.

Safely cloistered back at the casa de Brad, I can say that yesterday's lunacy has left me. Not completely, of course, because, well, what fun would that be? But I'm again capable of rational thought. How comforting. This fairly enviable return to pseudo-sanity is owed mostly to the glory that was yesterday, although I could scarely tell you which day of the week it was. We played pianos, tamborines, and guitars of various flavors. We sang---well, Peter sang---we saw, we conquered. And then, late night, while scheming some overdubs, we dragged out a song we had yet to work on, settled into some plush rocking chairs, and listened. Then listened again. Then we laughed. Mainly because nothing needed to be done. No re-dos, no overdubs, no tinkering of any kind. It might not sound like a whole lot, but in my noggin, it's taken on the mythic import of the Arc of the Covenant. So rejoice with Birdmonster. I implore you.

Today, who knows? Plenty of sitting here, listening to Pete sing, re-mixing, and hubris. I'm going to angle for a porch-side hoe-down at sunset and see if I can get a taker. All in all, we're still ahead of schedule, which is comforting thought with roughly a week left.

Now, if you'll excuse me, there's a hotdog waiting for me. Thank God I gave up on all vitamins three weeks ago.