I called my coworker from the parking lot of the bank, “Hey I’m on my way. I just stopped by the bank and got some cash. I should be there in about 15-20 minutes.”
She replied, “So I’ll meet you in the lobby at about 25 after?”
I agreed as I hung up the phone to start the car. My muffler roared in protest as I backed out of my parking spot and headed towards the great northern sky.
At almost 5:25 on the dot, I pulled into the drop off area of the hotel. "R" was waiting in the lobby and she quickly made her way to my car. "I'm starving!" she declared. I was too. I asked if she wanted to eat at Uno's by her hotel, or if she wanted to try closer to the venue. She said Uno's was the "room service" for the restaurant and that she would rather travel a little bit.
I asked Joey Sky to hand me my iPod from my leather jacket that was laying the back seat. With in minutes, he was asleep in the backseat. It did make the ride a little bit easier and knew that he'd be wide awake through most of the concert. Even though he was using my leather jacket as pillow, I didn't wake him.
The closer we got to the venue, the more hungry we grew. We passed WOOSTA Pizza and decided that was our best bet based on the 0.1 miles to the VENUE as proclaimed by my GPS. Although we still hadn't hit the venue, we hoped for something a little closer and kept our eyes peeled.
A few blocks later we found the venue. There were a couple of parking lots in the area and as I rounded the corner to park, I saw the line for the show. The line extended past the block and had only broken to allow cars into the parking lot.
I decided to park right by the venue, I pulled in and asked the cost. "Twenty dollars" the toothless man stated. I handed him over a $20 bill along with the hopes of getting a tee-shirt. I had a few bucks on me, but if my son wanted a shirt, I was going to get one for him and I'd ask Santa for one for me.
I pulled up a few feet before the man started chasing after me. "Ten, you gave me ten!" he tried to shove the bill into my hands. "No, I gave you a $20. That's all I have in my wallet are 20's..." He protested, "Ten! You give me ten!" His thinning mullet was blowing in the breeze and he was insistent that I only gave him a $10 bill. I was damn sure that I gave him a $20. I pulled into the first open space and opened my wallet. It was one of the ONLY times I got a receipt for the transactions I did at the banks ATM. I counted out my money and felt like an idiot after I realized I did in fact give him a $10.
The wind was whipping in our faces as we walked a few blocks to the pizza joint. Starving we all ate fast and hoped we wouldn't have to wait in long line at the venue. By the time we finished eating our dinner, the line for the venue was right at the door. I got to security and the bouncer standing there points to my wallet chains, "Uh, there is no way those chains are going in..." I give him a look of amazement, "You're kidding me! Really? Can't I just put them in my pocket?" My questions are met with the shaking of a head in a horizontal direction. I pass the tickets to my coworker and son and tell them, "It's too cold for you to be outside. Here are your tickets. I'll meet you by the merch tables. I'll be right back." I took of running to my car.
When I got back to the door the girl there told me I couldn't go in with my safety pins on my jacket. She picked up her security walkie- talkie. I looked at the girl with such distain and said, "I was just told to put my wallet chains away. The guy said nothing about my pins..." She let me in.
I walked down the stairs and turned to the right. R and Joey Sky were sitting right there waiting for me. We found a good spot right behind the sound boards front and center. I saw the wings were open and asked Red why they were open. The guy standing in front of said, "The side over here to the right is for security, to the left is the fan club for Iced Earth..."
He had an accent, it wasn't thick but it was pronounced. He let us up right against the rails, he's seen In Flames at least 13 times, and he said, I was shorter than he was and he could see over my head. The night was only going to get more interesting....
-MetalRose
12.08.2008
Chains, Flames and Automobiles: Part I.
11.24.2008
Beer Promises and hole plots.
Saturday morning rolled around way too early. My neighbor woke me up at about 7 am with his leaf blowing right outside my window. When my son rolled out of bed, I asked if he was spending the night at his friends house. He said he was.
Just before we hit the dentist, I sent a text to David asking if he wanted to cash in that beer I promised him back in March- ish. I told him I was free after 2 that day. He shot back a while later with "possibly".
I called him after I dropped my son off at his friends house. Sometimes a quick call is easier than a text message. We chatted for a bit and he told me he'd text me later. His text came a little while later something along the lines of having a few bucks, a pack of beer and the night starting like the begining of a Springsteen tune. The plan was to meet at my place around 8 ish and we'd figure out from there what to do.
I stopped at the adult store before heading home to relax a little bit. I watched an old man get out of his car. He could barely pull himself out of the driver seat. I saw his cane come out first. He slowly walked to the entrance where the girls were. He seemed to be a regular there... I don't know which was more sad, the fact that this man is alone in the world, or that he still thinks that these woman really want him. Now while his skin is sagging and hanging off his body, it's sad. Until that point, I'm sure he was just creepy.
After I got home, the afternoon passed quickly as I played the Wii. Shortly after 8:20, I got a call from David. He said he didn't see the street he was looking for. Luckily, he had only gone about 2 blocks past where he was supposed to go. I directed him to turn around and head back a couple of streets. I told him I'd head outside and wait for him.
Moments later, my phone rang, the intro for Amon Amarth's Twilight of the ThunderGods echoed on my phone. Although I love Amon Amarth, sadly it doesn't translate as well onto a cell phone, even as an MP3.
Instead of picking up my phone, I called out in the dark, "David?"
"Yeah, I saw two porches with people on them...."
Although I knew he was getting his hip replaced, the limp in his walk surprised me a bit. I held the door open for him as he carried in a 6 pack of beer. I tried to make idle chat with him, how was the drive? Did you find it ok, etc, etc etc.
I warned him of my narrow stairs and invited him into my place until we could formulate a plan. He asked to put his beer in the fridge while I popped two Corona's left over from Bullets hair dying escapades over two months ago. I remember why I prefer dark beers. Light beers taste like ass. We chatted over booze, I introduced him to the different styles of Metal. Rockabilly metal, folk metal, power death metal. As we talked he had no idea that there were so many kinds of metal and in turn he schooled me in punk music.
After a few beers, I asked, "So what's the plan?" He shrugged. I guess the plan was to hang out listen to tunes and drink some beer. Not really a night of excitement I had planned, but I didn't have any good alternatives. Besides, it made more sense to drink the beer we had and listen to music that we (I) liked at a volume low enough so that I didn't have to use a megaphone to be heard. As our discussion continued, the old abandoned warehouse came up. He had mentioned that he had always wanted to check it out as did I.
I found my flashlight and lantern and asked who was going to drive. David said he'd drive and we headed up to the warehouse in less than 7 minutes. As we were searching for a way to get in, cars drove past and honked. "Move along, nothing to see here..." David mumbled under his breath. After a bit of searching, we found an open door and easily made our way into the dark building.
Both of our thoughts turned to how cool a place that would be for a video shoot. It was sad to see that there was such a large building torn by time and apathy. Part of me was hoping that it would be the start of a bad horror movie.
Just before we hit the dentist, I sent a text to David asking if he wanted to cash in that beer I promised him back in March- ish. I told him I was free after 2 that day. He shot back a while later with "possibly".
I called him after I dropped my son off at his friends house. Sometimes a quick call is easier than a text message. We chatted for a bit and he told me he'd text me later. His text came a little while later something along the lines of having a few bucks, a pack of beer and the night starting like the begining of a Springsteen tune. The plan was to meet at my place around 8 ish and we'd figure out from there what to do.
I stopped at the adult store before heading home to relax a little bit. I watched an old man get out of his car. He could barely pull himself out of the driver seat. I saw his cane come out first. He slowly walked to the entrance where the girls were. He seemed to be a regular there... I don't know which was more sad, the fact that this man is alone in the world, or that he still thinks that these woman really want him. Now while his skin is sagging and hanging off his body, it's sad. Until that point, I'm sure he was just creepy.
After I got home, the afternoon passed quickly as I played the Wii. Shortly after 8:20, I got a call from David. He said he didn't see the street he was looking for. Luckily, he had only gone about 2 blocks past where he was supposed to go. I directed him to turn around and head back a couple of streets. I told him I'd head outside and wait for him.
Moments later, my phone rang, the intro for Amon Amarth's Twilight of the ThunderGods echoed on my phone. Although I love Amon Amarth, sadly it doesn't translate as well onto a cell phone, even as an MP3.
Instead of picking up my phone, I called out in the dark, "David?"
"Yeah, I saw two porches with people on them...."
Although I knew he was getting his hip replaced, the limp in his walk surprised me a bit. I held the door open for him as he carried in a 6 pack of beer. I tried to make idle chat with him, how was the drive? Did you find it ok, etc, etc etc.
I warned him of my narrow stairs and invited him into my place until we could formulate a plan. He asked to put his beer in the fridge while I popped two Corona's left over from Bullets hair dying escapades over two months ago. I remember why I prefer dark beers. Light beers taste like ass. We chatted over booze, I introduced him to the different styles of Metal. Rockabilly metal, folk metal, power death metal. As we talked he had no idea that there were so many kinds of metal and in turn he schooled me in punk music.
After a few beers, I asked, "So what's the plan?" He shrugged. I guess the plan was to hang out listen to tunes and drink some beer. Not really a night of excitement I had planned, but I didn't have any good alternatives. Besides, it made more sense to drink the beer we had and listen to music that we (I) liked at a volume low enough so that I didn't have to use a megaphone to be heard. As our discussion continued, the old abandoned warehouse came up. He had mentioned that he had always wanted to check it out as did I.
I found my flashlight and lantern and asked who was going to drive. David said he'd drive and we headed up to the warehouse in less than 7 minutes. As we were searching for a way to get in, cars drove past and honked. "Move along, nothing to see here..." David mumbled under his breath. After a bit of searching, we found an open door and easily made our way into the dark building.
Both of our thoughts turned to how cool a place that would be for a video shoot. It was sad to see that there was such a large building torn by time and apathy. Part of me was hoping that it would be the start of a bad horror movie.
SCENE ONE:
A couple of adventure seekers enter an abandoned warehouse building with a dimming flash light. One person has a noticable limp and the other has a rough exterior, unbreakable.
SOUNDS OF:
SOUNDS OF:
cars rushing by, an old river running and dried leaves on the groud.
The two people enter the warehouse through a hole in the fence and slip into the building mostly unnoticed.
The two people enter the warehouse through a hole in the fence and slip into the building mostly unnoticed.
JUMP TO:
View of outside of the building shows the flashlight's reflection on the broken windows and hushed voices inside the building. Diolauge not important, just mutters
PAN OUT TO:
View of outside of the building shows the flashlight's reflection on the broken windows and hushed voices inside the building. Diolauge not important, just mutters
PAN OUT TO:
Man covered in blood standing outside the building watching the explorers. Camera pans down to a bloodied metal nail file and then follows a drip of blood onto the ground. Pan back to POV of bloodied man watching people in the building
As much as I had been anticipating the start of a cool horror movie, sadly nothing of the sort happened.
As we hit the 3rd floor stairs, there was a board covering the entire stairway. We decided to stop there. It was a cold night, the flashlight was dimming and I think the need for beer and peeing was greater than what we were about to find... Which would have been not too much. I had hoped to find something eerie like an old abandoned hospital.
With our anticipation shattered we called it a night, but decided to perhaps try and search the building again during the day sometime, when the temprature would be warmer as well as the lighting much better.
Back at my place, David asked if I minded if he had another beer. It was barely midnight and was enjoying the conversation and misadventures of our adventures, so I grabbed a couple more beers and sat on the couch opposite of him. As he scrolled through my movies we decided to end the night with a bit of Monty Python and The Meaning of Life. His request. For someone who claims to be so miserable, he certianly laughed quite a bit.
As he got up to leave, I mentioned I was a little disappointed at the warehouse. I tried to argue that falling into a hole and being impaled while searching the building would have been a good way to die, he argued that regardless, I would die by falling in a hole. The arguement was useless. "Here, I grabbed this as a weapon. You know in case we encountered anyone." David said casually as he reached in his back pocket and gently tossed a metal nail file on my coffee table.
His justifying his weapon was as useless as me trying to convince him that my hole death was really hard core.
Sunday morning I went to get a bottle of water. I opened the fridge and noticed that David had left a couple of beers on the top rack. I sent him a text message: "I'm holding your remaining beers hostage. We'll have a nail file fight to the death."
-MetalRose
11.10.2008
Gay Bars, Goth Clubs and Foot massages.
Friday night Bullets and I had plans to head to New Haven on Friday for a Goth Night at a club called Partners.
I left the planning up to Bullets, and when I searched for clubs in New Haven, the only one I found with a Goth Night had Gay Nights on Fridays. I wanted to make sure we were hitting the right market.
Those of you who know me know I don't care one way or the other the type of crowd at a bar or their sexual orientation. So Friday night rolls around and I put on my Gothic best, right down to my trademarked false eyelashes. I felt a little fat as my hip that I smashed at work is STILL swollen beyond belief.
Anyway we find the club and I walk in and my old co-worker Peter was there. He was drinking a Shirley Temple. He relayed that the bartender gave him an odd look, but he said, "Look I'm standing here under a picture of a man with a hard on stroking himself... I think I'm secure enough to order a Shirley Temple...." We chatted for a little bit about the Harford and the 500 jobs it plans to cut in the next few months... Making me so happy I jumped the sinking ship.
There really isn't much to tell about the club itself save for the music. What the fuck is with the crazy club music that is pseudo rigged to sound like goth/trance music? I was tempted to run to my car and get some real goth music like The Last Dance, Bella Morte, The Cruxshadows and Eisbreisher (although they are more industrial).
My friend Peter pointed out before he left, that we were indeed the "ElderGoths" When the hell did that happen?
At about 12:30 Bullets wanted to take off, and I suggested that we hang around for a while to see where the night took us. He kept coming back from smoke breaks talking about how his buddy Ed would love the "latina" club on the first floor. Only at the end of the night did I clue him in that the club downstairs was actually a gay bar... I suggested he bring his buddy Ed... Oh how fucking funny that would have been had I not clued him in!
Before we bolted for the night, Bullets asked me to hold his beer so he could have a smoke. I was wearing my clunky boots so I decided to sit down. A few minutes later, this guy came over and asked if he could massage my feet. *Shrug* What the hell?
So I pulled off my boots and handed him one foot at a time. We chatted for a little bit and he said he was looking for a lover. Uh, no thanks. Not my thing. Not in that aspect. I'm happy being single and if I wanted a steady piece of ass, well I won't get into that right now. Back to Friday night.
I'm sitting on the chair having my foot massaged one at a time when Bullets walks back in and looks at me. His look was of total WHAT.THE.FUCK? It was priceless. I handed him back his beer and he turned around. I have no idea what he was looking at... but I was having a good time.
I told the guy giving me a foot massage that I'd give him my number, and I had planned on giving him a fake number... Yes, the foot massage was nice, however, he was NOT attractive in the least, but it was a free foot massage and it gave the guy pleasure as well, so it was a win-win. When the guy went to find a pen, Bullets wanted to take off, which I can't say I minded. The guy who was massaging my feet had planted himself on a chair at the bar and was happily talking with people. I guess getting my phone number was not the first thing on his mind... Then again, he did ask me to come home with him and I turned him down, perhaps he knew I was going to blow him off.
I do know one thing though- thank god for being Sober Cab. It makes the escape so much easier...
-MetalRose
I left the planning up to Bullets, and when I searched for clubs in New Haven, the only one I found with a Goth Night had Gay Nights on Fridays. I wanted to make sure we were hitting the right market.
Those of you who know me know I don't care one way or the other the type of crowd at a bar or their sexual orientation. So Friday night rolls around and I put on my Gothic best, right down to my trademarked false eyelashes. I felt a little fat as my hip that I smashed at work is STILL swollen beyond belief.
Anyway we find the club and I walk in and my old co-worker Peter was there. He was drinking a Shirley Temple. He relayed that the bartender gave him an odd look, but he said, "Look I'm standing here under a picture of a man with a hard on stroking himself... I think I'm secure enough to order a Shirley Temple...." We chatted for a little bit about the Harford and the 500 jobs it plans to cut in the next few months... Making me so happy I jumped the sinking ship.
There really isn't much to tell about the club itself save for the music. What the fuck is with the crazy club music that is pseudo rigged to sound like goth/trance music? I was tempted to run to my car and get some real goth music like The Last Dance, Bella Morte, The Cruxshadows and Eisbreisher (although they are more industrial).
My friend Peter pointed out before he left, that we were indeed the "ElderGoths" When the hell did that happen?
At about 12:30 Bullets wanted to take off, and I suggested that we hang around for a while to see where the night took us. He kept coming back from smoke breaks talking about how his buddy Ed would love the "latina" club on the first floor. Only at the end of the night did I clue him in that the club downstairs was actually a gay bar... I suggested he bring his buddy Ed... Oh how fucking funny that would have been had I not clued him in!
Before we bolted for the night, Bullets asked me to hold his beer so he could have a smoke. I was wearing my clunky boots so I decided to sit down. A few minutes later, this guy came over and asked if he could massage my feet. *Shrug* What the hell?
So I pulled off my boots and handed him one foot at a time. We chatted for a little bit and he said he was looking for a lover. Uh, no thanks. Not my thing. Not in that aspect. I'm happy being single and if I wanted a steady piece of ass, well I won't get into that right now. Back to Friday night.
I'm sitting on the chair having my foot massaged one at a time when Bullets walks back in and looks at me. His look was of total WHAT.THE.FUCK? It was priceless. I handed him back his beer and he turned around. I have no idea what he was looking at... but I was having a good time.
I told the guy giving me a foot massage that I'd give him my number, and I had planned on giving him a fake number... Yes, the foot massage was nice, however, he was NOT attractive in the least, but it was a free foot massage and it gave the guy pleasure as well, so it was a win-win. When the guy went to find a pen, Bullets wanted to take off, which I can't say I minded. The guy who was massaging my feet had planted himself on a chair at the bar and was happily talking with people. I guess getting my phone number was not the first thing on his mind... Then again, he did ask me to come home with him and I turned him down, perhaps he knew I was going to blow him off.
I do know one thing though- thank god for being Sober Cab. It makes the escape so much easier...
-MetalRose
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