Yesterday I had my best day in four months and it pretty much feels like the best day ever. I’m like a sailor on shore leave but instead of indulging in booze, women, and tattoos, I went for music, friends, and Thai food. Albeit the friend I spent the most time with is a woman, I’m pretty sure what we did is not what sailors on leave do. I could be wrong; maybe they also dine al fresco and have intellectual conversations. I shouldn’t stereotype sailors.
The last time I ventured out of the house for recreation and to see friends was March 10th; I went to John Platt’s On Your Radar. I went on lockdown the next day and have been diligent about it. While I have talked on the phone have not seen the face of any friend but my roommate face to face. What got me out of the house was a porch jam in Kensington in Brooklyn. This was the second one; when Katherine told me about the first I asked her to let me know when the next one was; it was supposed to be Saturday but was moved to yesterday because of the weather. It was on the porch of Glenn (I had to check on how many n’s) and Dottie. I know them Through Katherine. Her Bobtown bandmate Alan was there too. I live up North in the Bronx, and Kensington is down south in Brooklyn, which meant mounting a public transit expedition, something I’ve been assiduously avoiding. I was just tested COVID-19 negative and after weighing the risks and rewards decided it was worth it. From the first paragraph you can see that I judged correctly. Of course, if I’m in the hospital in three weeks we’ll have to reevaluate that analysis. I’m not worried.
I got to use festival gear, a camp chair and big sun hat. It was a hot day so brought water. I felt like I do on so many summer days sitting outside to hear live music. I even got a seat that was in the shade most of the time. The sun played a bit of hide-and-seek as it passed behind a tree. For summer concert weather it was good. I even got out festival clothing. All of my wicking fabric shirts were dirty, so I wore linen. I love wearing linen. Not only did I feel cool, I looked cool too.
The jam was scheduled to start at 5:00 and I arrived at 4:55, I planned the trip well. I had never been there. I figured I’d know when I got there because there would be musicians including some that I knew. I thought I’d hear them warming up. Instead I heard and saw nothing. As I went down the street I finally saw an address an realized I had gone one house too far. I looked back at the previous porch and saw Glenn. Good thing he has distinctive hair and I expected to see him, so I could recognize him with a mask on. I wasn’t sure if he recognized me, I was incognito, not just a mask but sunglasses and a big hat. After getting no clear confirmation that he did, I told him it was me. Dottie can down the street. I waved, she smiled back. Then she asked tentatively if it were me. I learned my lesson. I would announce who I was. I knew that everyone else would be there but only Katherine knew that I would. When Alan showed up I immediately said, “Hi, It’s Gordon.” I assumed Katherine would know me, from the WFUV mask if nothing else, she did.
This was not a concert but a jam. Katherine was afraid I’d get bored. On the contrary, even though I don’t play I love jams. I want to watch the sausage being made. The late-night jams are always a favorite part of NERFA for me. Jamming is a special skill, not all musicians can do it. You have to be able to think quickly on your feet. It’s the kind of thinking I can’t do but admire. I pay attention as much to the side players as the person singing lead. I love how singers improvise harmonies on the fly. Guitar, keyboard, fiddle, horn players improvise solos. I find drumming totally inscrutable, other than keeping time how do you know what to play, but they do? They throw in little variations that bring life to the song. For most of my Gentle Readers I’m preaching to the choir, but some people can learn the value of paying attention to all the parts, not just the total effect. One ingredient in the sausage is magic. A single note can help a song as much as salt can add to a dish. I can’t do any of this, but I can hear when others succeed.
They played till it started getting dark. Lightning bugs just started to come out during the penultimate song. I had my phone camera ready for the finale, I would video the entomological light show as the music played. Too bad the insects decided to take five. They came back a little while later when it was darker. They were just warming up earlier. The lighting bug equivalent of stretching.
After breaking down the instruments, Katherine took a break to rest up. Drumming when it’s near 90º F is hard work. I got tired just watching her. Then we walked back to her neighborhood, 12 minutes away, and had dinner at the Thai place. We dined al fresco. I just looked it up, it literally means “in the cool [air].” In modern Italian idiom, it doesn’t mean dining outside. It means going to prison. Think of the English expressions of going into the cooler or on ice.
I have a confession to make. I have never eaten Thai food before. I’m not an adventurous eater, but I know it’s hot and spicy and I love hot and spicy. I had duck made with bird’s eye chili. I asked what that was. It is not made from the eyes of birds, they are small, extra hot chili peppers. It was delicious. Next time I eat on Cortelyou I’ll go again. Add Thai to my dining options. This was my first time dining at a table since I started sheltering in place. It was so nice being civilized, eating at restaurant with a friend. That has always been one of my favorite things to do, but now it’s extra special.
Because were eating we took our masks off. I didn’t just get to talk to a friend, I got to see her face! That now counts as exciting. It makes a huge difference. The table was large enough that we were a decent distance away and outdoors in the breeze, this was quite safe. We’ve both been careful, so we felt like we were living on the edge. I’m a real wild child and so is Katherine. The hardest part was no hugs. We bumped elbows instead. It’s adjust or die, I’d rather adjust.
I didn’t think much about the time, but it hit me when I got back to my train station. There was an announcement that there were no more Manhattan and Brooklyn bound trains. They are closing the subways from 1 AM to 5 AM for deep cleaning. I got to my home station at 12:28. Any train after that would not reach the end of it’s run by 1 AM. If I’m out late I have to watch for that. I would not have considered 11:22 late BC (Before COVID-19).
It feels so good to be able to write about a fun day. I don’t believe I put in a single negative thought here other than hug-regret. I have not been suffering but man does not live by not suffering alone. We need more than that. Yesterday I got it. Relish every pleasure as if it were the first time You’ve done so in four months. You’ll be happier.
Wise Madness 