Road Trip (Part One)

     If you’ve read my work you’re getting to know me pretty well. I don’t runaway from accountability when it comes to my actions. I still mess up everyday, just on a way smaller scale. None of us are perfect that’s what makes us who we are. But some of the decisions I made, were on impulse and in poor judgement on my part.

      I’ve lived the rockstar lifestyle, I’m an alcoholic because of it, which is fair I guess. It was Russian Roulette, constantly putting myself and others at risk. I wasn’t always the ringleader though, when you get a group of musicians together it’s bound to get insane at times. Add booze and other party favors with a lot of testosterone, and what do you get? A Molotov Cocktail with a short fuse.

      That’s my disclaimer before I share this story, folks. You might laugh at the stupidity that’s performed in this scenario, hopefully you can empathize with youthful ignorance. No one was harmed or killed in this story. But multiple laws were fractured, without arrest of course.

      Random Friday night in 1998, I think it’s possibly, October. I’m 23 at the time, and my brother is 18 and playing drums at this point in his music career. We’re in between bands at the time, and waiting for our next gig. Yes, I’m fully involved in music at this point, trying to be a singer in fact. Really stressing on the word “trying” to be a singer.

      I’m already three or four beers into my routine, just talking to my brother about some lyrical ideas I got. I’m also tired as fuck after a long day of work. Hence, the drinking to hopefully invigorate my energy level as well as my personality. When suddenly the phone starts ringing, with a sound you just don’t hear anymore because it’s a landline. That last little bit of the analog age trying to hold on, before it’s departure from the world.

      Turns out it was a buddy from work asking me if we had anything going on that night. Because he was hanging out with a guy who played guitar, that was looking to jam and possibly join a band. So of course I said come on over and we can shoot the shit, so to speak.

       Anyways my co-worker and his wife drop by the house with this guitar player, who by the way is at a stage of alcoholism I haven’t even seen yet. As I would soon find out in the months to come, I was going to get a glimpse into what my future would become. But that’s putting the cart before the horse, I didn’t know this about him until later.

      We hit it off, my brother jammed with him, he was into cool music and he could play the guitar pretty good. Then my songwriting friend dropped by unannounced with beer in hand and joined the fray. We’re having a good time and this was the beginning of a project. But my buddy from work needed to head back home and get back to his life. But the new guy wanted to stay with us, so they left him with us.

      Everything would be fine if that’s where this story ended. But we know that not to be true. First off my brother doesn’t drink at this time in his life, that was the only positive thing going for the rest of this night. The three other adults in the room are going to act like children over the next few hours. While the youngest guy in the room is about to become our babysitter. Props to my brother, for always being the voice of reason.

      So after a fifth of Crown Royal, and several 12 packs of beer our inventory was becoming dangerously low. It’s a little after 10:00 at night by this point. To say we’re at the crossroads of Idiocy and Immaturity is a fucking understatement. A trip to the liquor store was a no-brainer to the wealth of wisdom standing in the room.

      One of us, I’m fuzzy on which one it was decided we should go to the big city, two counties over and close to an hour away. Since the local stores were about to close in our town. My friend didn’t have the money or gas to take his car, so new guy chimes up that we can take his car.

      Now this means we have to drive over to my work buddy’s house to retrieve said car. For additional incentive he also informs us he’s got a 12 pack of beer in his trunk, which should get us to the city where we can buy liquor till 1:00 in the morning.

      That was our plan, my brother was to be our designated driver. Which is fine on the surface of the situation, but with a caveat of course. My brother only has his learner's permit, and all the licensed drivers are too intoxicated to drive.

      Road trip anyone?? To be continued…