Walking around drunk. How I've missed you.

Went to a friend's the other day
to work on his truck.
We did - it took quite a few hours
and ate most of the afternoon nicely.

We took everything apart
right
down
to
the
block

Then we got into some drinks,
and took those
right
down
to
the
bottom
and his lady came home,
and we all sat around and watched TV and got stoned.

bed for them, leaving for me.
I didn't feel great, or really tired,
so I thought I would walk around a bit.
This town is nice at night.

Walked up the hill.
At the top was an old duplex
with a for rent sign in one window
and incredibly loud music blasting out of the other.

Tom Petty, and
The Eagles, and
BTO, and
all the other good stuff
from my dad's day

I sat on the curb for a while
and smoked cigarettes
and listened to the tunes.

After a while, the music guy
(who really didn't want neighbors)
turned on some death metal
which wasn't quite as nice
to relax on the side of the street to
so I left.

Walked down the hill.
People in a backyard,
fighting.
Two girls and a guy,
talking loud enough for anyone on the block to listen.

So I sat on the curb for a while
and smoked cigarettes
and listened to them argue.

I don't know what it was about, but
"YOU COULD HAVE DIED" was yelled over and over.
So I'm thinking it was about someone
who did something stupid
and could have died.
But that
is just a guess.

After a while, that got old.

So, I walked towards 17th,
people around a campfire,
laughing.
I didn't really want to stop
and listen to them have fun
(because at 2 A.M., I've had enough fun,
and it's not the kind of loud I want)

But I was starting to sober up,
so I sat on the curb for a while,
and smoked cigarettes
and went over
and asked them if they wanted company.

We drank a bit,
and they talked,
and I smiled,
and mostly just listened,
because I didn't really have much
if anything
i felt like saying

and then
I was tired.

So, I walked towards home.
I missed the street, I guess
and ended up on reasbeck crescent.

On a porch, was this coffee can
plastic, and smoking like wet lumber
I didn't know if it was supposed to smoke like that
maybe
it was a decoration
or covering a dryer vent,
But I was kinda concerned, so

I sat on the curb for a while
and smoked cigarettes
and watched the can catch on fire.

So I walked over to the porch,
and picked up the can,
which was full of cigarette butts
and the bottom fell out and then
the porch was on fire.

Just a little bit.

I knocked on the door -
people were still up,
and I didn't feel too bad.

Dogs barked,
people got quiet.
A little window on the door opened and
"Uh.. hi, what do you want?"

"Hi," I replied, and held up the flaming,
crumbling,
coffee can. I shook it,
and more fire fell out.
"Do you have water?"

"Oh," came the reply,
"Shit. Yes."
So she went and got a coffee cup
full of water.
And I poured it in the can,
and it also came out the bottom
and now the porch was out
but was kind of gross.

"Thanks!" she said.
"I can't let you in," she said,
"or my dogs will bite you."

"Yeah, no problem." I said,
"I was just walking by and noticed.."
I shook the coffee can again,
and more crap fell out
"Oh, sorry."

"It's ok. Thank you again."

"Have a good night!"
And I put the can back down,
and I left.
After I got about half way home
I realized what I should have said

"Hey, since you smoke, can I have one? I'm all out."

But I didn't, so it was a waste of a night.

---

I had a dream about you the other night.

And it was pretty much like reality. I've been having lots of these lately - not about you, but dreams of people who's faces I don't really remember and who aren't part of life anymore. It's nice to see old friends and feel old things, especially when I don't have to think about it anymore when I wake up. I can't remember it all, because they all bleed together, but:

It was the evening. And there was this party, at a house I know is mine but haven't ever been to outside of real life. I don't know who most of the people were - I think your friends, and her friends, and so on, but everyone I knew back then is pretty much forgotten, and it seems like a lifetime ago, so it doesn't really matter.

She left. For work I think. I don't know. I don't remember the start, just the end. Anyway. It was cold out, and I gave you my coat, but then it was REALLY cold out, so I tried to find something for me to wear too.

All we could find was a very large, very old lace dress. So I put that on over my clothes, we giggled, and I felt warm.

We had a good night. A really good one. Everyone else left to go to a hockey game.

"Come on!" you said, "Let's go!"

Because it's a dream, we did go, but we didn't. I started to dream of us there, drunk and laughing and watching some local idiots chase a little rubber thing around on the ice, you in my jacket that was much too big, and me in an old lace dress that was also much to big, but then

POP!

Everything snapped back to the "real" dream.

"I can't go to the game," I said, "I'm in a dress!"

So you decided to go to the game, and I decided to clean up the place a bit, and you said you'd come back after and see if I was still awake.

So I cleaned, and before any time had passed, you were walking back down the alleyway.

"Dude, where's everyone else? You should be watching hockey. Cleaning's no fun, and I'm sober and tired, and there's nothing left to do or drink."

"That doesn't matter," you said "I just wanted to come be around you for a bit."

So we hung out, and cleaned, and were sober, and had alot of fun, and it was nice.

"I think I should spend the night."

"Well, if you'd like. There's lots of beds and couches and stuff."

"No," you said "I think I'd like to spend the night."

I got it. And I knew you wouldn't in the end. So I said "Yeah, ok. Let's do that",

And then I woke myself up - just like in real life, it's more fun to pretend and the suspense is the best part. I don't know why I dreampt this - I hadn't thought of you in years. I don't even remember what you look like, outside of a dream anyway. But after I woke up, I spent the morning feeling like I did all those years ago, and even though I don't miss it, it was nice to reminisce.

The rest of my dreams for the week after that were in the same house, but have nothing to do with this are stories for another day.

---

My fish don't work anymore. Booh.