Post by Deleted on Jun 2, 2014 16:55:15 GMT -6
The city center is buzzing with activity as I wander down front street, appropriately dubbed bar row, looking at my old stomping grounds. I wander past Savoy, a hipster bar that hosts terrible coldplay cover bands and acoustic art house shows nightly. It’s relatively new, but has been around long enough for me to realize the scene that goes there. Right across the street is South Street Saloon, more of a biker joint, if you want to hear a country music jukebox with old rock and roll this is your place. Just past South Street I walk by Stardoc Studios, a small little recording studio. That’s where we really got started, they gave us a place to practice, they helped us with our first recording, and even let us gig there from time to time. It seems so far now that I’ve even been down here. It’s only been 3 weeks since I was asked to leave the band, but it’s still hard walking down here, knowing we used to drink down here, going to Pub 500 and getting into fights on the patio, getting kicked out and going down to Blue Bricks. Blue Bricks was dull and boring but they always had good beer.
I continue my tour of downtown, sullenly moping down memory lane, when I come across a sign posted on the door of one of my favorite hangouts. The Ole is now upstairs in the What’s Up. The Oleander, a run down little dive off of the main bar row on front street, full of older drunks who just wanted to talk about old times and not your typical college town crowd the other bars tend to attract. The Oleander kept to itself, and most of the time the college kids let it be. I walk through the doors to the bar above the Oleander, the What’s Up Lounge, a dumpy music hall that used to host a who’s who of punk rock. Bands like Sick of it All, Propaghandi, and Agent Orange have graced the stage there. The nasty red carpet was always sticky, the stage was dangerously close to the ceiling, and the sound was terrible. It was the perfect place for dirty punks to hang out and not worry about being bothered. I once saw Pete Koller hit his head on a light fixture when Sick of it All was performing there.
I climbed the steep staircase to the upstairs club, and instantly felt my stomach churn. Clean floors, good lighting, high end sound system, and a Rap Group up on stage, not even a good one, just some dumb college kids who thought it would be cool to rap to the sounds of really bad indie music. I sat down at the bar. The bartender sets a glass of Summit IPA on the counter.
“Looks like you could use a drink.” She says.
“Yeah, what the hell happened to this place, and what happened to the Ole?” I asked, concerned for the future of all bars in Mankato.
“The Ole had a pipe burst a few months ago, they’re renovating, expensive but needed to be done anyway. I’m Kelly,” She says extending her tattoo covered arm.
“I’m Va…”
“Vance LaRoc, I know, I watched all of your guys’ shows. I remember when you and Old Towne Ghosts played up here. You guys rocked the hell out of this place.”
“Thanks, whatever happened to Old Towne anyway?”
“They’re on hiatus right now, Nobody is really around, real jobs and what not, seems like all the good bands are dying away.”
“What happened up here?” I ask, looking around.
“They renovated a few years ago, were looking to draw some of the college kids down, and it seems like the hip hop scene is what’s bringing them in. We still get a good solid punk show once in a while but it’s been mostly hip hop. We had Redman down here a while back. That was rough, it’s not like it used to be, we used to have a flurry of great bands come through. Bouncing Souls recorded a documentary here in Mankato for christ sakes, but the college has turned to hip hop garbage and frat boy bro bands. It’s depressing.”
“It’s depressing,” I say shaking my head.
“So what are you doing back in town, I thought you guys moved up to the cities to play shows up there.”
“Well they’re still up there, I was asked to remove myself from the band.”
“WHAT? WHY?”
“I wasn’t a commercial sell out playing poppy screamo garbage.”
“That’s horseshit, so now you’re moving down here or what?”
“No, I’m actually Main Eventing at the Visionaries of Wrestling event this week, down at the civic center. I’m fighting some dude named Blue Suede Bruce. Some rockabilly Elvis wannabe.”
“OH SHIT, So you’re a pro wrestler now?” She asks, looking all excited.
“Wrestler yes, I don’t know that I’m pro, I’m being paid but not much. It’s a startup, we’re trying to get the product out there and grow, ya know, kind of like a new band. Gotta work for cheap and pimp the hell out of things. By the way, mind if I throw a flyer up?”
“Oh sure, I don’t care.”
I walk over to the poster wall and hang a flyer for Visionaries of Wrestling’s event on the board, looking at all the posters, all you see are acoustic gigs and hip hop. I feel my stomach churn. The same stage as Bouncing Souls and Sick of it All sits some pasty white kid with no rhythm rapping. It hurts.
I sit back down at the bar and look over at Kelly.
“Let’s get out of here,” I say, grabbing her arm playfully.
“I gotta work until close,” She replies wanting to leave so badly.
“Watch this,” I climb on the counter, and hold a lighter up by the fire sprinkler. Instantly the sprinklers pop open and start filling the room with water, and the fire alarms go off. Kelly and I run through the back door and down the metal outside steps to the rear parking lot. People file out of the building quickly, and Kelly and I book it away as fast as possible.
“WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING, You’re going to get me fired.” She yells at me, catching her breath.
“Well...yeah probably, but think of it this way, no more shitty rap music.”
“Dammit Vance,” She starts hitting me in the arm.
“Lets just go somewhere, sit down and relax. It was kind of fun running through the water, although, I’m not sure white was the best choice for shirts.”
“I didn’t know some maniac was going to set off the sprinklers at the bar.”
“Fair point, but you’re at a bar, one drunk bumps into you with a drink and your shirt is soaked.”
“Fair point, but I stay behind the counter mostly.”
“Fair point but now I can see your black polka dotted bra, and I kinda like it.”
“Fair point, but…” She instantly realizes what I just said, and quickly crosses her arms, “That’s not nice.”
“I’m a terrible human being. You’ll find that out.”
She and I walk for several minutes before we find ourselves at Riverfront Park. I take her by the hand and we run towards the swings, overlooking the river.
“Why did I ever leave this town, this place is gorgeous.” I say, looking out, before looking at Kelly, her dark hair waving in the wind as she swings back and forth.
“You were looking for something better Vance, you wanted the band to succeed, I think you guys would have, but your band mates don’t understand persistence, they wanted the quick buck, and the easy money.”
“No, I wanted it to remain underground, I didn’t want any success, I thought success would devalue my sound, I figured if it wasn’t hard work it would not be as enjoyable or rewarding, but I’m finding out now that Hardwork, as well as some simple gifts do pay off, and that it doesn’t have to be pulling teeth to feel rewarding, I mean look at this wrestling thing, I won one match. A tough one, but I’m main eventing this week. I’m top of the bill in front of a couple thousand people. There’s something to be said for that.”
“There is, and you know what, making it big isn’t the kiss of death, it just means you’re reaching more people with your message, that’s a good thing, go out there and spread the word you’re trying to spread.”
“Like herpes?”
“Sure if that’s what you want to spread, then spread herpes.”
“What if I want to spread it to you.”
“You can’t.” Kelly responds seriously.
“Why not?” I ask.
“I’ve already got it,” She smiles at me with a shit eating grin and I realize she’s joking.
“Good, then it just makes it easier on me. No next day explaining.” I smile back. She reaches over and pushes me off the swing and I fall backwards.
“OUCH” I yell.
She hops off her swing and jumps on me, leaning over me like she’s about to give me a kiss, and then pulls back.
“Not tonight sailor, you chose the wrong week to mosey into my beer hall.”
“Um...a simple no would have been a lot more comfortable for me.”
“Well, NO then, you can’t, I’m on the rag.”
“God dammit, gross, get that dangerous thing away from me,” I push her off of me, and she looks up at me like I hit her. I smile down at her, and jump on her instead, and lean in for a kiss. She turns her head and I kiss her cheek. I lean in again and she turns the other way, suddenly a cop car pulls up.
“HEY, GET OFF HER.” Two officers run over and pull me off of Kelly, and one of them tazes me, knocking me to my ass in pain.
“Are you alright ma’am,” one of the officers ask, helping Kelly to her feet, but as soon as she’s stable, she shoves the officers.
“We were just playing around, jesus fuck, talk about abuse of power, get out of here pigs. Go eat a donut somewhere.” Kelly throws her sandal at the officers as they turn to go away. Kelly bends down and helps me to my feet. “Come with me, I’ll take you to my place, we can ice up that wound. That was bullshit.”
“I know,” I struggle to get the words out due to the pain shooting through my ribs. I lift my shirt and see two little burn spots right on my upper abdomen.
“Christ you’re fat, I thought wrestlers were supposed to be in shape,” she smiled at me.
“Wait till this week is over, I’ll show you how in shape I am.”
“Oh so you’re going to stick around a week? What if I don’t want you around.”
“Tough, you’re taking a stray home, he’ll never leave.”
“Well in that case,” Kelly drops me to the ground.
“Ugh,” I groan, hitting the ground with a thud feeling my ribs jar, “Ouch, not cool.”
“Sorry, maybe I do need to take this stray home. I’ll wash you up, give you some warm milk and tuck you to bed.”
“You’re the one needing the wash, I can smell your pits.”
“Do you want me to take you home? I can leave you crumpled on the ground in pain if you want.”
“No fine you win, but I can still see your bra.”
Kelly just shakes her head as she helps me walk down the road, and across the bridge to Lower North Mankato. She only lives two blocks, but the walk felt like hours due to the pain. Finally we get inside, and she sets me down on the couch. She puts some ice on my chest, and then sits next to me. We flip on the TV start watching some dumb reality show that we sat and made fun of, and drifted to sleep.