Wednesday, April 4, 2012

Out of Body Cocktail Party


Photo credit: fractl from morguefile.com
Do you ever sit down to complete a thought and there's a cocktail party going on in your brain? Friends you haven't seen since childhood are rubbing elbows with Presidential hopefuls. School superintendents are off in a corner somewhere in deep conversation with your mother. Ex-boyfriends are chasing your old bus driver around the hors d'ouevre table and sloshing their drinks. The deejay is blasting that Chumba Wumba song that you didn't even like the first time around and mixing it up with Depeche Mode and the soft hits of the 70s, 80s and today. There's a conga line of children, old pets, authors and movie stars. They stop and speak to you in quotes and song lyrics, bad puns and cliches. It's a wonder anyone gets anything done around here.

It was a beautiful afternoon today. The sun came out and softened the chill in the air. Everything smelled like grass and cherry blossoms. We walked to the park after school because playing tag was really the only thing any of us could think to do. An old power ballad blasted through an open apartment window and I felt like I was in a John Hughes movie. Where the skies are always blue, the lawns are always mowed and the family dynamics are always are slightly dysfunctional. It was the sort of afternoon that lifted me up and out of body and around and through time and space.

Rather than fight my out of body cocktail party, I think I'll let it rage on. I won't be the finicky neighbor who calls the cops when it's too loud, too late on a school night. I'll take my place near the punch bowl and do some people watching, maybe take some notes. 

25 comments:

  1. As always, your writing just touches the right place in my brain. And of course joins the rager already in there.

    "I won't be the finicky neighbor who calls the cops when it's too loud, too late on a school night."

    You know what they say when it's too loud? Means you're TOO OLD. ;-) Somehow, though, I'm starting to think I'm older than you.

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    1. Probably you are. Ha! But you're not, chronologically speaking. Of course, I think I would have a hard time explaining to the cops that it's the party in my brain that's TOO LOUD.

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  2. Hate to admit that sometimes I'm the finicky neighbor :)

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  3. sPring 4 S

    Now with an 8 mega tricks full scam-er-a

    Weather is delightfuLL here as well. I have lotza leaves and tiny teeny grape clusters on my vines, eXcitement!

    My little pineapple is 4 inches taLL and 5 weeks old. It iz my mozt vvonderfuLL thingy at the moment, so cool to finaLLy have a pineapple fruit after aLL thiz time. I should reaLLy be zzz-ing now, but I just can't.

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    1. I would not be able to sleep with my very own pineapples growing, either! You shall have to use your scam-er-a and share your wee pineapple with us!

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  4. verrrrry interesting! {smile}
    dani

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  5. Beautifully put. Yep go with the flow, otherwise you might whack someone.

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    1. Seriously, you know when you go to take a potty break from dancing and it seems like you're going the opposite way from EVERYONE?! Someone could end up with a black eye that way.

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    2. Yes, I'm surprised there aren't more violent situations when more than one person is in a room, humans are really quite a well controlled bunch.

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  6. Love this post--the first paragraph reads like a prose poem. So glad I discovered you through NaBloPoMo.

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    1. Thank you so much! And thanks for stopping by. That's one of the most delightful things about NaBloPoMo - "meeting" other writers!

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  7. Beautiful.

    And I totally did a happy dance when you mentioned John Hughes..I know him! I know him! I mean...helllloooo ... Some Kind of Wonderful? *contented sigh*

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    1. That's probably my favorite! *sigh*
      I actually thought about you with the references in here. But then I was too lazy to link them all. So glad it was one you knew already. We'll have you all set for college in no time! ;)

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  8. Oh, yes! This post is magnificent. I can relate to the first paragraph so well it's spooky. You made me laugh out loud, literally. Now, I do want your posts in my inbox, so please excuse me whilst I subscribe.

    Take care,

    Casey

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  9. Looks like you took some notes, eh? And they're awesome. Love it. Funny, mention of a cocktail party reminds me of Sneakers and the scene with the birds, which sent my brain reeling in all sorts of other directions. Huh. So where's the punch bowl and where'd I put my note pad? You had an excellent suggestion with that.

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    1. I love how the mind wanders so. The punch bowl is where ever I am. This is how I survive noise and chaos and uncomfortable social situations - I take notes.

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  10. What a beautifully captured moment. I do love Seattle so. I admit, hearing the 70's hits drove me nuts when I was a teenager, but now I wish there was a station playing the hits of the 80's, 90's, and today. I can't believe I just put that in print.

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    1. Ha! I always sing along when they come on. Even to songs I didn't like the first time. What is it about nostalgia that makes us soft about the head?

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  11. Great post, and yes, I can totally relate. We might be relocating to Seattle- nice to hear your description of it:)

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    1. Wow! It would be so strange and wonderful to bump into you in my neighborhood!

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  12. Your brain sounds like a way more happenin' place than mine has been lately. ;)

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    1. I think I may need to borrow the David Pal again.

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