1 post tagged “photographs”

If it were not for accidental timing, flat tires, and gasoline leaks, I would not have met Rick Burch, bassist, and his "employee" Michael at the Starbucks on Kirby this morning.

In all actuality I mostly likely would have not seen my friend David, and worse case, my car could have blown up when I started it this morning. The thing is, little bits of time added up which allowed me to meet and chat with Rick and Michael, talk to my friend David, and finally, have my car's gas tank lid tightened by Lenny, another good friend. It was the morning of cheerful guys doing what they like, and me getting a cheap gasoline high.

This all began because I was running a little late this morning (as usual), and yet in actuality, I need not have worried because Lenny was not where he was supposed to be this morning after all. You see, my car was leaking gasoline; two little spots on the concrete had over night grown into two larger spots. The smell of gasoline permeated my car's interior when I got in, and ended up with a cheap high at 9:00 am.

Last night we discovered the leak issue and I called Lenny to see if he would be available today to check the fuel lines and gas tank; unfortunately, he said he was going to have an alligator day and could not guarantee anything. However, he did say he would let us know if the problem was bad enough that the car might blow up the next time we started it. In any event, he was nowhere to be found this morning. But I was not worried; I just drove past, turned onto Myrtle Street, and then hung a right on Virginia where I pulled over and gave Lenny a call. I was hoping on the off chance he would arrive soon, but no luck. He said he was getting a new tire for his Rover and that it would be about 45 minutes before he arrived. I told him I would get breakfast first and be back in about an hour or so.

Choosing to drive to the Kirby Starbucks, I decided to sit outside with my latte and scone. I never sit outside and later I

wondered what prompted me to do so. Perhaps it was the cool morning, and the patio being in the shade; there was a light breeze with hardly anyone outside. That certainly helped my headache. In any event, it was no time before David appeared and said hi. Standing tall with his familiar salt and pepper hair and big friendly grin, he towered above me. A few years ago, he and I used to work together--he did the hard stuff, the coding, while I did the design work for corporate intranet projects. He looked the same as always and we chatted about Macs and our children for a few minutes. Then, as quickly as he had appeared, he had to leave; things to do, people to see. He said goodbye and I resumed reading my RSS feeds and throwing scone crumbs on the patio for the sparrows.

In a few minutes, two guys pulled up on knockabout racing bikes. Locking up, they went inside for drinks, then returned and pulled up chairs next to the windows behind me. They chatted to one another about what would be the best way to ride back to where they started; whether they should ride on Paisano, Texas, Copia, or some other way. One used a Blackberry to map their journey, and there was talk about the zoo, an unnamed venue, and more about which way to go. It was then that I turned around and asked if they had recently moved to the area. No, they said, we're in a band that is playing here tonight. But they had forgotten the venue's name. By the zoo, I asked? Yes. That's the Coliseum I said. Yes, that's right, they nodded. What band, I asked? Jimmy Eat World, one said. Oh, I didn't know you were playing here tonight, I confessed.

We continued to talk about bands and how my cousin Gabe Gonzalez used to tour with At the Drive-In, as their sound man and backup keyboardist, about Jim Ward and his new band Sleepercar, and about what SXSW had become. One noted Jim's new Texas tour and album, and I recalled how Gabe had experienced, what Michaela described as, a "Richie Valens flight" that put him off touring forever. The two band members remembered the time, saying they totally understood. Australia they noted. Yes, I replied. We then talked about projects that the original band had spawned: Sparta, The Mars Volta, and Ward's work with my friend Bobby Byrd of Cinco Puntos Press, in addition to the new Sleepercar.

We resumed talking about the best way to get back to the venue and I cautioned them that Paisano was busier and hillier than Texas Avenue, which eventually turned into Alameda; Paisano always has a lot of truck traffic that is headed into Mexico. They agreed they would go back the way they came, which was on Texas-Alameda.

I also talked about Michaela and Shannon's blog, The Rich Girls Are Weeping, and how Lauren, at Michigan State, has now started attending shows and taking pictures of bands for her Facebook album. That being a good segue, I asked if I could take their picture, to which they said no problem.

Afterwards, we all left at the same time as the pedaled down Mesa towards Texas Avenue, and me headed in the same direction to go to Lenny's. This is how little bits of my morning time added up, and allowed me to see my friend David, and meet and talk to Rick Burch and his "employee" Michael from Jimmy Eat World, a band that will perform tonight at the venue across from the zoo.

Oh, and the car--Lenny tested the fuel tank's "lid" that is accessed from inside the trunk. He described how it "works exactly like a mason jar" lid, which he then tightened. It should be fine now, unless there is another leak in the fuel line. And if so, I'll be back again.

In any event, the band will play on tonight.