I missed my band... but so what if I didn’t book a show for SXSW this year. I could still play! After work, my best friend Hazel and I grabbed my acoustic guitar and set up shop on one of our favorite spots on 6th Street, the corner right across from The Driscol. We’d done it a bunch of times, and made decent tips too. I’d play a bunch of songs most people know, and a lot of my original songs people love. Hazel knew all the words. She’d get brave enough to belt out the chorus with me most the time. People loved that. She really was a Hazel Angel. And I really was a Rebel Angel.
“Let’s just go. Let’s pack the jeep, and quit our jobs, and go on tour!” It was perfect timing.
“Ok!” She was always down for whatever. I loved that about her. She was also an excellent planner, and we didn’t waste any time. We counted our money ($220), we calculated the cost, we printed lists of free camping areas, and we plotted our route. We looked up all the big cities and pinpointed the spots that looked busy enough to make money singing on street corners. Then we quit our jobs, packed the jeep, and left town.
It was April 5th, 2005. Lightening bolted back and forth across the sky as we drove away from Austin. Zippers on bags rattled in the back, and the windshield wipers screeched across the glass as the rain let up. We pulled over to adjust the straps of the cargo bag on the roof and smoke a cigarette.
“So, what did your mom say?” I asked knowing Hazel’s mom probably hated me for this.
“Uh… she just wants us to be safe.”
“Yeah, mine too. We will. Hey, check out these moves!” Then I showed her how I’d knee someone in the groin, followed by punching the air in self defense. Hazel joined in too, growling and cursing under her breath.
We drove towards Lubbock down those country roads that go from 50mph, to 30, to 25, then back to 50. We were taking hits out of our dugouts and blaring one of our new favorite CD’s we got from the band we hung out with the most at SXSW. We were flying g! But when I noticed the blue lights behind us in the rear view mirror my stomach turned upsidedown! I thought our trip was about to end with a bail bondsman. They don’t let a little weed slide in Texas!
I quickly sprayed the body mist I kept up front with us and we both shoved our dugouts back behind the emergency brake. My heart was racing, I didn’t like cops as it was. I always got over-emotional when I had to deal with them, for any reason.
An authoritative voice ordered, “Step out of the vehicle.” His flashlight blinded me, and I felt pressure building in my head. “How much have you had to drink?”
“Nothing,” my voice trembled. “We haven’t been drinking!” My face contorted as tears of fear swelled up.
He turned to Hazel, “How much has your friend had to drink tonight? I can smell it.”
“We haven’t been drinking... this is probably what you smell,” Hazel showed him the body mist.
“Oh!” He chuckled. “Well then why is your friend so nervous?”
“She doesn’t like cops.”
We laughed as we drove off, relieved to be free, and kept our eyes peeled for speed limit signs. We were doing exactly what we wanted to do, exactly when we wanted to do it, and nothing ever felt better!
