Day 219 of Staying (mostly) the Fuck Inside
Kiddo had his music performance today, at 3 Disciples Brewing.
He rocked Satisfaction by the Rolling Stones, Where is My Mind? by the Pixies, People are Strange, by the Doors, and more.
Definitely strange to be amongst a group of people for an extended period of time (masks and social distancing were in full effect), but probably the most extended social situation I’ve been in since March. The previous performance was a little easier, anxiety-wise, as lockdown hadn’t been as long, and it was in a parking lot.
It was good to see familiar half-faces, and be amongst adopted family, all at respectful distances.
The final group of the day was mostly of a folk/folk rock bent, and though I’m not entirely sure the world needs more slow renditions of Mad World, or yet another version of Hallelujah, both performances stirred up emotions that I’m usually pretty good at keeping at bay.
Mad World hit me a little hard, as it reminded me of Donnie Darko, which I’d been discussing briefly with kiddo’s teacher the other day. Seems we share a love for the film, and while I joked with her about alternate timelines, and wondering which one we’ve found ourselves in this year, hearing the song performed live, by kids (who are amazing musicians) hit a tone of sorrow I wasn’t necessarily ready for – especially when I’ve been coming to grips that things are going to be a while. The Spanish Flu lasted years. There’s no reason right now for me to believe that this will be any different.
As for Hallelujah, none of the young girls singing even attempted Leonard Cohen’s voice (thank the Gods), but by the time we’d gotten to it, the crowd had thinned considerably (their loss). The street was mostly empty, but a few pedestrians had stopped to listen. The overall mood shifted to post-apocalyptic for me. Passing on the musical remnants of a collapsed civilization to the next generation to pass on, until the songs become religious hymns from a forgotten era. Something for survivors to hang on to, until they, too, disappear, leaving the future generations with our leftover fragments.
After letting that set in, we got in the car and drove back to reality, which if not destroyed, is at least knocked around a bit.
Tomorrow is Monday, which brings work, and the comfort of going back to pretending that everything is okay.
And truthfully, it mostly is.