Mood Altering Substances

The showing of Fallen Angel at the Frist was a full crowd. Didn't see anyone of note-no I tried to lie-Manuel was there...he was made mention of by someone announcing the film and when a pause was made for a wave or acknowledgement or whathaveyou it became clear he wasn't in the auditorium. "He's still in the lobby." someone said. "Must be a girl out there," piped in another voice. Much knowing laughter by the almost painfully hip crowd.
The best dressed award goes to a woman in the front row who looked like she was in a Jane Hathaway out on the town lookalike contest. I am sure there is a logical reason for the pillbox hat but what it might be I don't know. The sparkly dress was somewhat incongruent with the rest of her demeanor---really very Miss Hathaway. Wish I had a picture. The race was close tho, what with all the Grams in training with their shaggy hair and the rhinestone shirts. I looked mighty plain in my Levi's and oh well I guess my shirt is a Levi's creation too. How drab I am. Very gray blue today.
After the show I went once more through the exhibit-just mostly to see Gram's suit once more before it goes back to the collection of whoever has it nowadays. It bordered the creepy the way half a dozen or so gathered around the outfit of a deadman almost touching it but not willing to be banned from the Frist forever in exchange.
The trip through the exhibit was shorter than the first time-I spent maybe half an hour looking at the clothes. Then out to the street and the warm spring night to my car parked on the street. I was deadly hungry but couldn't bear the idea of fighting the couples and crowds populating the night venues on a pleasant Friday night on the verge of tourist season. My goal was to cross the river and get to familiar territory and get dinner at Kroger. Broadway was closed at 2nd and I had to drive through the District-my heart rate sped up just being there what a nightmare it's like New Orleans without the ambience on that stretch. Gah! I hate it. That's why people knock Nashville-that block right there. That and maybe the hubbub about Musica.
But I survived and didn't find myself even tempted to stop by the Wildhorse for a quick line dance lesson or anything.
When I got to Kroger I was met by a large black guy in a Braves jersey. I have this rule about Atlanta fans-don't trust them. "Yr looking damn good baby." I turned away and pretended I didn't hear him. "Come on don't be that way baby. What's yr name anyway?" I turned down another aisle to get away from him. He followed me. I ignored him. "Come on, you ain't gonna tell me yr name? A fine thing like you shouldn't be that way." I walked further down the frozen food aisle. "Girl, you don't need to play that way." "Maureen. My name is Maureen. Alright?" "Alright Maureen, that wasn't so hard now that's how we play." "Right, I play like that. I get it." "Yr something girl, come on can I have yr number?" "No." "Yr old man doesn't want to share you?" I turned and walked out of frozen foods and the store. Great, thought I, Hills is closed and I am NOT having Burger King for dinner I have to drive all the way to Inglewood because I can't go to the damn Kroger without being hit on by some freak. Believe me when I tell you I was not trying to look like something-now, I didn't want to look like shite either but I wasn't trying to turn heads with my outfit I was just trying to look presentable. Jeans and a tank top, no bells and whistles so why can't I buy frozen chili without being pestered?
SO-I'm hungry and annoyed and every where is closed and the Main Street Discount Wine and Liquor is going to close at 10 and it's close to 9:30 at this time and as you can imagine this is shaping up to suck. Luckily Justine's Southern B-B-Que is open til 11 on Friday. I did a u-turn and pulled in. I was about the whitest thing in there short of the walls I tell you what. It was like a different world the way everyone was joking with each other seemed like I was the only person didn't know everyone in there but I needed food-didn't matter I didn't belong to the club-and I ordered a 2 piece catfish dinner with a side of greens.
While I'm waiting for my dinner I went across to Mapco for beer-but they only had Beast and the like so I skipped it and went back to Justine's. "How much is the cake? You got to get some of this cake-it's off the hook!"
"A dollar."
"A dollar for this cake? Out of control." She picked up six pieces. I was jealous-she got the big piece I was hoping for myself.
George, the owner, started packing up the hot greasy catfish. Making sandwiches, scooping out pickles and onions I saw the huge pile of greens go into the styrofoam and knew my dinner was almost ready.
I'd ordered the 2 piece but there was at least three or four pieces in my box. Well, not going to complain I'll pay for it. It's a night out after all. The woman behind the counter asked if I needed anything else.
"Just the fish and the carrot cake. Is there sauce in there?"
"Hot sauce. You need mustard?"
"Nah, just hot sauce. Didn't want to get home and have to do anything but eat."
"I hear that." She rang up my dinner. Under $7. Under $7? A-kay. Maybe I missaw and only got 1 piece of fish. I got in the car and opened the box to pull out a piece to eat while I went on a B-double E-double R-u-n before going home. I ate a piece, went to the Discount Beer and Tobacco side of the Main Street Discount Wines and Liquors. A very weird place, these Discount Beer and Tobacco stores all seem to try to maximize their profits with gold chains, teddy bears and car accessories. Really, I don't need any incense or candles depicting popular saints-just some Michelob thanks. FUN FACT-beer is more expensive at the Discount Beer and Tobacco than at Kroger.
6 pack in hand I drove home and unpacked my dinner. There were at least 4 pieces of fish in the box after I'd eaten some. And enough greens to count as a meal themselves plus the white bread onions and dill pickles dinners come with. What a bloody lot of food I got for $6.50. I could've maybe bought the food for that but the preparation wouldn't have made it worth it. Musta been just trying to get rid of the fish-it's a Friday thing maybe so everyone gets extra that comes in an hour before closing.
I got my fork and dipped the fish in the hot sauce and stabbed a pickle with a fork. Then I felt alright. That's what it took. I'm not saying I'm alright for the long run but I am alright for now and it's soul food did it. Well, hell, how could I forget that?
"This yr first time here?" asked the guy at the end of the counter.
"Nah, I been here before."
"I was gonna say, if it's yr first it won't be yr last I promise you."
"It won't. It sure won't."