Jesus, I am still marveled at how truly bizarre life can be. 

A 10 year old girl, sent us a video of her doing archery on stilts to our music. Six feet high above the ground, dressed in a metallic tail, she slayed balloons with finesse to a loop of us be-bopping on an old chair and radiator at the end of “Stars”.  I’ve never seen anything like it. Nailing each one with a “pop” and a dance. Bows and arrows, the best fan mail ever!

  After a few exchanges, Simone the Archer wanted to come to our “all ages” show in Irvington NY. Her father being the go-between, informed me that they would be easy to spot them as she was also bringing 2 of her friends.

So we drove up to Irvington the Saturday before last. Our friends ( Miyuki Furtado and Amy Lettis) had asked us to get a small portable version of us together for a couple of low key acoustic shows with them. Miyuki along with Jef Brown are “Divining Rod” and Amy Lettis is herself.

We arrived at the pint sized coffee shop, with our mylar props and ancient technology in a puff of smoke. Opening the side of the van, I felt like Spicoli in a scene from Fast Times at Ridgemont High. Later three little girls showed up, giggling and whispering. Every time I caught one of them staring at me, I got terrified. I became instantly shy. So I hid behind my sunglasses and busied myself with the “equipment”.

Miyuki said his daughter “Minnow” was coming and bringing a few of her friends.           I had no idea she was the show’s promoter and as it turns out, the most popular kindergartner in Irvington. At six o’clock they started arriving in mini vans, all the mini people. Minnow pressed each little hand with a smiley face sticker. I felt the Universe say to me “Hey Mr. Cool, Don’t take anything too seriously.”  That’s really all I could hear, as I was surrounded by the jumping, laughing, clapping and twitching cherubs.   Minnow worked the crowd with her pink beach bucket collecting dollars. Around 7:30 the crowd got super restless past their bed time. There were tears and big bottom lips. What can I say? They were a tough crowd. With pump organ and drums we humbly attempted our striped bone version of us. The archer Simone and her friends patiently watched us chip out the pump organ drum sing song. Not so rock and roll. The Universe then again reminded me not to worry. I laughed and banged away at the tambourine looking at the children. Not since I was a kid myself have I performed in front of an audience this young.

After the show Simone the Archer introduced herself and her friends. When she shook my hand, she looked me in the eye and said “I feel like I know you”. My shyness returned. I said “maybe it was in a past life?” ( Ha ha !! what would YOU say ?!!)            Her father then told me how Simone has been working for the the OWS movement. She participates by showing up on stilts and running a website called Stand Tall For Peace.

This is her manifesto —>“Stand Tall For Peace is an attempt to get other stilt walkers and creative types to come together in protest of the many wars our government has gotten our country involved in. We believe our voices must be heard to encourage a discussion on how to better implement our foreign and domestic policies.”                                                                                                          I think we are going to be friends for a long time.

By 9 o’clock we were all sitting in Miyuki’s house eating Korean BBQ. His wife Trisha flipped phenomenal pancakes and fanned sesame leaves. After many glasses of wine, belly in the air, I snored like a dragon on the inflatable mattress.

The next night we payed at Zebulon, my favorite club in the galaxy.  I held hands with a  friend’s widow, and felt like every one was so “grown up”. In fact I remember through the tequilla saying that over and over again. By 3am our maturity manifested in to a howling drum banging, bottle clinking, saxphonin primal sound and dance orgy with the whole Zebulon staff.  Everyone caught up in the moment failed to notice a strange conservative looking woman dressed head to toe in grey, laying on the floor smashing her clinched fist thru the bass drum, blood spurting. Beside her lay the demolished teak tambourine. It had been a gift from Papa Legba, brought back from Disney. Now it was streaked with blood. Oh what a happy death. We found out later, over a cigarette, that it was her 40th birthday and that she was there by herself. Ruff and Tuff. She seemed refreshed and alive, hand swollen. I think that it was a ritual for her but a little for me too. I’m turning 40 this year also.  It felt like initiation into the third phase of the goddess. Damn it! I’m gonna be a crone!

 So “Happy Birthday Stranger!” and by the way, someone left a gift wrapped box of Patron in our van. I don’t know if that was meant for you, but I thought of you when we toasted.