West of Mars -- the Meet and Greet

My bud Lisa Andel tagged me for the Five Nights Meme. She thinks I always have something interesting to say.

I don't, but the boys in the band do. They seem a bit somber today, though, so this ought to live up to Lisa's expectations.

Mitchell:
1. It was that first night I spent with Kerri. No, not the night I had her and Daniel and Eric over for burgers and she and I got so drunk, she spent the night in my bed and I passed out or something on the couch. And no, not the night two weeks later when we planned to have her crash at my place after the Regional Awards and she was my date. She was supposed to have the bed to herself, but she caught the Chill and when she was still cold after I put every blanket in my place on her and then threw my leather tour jacket on top of all that, there was only one way to warm her up: making her cuddle up to me. You'll notice she hasn't left me since.

But nope, those weren't the two best nights with Kerri. The best was that night we hooked up at the grocery and talked our way through the store and then went to Victory's and talked until we closed the place. Just sitting and talking to a girl. I'd never done that before.

2. Our first show. We'd worked our asses off to make sure we didn't suck. And we didn't. We rocked, as much as a brand-new band can rock. You've got to start somewhere.

Trevor:
3. I was sitting in jail and the cops are screaming at me about first-degree murder and all that shit and the next thing I know, Patterson's there and he's saying no one got shot, let alone is dead and he's got legal custody of me and there's no reason to keep me in jail. That's when I went to live with the Vosses. I didn't find out what legal custody meant until I quit school, but somehow, Patterson got Hank and Jenny to write me off as their kid. I guess it should have hurt, but Patterson told me that if the band made it, they'd never have a legal way to come try to get their hands on any money I made.

Daniel:
4. Our first night as a headlining act. Holy shit, there was so much space between me and the guys, and it was actually hard to see even the front row of fans. I'd gotten so used to that smooshed little stage that as soon as I was put at the back of the full stage, like every other headlining drummer, I freaked. I missed being near everyone. I hated that Mitchell and I couldn't talk as easily during the show.

Clearly, I sucked it up fast, but when we sit down to plan every tour, I ask Mitchell if we can find a way to move me up closer. He won't even consider it.

Don't let anyone tell you that Mitchell's not a traditionalist.

Kerri:
5. It was the night Mom caught me with Vince. What's the saying? In flagrant delecteco?

I don't think I've ever been as mad as I was that night. But as soon as she put her hand on my arm and tried to pull me away from Vince, I knew what I'd be doing. And no matter how mad I was, underneath, there was this really calm, rational thinking going on. When I got back home, I knew exactly what I was going to pack and what I wanted Stevie, my brother, to ship to me once I had a place to live.

Just like that, I left town and moved to Riverview. I never looked back. I never regretted it.

Labels: Daniel, Kerri, meme, Mitchell, Trevor