Andy

October 23, 2003. Afternoon.

I had a really pleasant dream last night. I was driving
back from somewhere on the east coast, through Ohio. I was
driving alone because Jessy and I had gotten in a really
weird and stupid argument about whether her or Cara looked
more like Xena, Warrior Princess, so I was vacationing
alone. Anyway, I stopped off in suburban Ohio somewhere
east of Columbus on the way back, into a subdivision off of
the interstate, to turn around or use the bathroom or
something. Anyway, I got lost in the homogenous twists and
turns of the lawns and driveways, so I stopped off at a
house where there were some kids playing outside to get
directions. There were two kids, probably about eight and
eleven or so. They were wearing name tags, and the older
kid was named "Chilton Alexis So-and-So." I thought wow,
he's named for Alex Chilton, that's pretty cool. So anyway,
the kids wanted me to play with them, so I talked to them
for awhile until the mom came out. When she came out, I
spoke to her, explained my situation, and we just got to
talking. She was probably in her late-'30s or older, very
firendly, and she worked in town for a book publishing
firm, doing editing and binding, and she also did ceramic
scupltures in her spare time. So we got on so well, and she
invited me to stay for dinner. I did, and me, her, the two
kids and the husband, who I think worked for the public
television station in some creative capacity, all sat down
and had dinner. We ate and talked about Alex Chilton, and
some of his songs, and other things as well, and everyone
just got along so well. The kids were polite and
interesting, and the parents were the same way. We got
along so well, and had so much in common -- in fact, I
THINK I had actually SEEN Alex Chilton in concert on my
vacation -- it almost seemed as if I had weirdly plotted to
find them somehow. They asked if I'd gone down to the TV
station to try to find some "cool" people in town, but I
said no, it was just a coincidence that I came here. So
after dinner, I helped them clear the table and do the
dishes, and the woman showed me some of her ceramics, which
were these delicate, highly glazed and ornamental Victorian-
style tigers that were saucers and gravy boats. The kids
had a Homestar Runner CD that they were showing me, andf I
thoughti t was so great that they were fans. The woman
offered to take me to work the next day to show me what she
did. I think I was going to spend a couple of days with
them. I thought it was so wonderful that I had just
randomly stumbled acorss this great family. They reminded
me of the best apsects of my parents, or of Ed, Sara, Jack
and Henry in Pittsburgh. When I woke up, I was really sad
and longing -- I had been under the impression that it was
really happening. Which seems silly, but it was just a
pleasant, happy, blissful dream. I wish I had written it
down as soon as I woke up, because I know there's tons of
sweet little details that I've forgotten.

***

Elliott Smith committed suicide two days ago. I used to
listen to "Figure 8" a lot, during the 2001 Bardstown Road
era. Dave and I had tried to see him live at the Southgate
House at about that time -- right on the eve of my 21st
birthday, in fact -- but it was sold out, so we had to
drive back. I really wish now that I had been able to.