5. No Rain
5
NO RAIN
BLIND MELON
Dear Melody Man,
Is it weird to say I was pleasantly surprised to find your last note? I know we don’t know each other, but it’s nice to find some camaraderie with someone completely foreign to my everyday life. You don’t know me. I don’t know you. It’s like talking to myself, but I'm not a crazy person because you’ll answer. Or, at least I hope you will.
So, here I am in One Hit Wonders, going against every natural instinct and rearranging according to taste so that you might find my top three. Bleh. Even writing those words makes me itchy. Rearrange them for me accordingly, okay? Alphabetical would probably be best.
I say we keep this thing anonymous. Like musical penpals. (I had a Canadian penpal once, and she was probably my closest friend for all of the 3rd grade, so I expect the same outta you, Mister. Friendship bracelets, pressed flowers, secret confessions. The works.)
I do feel it important to say, I’m an adult. Ask Ms. Jan! But don’t let her spoil it for you. (I’ll do the same.)
No details… names, careers, family anecdotes.
Just music and friendship. (And the above-mentioned expectations.) If you want…
But if you put anything other than “Come On Eileen” in your number one slot, this thing between us is over.
Anyways, I’m assuming we’re on different schedules because I never see anyone creeping around when I’m here. In fact, it's usually just me and dear Jan, who at the moment is chowing down on biscuits and gravy from the place next door (Have you been there? It’s so good) while intermittently singing along to an 80’s pop mix between every bite… She’s so cool it's crazy, and she’s quickly becoming my idol.
Mood Music
Dear Mood Music,
Finally… we agree. “Come On Eileen” is single-handedly the greatest One Hit Wonder of all time. Period. I honestly don’t need to add more. Also, I’m exhausted. Work and life and LIFE have been crazy the past few weeks.
Although if I did need to order them, I’d definitely fight you on putting “Mambo No.5” in your top three. You’re better than that, Mood Music.
This week has gone in a different direction than I expected it to, so this: Music. Notes. Anonymity. Ms. Jan slurping ramen… Those things I can handle. I did confirm you are a grown woman and nothing else—as if she could be bothered to care. H er words, not mine.
Some stuff was thrown at me this week that I don’t quite know what to do with. I prayed about it… have been praying about it. (I’m a Christian. It’s the most important thing you should know about me, especially if we’re gonna be penpals and share our deepest secrets per your 3rd grade experience.)
I just don’t feel like God has given me any clear direction in regards to the major life stuff happening. Not our penpal-ship.
So I found myself here, hoping I’d find a note from you (my friendly, passive-aggressive stranger), and rearranging the Earworms section. *hint hint*
I’ve never had a penpal, but I have had lifelong best friends that have given me a run for my money over the years. No friendship bracelets though… yet. I wouldn’t put it past them. We aren’t as close as we used to be, but life has a way of doing that. I don’t know why I’m telling you this, but I guess it feels easy to write in this one-sided kinda way. Like a journal that responds. I’ll try to live up to your eight-year-old Canadian friend for all future letters.
Anyways, I didn’t buy anything today, so if I’m honest, I think I really only came here for this. So, I’m a *full-grown man* (ask Jan) saying, please write me back.
I’m gonna grab some biscuits and gravy for dinner, actually. Is there anything better than breakfast for dinner? I guess I just confirmed I come here at night after work, but I’m guessing you don’t since right now I’m sharing space with a couple of teenage boys and an older gentleman who is at least 75 and, by the looks of him, likely in a biker gang. I actually wish you could see him. Maybe he’s my idol…
Talk soon,
Melody Man
Hi Melody Man of mystery…
I’m sorry it’s been a rough week. What part of the work and life and LIFE have been hardest?
We can commiserate together if that helps. I’ve got some family obligations right now that I really want to live up to, but there’s a giant obstacle making it difficult for me to focus lately.
Do you ever feel like sometimes God sets something in front of you and says, “Let’s see what you do with that?”
Like, no matter how hard I try to move past it, the obstacle won’t budge. In fact, now it’s just a daily hurdle directly in my path that I have to jump over. The worst part is—and I know this is all very vague, but you are my diary at this point, so deal with it—I don’t hate the hurdle. In fact, I really adore him enjoy it, and any time I’m running in proximity to the HURDLE (lets keep this analogy going), I just want to stay there with the hurdle directly in front of my face. It’s preferable, actually. He’s got a great face.
What do I do with that? How do I pray through it? I’m a Christian, too. I know God isn’t unaware of my situation, or yours—and that He hears us—but it definitely feels nice to talk to someone else about it, too. Even if it is in running analogies.
And a runner, I am not.
I’m here for ya, MM, and will sincerely pray for you, but maybe you should tell your best friends how you feel about whatever it is that’s going on. I’m sure they’d want to be there for you, too.
Now, let's get down to the “nitty gritty” (shameless Nacho Libre quote). I don’t care what you say or why you put “Achy Breaky Heart” before “Bohemian Rhapsody” but I will not allow “Mmmbop” or “Cotton-Eyed Joe” to go without mention. They are earworms of the worst offense, and I will have to fight you on this. But we can both agree that, yes, “Don’t Stop Believin’” by Journey is the number one BEST song to get stuck in your head. There’s something about that song that makes me wanna dance in the street like no one’s watchin’.
Do you have any songs like that? Maybe that will be our next category. Head on over to the Move It or Lose It section. What was the last song you danced to? Or that you wanted to dance to?
As for your most important question, YES, breakfast for dinner is the simplest of luxuries. My best friend’s mama makes the most amazing biscuits I’ve ever tasted in my life.
I’m heading to meet a sibling for actual breakfast right now, then on to my aforementioned giant obstacle. So, now you know I make my visits here in the morning. I suppose we likely won’t be running into each other.
Praying for you,
Mood Music