"They only come out at night"

1996-97

During the summer of 1996 I learned what it was like for a teenager to go out and have fun. This was innocent fun that makes going to the bar pale in comparison. Prior to this my experience was pretty pre-adolescent in that parents seemed to be involved in some way or another in the fun being had. But this was us going out independent of parents. What was different was this was us going out at night on weekends.

Although at the time I didn't feel like the people my friends and I began to be associated with were really my friends, I would love to hang out with them again. I'm talking about Sarah, Julia, Matt, Erin, and Heather.

I remember nights walking in the cold winter at night to the bowling alley to play pool and eat dairy queen ice cream all the while playing the "tortured poet". Sometimes I'd wear a baret and I grew out a misshapen goatee. I'd always have my notebook with me so I could scribble down my thoughts in poetic language.

Another memory was going to Sarah's place and watch movies or generally party listening to loud music. I remember Heather used to put on The Smashing Pumpkins' Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness, the soundtrack to my adolescence, and she would play and replay "Love".

This time period opened the door to many things. I was being pulled out of my turtle shell day by day. I felt safe walking at night with these people and eventually I felt safe walking alone knowing that I'd be with friends. It was the beginning of my creative endevours. I was learning guitar, and I was writng lots of poetry. It was not too long before the two came together and the band thing began.