So it’s true. Bassist Sugar Bear has quit Dirty Penny. Yours truly discovered this while at JC Penny’s home sitting across the table yesterday evening while he and his daughter ate fettucini. I was hungry as well and luckily there was a walnut bowl near the flower piece on the table. He and is daughter we’re discussing the flowers – daisies dyed with colouring of pink, violet, etc.. They were wilting. Penny asked his daughter:
“So those flowers we’re nice a longtime weren’t they?”
“ya, they just need some sun.”
“just some sun and they’ll be okay?”
A pause from JC Penny here. The small talk of wilting flowers has sprung the issue of death with a loud SPROING! You can see it on JC Penny’s face. Will he give her a small picture of the terrible truth as parents must do from time to time?
“ya, just some sun and they’ll be okay.”
Not today.
I crack a nut trying to be quiet but the nut screams “rape!” despite my efforts. Both Penny and is daughter look at me revolted for a moment then continue to work on the fettucini. It seems even his daughter is aware of my position as long term journalist/documenter of Canada’s most brilliant rock band. I am allowed everywhere except bedrooms. Being treated like an insect was not in the deal but it’s a small price for exclusive ‘backstage’ seats to such talented musical minds.
A few moments pass, chewing with my lips fully sealed, when Penny splutters “Ha! Toodles, boyfriend. That’s your postal code now,” and I’ll bet dollars to bran flakes he means Sugar Bear. Penny is a compulsive free association mumbler. It was disquieting at first. There’s violent imagery sometimes. He might be a high-functioning Turrets case. However, I think I have alligned my antennae to the purpose.
I still am overwhelmed by anger sometimes that they haven’t told me yet. I AM YOUR DOCUMENTER! I ruined my fridge door last night slamming it over and over again. I lost 2 bags of milk. The milk surrounded my feet and calmed me. I thought of DP’s song BubbleJuice from TaDa! and put it on. I went back to standing in the milk and listened. How can anybody make a song about mocassins, tutus, melons, spin class, Nanalan (a CBC kids show i think), tigers, pigs, milk, and bubblejuice (whatever that is) and somehow make it all feel contemporary? Really, you could put this song between Madonna and Springsteen on top 40 and soccer moms and truck drivers wouldn’t even blink!
Clearly, goodness is not a required fuel in art’s furnace.