How I Know I'm In Montana
Thursday, November 19.
An Ace Hardware employee sits smoking a pipe on a bench in front of the store. He looks too old to be working. Two younger gentlemen from the neighboring “outdoor sports” store walk out for their own smoke break, and at the same time holler, “WAKE UP, RUSTY!”
Inside the store, I am offered popcorn, gratis, served in one of those itemized brown paper bags used to sell nuts & bolts.
On my way out, I pass a pair of real-live cowboys. I smile at the one with the hat, and he takes it off and smiles back.
Also, I hear they have bears here.
PROJECT: Starting one week from today (thxgvng), for every day until January 1, 2010, I will post and write about a favorite holiday song. What form will the writing take? I dunno. I know I suck at writing about music, so maybe it’ll be a memory, or a little fictional vignette, or just a string of “OMG OMG OMG” when I share something specially good.
Listen I don’t lie to myself and think I have any number of “readers” beyond, like, my brothers and four or five internet friends. This is a project for me. ‘Cause I need one. And I love CHRISTMAS.
Brought to you (all seven of you) buy my undying, childlike love of the holiday season, and YouTube, and illegal audio downloading programs, and the little baby Jesus and all his attending elves and reindeer and old ladies in sweaters and pets in Santa hats. It’s the holiday season, em-effers. One week! Get ready!
(Please keep in mind this project will not preclude any late-night recaps of terrible/wonderful, made-for-tv Christmas movies. Just because I don’t have cable doesn’t mean I won’t find a way to partake in my second favorite holiday season artform and tell the internet all about it).