Shalimar

Light.
Smells divine.
It's for women.
who are you to judge?

While walking out of the house today
in a rocker t-shirt with blue roses
my new jeans
my black cap toe boots
a grey pinstriped fedora
and big black Gucci sunglasses
a middle aged straight black man passed me and said

"You look nice."
It was very matter-of-fact
and it was a natural high
that I can still feel.

Why thank you sir,
I do try so.

I'm gearing up for tomorrow
I'm chaperoning my nephew's 3rd grade field trip
to Penn's Cave

who remembers that one?
I do.
I still remember sitting in Mr. Young's class
finding out we'd be getting back late
real late
7 PM!

It was the start of the "BIG FIELD TRIPS"
Truth be told, I can't wait for tomorrow.

I'm to pack a bagged lunch.
I'm also responsible for 12 third graders.
whom I'll probably loathe by 10am.

"the cave is cold, so wear layers," I'm instructed

"We will be stopping for dinner," they said.
Probably McDonalds if memory serves right.

McDonalds for me is always associated with school field trips
I remember going to the All Star festival
in 4th grade
Mrs. Zaremba was driving the school van
I was there
Quinn Lindgren was too
but we didn't know each other then
It would be a whole year until we
did Lewis and Clark that I would grow to love her.
I was shy then
I was there to sing, dammit
so professional
No talking, I needed to concentrate
we were on our way to Lackawanna Trail High School
for Songfest - about 6 of us.
hand chosen by Mrs. Zaremba.

I had come out of my musical closet to her
one day in music class
and asked to sing O Holy Night
a rather ambitious undertaking for a 4th grader
and she let me know that too.

I was scared shitless
but I sang it.
and she loved me from that moment on.
and I loved her.
and she thought I was the best thing in the world.
And so did I.

Meanwhile, back in the van,
the airconditioning broke
and we were all miserable
It's not so much that Lackawanna Trail is far
no, on the contrary,
but it sure was taking one hell of a long time to get there.

but then we stopped at McDonalds.
Mrs. Zaremba, god love her, got lost.
we were already late
she figured eh, what the hell
and put her turn signal on
and treated us!

we ate, she asked for directions.

when we finally walked into the rehearsal room
where all of the local schools had long been gathered
we were applauded
I'm sure stories were circulating.
Our van broke down
flat tire perhaps
maybe a band of Scranton Gypsies came through
and stole our hubcaps
and we were at the bureau filing a police report
for the past 2 hours.
But the truth is, my dear friends
we were just eating Happy Meals.

and furthermore -
we knew our music already
because we were just that good, alright?