A focused part of the past.
One day I got a phone call from my friend Mike. He invited me out to play "Dime Risk" - now, not knowing exactly what to expect, and knowing that I disliked the game of Risk, I ventured forth regardless.
The draw was getting out of the house, away from the wife. That's another story entirely.
What I found was a warm room, full of laughter and books.
It was the sort of place that people walk by and long to enter, but never do - for fear that they won't be welcomed in the same way the rest of the room is feeling welcomed. A room full of laughter, books, smoke, and the smell of coffee.
In the corner, a pair of older gentlemen are playing cribbage. A spirited young girl of 17 is sitting with my friend, and I feel drawn (which, by the way - never turned into anything more than a cool friend who has more issues than I care to delve into). Another friend is there with his girlfriend... or am I mixing this up with another night? I am.
Dime Chess, Poetry Readings, Musical Jams... all things that happened in this magical little coffee shop.
It was the kind of place people gravitated to... once you were a regular, the only thing that would keep you out is the lock on the door. Sometimes, days went by when that door never locked, and sometimes, it wouldn't open.
The most horrifying thing I ever heard?
"WHO WANTS TO SEE THE BRAIN!!!??"
If a man named Duncan ever asks you that, leave.
If you DO stay, look, point, and fall over laughing. Maybe he'll stop doing it someday... please?
The bathroom had a refrigerator door hanging from the wall opposite the toilet, covered with magnetic poetry.
Imagine that - a freaking fridge in the loo... brilliant.
The place, as it was (it had actually been a bookstore under another man previously, but the man who bought it had made it into more) was the brainchild of Peter the Elder. Peter was brilliant, scattered, and an amazing human being - but scattered... and scattered doesn't make for a highly profitable venture - highly popular, yes.
Here's where I drop some (first letters of) names. attempted in the order I met them, but unlikely.
Mi - brought me. I still beat him at chess when we try, unless it's reverse chess, in which case I win, which is bad.
PeW - added to the place in ways he probably doesn't
comprehend.
Na - Fun, insane, mean. Made a mess of PeW
At - named after a goddess, and one ion her own right.
PeE - owner, and inspiration for much chaos.
Am - brilliant, artistic, fun to be around.
Du (the brain) - One of the smartest men I've ever met. Played dumb every minute of the day, when there was more than one person with him.
JaN - Odd. Amazing. Talented. Didn't spend nearly enough time with the guy
Ja(r)(r) - still no clue.
Be - bought my tarot cards. made good coffee. amazing artist.
Er - Pilot, poet, had some great stories. Life was fiction, which should have been obvious. Urban camping master.
<a href=http://musky.journalspace.com>Musky</a> (aka RC) - a poet, a pilot, and a great human being. He writes some amazing material
Wi - Porche driving maniac... well, traded the porche in on a van. I suspect Words damaged him more than just about anyone... I liked him
Sean. I'm using his full name because Sean killed words, and I don't blame him really - what I do blame him for is the way he ripped off his friends when he skipped town. He was a great musician, a good guy to spend time with and bullshit with - but at the end of the day, he fucked a lot of people.
LD - Strange woman, but wonderful - cute kids, great husband
DS - what can I say about the little terror. More boyfriends than anyone I've ever met - she never stays single for more than 10 minutes. Don't know why - not worried about it. My favorite person to hug, glad I never got to go there...
JL - Brilliant artist, really quit guy... quirky. I always enjoyed having him around.
Okay - I've had enough of that - there were many more people. I could go into the VGA Planets tournaments, all the staff (I got a couple of em up there), the bizarre nights, the comedy shows, Natasha was a goddess on the stage. Jam nights.
What I miss the most?
Cribbage with the old guys, coffee until 7am.
When I started going there, I was an employee of Chapters bookstore. I gave Peter (the owner) one of my shirts, he embroidered a red circle with a line through it over top of the logo, and wore it as a uniform shirt.
I think I might cry.
Most of my time there was spent observing... myself participate with all these different and wonderful people. Seeing the ways the place ruined their lives and help them find new ones.
How could I forget Tony. His incessant bitching was so uplifting - usually people who complain are a drag. Tony would complain in such a way that everyone would brighten up, and then apologize for being such a downer.
So many people.
SO many memories.
Words was like heroin - you swore you'd never go back, but you always found yourself there. There's never been a place like it, and if it was a movie, everyone who saw it... if it could be captured... would wish they were there too.
One day I got a phone call from my friend Mike. He invited me out to play "Dime Risk" - now, not knowing exactly what to expect, and knowing that I disliked the game of Risk, I ventured forth regardless.
The draw was getting out of the house, away from the wife. That's another story entirely.
What I found was a warm room, full of laughter and books.
It was the sort of place that people walk by and long to enter, but never do - for fear that they won't be welcomed in the same way the rest of the room is feeling welcomed. A room full of laughter, books, smoke, and the smell of coffee.
In the corner, a pair of older gentlemen are playing cribbage. A spirited young girl of 17 is sitting with my friend, and I feel drawn (which, by the way - never turned into anything more than a cool friend who has more issues than I care to delve into). Another friend is there with his girlfriend... or am I mixing this up with another night? I am.
Dime Chess, Poetry Readings, Musical Jams... all things that happened in this magical little coffee shop.
It was the kind of place people gravitated to... once you were a regular, the only thing that would keep you out is the lock on the door. Sometimes, days went by when that door never locked, and sometimes, it wouldn't open.
The most horrifying thing I ever heard?
"WHO WANTS TO SEE THE BRAIN!!!??"
If a man named Duncan ever asks you that, leave.
If you DO stay, look, point, and fall over laughing. Maybe he'll stop doing it someday... please?
The bathroom had a refrigerator door hanging from the wall opposite the toilet, covered with magnetic poetry.
Imagine that - a freaking fridge in the loo... brilliant.
The place, as it was (it had actually been a bookstore under another man previously, but the man who bought it had made it into more) was the brainchild of Peter the Elder. Peter was brilliant, scattered, and an amazing human being - but scattered... and scattered doesn't make for a highly profitable venture - highly popular, yes.
Here's where I drop some (first letters of) names. attempted in the order I met them, but unlikely.
Mi - brought me. I still beat him at chess when we try, unless it's reverse chess, in which case I win, which is bad.
PeW - added to the place in ways he probably doesn't
comprehend.
Na - Fun, insane, mean. Made a mess of PeW
At - named after a goddess, and one ion her own right.
PeE - owner, and inspiration for much chaos.
Am - brilliant, artistic, fun to be around.
Du (the brain) - One of the smartest men I've ever met. Played dumb every minute of the day, when there was more than one person with him.
JaN - Odd. Amazing. Talented. Didn't spend nearly enough time with the guy
Ja(r)(r) - still no clue.
Be - bought my tarot cards. made good coffee. amazing artist.
Er - Pilot, poet, had some great stories. Life was fiction, which should have been obvious. Urban camping master.
<a href=http://musky.journalspace.com>Musky</a> (aka RC) - a poet, a pilot, and a great human being. He writes some amazing material
Wi - Porche driving maniac... well, traded the porche in on a van. I suspect Words damaged him more than just about anyone... I liked him
Sean. I'm using his full name because Sean killed words, and I don't blame him really - what I do blame him for is the way he ripped off his friends when he skipped town. He was a great musician, a good guy to spend time with and bullshit with - but at the end of the day, he fucked a lot of people.
LD - Strange woman, but wonderful - cute kids, great husband
DS - what can I say about the little terror. More boyfriends than anyone I've ever met - she never stays single for more than 10 minutes. Don't know why - not worried about it. My favorite person to hug, glad I never got to go there...
JL - Brilliant artist, really quit guy... quirky. I always enjoyed having him around.
Okay - I've had enough of that - there were many more people. I could go into the VGA Planets tournaments, all the staff (I got a couple of em up there), the bizarre nights, the comedy shows, Natasha was a goddess on the stage. Jam nights.
What I miss the most?
Cribbage with the old guys, coffee until 7am.
When I started going there, I was an employee of Chapters bookstore. I gave Peter (the owner) one of my shirts, he embroidered a red circle with a line through it over top of the logo, and wore it as a uniform shirt.
I think I might cry.
Most of my time there was spent observing... myself participate with all these different and wonderful people. Seeing the ways the place ruined their lives and help them find new ones.
How could I forget Tony. His incessant bitching was so uplifting - usually people who complain are a drag. Tony would complain in such a way that everyone would brighten up, and then apologize for being such a downer.
So many people.
SO many memories.
Words was like heroin - you swore you'd never go back, but you always found yourself there. There's never been a place like it, and if it was a movie, everyone who saw it... if it could be captured... would wish they were there too.
I remember playing the Mad game till 7am one morning and being dared to flash all on coming trafic durring morning rush hour on 17th ave.
The Brain, I think, is probably safely locked away - wedding rings do that to some people.
I also remember getting dumped then scrubbing the floor on my hands and knees to ease the 'pain'
I don't think that place could ever truely be replaced.
STUPID FREAKING STARBUCKS
On a slightly less sentimental note, we are losing Badass on 17th now too. It supposed to open again somewhere else and under a different name in two months ish, still won't be the same.