summer of love

We had some rain yesterday, late afternoon and into the evening. Not torrents, but almost any rain here is good rain. I sat in my weird, thrift-shop chair and listened to it a while during a break to take a shower, most of the way through a movie on the desktop. It was “Super 8,” and nearly since the day it debuted in 2011 it’s been in my top five most-loved movies of all time. It’s mostly about kids, an obvious reason I relate so well, and a monster — ditto. Mostly it’s about heart and soul, courage and loyalty; redemption and the abilty to change. And wonder. Lots and lots of wonder.

Tuesday I posted here a piece called “for Gavin” in which I copped to a deep sense of punk rock and playing a way more significant role in that milieu, as a rocker. I said I’d had to sell all my musical instruments, two guitars, guitar straps, and my amp when my San Diego life can to an end. And for those about to rock – and you can call me a dreamer – you need the goods.

And there’s this — not an hour and a half after that post had published I received an email informing me I’d received $400 through PayPal from one of my subscribers. I reached out to ask if there’d been a mistake, and one half of the duo said no, go ahead and buy yourself a guitar, a strap, and an amp. An act of generosity straying into the place where it’s hard to find the words. Use the money on whatever feels right, she said later, and, yeah, I thought about some upcoming significant bills and all the usual stuff money helps with.

And then there’s reverence to generosity, a deep bowing, and honoring kindness. After work Tuesday, at my fave table in Starbucks, I began scooting around the internet of musicality. I’m happy to say, here on this freeway of magic, that if the creek don’t rise and there ain’t no meltdown, tomorrow morning at 10am I have a meeting set in San Luis with a man from Pismo Beach who’s going to sell me a guitar, a guitar strap, and an amplifier for exactly $400. Pictographs to follow.

“Super 8” ends with the dad, who’s been rather missing in action, holding his son – “I’ve got you. I’ve got you.” For me that’s how this crazy life is lots – “I’ve got you. I’ve got you.”