The memory of what happened before, now comes back to me.
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Ha!
My adult self this morning contemplates various mental processes. This thing called memory goes through me in ways which easily elude. Capturing lucidity is a luxury.
As I attempt to recount these events, they come in snippets. Out of sorted scenes, shown to my current mind out of sequence. They resemble dreams. I’m finding my most effective writing times to be just after I awake each morning.
Now!
In this morning moment I recall the Alice Cooper concert. Allen sprung for the tickets. “Crazy” Allen is in the money somehow and bought tickets for his whole gang. At least us oldest ones anyway. Us captains. Is that what I am now?
I have no idea if Allen being in the money has anything to do with that meeting with the Hell’s Angels I attended with him a few days ago. It’s a pretty good guess that it did. Allen seems to be rising in the ranks.
Being regarded by the local criminal constabulary as an adult asset, is obviously now within Allen’s groping grasp and he’s lovin’ it! Our leader is in fine form and he is truly fearless. Fearless and full of the fun craziness he has always craved and is now attempting to exude. Allen is so very excited to be spending his Tuesday this way.
I will never tell him ANYTHING about what happened after that meeting. That head-on collision I’d had with Fred. There’s no way I’d tell Allen anything about that and my adult mind is now choosing to see this choice to be yet another example that the event truly did change the course of my decision-making. A course change that will eventually lead me home.
We get to the Omaha Civic Auditorium early, intent on being up front for the entire show. There are already something like two hundred people here and Allen is a bit annoyed. Our leader had planned for us to be a bit closer to the doors when they opened and this bunch is more than he expected. It couldn’t have been avoided though. They have obviously been here for a long time.
As we approach, Allen gestures for us to keep our distance. He’s in full “cop awareness” mode and sees the trouble building beyond this super early crowd. Good to keep clear of them. Perhaps their presense will work to our benefit.
Allen is correct. This early crowd has clearly been here all day and it has already been quite a party. The concrete reeks of stale beer, cheap wine and cigarettes. From the street to the steps in front of the auditorium doors, food wrappers, beer cans and cigarette butts create a line of litter, delineating the culprits. Those responsible for the mess. An area Allen knows the authorities will be watching to identify and capture the culpable.
Allen gets my attention and makes a furtive gesture at the doors. “Look Brian, see those people inside?” I look and… yes, there are several people behind the doors. Looking through the windows. A few appear to have binoculars or even cameras. It’s quite obvious that they are making note of specific people in this big unruly early crowd. Good thing Allen spotted them.
The doors won’t open for several hours so now the goal is to hold our place as other people start showing up and yet still not be seen as part of this early crowd. No telling what will happen to them and there’s no way we want to find out through experience. We want to get in and get to the front. Our party will be starting inside but first…
We have to get in.
The story of how THAT happens. How we did get in… will now have to continue when all this will again have to be…
To be continued…
