11 Minutes of Huh?

I had a really weird night last night...

So there I was.

I was sitting on my steps, practicing guitar in preparation for the lesson I give my friend John every Wednesday night. My roommate, Jason, had come outside to hang out and chat. We were sitting there, drinking icy cold beer and chatting when a girl rounds the corner down the street from our apartment. She's about 16, maybe 17. She walks the block or so towards us, peers into the new piano shop about three doors down from us, and then tentatively approaches us.

Odd sixteen-year-old: "Excuse me, do you have the time?"

TB: "Uh, yeah. It's 9:55."

OSYO: "Great, thanks."

And she walks off. Well, she gets about eleven feet from us, stalls, and then returns.

OSYO: "So, uh, what songs can you play?"

TB: "You mean, songs you might know from the radio?"

OSYO: "Yeah."

TB: "None, really. I just play my own stuff for my own pleasure."

OSYO: "Oh. So, uh, do you guys live around here?"

Jason Bertrand: "Yeah, we live here."

OSYO: "That's cool. I live in Arnold."

At this moment, a woman rounds a different corner with a camera on a tripod.

Camera Gal: (in a thick European accent) "Can I take your picture?"

JB: "Uh, sure. Hang on though; I have to fix Old Glory." (The American flag hanging from our doorway which had become tangled.)

CG: "Ok." She takes a picture. (click)

JB: "Hang on!"

CG: "Sure." (click)

OSYO: "So, uh I work right around the corner at Buddy's restaurant."

TB: "That's cool."

Enter another girl with a camera on a tripod. She sets up next to the first girl, about six feet away, and starts taking pictures of CG.

CG2: (to CG) “Can I take your picture?”

CG: “Sure. Hey, are you almost done with the flag?”

JB: “Yep.”

CG: “Great!” (click.)

CG2: “Smile!” (click2)

OSYO: “So, uh, you guys ever get to Buddy’s?” (click) (click2)

TB: “Yeah, we’ve gone for brunch a few times. It’s pretty good.” (click)

(click2)

CG2: (to JB) “Can I take your picture?” (click)

JB: “Sure. What’s this for?” (click2)

OSYO: “Well, I don’t work Sundays. Well, I work at four.” (click)

At this point a third photographer with a tripod is setting up shop at the end of the block and starts photographing the whole scene.

JB: “That’s cool. I’ve eaten there once or twice for dinner.”

(click) (click2) (click3)

CG2 starts taking pictures of JB and TB. CG starts taking pictures of P3.

OSYO: “Uh, you guys should come in some time for dinner. I can hook you up.”

TB: “Uh, yeah, right.” (click3)

(click2) (click)

JB: “So, what’s up?”

OSYO: (click) “Oh, nothing.”

TB: “So, do you play guitar?”

OSYO: “No. I don’t have the coordination for it. I play piano, though.”

(click) (click3) CG2 is reloading her camera.

TB: “You play piano. That takes coordination.”

(click2) (CG2 is done reloading.)

OSYO: “Yeah, but not for guitar.”

JB: “What kind of piano do you play?”

OSYO: “Well, I only have a keyboard right now, but I’m saving for a full-size one. There’s a piano store on the next block that sells some great ones.”

(click)

JB: “Actually, it’s a few doors down.”

OSYO: “No, I’m pretty sure it’s on the next block near where my mom picks me up.”

(I remind everyone at this point she was peering into the piano store window at the beginning.)

JB: “okay…”

OSYO: “Yeah, so, what’s going on?”

TB: “Nothing.” (click) (click2)

P3 packs up and walks off.

(click)

CG: “Thanks, guys!”

JB, TB: “Sure.”

(click2)

OSYO: “Got a light?” (click2)

CG packs up as well, and walks up the street.

TB gives OSYO a light.

OSYO: “Thanks. Yeah, so, you guys should come in and visit me sometime.”

JB: “Yeah, well, our schedules are kinda odd. We’ll see.”

OSYO: “Well, I guess I gotta go. Nice to meet ya!”

JB, TB: “Yeah, you too.” (everyone shakes hands. OSYO walks off.)

CG2: “Thanks, guys!”

JB, TB: “Sure. What’s this for?”

CG2: “Just out taking some pictures, that’s all.”

CG2 walks off.

JB, TB sit there alone, trying to figure out what the hell just happened.

Total elapsed time: 11 minutes.