Faultline
Ice Cream
The Water Bottle Story
I was out for a walk last night. It was around 10pm, clear skies, reasonably cool.
I got to the train tracks in the middle of town. I planned to cross the tracks, then continue on for about a two mile walk in a roundabout way back to my house.
A freight train was going by. A man and a woman were on the sidewalk, sitting on their bicycles, also waiting. The man took a final swig from his bottled water. He set it down on the ground next to his foot.
“Is he going to leave the bottle?” I thought. I didn’t see a backpack on him, or a saddlebag on his bike, but he must have had the bottle with him, carrying it around. It would have been heavier before he emptied it of liquid, so I knew he was capable of taking an empty bottle.
Maybe he would stoop down to pick it up before he rode off. I looked at the graffiti on the passing freight cars. Nothing too amazing, a few bubble-letter tags, not even that colorful.
The freight train finally went by and the gates went up. The cyclist put his feet on the pedals, and rode across the tracks. The empty water bottle fell down as he brushed against it. He and the woman turned a corner and were gone.
So now, it’s me and the empty water bottle. What should I do? I picked it up. There was a garbage can by the train station. Maybe there was also a recycling can? I reached the train station and saw there was only a garbage can.
I couldn’t put it in the garbage. It should be recycled! So, I placed it on top of the garbage can. I started back on my walk.
What did I just do? How was I any better than the littering cyclist? I was leaving this bottle as someone else’s problem. Would people realize that by putting the bottle on the garbage can, I was saying to them, “Look. I know this shouldn’t go in the garbage. But I’m done with it. I would put the bottle in a recycling can if I could, but none were available. Please understand I tried my best.”
Noticed that I thought “But I’m done with it.” I have a relationship with the bottle. I never used it. It never helped me carry anything, or quenched my thirst. But now it is mine. I’m responsible for it.
I walked away from the garbage can and the bottle. I thought about the bottle. It probably wouldn’t stay on the can. It would get blown off with the slightest breeze. And then what would people think? “Stupid litterer, throwing his trash all over the ground.” That wasn’t me. It wasn’t. But I kept on walking.
I crossed the tracks, another street, and came to a corner. There was a garbage can there. Improbably, there was also a recycling can. This was right outside a bar. Perhaps that’s why it was there. I stopped. I thought for a few seconds.
I turned back, crossed the street, crossed the tracks, went back and got the bottle, which still stood where I had placed it. I crossed the tracks again, crossed the street and threw the bottle in the recycling can.
“That’s done”, I thought. But what if this bottle doesn’t actually make it to a recycling center? What if it lazily gets tossed in with unrecyclable garbage? What if it’s dropped in a landfill?
I don’t know. I hope the bottle gets to where it needs to be. That’s all I can do.
THE END
Unconnected Tuesdays
Radar Antenna
Snaps
Is One Of Those Kids Yours?
We’re watching a little puppet show at Andersonville’s annual street festival yesterday.
I give my kids the few singles I have in my wallet to give to the little cat puppets, who entertainingly take the money and parade around.
A small crowd of kids is laughing right under the puppet show stage, jumping and having a good time.
Someone taps me on the shoulder, a man I don’t know. “Is one of those kids yours?” he asks.
He hands me a dollar bill. I give the dollar to my youngest son, who knocks on a tiny door below the main stage. A scarlet macaw pops out and takes the bill from him.
He’s In My Emails
Sitting at a McDonald’s PlayPlace. A woman ignores her happily running and screaming two children (ages 8-11 or so), focusing intently on her pink, beglittered Blackberry.
I get my kids to go, come back to throw away some trash.
The woman is standing, talking on the phone now.
“He’s gotten into all my email accounts. He’s in my emails.”
Unconnected Tuesdays
Battle
Twig
Splotchy’s Contribution To The Food & Drink Mix
Here’s a discussion of my selections for Food & Drink, Volume 20 of the Green Monkey Music Project.
Bucket of Grease – Les McCann
Okay, so I start out with a song that is stretching the mix’s theme, I know (unless you routinely sit down and ingest a large container of grease). In my defense, look at the album cover. They are standing in front of a fast food joint. So, “Bucket of Grease” CLEARLY refers to food, yes? I think the album cover pic might be of a place on Maxwell Street in Chicago. I think I might have eaten there, actually. This song has a great start — a 1-2-3-4 count-off that leads into a killer piano riff. It’s a great way to start a mix.
Lady Marmalade – Labelle
You might be more familiar with this song as “Voulez-vous coucher avec moi (ce soir)”. A great, funky song. It holds up after repeated listenings.
Hold All The Butter – The Bats
A nice, cheery song from the New Zealand band The Bats. Maybe a little too cheery. DEAL WITH IT.
Have A Cuppa Tea – Kinks
A nice little slice of homespun British pop. From the record Muswell Hillbillies.
You Left The Water Running – Wilson Pickett
Wilson Pickett is awesome. He has one of the best voices ever.
Hooch – The Melvins
Not sure if this works in the mix. It might be too jarring a transition from Wilson Pickett. I had thought about replacing the previous song with “Tropical Hot Dog Night” by Captain Beefheart, but… I didn’t. I have no idea what this song is supposed to be about. I don’t think I am supposed to know.
Champagne and Misery – The Clean
Some more New Zealand pop, this time from one of my favorite bands, The Clean. The word “Misery” is in the song title, so I hope it reduces some of the cheeriness of “Hold All The Butter” for you, Dr. Gloomypants.
Potato Chips – Slim Gaillard
I first became aware of Slim Gaillard through Jack Kerouac’s book On The Road. His music has a nice, playful silliness. And he loves potato chips!
Presenting The Food & Drink Mix!
Volume 20 of the Green Monkey Music Project is completed and available for download!
If the participants of this mix want to discuss their own selections, please feel free to do so! I’ll put a pointer on this post if you end up posting about it on your own blog (or you could always just add comments here, I suppose).
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FOOD & DRINK
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The Participants Discuss Their Selections:
Nelson!
Andy!
Dena!
Zippy! (see Monty49 comment below)
Splotchy!
The Songs:
All of Splotchy’s songs!
All of Nelson’s songs!
All of Flannery’s songs!
All of EBlair’s songs!
All of Dena’s songs!
All of Zippy’s songs!
All of Andy’s songs!
Track Listing
01 – Bucket of Grease – Les McCann [splotchy]
02 – Lady Marmalade – Labelle [splotchy]
03 – Hold All The Butter – The Bats [splotchy]
04 – Have A Cuppa Tea – Kinks [splotchy]
05 – You Left The Water Running – Wilson Pickett [splotchy]
06 – Hooch – The Melvins [splotchy]
07 – Champagne and Misery – The Clean [splotchy]
08 – Potato Chips – Slim Gaillard [splotchy]
09 – Salty Candy – Adam Green [nelson]
10 – Gold for Bread – Blitzen Trapper [nelson]
11 – Mint Car – The Cure [nelson]
12 – One Bourbon, One Scotch, and One Beer – George Thorogood [nelson]
13 – Jesus and Tequila – Minutemen [nelson]
14 – Beer – Reel Big Fish [nelson]
15 – Mince Meat – Dangerdoom [nelson]
16 – Nugget – Cake [nelson]
17 – Coffee and T.V. – Blur [eblair]
18 – Ice Cream Man – Tom Waits [eblair]
19 – Glass Onion – The Beatles [eblair]
20 – Underneath the Bottle – Lou Reed [eblair]
21 – Slow Like Honey – Fiona Apple [eblair]
22 – Pigs on the Wing (Part One) – Pink Floyd [eblair]
23 – Fuckin With My Head (Mountain Dew Rock) – Beck [eblair]
24 – Fruit Tree – Nick Drake [eblair]
25 – Cherry Pie – Warrant [flannery]
26 – Old Dogs, Children and Watermelon Wine – Tom T. Hall [flannery]
27 – Boat Drinks – Jimmy Buffett [flannery]
28 – Orange Crush – REM [flannery]
29 – I Love Rocky Road – Weird Al Yankovic [flannery]
30 – A Taste of Honey – The Beatles [flannery]
31 – Hot Potato – The Wiggles [flannery]
32 – Heinz Baked Beans – The Who [dena]
33 – Party in My Tummy – Yo Gabba Gabba [dena]
34 – Brown Mushrooms – Shonen Knife [dena]
35 – Butterbean – The B-52s [dena]
36 – White Lightning – George Jones [dena]
37 – Mars Bars – The Undertones [dena]
38 – Cigarettes and Chocolate Milk – Rufus Wainwright [dena]
39 – Orange Juice Blues – The Band [zippy]
40 – Orange Appled – Cocteau Twins [zippy]
41 – Hot Cake – The Fall [zippy]
42 – Candy and a Currant Bun – Pink Floyd [zippy]
43 – Cheap Wine – Rain Parade [zippy]
44 – Emperor Tomato Ketchup – Stereolab [zippy]
45 – Eggs and Sausage (in a Cadillac with Susan Michelson) – Tom Waits [zippy]
46 – Orange Song – Yo La Tengo [zippy]
47 – Hot Chocolate Boy – Beat Happening [andy]
48 – Red Vines – Aimee Mann [andy]
49 – Cheese & Onions – The Rutles [andy]
50 – Strawberry Fields Forever – The Beatles [andy]
51 – Sprout and the Bean – Joanna Newsom [andy]
52 – Apples in the Trees – Mirah [andy]
53 – Ginger Snaps – Dean & Britta [andy]
54 – The Man Who Loved Beer – Lambchop [andy]
Unconnected Tuesdays
Paisley
Serf
Green Monkey Mix: Food & Drink Track Listing
I have a few people that I am waiting on selections from. I’ll add them when I receive them.
01 – Bucket of Grease – Les McCann [splotchy]
02 – Lady Marmalade – Labelle [splotchy]
03 – Hold All The Butter – The Bats [splotchy]
04 – Have A Cuppa Tea – Kinks [splotchy]
05 – You Left The Water Running – Wilson Pickett [splotchy]
06 – Hooch – The Melvins [splotchy]
07 – Champagne and Misery – The Clean [splotchy]
08 – Potato Chips – Slim Gaillard [splotchy]
09 – Salty Candy – Adam Green [nelson]
10 – Gold for Bread – Blitzen Trapper [nelson]
11 – Mint Car – The Cure [nelson]
12 – One Bourbon, One Scotch, and One Beer – George Thorogood [nelson]
13 – Jesus and Tequila – Minutemen [nelson]
14 – Beer – Reel Big Fish [nelson]
15 – Mince Meat – Dangerdoom [nelson]
16 – Nugget – Cake [nelson]
17 – Coffee and T.V. – Blur [eblair]
18 – Ice Cream Man – Tom Waits [eblair]
19 – Glass Onion – The Beatles [eblair]
20 – Underneath the Bottle – Lou Reed [eblair]
21 – Slow Like Honey – Fiona Apple [eblair]
22 – Pigs on the Wing (Part One) – Pink Floyd [eblair]
23 – Fuckin With My Head (Mountain Dew Rock) – Beck [eblair]
24 – Fruit Tree – Nick Drake [eblair]
25 – Cherry Pie – Warrant [flannery]
26 – Old Dogs, Children and Watermelon Wine – Tom T. Hall [flannery]
27 – Boat Drinks – Jimmy Buffett [flannery]
28 – Orange Crush – REM [flannery]
29 – I Love Rocky Road – Weird Al Yankovic [flannery]
30 – A Taste of Honey – The Beatles [flannery]
31 – Hot Potato – The Wiggles [flannery]
32 – Heinz Baked Beans – The Who [dena]
33 – Party in My Tummy – Yo Gabba Gabba [dena]
34 – Brown Mushrooms – Shonen Knife [dena]
35 – Butterbean – The B-52s [dena]
36 – White Lightning – George Jones [dena]
37 – Mars Bars – The Undertones [dena]
38 – Cigarettes and Chocolate Milk – Rufus Wainwright [dena]
39 – Orange Juice Blues – The Band [zippy]
40 – Orange Appled – Cocteau Twins [zippy]
41 – Hot Cake – The Fall [zippy]
42 – Candy and a Currant Bun – Pink Floyd [zippy]
43 – Cheap Wine – Rain Parade [zippy]
44 – Emperor Tomato Ketchup – Stereolab [zippy]
45 – Eggs and Sausage (in a Cadillac with Susan Michelson) – Tom Waits [zippy]
46 – Orange Song – Yo La Tengo [zippy]
47 – Hot Chocolate Boy – Beat Happening [andy]
48 – Red Vines – Aimee Mann [andy]
49 – Cheese & Onions – The Rutles [andy]
50 – Strawberry Fields Forever – The Beatles [andy]
51 – Sprout and the Bean – Joanna Newsom [andy]
52 – Apples in the Trees – Mirah [andy]
53 – Ginger Snaps – Dean & Britta [andy]
54 – The Man Who Loved Beer – Lambchop [andy]