People Like Me

Carlie and I were working behind the bar one day, Carlie wearing black skinny jeans and a band t-shirt. Her air max 90’s and her tattoos showing. The third daily tour came through- we do the usual. Cram cram cram, a list of 15 drinks, smile smile smile until they walk away, but this time one came back. I think it might have been embarrassing because sometimes we make fun of the people who come through after they leave. And we always make fun of the tour guide, Ben Ringle. “Now let’s make our way to our Mooyah Burger.” But I look up at the one who came back, his black greasy hair, pretty messy. He says, “excuse me” and I say “yeah what’s up my man?” And he says, “actually no, the girl” and I’m like hey now, but he’s like “I just wanted to ask... I’m looking at going here. Are there other people here who dress like you?” And she looks pretty confused, but then I notice his black skinny jeans and his Vans and his tattoos showing, and I look across the room and no offense but I see Josh Greene and Alexis Hazelmyre and Haven Stevens and Kade Davis and I get what he means. I again steal the answer and say, “honestly there’s more than you think, and sometimes they’re just not as outgoing so you’ll see them less. But if you hang out here, I think you’ll see.” And he thanked me and went to our Mooyah Burger, and Carlie kind of made fun of him, but I just felt bad. 

I think I know what you mean.. girls who have experienced it don’t want to be with guys who hold guitars in their hands because you can see the bleached wood where the salt water drips down the pick guard. So today I’m wearing my black skinny jeans and my cap’s on backwards and my black vans shirt goes out to those people like me, and yeah sometimes I wonder.. are there more here who dress like me. And just as I’m typing this, Josh Greene walks in wearing a button down and his expensive pants and I’ve seen him play guitar and maybe I’m wrong in assuming (I am) but I just don’t see the same expression and he uses a pick but sometimes my fingers bleed. 

I guess that’s the thing. There’s people who wear the clothes and are a little more open to showing it. My mom always said I wore my heart on my sleeve and I guess I wear it with my big t-shirts that my grandma hates as well, but every once in a while I buy something bright. I feel like that potential is in someone who wears vans and has a guitar in his hand and that’s when it will look the coolest. If Josh wore something bright it just might not show too much. Man that guitar is a tool and my Jordan’s are like lyrics. I wish more people would dress like him.. and then I wish they’d dress like me.