I don't think we're in Kansas anymore

I don’t think we’re in Kansas anymore (a country boy in a city club)

by the ADHD Accountant – Krid

Small towns and big dreams are lyrics to a lot of songs. To be fair I moved out of a small town into a good sized city years ago, and am happily planning on moving back to a small town. In between all kinds of new experiences and crazy culture shocks have occurred.

If you’ve read any of my works you may have picked up on the fact that I am a introvert, a bookworm, and something of a work-a-holic. At least in the sense of having many things on the go. Money was always tight as a kid, and though we never lacked for food I never had the accoutrements of the rich kid. Never the designer jeans and name brand shirts.

Looking back I can see that we had it pretty good compared to many; I just never was who I wanted to be. We’re all foolish, right? We did have family vacations. My parents had enough money to help us out with our first cars (and years of savings from babysitter jobs and Christmas money). But I was never popular. And, I was never into house music.

Though it was years ago, before the advent of omnipresent smartphones, I can still remember what I was willing to do for a cute girl. Plus, to broaden my horizons. I recommend that you choose to do so once in a while. Some of my coworkers wanted to go see Benassi. And, I wanted to be less me. I ended up being more me, but what do we know at that age?

I was up at 4:30 for the opening shift. I worked until at least 1300 and was nervous. I didn’t do this kind of thing, I was borrowing my parents car, I didn’t know downtown well. I was going with three cute girls.

The clubs name was tequila. The show started at 9.. ish? The party started at my friends place, a crappy little illegal basement suite that I thought was awesome, at around 5 for dinner and pre-drinking. I, by choice, do not drink at all. As such they had the perfect designated driver. At over 6’4” they also had the perfect shield against persistent suitors seeking more than a little dancing.

And I, for one night at least, had three cute dates. Ish. Kinda. Dressed in my best jeans, nice shoes, and a button up shirt under winter jacket I was already feeling like I wasn’t myself. I don’t care for large crowds to this day. I don’t generally like music that loud; though my hearing is not what it once was, either.

We parked my parent car on some street within a few blocks of the club, I think it was called tequila. I was starting to feel tired, and increasingly anxious. The girls, of course, were feeling fine. My urging to be ready and early had us there, I realize now, almost comically early. There was only a short line and a coat check, which was welcome, and we made a plan for the night. … of mice and men, right?!

The rest of the evening is mostly a blur. I know the girls all went their own way. I know that Benassi was something like an hour late. It was hot and loud and I set up somewhere in the back with my ‘DD’ bracelet and unlimited pop do just do my own thing. The doors were closed after midnight because of noise complaints and city bylaws. The girls checked in with me periodically, and danced with me briefly, as I dominated a six-foot space with my spastic moves.

Eyes half closed with fatigue and covered in sweat there was even a point where a security guy, a fair bit smaller than me if I recall correctly, tried to cross through my space and was bounced. I didn’t even see him. He just shouted at me to ‘be careful’ as I ignored him. It was his own fauilt.

I don’t know how long I danced, but the longer I was there, the more the girls danced with me, the more the sense of anxiety faded away. Perhaps it was the fatigue. Perhaps it was the acceptance. It was not the music, though to this day I fondly recall Deepest Blue. At the end, looking back through the lens of time, I think perhaps that strangers in a strange land can be good neighbours.

Also, did you know you can get Chinese food at 3:30! (that's so late, it's early)

<<END SONG: BENNI BENASSI – DEEPEST BLUE>>