Kids these days

It's been a while since I wrote in the dark. Before Trevor (my phone), I used to write almost daily on notebooks in pitch darkness, as if to test how well I remember where the lines are. Or to remind myself not to be bound by those lines, words should not be confined to a space, and in that dark space, I am limitless.

Somehow everything is more quiet here. Except for the fan, working to create even more cold than the rain is, but I can hear myself think. I can relax, I notice when I'm subconsciously clenching my jaw or my fists or hunching my shoulders. Also the darkness confuses mosquitoes so they can't see me. Thanks to melanin, all the mosquitoes can see are my eyes, shining with ideas and my teeth when I make myself laugh, which happens often.

All that would make this better would be a milkshake in a mason jar,with a squiggly straw. Because everything tastes better in mason jars.

Then even better would have been if my interview hadn't flopped this week. I would have even sat up straight to write this story, but alas all I have to share is my collosal stand up.

I got stood up. Guys, is this how you feel when the girl doesn't show? Like you were just told it was raining cats and dogs, but they were coming down too fast and then they met the ground, now there are corpses everywhere? (Too much?)

After calling several times and deducing that I was dumped, I sat in my too high bar stool-chair contraption and hung back thinking I might as well enjoy the place while I was here. Do a bit of people watching and what not. So nursing juice in a mason jar, because everything tastes better in mason jars, I watched some live band set up and start singing. These band guys were young whippersnappers, looked like they were maybe just out of highschool or we're in highschool and skipped school to do this gig.

Then one of the youngins started singing and I could feel the tu-hairs on my neck and hands rise. The song being sung was a classic jazz song from the 70s and I wondered where those kids heard it. Then I wondered how that young whippersnapper got the pain he was singing this song with.

Twisting in my seat, I looked for other people showing the shock and wonder I knew was plastered on my face. Just to see if anyone else was hearing what I was hearing, because that's just what you do when you hear unexpectedly good music.

 It seemed like I should have been interviewing this band. I sat still for about 5 minutes after the song was over just contemplating life. Then after they were done, another group took their place and they gathered themselves to look for somewhere to sit. I could see the wheels turning in their minds as they saw every table filled or almost, except of course, mine. So they headed over.

And I did the thing for turning my phone on to 'check for messages' or whatever it is people do to look busy but my phone was off. It had apparently died from the shock of a good song played in such a place.

"Excuse me, do you mind if we join you" the guy who played keys asked. Then as usual, doesn't wait for a reply, they all just move to settle into the seats.

"Join me to what?" I ask. Then regret. And immediately hope they didn't hear.
I got one' Ha', and more raised eyebrows and strange looks. Apparently they don't feel my humour. Oh well, I try another tactic.

"Y'all sounded great up there"

They give each other skeptical looks and the keys player speaks again. Apparently he's the chatty one.

" You probably mean Ash sounded great, the rest of us... We could do better"

I decide not to reply to that because my brain might say something foolish or uncool, like 'groovy' or 'facebook' or something else outdated and they'll know I'm from the stone age. I also decide to leave. I know when to accept defeat. I was sliced from my table. I wave as I leave the table. Then one of them tells me,

"Did we chase you away? Sorry, I mean, you can stay if you want to. Also your hair is bomb" this being said by one of the singers.

And the rest quickly agree that my hair is 'bomb'.

I sit back down and they talk amongst themselves and from what I gather, they think almost everything is bomb. They kind of remind me of my first band, The Genesis Of A Story. Cool name Huh? We thought we were the dopest thing since nyama choma.
I was about to launch into one of those stories that start like,

"When I was your age,.." but I stopped myself, becuse then I'd really turn into an old timer.

Instead I ask them about their music influences hoping to hear familiar names. But boy was I wrong. Apparently they listen to artists with funny names. Like cage the elephant, Haitus Kaiyote arctic monkeys (at least I've heard of that one) and I honestly thought with some names, they were pulling my leg. Like Bad Bad Not Good. Apparently it's real. Apparently they're a jazz band.

Anyway, I ended up spending quite a while with them as they told me the things young guys their age are going through and I thought, I don't think I grew up that fast. One kid had been smoking weed since age 12. At age 12, I was saving up to buy chilli mangoes, which if you haven't tried, you probably should.

Some of the things teens are going through now are so far removed from the world older guys knew as kids, that we just don't understand when a 13 year old says they're dealing with something we consider as 'grown up' issues. So these kids have no one to talk to, because nobody would understand.

 Imagine a 14 year old telling you they're dealing with depression. When our society hasn't even fully accepted the term, let alone agree that it can affect teenagers as well. Or if a 12 year old tells you he's really trying to quit smoking cigarettes.

"Kwani when did he start?!" We would ask.

Not realising our question is in no way striving towards getting an answer.

As I walked home that day, after being dumped by my young band friends for, 'this club that's so bomb', I thought about candy, but also about the times and how they're changing. From an age where tipping your hat to a lady was the highest form of a pick up line to an age where labels on relationships are considered boring and old fashioned.

Its raining again as I write this, and as much as I love this sitting here in the dark (it's so bomb), I have to sleep. But before I go tell me, what's the strangest thing you've heard kids these days say? (even if you Are a kid these days.)

And as always, if you'd like to share your story email us manamanamusings@gmail.com. We won't stand you up.