Just a bunch of memories with my Colorado friends that have come around in talks recently…
1. 18 years old, recently moved to Boulder after HS graduation… 5 of us have been playing Halo all day and into the night when we started getting hungry. Someone says “A #2 with a coke would be perfect right now.” ….. We all look at each other, maybe 10 seconds later without saying a word, we hop into one of the guy’s cars and make our way to California to get some In-N-Out. After we ate, we turned around and headed home.
2. Had just recently moved into Lincoln Place in downtown Loveland, 4 years ago. A buddy (who may had very well been a roommate since he woke up every day on the couch) and I were playing Halo 3 when a friend down in Austin, TX asked “When are you guys going to come down and visit?!” … I turned to my buddy and asked “What are you doing the next 4 days?” .. “Nothing.” .. “We’re going to Austin.” … We left the next morning.
3. Sitting in the green room at Starlight in Fort Collins. (It is now called Hodi’s Half-Note). I was about to go on stage with my band that I had joined 3 weeks prior and had to learn all their songs on the bass guitar in that time frame. Never having ever played the guitar or performed in front of an audience, I was crazy nervous. Then I remembered why I agreed to do this as I saw the biggest smile on the lead singer’s face and remembered I was doing this for him so he could live out his dream of performing songs he had written in front of a crowd. I don’t remember looking up into the crowd until our last song where I then witnessed a mosh pit occurring and the lead singer’s family in tears of joy. Felt good.
4. When my boy took me under his wing after I had turned 21 and helped me get that shyness out of me. Going out every night, making friends, connections & enjoying 21 to the fullest. Being able to walk in through the back door, Goodfellas style through the kitchen, at Tailgate Tommy’s every Friday & Saturday was such a good feeling when the crowd inside see you come through those swinging doors and the line which always wrapped around the block wonder what’s up. Haha, ballin’
5. Waking up on a bed surrounded by stuffed animals. Obviously a young kids’ room when looking upon the ocean of toys on the floor. I slowly walked out into an empty house with all the doors being shut. Not knowing at all where I was, I just decided to chill on the couch hoping someone I knew would appear. About 4 hours later after having beers with 4 black guys I had never bet before and watching Dave Chappelle… my boy (from #4) comes out of one of the rooms and I feel relieved. He explained the situation after we left after watching a few more episodes of Chappelle.