Yesterday I was supposed to ride out with some poets that I met on the 11th and participate in a huge slam. The audience averages about 400 people. I was supposed to meet two car loads of performers at the Kino (cinema) on what translates to "Burger Street" in Frankfurt.
So I began my day with coffee (thanks to Chris who is a sweetheart and wakes me every morning offering me coffee even though he is sick as a dog right now). I got dressed and headed out the door, but not before i was invited out to a dance club by some new aquaintances. I told them that from what I heard, the slam began at 6 so I couldn't imagine being back in Frankfurt later than midnight and if that was enough time to go out and shake my ass, then I would gladly do so.
I started down the street and saw some AWESOME independent fashion stores. Some of it was shit that I would never wear because it would never look right on my body type and some of it was some things tht I would definatly go broke trying to buy. Lord, I saw these retro-80's shoes - even though the 80's are the new retro! These shoes were genuine leather and looked like a flat sneaker with a long sock but really the entire thing was a boot. It had a pointed toe and a think rubber sole. I just kept staring at the shoe and noddin 'no' and sayin "badass - hella badass" I would sleep in those damn things. And they only cost 50 euro which is VERY good for shoes out here. BUT, I'm on a budget and I have shoes so I dont NEED any. Man, there was this old fashioned tan leather purse that would look so good on my mother's arm! It cost 89 Euro. I wish. But then I told myself my mom has a billion purses. Then I argued "yeah, but she doesn't have ONE from YOU from Europe." Then I argued again, "Joyce, you are boycotting Christmas AND if you get your mother a purse, your sisters are gonna kill you if you dont get them one too and you aint got it like that so just keep walkin!"
I stopped and snacked and people-watched in between looking for the Kino. Then when I got up to leave I ask the shop owner if I was headed in the right direction and three men walked into the store. I tried speaking German and one of them smiled and said "what are you looking for, say it again" and I said "Im looking for the Kino" and he said "on what street" and I knew he was trying to get me to struggle through German a bit more and I hit him and he and his friends laughed. "Where are you from?" he asked "I'm from California"
"what part?"
"Oakland"
"Oh - Oakland?!"
"Yes. Oakland, and you, where are you from?"
"I'm from Germany - what are you doing here?"
"Well, I'm a writer."
"Oh really. Why are you going to the Kino?"
"I'm meeting someone. We are going somewhere . . . . OK. Well, thanks for the directions. Ciao."
"Uh, OK. Ciao"
I continued down the street. Found the Kino and had plenty of time to spare so I checked out the street market. The Kino was in the center of it. Lord were there so many things to eat! I tasted some Israeli fruit that I cant remember the name of but it looked like a tomatoe. I ate so many types of seasoned olives - the guy told me they were Greek and he had sheep cheese. It looked so different, I had to taste it - AWESOME. I munched on grapes in between discoveries. The herb cart smelled so good. I was just imagining the magic my mother would make if they put a fresh herb cart in a farmers market - she'd never stop making soups and stews. I wanted to make a chicken, herb and red potatoe stew myself just starin at it. It would be perfect for the weather.
After a while the time came for the poets to meet me and they weren't there. I began to wonder if I'd missed them or if I was late or something. I dont have a cell phone to call them and truth be told, I'm not really in a rush to get one. I like the way things are. I dont want to have to keep up with a cell phone - or people. My mother got around in the 80's without a cell phone and I didnt have my first one until I was 18. Before then, all meetings worked this way: when you said you were gonna be there, you were there!
Anyway, I figured I was early and began to walk back down the street from where I came when I bumped into the guy who gave me directions. "Hey!" he waved and startled me. I wouldn't have noticed him otherwise cause I am so in my head. "Aren't you supposed to be gone?" he smiled
"well, they haven't shown up yet"
"What do you mean? It's been over an hour since I met you!"
"I know, I know" I nodded "I'm sure they're coming, I'm very early."
"Eh - Germans are just late. So what are you doing now?"
"Im waiting"
"Well, my friends and me are going for drinks and dinner, would you like to come?"
"Uhmmmmmmmm. Are you sure it's OK with your friends?"
"Yes! Of course!"
So, we introduced ourselves and I met Dejan (pronounced Dayen) from Germany. He was about 6'4 all muscles. Brown eyes, blond hair, and VERY neat cloths and clean shoes. Then there was Zarko (pronounced like Marco but with a Z) LORD he is so fuckin FINE it is RIDICULOUS. Dark eyes, dark hair that goes to the end of his neck, George Clooney beard without the grey, built like a soccer player with a perfect smile, he and Djordje (pronounced like George) are from Syria. Djorgje has dark eyes and is bald. Clean shaven and very, very quiet. We all sat and talked. Well, mainly me and Zarko talked because he was so outspoken and pretty hilarious. In the forty minutes that we sat there, ate and drank Zarko and I argued about marriage (because he feels that I should be married with children because I am 30 and time is ticking. And then I reminded him that he is 32 and not married with children and the clock applies to him too) Religion (because I wouldn't tell him flat out what my faith is, so he thought I was not a Christian and then we debated on "so what if I wasn't") Parents (because he thinks that my father should know exactly where I am and what I'm doing even though I'm 30) and, homosexual freedoms. Now this, Zarko and I debated all night. Well, after while we really didnt debate it - I got him to admit that he was pretty naive to believe that there are no homosexuals in Syria. And then he asked me questions about "them" "how do they think? what do they do for fun?" and I would answer his questions with questions "how do YOU think? what do YOU do for fun?" and at the end of these debates Zarko would say, "well, yeah, you know I don't care. People are people - I'm open minded." And we all would laugh.
I abruptly left the guys because I wanted to wait again outside the Kino and see if the people would show but they didnt. Then Dejan came and gave me the mittens I left in the seat and invited me back to hang out some more. I concluded "ef it, why not" it seemed like me and the poets missed one another for whatever reason.
The fellas and me bar hopped a bit, ate and drank. Djodje went home for a while to do who knows what and Dejan also went home to wash up because he had a party to go to later so after a while that just left me and Zarko in his car jokin around. I asked him what kind of music he liked and he turns out to be a true lover of most types of music EXCEPT blues (booooooooo). But then, he put on The Lost Boy's 'Music Makes Me High' and we cruised around Frankfurt bumpin it and rhymin along. But THEN, he took out The Lost Boys and TOTALLY macked me. He put on Anthony Hamilton 'Be With You'. It was smooth. Then he took me to an American joint. We talked more, he ordered me drinks but I felt awkward drinkin because Zarko doesnt drink - and he shouldnt! He is full of energy all by himself. Afterwhile the guys showed up again and we all hung out again - talked, joked. Then Zarko got tired - it was late and he's an engineer so it was curtains. We shook hands, he gave me his number, Djorje did the same and Dejan drove me home and went to the party he got all spiffy for. It really was an adventurous night. I don't know if I'mma call any of em. Even though Zarko is handsome and would be a chill friend - I'm on gaurd about motives. Actually, the entire time I was hangin out with those guys I was on guard - I didn't know what they were gonna do but I KNEW that I wasn't going to be anyone's victim! I figure, if it's meant for us to hang out again, Franfurt is a small enough place to bump into each other a third time, ya know?
I came home tipsy and FULL from the dinner and snacking before I met the fellas. I told Chris about my day. He gave me some simple and sound advice "you take things as slow as you want - that's actually wise. I mean, you've only been here in Germany for three days".
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