here's saira, my other best friend:
Saira and Lucas really don't like each other. there's long, convoluted history there that I won't get into, but consequentially they harbor a deep seeded loathing for one another. However, they repress the innate hatred and hang out together because it's inevitable in our group of friends. they gnash their teeth and complain bitterly (only sometimes), but they get along.
with that said, this is saira wearing Luke's shirt:
Saira and I decided that the shirt's first adventure should be in Buffalo, before I go gallivanting around Italy. So, the night begins and Saira and I go straight from school to my house. Luke and Evan were off seeing RENT at Shea's, so we concluded it would be appropriate to bring the shirt to Elmwood so that it may experience some American nightlife.
I managed to lose my camera on the way out the door, but after searching diligently for about 20 minutes we found it on the mantel in my Living Room and the adventure was allowed to proceed. Luke says I'm the most disorganized person he's ever met. Usually, I'd dispute that, however, it may be an irrefutable fact.
Out first stop was Spot Coffee, a coffee shop right in the middle of the Elmwood Strip. Initially, I tried to convince the man behind the counter to wear the shirt with a clever sob story.
the conversation went something like this:
ME: "hey man, can I ask you a pretty bizarre favor?"
HIPSTER BARISTA: "you can ask." picture him as a bearded man in tight pants and an apron. he's giving me a scrutinizing/scathing glare.
ME: "I'm moving out of the country for six months, and this is my best friend's shirt."
HIPSTER BARISTA: "and?" he snottily raised his eyebrow here, if you care to imagine it.
ME: "Well, I kind of stole it. he doesn't know I have it, and I'm taking it on adventures everywhere and posting the pictures on a blog. I'm going to give him the address once I leave the country and he comes to Spot all the time."
HIPSTER BARISTA: "..."
ME: "I was hoping you could put the shirt on and I could take a picture of you. you know, for posterity's sake. to prove the shirt was here."
HIPSTER BARISTA: "I don't think so."
So, Luke, I don't have a picture of the shirt at Spot. But, it was there! I swear!
After we got some coffee for the long cold journey before us, we moved along to Firebrand, hoping to run into Matt Ambrose so he could wear the shirt. We know how much you love Matt Ambrose. But, alas and also alack, he was not there. We looked around for an interesting place to display your shirt, when an intriguing girl behind the counter gathered what we were doing and offered a clever plan.
Here's your shirt at Firebrand:
Mr. Pussy was honored to wear your shirt.
Before leaving, we ask the girl who'd been so helpful where else we could go with "Stay Weird" once we'd exhausted Elmwood's supply. She suggested a store called Krudmart on Allen Street. She told us to ask for Steve and that he would help us out with the shirt. We thanked her graciously, told her she was super rad, and went on our way.
We made our way to Urban, where another hipster-employee with a perpetual sneer frightened us away from the store. We moved on to Everything Elmwood, and for lack of a better place to display your shirt, I thought a buffalo plushie would suffice:
I'm in the background! like my hat? Evan made it. Anyway, on our way back to the car to go find Krudmart, we walked by a salon. A specific salon, actually, called Karma. We looked inside, and sure enough, there was a good looking, skinny boy with short black hair sitting at the counter. Saira encouraged me to go in and get him to pose with the shirt. However, considering Sean has no loyalty to us, I decided he totally would have given us away to you, Lucas, and I couldn't risk that, not even for the satisfaction of having a picture of him in your shirt.
we compensated though, with this:
No as exciting as it could have been, but hey, the shirt saw the salon, yeah?
moving on.
We went in search of the place called Krudmart. We wandered the streets, and eventually found our way to the small store. We parked across the street, and knocked on the locked door. A nicely dressed woman in ultra glasses greeted us with a half-hearted smile.
GLASSES WOMAN: "Welcome to Krudmart."
subtext: get out, I want to go home.
ME: "I was sent here. on a mission, of sorts."
GLASSES WOMAN: "Sent by who?"
subtext: I totally have the cops on speed dial.
ME: "The kind women of Firebrand. See, I have this shirt, and I need to document it's time in Buffalo. I'm about to leave the country for six months. I was told to ask for Steve."
GLASSES WOMAN: "Steve's not here tonight. he went home."
subtext: get out of my store.
ME: Well, do you mind if I dress up that dead animal on your wall?"
GLASSES WOMAN: "um, sure, fine. go ahead."
subtext: if you'll leave directly following.
Here's your shirt at Krudmart:
as I was composing these masterpieces, the woman began to play Kids, OF COURSE, by MGMT. Saira and I began arguing in that ostentatious way that you loathe, and we left the store satisfied by our efforts. we continued down Allen to no avail, and as we began to trudge back to my car, I was whistling Kids. Serendipitously enough, this large fat stranger on the street began to whistle along with me. I was so shocked, that I got him to pose for me.
We get back to the car, and are considering where to go next, when we get a phone call from Evan, our other friend. this is Evan:
Not only was Evan not able to go to Luke's house before Rent, but his parents dropped him off at the theatre an hour and a half early. It was 6 degrees out and the boy had no where to go. he asked if we were nearby and if so, if we would hang out with him. Luckily, we were right down the street and headed that way anyway to go to Friday's for dinner. We met up with him outside of Shea's, and Evan decides that he wants to pose in Luke's shirt.
Well Luke, immediately after changing, he get's a phone call. from who? from YOU:
this pleased us.
Friday's with Evan needs no explanation other than what follows:
So, after the nonsense ceases, Evan goes to meet Luke at Shea's and Saira and I decide to go to the art gallery. on the way back to the car, we pass Shea's and cannot resist.
OH HAI, YOU GUYS ARE INSIDE.
Then we went to the Art Gallery, where camera's are a bit taboo, and afterward, home.
THUS, the first adventure draw's to a close. this will not be the last.
you're my best friend, and every time I do this, I feel so wretched about stealing your shirt. I only hope you won't be too livid with me.
