GOOD TIMES

My friend Jeri was my partner in crime for a very long time. We used to do wild and crazy, as opposed to wild and stupid, things together. Things that I wouldn't do now for various reasons, mostly because it would take too much effort. Or you know I'd think about it and wonder if it was a good idea, and if you're wondering if something is a good idea, it's probably not.

One time we decided to go see Pearl Jam. In Tijuana. On a Sunday night. This was back right after they released Ten, before they became huge. They were playing this dive that looked, as so many buildings do in Tijuana, like it wasn't completed. Lots of cinder block and exposed rebar. There were no toilet seats, not that I actually considered using the bathroom, preferring instead to practice my Kegel exercises.

Anyway, we drove down to the border and parked on the US side. It was dark so we didn't want to drive over the border, no, we thought it would be better to WALK. Once safely in Mexico we got a cab and headed out to the club, I can't remember what it was called, but it was full of kids from San Diego state. Needless to say, Jeri and I no longer qualified as "kids." At this point we were definitely not, but the upside to that is being able to hold your liquor better in public. No more sprawling in a puddle of questionable fluid at the bottom of the stairs like the girl we climbed over to get upstairs for a better view.

Sitting astride the balconey railing up above the seething pit of flannel that made up the dance floor in front of the stage Jeri and I clinked Coronas and enjoyed the show. Pearl Jam was an awesome band made up of incredible musicians. This was before they were really well known because it took more than a year after that first album was released for people to figure it out. I remember playing that CD so loud and my roommate at the time used to snipe at me like a little old man, "you're going to go deaf."

And you're an old fart at 30 dude.

They were even louder and better live. Eddie Vedder was about 28 at the time and this was back when he would climb up on balconeys during live shows. This show was no different. He went running to the side of the stage and climbed up to the balconey and proceeded to swing hand over hand around the entire club. As he came by Jeri and I he grabbed onto her leg to swing by. Very exciting. And dangerous. Shortly after this I heard he stopped doing it because, duh, as 30 approaches you start to realize that your shit can break.

Gotta have those good times while the gettin' is good.