Program The Moment

It’s Sunday. A late Friday night ate a good part of my Saturday, so I’m stuck with a double duty Sunday. Need to escape the apartment, so I head down to Elliot Bay. Me and my iPod. My shuffle wandering soundtrack.

Construction sites poetic or chaotic depending on the song, shoppers superficially trite or mourning the routine prison of their life. Then the dance beat, I do a contained wiggle. I remember this post from my trip in 2006.

“The first rain day, I put on waterproofing and went for a stroll with the iPod. The campground was primarily empty and the skies were grey and wooly. I skip danced around the rainy camp loops, replaying Beck's song, "Girl".

I thought about my old walk to work. There was a long light at the corner of Massachusetts and 20th, just outside Dupont Circle. If a zippy song came on, I would wiggle a little under the lamppost. Always slightly restrained, very aware of those around me. I wanted to plant a friend across the street, also under the iPod spell. The plan would go as follows:

First we nod. I do a quick shuffle, my friend returns the dance. Another few dance exchanges, then we full out boogie. Legs shifting, arms in the air, shuffling, doing the snake. The other commuters move slowly away from us. The light changes, we stop dancing immediately and cross the street. We don't talk or stop, just exchange a quick grin.”

Now I want more. A friend with a high embarrassment threshold and a good sense of musical emotion. We make a mix of contradictory songs; synchronize the start time. Private Seattle soundtrack, dancing encouraged.