Sunday morning we got up an hour or so early so we could have breakfast on the beach. We were not graceful. Words came out of my mouth that demonstrated that I’m no longer able to be good company before coffee happens. Fortunately the drive to ruby’s coffee on oak island, NC was perpetrated sans incident and we were able to relax into the embrace of a delicious smelling coffeeshop filled with beautiful off season beach peoples.
We took our coffees and breakfast sandwiches out on the pier and watched the birds and waves and happy dogs with their humans. We eyeballed and we’re eyeballed by electro-voiced long tailed black birds who sideled and squawked making their opinions clear on both their personal space and how they’d really like some breakfast sandwiches too please. We explained that on some level this would be cannibalism but they were quite firm that such moral niceties were beyond the concerns of today’s working ocean bird.
We walked the beach and poked landed jellyfish and we watched a man stride down to set up his beach chair and flagpole, proudly displaying his Confederate flag to show he supported being a traitor to America and a US / Confederate half and half flag in some sort of claim that he didn’t. I’d have been curious to know what his thinking was, but you don’t start conversations like that. People don’t fly flags because they want to have calm, measured chats about things.
Both flags were soiled and faded, and I wondered if this was his daily activity as an off-season North Carolinian beach goer. I wonder if he has the guts to do it on the on-season.
I tried not to let it sour my day, but now my hot coffee’s not quite so hot and it’s time to drive back to Raleigh.
Last night we played a birthday party for an old friend. I had my doubts about the wisdom of this, coming all the way to the southern tip of North Carolina to play a party where generally the birthday girl wants you there with 50 of her nearest and dearest, all of which are NOT there for you… But we had a good time and we got to play the songs we were GONNA play at her wedding, we played to fans who’ve known our music for 20 years, we played as people threw axes, occasionally with their eyes closed.
It was an interesting night.
But it was good to play to people who were old school enough that they REALLY knew the words to the OLD stuff. When they can keep up with LooseN you know they still Love you.
Up through the Carolinas, the rhythm of the pines are lulling me off to sleep. Heather’s pointed north and we’ve got time.
