Jumping in Puddles

I came home last night with a swollen/burned tongue, bleeding cheek, sprained neck, bruised arms, legs, and I'm pretty sure ribs, smelling like a foul mixture of smoke, beer, sweat and pot and lacking one shoe. But I can honestly say, last night was one of the best nights of my life.

Until yesterday, I was a virgin to concerts at all, let alone a SKA/Rock Concert. But seeing that Alison's birthday is on Wednesday, we had to do SOMETHING to celebrate it, and it just all worked out really well that Streetlight Manifesto and Reel Big Fish (our mutual favorite existing bands) just HAPPENED to be coming to Royal Oak Theatre on Tuesday! It all turned out very nice.
Of course, there was the whole convincing the parents to let me go part. (My dad didn't want me going to a concert unless I happened to be under his supervision... yeah, that kinda destroys the point of a concert doesn't it?) Somehow I worked it out, wheedling, pleading, promising the works. But I must say, it was all worth it. I'm an active member of popular culture now! It's exciting!! The whole deal would take FOREVER to write so here it is- The Ska Concert: Abridged.
The party consisted of Alison, Marie and I and we were ready to conquer. Marie was the only one with any experience. Actually, I think we can say she's the rocker pro among us. Alison's been to one other concert: Shania Twain. Not really rocker.. And then there's me, who has never really gone to a concert save Justo Llamas, the sexy Spaniard (actually he's from Argentina, I think) with the locks of blonde (totally dyed..) who sings Spanish vocab songs. Yeah, that doesn't really count.
We arrive at the Royal Oak Theatre giddy. Well, I was giddy with excitement, Alison I think a bit with trepidation. Marie was just pumped. The atmosphere as remarkable. At school, I've never truly fit in. Though I am incredibly social, I'm an outcast in my own social-ness. I guess you could say I'm eccentric? I'm the girl rocking mismatched knee-socks with a band hoodie and sneakers. But I fit right in. It never has really happened before to me, either I'm too Indian, or too American, or too punk, or too intellectual, but it was different this time. I fit in with everyone around me, and it was a nice feeling.
Marie told us there was no way we were moshing or crowd surfing. We were under her watch and knowing our luck, we'd end up in the hospital or getting arrested.
But that didn't last long.
The first band that came up was called Monkey Jacket. (Anyone reading this blog, let me just say, they are awesome! They're a local band so you wouldn't think but as soon as they were done with their set, I went outside and bought their CD. All three of them are incredibly talented and I can promise, they are going to be going places. When they they were playing, all I could do was stare and occasionally turn to Alison to say "omg.. they're really good!" Buy their CD. I did.) We were kinda just getting into the groove for that, just standing there and bouncing our knees keeping tempo. We got closer to the crowd for the next band, Tip the Van. (They all had matching haircuts which I thought was really cool).
Then it was Streetlight.
Looking back, I don't even remember much of what happened. I was in a daze, a stupor of complete bliss. I was in the center of the mosh pit and I got shoved and pushed and squished more times than I can remember. (Many times I'd be plastered to an incredibly hott guy which would be very very nice.) But it didn't matter. Nothing mattered. Standing there, you are one with the crowd. Everyone is just one massive body moving together in the passion for mutual delight. People were jumping, screaming, berserk-ing (that is what I call the dancing they do), anything! There was movement in everyone and it flowed to everyone around them. The crowd was a contradiction. They would push you around till you fell. But when you're down, they all help to get you back up just to push you down again. But no matter how many times or how hard you fell, there would always be someone willing to pick you up again. I guess that could be a metaphor of life.
I crowd-surfed 4 times in total between Streetlight Manifesto and Reel Big Fish. I'd just find 2 hefty-looking guys and tap them on the shoulder and point up. Up I would go! I would be thrown across the crowd to the front into the welcoming arms of security pulling me back upright. The last time no enough people held me so I fell. But two guys saw me coming and cushioned my fall (if I ever see them again, I need to thank them, they saved me from possible paralyzing). I thanked them profusely and they just shrugged it off and gave me hugs (one was very good-looking so I enjoyed it immensely) and continued to dance. I asked if they could throw me back up and I did. When I got to the front, my shoe ended up flying off and well, I never got it back.
Some lucky person gets to carry my shoe around as a trophy for the rest of their lives.
Congratulations.
I thought I would die, several times in fact. Dehydration; suffocation-that was a big one; pot/tobacco OD (it was all second-hand, I promise!); trampling; the works. But I didn't. I came out with several bruised body parts but more alive than ever.
I sit here, attempting to type though I hurt in every place imaginable, with nothing but good memories. I could barely talk due to all the injuries I took to the mouth and neck (burned my tongue, bit it, bit my cheek which started bleeding, sprained my neck, etc.). And, Drumline was a bitch seeing that I could barely move my arms but I proved that I'm more Man than half the guys there.
It's a nice feeling, I can tell you that.
Teen culture, accept me into your ranks, I am now one of you!
...
This morning, I awoke with 5 hours of sleep, sore and stiff limbs, a song in my heart, and a smile on my face.