write when you feel sad
a story about a generation
Rusty is in his parents' house.
He is in the living room.
There are yarn cobwebs hanging from the ceiling.
There are plastic spiders in the yarn cobwebs.
Rusty's parents wear costumes.
Rusty's parents' friends wear costumes.
Rusty wears a costume.
He sits on the couch.
He eats candy.
He drinks soda.
Rusty eats hotdogs.
Rusty stands up.
There is mustard on Rusty's costume.
He looks at his socks.
There is mustard on Rusty's left sock.
Years later, Rusty is in an arcade.
Rusty plays Silent Scope.
Rusty thinks "Yeah. I'm going to die."
Rusty's character dies.
Rusty walks out of the arcade.
He walks into a record store.
Rusty looks at the CD Neon Ballroom by Silverchair.
He thinks "I don't know if I should buy this."
Rusty walks out of the record store.
It's Christmas Eve.
The album Enema of the State by Blink 182 is playing.
Rusty is sitting on a couch.
Jessica is sitting on the couch.
Rusty's heart is beating.
Rusty and Jessica talk.
Rusty thinks "It's easy to talk to Jessica."
He looks at Jessica.
Jessica leaves.
Rusty is sitting on the couch.
The movie Austin Powers in Goldmember is playing on mute.
Rusty looks at Austin Powers in Goldmember.
Rusty thinks "Should I smoke pot?"
It's Christmas.
Rusty is in his parents' house.
He is in the living room.
Rusty is sitting on a couch.
His parents are there.
His grandparents are there.
His aunt and uncle are there.
HIs other uncle is there.
Rusty picks up a wrapped package.
He opens the package.
The package contains a Sub Pop label sampler CD.
Rusty says "Thank you."
He looks at his aunt and uncle.
Rusty's aunt smiles.
Everyone talks.
Rusty's grandparents leave.
Rusty's aunt and uncle leave.
Rusty's other uncle leaves.
Rusty's parents walk into their bedroom.
Rusty walks to his bedroom.
He puts the Sub Pop label sampler CD into his computer.
He listens to the Sub Pop label sampler CD.
He thinks "I like the song 'Things I Don't Remember' by Ugly Casanova, 'Out of the Races and Onto the Tracks' by The Rapture, 'Bandages' by Hot Hot Heat, and 'Finish Line' by Rosie Thomas."
Rusty makes a playlist of those four songs.
He lies on his bed.
He sits up in his bed.
He listens to the playlist.
He looks out the window.
Rain is falling.
It's warm.
There are some very specific things this piece evokes, really makes me think of early 20s, and movie montages