Drove my Chevy to the Levee....

Well... it ain't a Chevy - it's a Ford. But I did drive there - Gracie and I. The last few weeks I've been a dud. Left on Saturday afternoons to play a little blackjack - stayed until the wee hours - no phone calls. So, asked Gracie out on a date! 7pm.

Of course - first I hadta stop by the boat.. lost... lost... lost a little more - and in trying to get back the first forty - stayed too damn long and was a tad late getting there.. I DID LEAVE A MESSAGE indicating so, but she didn't answer.

Junk joint. We went to Joe Joe's - a quaint little Italian fast food joint in downtown (actually midtown I guess) Kansas City. Gracie musta been impressed as we had an aluminum foil ashtray - and Styrofoam plates - but ya know? The food was really decent - she concurred, and the price was right.

Drove around the corner -- landed at the Levee. The Levee has been a nifty little dance bar since the 60's... There's an upstairs for snotnoses (Jaime - you official 21 year old - it was said with love) and then the downstairs for all of us old farts who can't pay our mortgages on time.

A groupa six hens (again said lovingly) - eh, close to our age - walked in and sat at the table next to us... Turns out they're all from 'Nawlins'.. they started being friends in first grade... three of 'em are now in KC, the last two remaining in New Orleans moved out after incurring damage from Katrina ("and all the bullshit that's gone along with it" <- their words, not mine).. And they get together once a year in a different city each year. Pretty damn cool I thought.

"We're all married" one of 'em said - "so.. if any of us are asked to dance and do so - the rest of us are gonna take pictures!"... Happened. But they had fun - and I can just envision the six of 'em that very first night back together staying up into the wee hours recalling the glory days. Fun. Good for them.

The band. There are all kindsa bands. This one - I reckon, was for us old farts - BUT, there were a lotta young punks shaking tailfeather too.. Five brothers - two white dudes.. (Two sax's, trumpet, keyboard, drums, lead/bass guitar.) Age range late twenties to the trumpeter - guessing 60-ish. They started off playing Tequila - and it was easy to see Pee Wee in his goofy gray suit - and then I had this horrible vision of him in the movie lobby...

Gracie and I finally made it to the dance floor - and I had fun... The first dance was a bit awkward as we were on the very end toward all the tables- the most obviously visible couple in the joint. I am very white. Longabout the second hour - MUCH better - it was so damn packed ya couldn't hardly move anyways.. but that too made it fun. Celebrate good times - come on!.. Damn, they even played Wonderful World... And.. Billie Jean.. Gracie told me she went to see Michael Jackson in his heyday in the early to mid 80's.. Whatshername had taken Denton too when he was nine-ish.. Dent wore the Jacket like Michael - the glove - and he could moonwalk with the best of 'em..

Soooo... there for a minute I pictured Michael singing/dancing.. .and then I pictured Michael... ahm, nevermind. It was even uglier than Pee Wee.

So - we ate - we danced - we had a few brews (I had two beers, Gracie hada beer and a "Hot Damn" shot.) - we drove home. Of course - as the premonition thingy it is - the checkenginelight came on in the car. CRAP, I forgot to pee before we left. I guess the light was reminding me - but it was too late.. We stopped at ext 27 - 12:45am. McDonald's lights on - Ronald had the door locked. Crap. "Why don't you just go behind a tree?"... "Eh, here's a Phillips.. brb."... ""sorry sir, they're closed.. we're having plumbing problems." (Thought to myself "me too ya little cocksucker - now go get GD the key" - but didn't say it. Onward we go.)

Crap. So, #1 is also kinda threatening to add #2 to the frey (it's hell getting old) - we tried Exit 28. "I know there's a gas station on this road." "No sir, I'm sorry, we close down the bathrooms at 9pm." WTF? Don't people pee/poop after 9pm? Wasn't worth arguing. I wiggled (thighs together) back to the car - trudged on. "There's another McDonalds... and it still looks open." YES, I'll try.

Nope - locked doors. DAMMIT. It's getting serious now. No place really to hide - so - we went to the back of the McDonalds lot - I sat in my carseat facing outward. The #2 urge had gone but damn I hadta pee. Created my own little 'golden arch'- right there infronta the Hamburglar, Mayor McCheese and God. WHEW. Drove home. Twas fun to get out - even funner to watch people. We saw a couple damn near screwing at their table. So happened he was white, she was black. It's ok to tease ain't it? I told Gracie "right then and there they are gonna make a 'twist' baby!"...

Seen a young punk that had asked a gal to dance.. she refused.. He was awesome. Killer smile.. didn't get upset.. he walked back.. did a little seductive dance infronta her.. then slid on his knees up to her.. got up.. turned around.. wiggled his booty.. he tried and tried to get her to dance - and with each no the smile on his face got bigger, brighter. She never did dance with him but her and her friend snapped several photo's on their cell of the guy. She probably got home, bonked her forehead with her palm and said "What was I thinkin?!! Why didn't I dance with him?!"

A good night. I love people watching. I love being "anywhere but home" on a Saturday night. So I said to myself - What A Wonderful World. Happy Sunday - bye bye now.