Messiah Complex

This only happens when it happens and mostly when you have nothing else to do, or you are incredibly traumatized. See the Peter Weir film with Jeff Bridges entitled "Fearless." Or be incredibly bored. But it happens to me. Often. At least in this city.

I was on the subway tonight. Listening to this song in my headphones. A note on headphones:

I've gone on the record saying that I will never listen to music in NYC through headphones for two very good reasons - stick with me.

1) My hearing is shot from too many punk rock shows. Hunh? I don't want to damage it any further. You can't be in THE ASS KITTENS and be deaf. Not yet.

2) I don't want to get run over by an errant cab, car, bullet or evil/oblivious passersby. You can't be in THE ASS KITTENS and be dead. Not yet.

So I will never listen to music in headphones. Unless I get an iPhone and can transfer all my favorite music to it.

Anyway...

I was on the subway tonight. Listening to this song in my headphones.

And my beloved NYC, with this song blasting into my near deaf ears, became surreal. I was no longer walking. I was floating, I was transcendent. I was one with a personal soundtrack. The National WERE talking to ME.

And I know that wasn't the case, but it kinda seemed that way.

So:

I was on the subway tonight. Listening to this song in my headphones.

And I was standing with my back to the door, probably leaning on it, which the sticker across from me tells me acutely not to do.

And across from me, to my left was this guy with restless/nervous/twitchy leg syndrome. His legs were going at 100 mph. And to my right was this guy with restless/nervous/twitchy leg syndrome. His legs were going at 100 mph.

I looked at both of them dead in the eyes, one after another with my headphones on. With calm, with forgiveness, with mostly "Stop fucking doing that" but with a reassuring smile.

And within seconds, they both stopped twitching their fucking legs.

And they didn't twitch for three more stops - roughly 15 more minutes. And I kept checking up on them, and I would catch them looking back at me, like "I got it man, it's all good now."

Weirdly satisfying. And then I got off at Union Street, but not without looking back at both off them reassuringly, with my headphones still on. Floating.

Now, if I could just stop twitching...

You might need me more than you think you will.

Cover Star: Celia
Headlining Band: Da Nat

James M. Graham, Website
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