Greetings from Laurel Canyon!
Last Tuesday was the first day of school which seems ridiculous sending the kids back to class weeks before Labor Day. I have my theories about the Los Angeles School District, but like most public school parents I can’t be bothered by such barbaric timing. All I can say is that summers ago I was entertaining different cocktail conversations—bands, chicks, what happened at the bar, and scoring dope. Now we chat about school districts, homework, and soccer practice.
I have to admit I’m still almost as excited about the first day of school as the last. The smell of anticipation and the stiffness of new shoes and a book bag have never left me. Call it DNA, call it “sense-memory.”
Although it was sad to watch young Jonah’s summer fun and lazy mornings come to a halt, I couldn’t help but pick up his sense of excitement to reconnect with old friends and greet the new.
New town reeks of lumber / New town beat the crowds / New town kittens discover / That the birds scrape the ground / And even the loneliest old ladies get social calls / Where they dine and talk about their savior / And the grassroots effort to incorporate / Elects a smiling mayor / New town Americana / New town rookie police / New town industries are wanted for the local employees / And a little bitty baby draws a nice clean breath / From over his beaming Momma’s shoulder / He’s staring at the worldly wonders / That stretch just as far as he can see / But he’ll stop staring when he’s older / Oh, new town / New town / New town
I grew up in NYC and went to a strict private school for the full 12 years. It was tradition that if a new kid came into our class, his name was “new kid” for a least a several days. “Hey you—new kid. What are doing here?”
This Idelic set feels a month early but it’s dedicated to all the new kids on their first day of anything. Savor it kids.
The Idelic Hit of the Week: Ryley Walker – The Roundabout
