What? Music?

This song is called:The BelmonteIt was a special time. I was in a cool band. I was pretty high most of the time and really high some of the time. Like fifties professional drinkers- you drink a little bit all day and then you have a nice dinner and get hammered with your friends. I drank, but it was only part of the blend I was applying.I have always been and still am fascinated with the kind of every day crime that goes on all around us all the time. I am a small town kid and until I moved to a “city” I thought that people truly were good. My parents were good. Their friends were good. The president was bad, but he was just sort of dim and probably fun at parties. He’d been in some movies. He wasn’t evil. He was laughable. Clearly just stoked to finally be playing president.All of that is beside the point. When you get somewhere were there is this everyday crime and its right there where you can see it, you look right at it. You might even sit closer to get a good look. Criminals and smart druggies that are getting away with it are like movie stars to a small town kid.I’m fine. The point is I’m fine now, but I got in there and looked and some songs came out.This is one.There was this Hip Hop group that put out records and toured and stuff and some of them lived in this building. There would be a cop car parked across the street from this building, and the guys were selling the cocaine out of the place. Eventually they got busted, but even this is a little off the path. The building was called the Belmont. There was no e. I added that. I think I thought it was the right way to spell it. I’m good like that. You'll see me do it again.At some point during this special time I got pulled over at a couple minutes after two driving a friend home from the bar. I was cojent. I was fully aware, the cops liked me, but I blew over and they took me to jail. I paid a lawyer to get me a deferred judgement and I did a drug evaluation which I know I failed, an out patient treatment program and AA that I had to get someone to sign off on. I’d go directly to the bar after. I failed UAs for the outpatient. I sat in the back row at driving school and drew in the workbook. It was expensive. I hated it.I liked group because there were charactars in it. There was a light light Latina with “Princess” tatooed across the back of her neck in swirley cursive script who bragged about slaying in her four inch heels in the sobriety test, saying how some people can just do it, yo. She didn’t think she needed to be there. Then there was a coke dealer in his early 20s. He was a very regular looking white guy who was probably going to go away for a long time, but he was confident and honest. He told how he sold coke to brain surgeons and lawyers and anybody else. He talked about this place he delivered to. He said he knew they were smoking it because the blinds were all broken from them coming up to the window and looking out. And that is where this song came from.The first line is, I know you’re smokin’. The blinds are all broken and you’re too high to come to the door.And no one’s looking out for you, but my baby.There was a short lived spin off sit com from Happy Days called Joni Loves Chachi and there was an episode wherein the dilema was that they had to sleep in the same bed, but they were two good catholic kids and they needed to find away to assure that they wouldn't get up to any hanky panky because its idealised TV from the imaginary fifties in like 1980 or something. So they decided to try to sleep with each one foot on the floor.Her shoes don't stay on the floor.And she don't come around here no more .And I’m fine.I told you I was fine. I’m fine.Once the sarcasm was turned on I was off to the races.Come back baby.You know I mean maybe.I cant take any more.I don't drive so the highway sides aren’t mine.I had just lost my license.I move too slow to wait for a sign.Is a throw away line for the rhyme.I’ll be where you left me a line.Baby, I’m fine.At the time, in this bar I went to there was a place in the back that you could just walk into. It was austensibly a staff only part of the place for the restaurant, but the restaurant was closed late at night. If you had coke you would cut out some lines on the back of a cd or something and leave it on top of the water heater and send your buddies back there to get a line one at a time.If I had time I’d take a step back. I could be led back down.But my whole life seems like a rain check. Roll up every paycheck.Hand up every hand me down.Cokeheads are always busy.Repeat first verse.The names and locations of the bars have all changed since the last time I did cocaine. When someone I know gets into it I get all concerned.It's hard to watch someone do something you know is a s**t idea.Criminals and smart druggies look like movie stars to a small town kid.When Ramón got out after 11 years, I saw him at the grocery store. He had just got out. F****r asked me if I knew anybody who was looking. He probly owed somebody a lot of money.The Belmonte is on an album called Splendor and you can buy it by clicking right… here: This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit samknu.substack.com