Wednesday, September 16th, 2020

Lou Reed speak-sings “Walk on the Wild Side” as I wait for my mushroom burger. The music inside the shop was so loud that I had trouble ordering. Outside, it is almost drowned out by the sound of the giant fan blowing onto the patio. The unintended remix brings out details in the music. The percussion is more varied than I had thought. I don’t recall having noticed the way that the women’s voices appear for the first time: rather than a fade-in, it sounds like they are walking up to the mic. The song segues into “Freefalling.” Most of it is a blur, but Tom Petty’s voice rings out when he hops the octave for the chorus. After that, I’m not sure that anything is playing at all until I hear unmistakable whistling. Even separated from its context, I know that it’s “Sittin’ on the Dock of the Bay.” I’m not sure whether to bus my own tray or leave it when I’m finished. When I let go of things, they start to blow toward the street. I catch them and bring them to the trash bin myself. As I shovel them in, the burger wrapper comes loose, flies into the air, and smacks the guy at the next table in the face. I apologize. Both he and the woman with him laugh. I return to my table, pick up my bag of groceries, and continue on home.