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I’d met Martin. Though he had an eternally youthful voice, he’d been in music journalism for longer than I’d been alive. #105 в контекст | | |
The first interview I’d done with him had been twenty minutes of tastelessly conveyed sexcapades, and then I’d met him in person and discovered he was old enough to be my father. Questions, questions: How dare he sound twenty and be sixty? #106 в контекст | | |
Did they make cosmetic surgery for your vocal cords? And just how badly had I offended him? But it turned out that Martin was one of those not-dirty older men who were amused by us still-dirty younger men. #107 в контекст | | |
f live: How long are you taking to write and record this album? It’s not long, right? #108 в контекст | | |
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If you looked up ambition on Wikipedia, my photo was the first thing that came up. I did have some material that I’d written while sitting alone at camp in Minnesota, but it had been strange to try to complete anything in a vacuum. No band. No listeners. #111 в контекст | | |
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I wasn’t particularly gifted at staying anywhere. But L.A. was where Isabel Culpeper was. #115 в контекст | | |
Thinking her name was a dangerous, obsessive thought-road. I would not let myself call her until I had gotten to the house. I would not call her until I had thought of a theatrical way to tell her I was in California. #116 в контекст | | |
I would not call her until I was sure she would be happy I was here. #117 в контекст | | |
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With one move, I slapped shut the airconditioning vents. I felt too close to a wolf for the first time in a long time. I felt that churn in my stomach that meant the shift was close. #119 в контекст | | |
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Leon held up his phone so that I could see the screen. He had just purchased “Spacebar” by NARKOTIKA (feat. Magdalene). #122 в контекст | | |
He seemed happier than when I’d first met him, back when he was Larry. Outside, the heat tantalized. The asphalt shuddered in the exhaust. In a minute, we hadn’t moved an inch. I was looking at L.A. through a TV screen. #123 в контекст | | |
And now I’d let myself think Isabel’s name and there wasn’t room for anything else. This car, this interview, this everything else — Isabel was the real thing. She was the song. #124 в контекст | | |
cole st. clair: You know what, Martin and Leon, I’m going to get out of the car now. Walk the rest of the way. #125 в контекст | | |
Leon raised an eyebrow. “This isn’t a walking road. I think it’s illegal to walk on the shoulder. Do you see anyone else getting out of their cars and walking?” #126 в контекст | | |
No, I didn’t. But I very rarely saw anybody else doing anything I was doing. And if I did, it usually meant it was time for me to stop. #127 в контекст | | |
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I’d already left the interview behind. It took every bit of my willpower to drag my attention back to Martin’s questions. #130 в контекст | | |
cole st. clair: He’s advising against my plan. We’re on the 405. It’s okay. I’m in good shape. You wouldn’t believe the muscles we pick up in rehab. Leon, are you coming with me? #131 в контекст | | |
I had already unbuckled my seat belt. I dragged my backpack — the only thing I’d brought from Minnesota — to my side of the car. Leon’s eyes opened wide. He couldn’t tell if I was serious, which was ridiculous, because I was always serious. #132 в контекст | | |
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My heart was starting to tumble inside me. I knew I should contain it, because I still had a long way to go. But I couldn’t quite pull it off. This day had been so many weeks of planning and dreaming in the making. #134 в контекст | | |
f live: Are you trying to get Leon to abandon a car on the interstate? #135 в контекст | | |
cole st. clair: I’m trying to save his life before it’s too late. Come with me, Leon. We shall walk away from this car, you and I. We shall find fro-yo and make the world better. #136 в контекст | | |
Leon held up a helpless hand. Only moments before it had been a jazz hand. How he was letting me down. #137 в контекст | | |
leon: I can’t. You shouldn’t. Traffic is bad now, but in a few minutes, it’ ll be over. Just wait — I clapped my hand on his shoulder. #138 в контекст | | |
cole st. clair: Okay, I’m out. Thanks for having me on the show, Martin. #139 в контекст | | |
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cole st. clair: It doesn’t look that way. Next time, though. Leon, enjoy the track. The account’s all settled, right? Good. #141 в контекст | | |
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cole st. clair: The world says that now. Okay. Gotta go. #146 в контекст | | |
Hanging up, I opened the door. The car behind us let out the softest of honks as I climbed out. The heat — oh, the heat. #147 в контекст | | |
It was an emotion. It owned me. The air smelled of forty million cars and forty million flowers. I felt a spasm of pure adrenaline, memory of everything I’d ever done in California and anticipation of everything that could be done. #148 в контекст | | |
Leon was staring out plaintively, so I leaned in swiftly. “It’s never too late to change,” I told him. #149 в контекст | | |
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I slung my backpack over my shoulder, walked in front of an idling black Mercedes, and headed toward the closest exit. #152 в контекст | | |
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