luna

tonight we went out to a little lounge.
i wasn't expecting much, to be honest, i hardly wanted to go at all.
i hardly want to do anything lately it feels like.

but luna was small and full of color, each wall it's own. the main area, to the right, was draped in thick velvet curtains than cascaded down to a small stage. we were the first to arrive and we settled into a booth. the ceiling was low and full of dark beams, prints plastered the walls. a green glass bar curved out from the left, and shimmered in the dim lighting. i don't know what i was expecting. i was lost in thought and longing.
talking about movies and music, we watched the band set up.

and the music started.

they were an odd bunch, there on the stage. a tall lanky man with dreadlocks on the drums. a shorter, stockier guy with a chin beard and plugs on the electric guitar. another man, this one so casual in a baseball windbreaker and thick rimmed black glasses on piano. and this woman with a beautiful smile, wild hair, and an acoustic guitar stood at the mic.

they just started playing. she was wailing, in this special deep way. in a language i didn't recognize. eddie leans over and tells me she knows four languages, she's self taught, she works at a university. he says, the guy on the drums is from the virgin islands. these people i don't know, they are waking something up inside of me.

there is a little dance floor, dappled with lights from above in a moving colorful rain. a girl walks out to the floor and dances alone, she has a short hair cut, a page boy hat. tee shirt and baggy jeans, she moves in a masculine way, her hips back and her arms bent at her waist. the lead singer smiles openly and seems to sing just to her a moment as out on the floor the lone girl turns and steps, turns and steps. i wish i was that brave, that passionate sometimes.

the bar has filled to capacity. couples start to stand and move together, clutching hands and smiling.

there are these two, though. these two i cannot tear my eyes away from. for the life of me, i'm fascinated.

he stood up from the table and he's so tall. smiling down at her he holds out his hand, bowed just a touch. she flips her hair and stands to follow him. she's so much shorter but it hardly matters. a vision, in a tight maroon top and even tighter jeans to his much more casual messy hair and mauve v neck. when they reach the floor he turns to her and they embrace in a swan like gesture, her arms opening arched and up, head tilted, as his reach down to her waist.

meanwhile the band plays a magical cuban song, not slow, but even and sensual. maya, the lead singer is named maya, she sings in deep long tones.

the two on the floor seem to fold into one another, her head on his chest they move their hips in sync and each let an arm drop to the side to curl fingers together, as their other hands meet in the air. every now and again he turns her, as if to present her to the world, her sheets of brown straight hair sweeping out before settling in again around her shoulders. as he moves to  her, he drapes his whole arm around her neck and pulls her close before letting his arm go to her back, to her waist, to her face again. they twirl and shift, they steal kisses and mouth the words of the song. his hands linger in her hair and she just beams up into his gaze.

completely fluid, jesus, watching these two is changing my life.

i'm smiling and the music is everywhere in my head. bouncing around in there, banging on boarded doors, wiping dust from windows and peering in to see if anyone is awake.

the couple returns to their seat.

the band plays on. at one point the drummer points to a man in the crowd. an older gentleman, with a blue jacket, veterans cap, and silver hair. the man comes on stage to sit beside him, where the drummer has placed a bongo and a mic. the song changes from this linear thing to this new animal, studded with the new additions of pops and booms. these two wake everyone up. in tandem, they create a beat that feels like it's making my heart beat faster, stronger. this old man, he's got his head down and his eyes closed. they end the song in a furious rhythm, leaning in to each other, until finally throwing their hands up in surrender, as the crowd crows and claps. the two embrace and exchange a few words. the old man returns to his seat.

it was all so special. they play "Ain't no sunshine when she's gone". it's the second time i've heard it today... how odd.

i wish roger was here, he would have enjoyed the shit out of tonight. and i would like to take some dance classes.

i'm exhausted.

i hope i dream about music.