It’s been a millennium since Katie and I went on a date. It’s been three millennium since Katie and I went to a concert. That’s a long time.
I think we saw the Eels at First Avenue before Solomon was born. That was a lifetime ago. Three lifetimes ago. That’s a long time.
Well, kind reader, caution was thrown to the wind a few weeks ago. I saw the Magnetic Fields were coming to Iowa City to play 69 Love Songs at the Englert Theatre. Despite my abject poverty, I purchased two tickets and told Katie we had a date to go to see the Magnetic Fields.
“Who?” she asked.
Exactly.
***
I arranged a babysitter.
Our children are close to not needing a babysitter. Solomon is 11 and Samson is 9. Their capacity to stay home alone becomes more important as next fall approaches. Katie is teaching a literacy methods course the same night I’m teaching next semester. Excuse me, Professor Katie is teaching a literacy methods course the same night I’m teaching next semester. Katie is a capable educator, and we need the money. So, you know. We’re hoping the boys can handle staying home alone for a few hours while their parents are out working in service of education, democracy, and the soul of our nation.
Solomon and Samson are not quite there yet, so the babysitter came over around 5:00. And then Katie and I hit the town. Stopped at Brix for dinner. A cheese shop and a wine bar. Kind reader, I’ve essentially quit drinking. Beer doesn’t do it for me anymore. Makes me tired. Still, I ordered a glass of Chardonnay. And then I ordered another. Katie had a hard cider. We feasted on cheese, gazpacho, and rounded things off with crème brûlée and truffles. Look at the crème brûlée and truffles:
Glorious.
Katie and I often ate things like crème brûlée and truffles in our former life. Three lifetimes ago. Friday night often meant good restaurants in the Twin Cities. The Modern Cafe. 112 Eatery. Masu sushi. Emily’s Lebanese Deli. I miss the Twin Cities.
These days, crème brûlée and truffles are a rare treat. Parenting gets in the way of a disposable income. This is true in terms of time, energy, and money. Still, caution was thrown to the wind, and we feasted on crème brûlée and truffles. I’ve now written the phrase crème brûlée and truffles into this humble piece of writing an absurd number of times. So be it. Caution has been thrown to the wind.
We wondered over to the Englert. I was tipsy. I imagine Katie was tipsy too. We aren’t drinkers. We were early, so we stopped at the library. Talk about a wild and romantic night. I checked out a science fiction novel about robots. Katie got something classier. We read for a bit and then headed to the venue. I bought two concert shirts. Got another glass of wine. Caution was blowing in the wind.
We sat down and the Magnetic Fields took the stage.
***
The Magnetic Fields have aged. That’s okay. I have aged too. Stephen Merritt waddled over to his stool. Shirley Simms sat on the other side of the stage. They eased into the first half of 69 Love Song like an old man easing into a warm bath. I eased into my glass of wine in much the same way. Eased into my chair . There would be no standing at this concert.
69 Love Songs hasn’t aged. It’s still fucking gorgeous. Here’s a tiny desk concert sample of what Katie and I watched at the Englert. It was a really great concert. It was really great to go to a concert. It was really great to go on a date with my wife Katie. It was a really great night. It is really great to use really great as my adjective of choice in this paragraph. Paints a picture, doesn’t it?
I saw that Steve Earle was coming to The Englert in July when I bought tickets for the Magnetic Fields. I bought tickets to see Steve Earle as well. I love Steve Earle, so I tossed a little more caution to the wind. I think I’ll take Solomon to see Steve Earle. Solomon likes music and Steve Earle makes good music.
I want to start going to shows again. Good music comes through Iowa City. It’s an artsy, literary town in ways that State College wasn’t. In ways that remind me of the Twin Cities. I ought to take advantage of the humble music scene here. If the Magnetic Fields can continue to rock as they age, then it seems like I ought to be able to continue to rock as I age. Rocking might mean sitting in a chair at The Englert instead of standing in front of the stage at First Avenue. So be it. As a great person once sang, keep on rockin’ in the free world.
Here’s a picture of Katie and me rocking in the free world in our old age. Two crazy kids in love:
Samuel Jaye Tanner 