Hallow's End

The Search:

Wednesday was planned for finishing up the last of our halloween shopping. Well Jennifer's anyways. I had nothing for my costume. I was planned to go a Captain Mal Reynolds from Firefly(AKA Captain Tight Pants, as I told everyone), If not that I was sure I could find a star trek uniform of some sort. Call me a geek, but I've been zombies and ninjas and the like, I wanted something different. Renea had been sick since my birthday, some days better than others. This seemed like a better day, so she decided to go with us. So we depart from the ranch and head in to san antonio.

We stop before hand at the whataburger me and Jen always stop at on the way back from shows and get some fries. I get two large fries. They apparently jumbo-sized the large since the last time as there were enough fries to feed 4 or 5 people and I wasn't particularly hungry at the time. I wanted to stop after but it had been decided while I was getting ready that we'd get dinner. After finding this out I agreed to stop. I'm freaking out from driving around the hellish city full of fucked up roads and traffic, so I'm mildly annoyed with the city. We get our fries, renea is trying to tell me how to get to the halloween store and I spot some healthcare place, I stated "Well that sign is fucking stupid." Jen exclaims "Geeze Jonathon, You're so pissed at this place you're taking it out on small business signs?!" Renea agrees and they give me shit while I'm trying to point out the stupid logo, but they aren't paying attention. We get close to the halloween store, Jen and Renea near at the same time shout "LOOK IT'S SUPERMAN!" I glance and realize I shouldn't so I glance back to find I'm about 5 feet from rear-ending some poor shmuck. I tell them not to tell me to look at anything while driving in SA and add that all I saw was a homeless man in blue holding a sign. Laughter ensues followed with "that was superman, not a homeless man. the sign was for the halloween store". We pull up, see the pier 1, halloween store, ross, old navy and a few other stores. I park and we get out. We head in to the halloween store, I had been here when I was like 15 but not since. A wave of nostalgia over takes me and I set out to find stuff.

I search the store, look at all the masks to see if I want to change my mind on my originally intended costume. I see a bunch of good masks but nothing that grabs me. I find a spock costume, so I know I have a back-up plan. I then commence to look for a gun and holster, I needed something for my captain outfit. I find a bunch of bullshit for small kids, some have a place for a belt, others don't. I round up Jen and renea, Jen couldn't find the glasses she wanted so we decide to split. On the way out I found a Pirates of the carribean gun that looks damn near perfect. The guns on Firefly look like the old guns from the pirate times, only they shoot high powered lazer bullets.

We head to old navy where I decide to look for a coat such. I cant find a single damn long coat. They're all regular coats. Renea shows me to the discount spot, I find some socks for like 50 cents, so I get a few pairs of socks. Spot some shirts and none will work. after awhile we split and then head on down to ross(I believe it was). We head in to there I finally find a good coat selection, but I still cannot find a single god damn long coat. Renea starts feeling bad and goes to wait in the truck. I spend 20 minutes in there with Jen looking for 50's looking dresses. They have to have polka-dots at that. Jen spots a purple one that is perfect but in a size 11 or 12 or something. What size she needed I don't remember but I spot one. She grabs it and a few others, tries them on and comes back, asks me about another size, which I also find and she tries it on. It works perfectly. I had found a nice pinstrip long-sleeve for work on sale for $9. So I grab that and we check out.

The coat factory:

I walk back up to the halloween store to see when they close. 10pm. Good. We go and get renea, I ask her if she wouldn't mind driving me to burlington coat factory. She agrees. We arrive in a mall parking lot and renea doesn't know whats going on, so we drive to the roof which apparently is ground level with the rest of the parking lot for target and shit. We drive around, I activate my newly aquired debit card in target, which works wonderfully. Finally get to burlington and after finishing my hand rolled cig(which people gave me side-ways looks for) I put it out in the little cigarette gravle they have in front of stores and I purposely leave as much of it sticking out as possible, hoping some stoner would walk by and get excited and happy seeing a "Joint" in the ash tray. we walk in this weird as tiny hispanic guy is telling us where to go, which was dissapointing to me as I wanted to take the elevator instead of the escalator. we hit the first floor which is full of girls designer clothes, bed linens and shoes. I'm jokingly bitching and moaning at renea "I thought this was a god damn coat factory, whats with all these clothes and shoes and christmas crap?! BED LINENS?! where the hell did you take me renea, this is no coat factory."

We get up to the top floor and finally I see them. Just what I'd been waiting for. there were probably 300 coats there, unfortunately brown isn't in this season or some shit and all I need is a brown coat. I stumble acrossed one slightly too big and it looks like a coat my grandfather would wear. Also it's $100. So I walk over to the trench coats(always wanted a trench coat), but alas, no brown ones. Several hues of grey and black. Renea finds a beat up leather jacket that looks like it was for a kid but she has me try it on, doesn't fit and I need a long one. I go back to the original coat, find one like it in my size, which I discovered is a 36-short. Still can't decide though. Would I ever wear it again? For $100 I better wear it more than once. Jen and Renea said I probably would. I take a pic and txt it to mom to ask her, but she doesn't respond. We go to look at boots so I can get some, but they are all $50 and up. I said fuck that and said I could probably find some at the thrift store. Renea says the one back home has a good selection of boots. So I walk back up to the top floor to think it over one more time. Renea is feeling bad again and sits on a pile of luggage. I walk over and joke about how halloween won't even be cold and the whole winter will be warm, but they assure me I'd wear it again. I go back to the mirror and tuck in my shirt so I don't look so sloppy in it. I decide it's worth it after seeing on the tag that it was originally $250 and then higher at other stores. I drop the money and we take off back to the halloween store and old navy.

Me and Jen run in to old navy to get the Khaki Pants I had spotted that were near perfect. I grab them and search for a shirt. I finally find a nice white shirt, I wanted long sleeve but short works too. I go to check out. Me and Jen are standing there and we have this nice male cashier who's asking us various things and then comments on my shirt. I was wearing my Pillsbury shirt, it has the dough boy on it and says something like "Pinch me squeeze me take me home". He reads aloud what's on my shirt, looks at me and states "That sounds like a drunk person more than the pilssbury dough boy." I laugh and agree and we leave. We get the gun from the halloween store and walk back to what we thought was our truck. We went through 3 red trucks before finding ours. I ask renea if she wants to get food, she doesn't because I can't eat till we get home but I convince her. So we stop at panda express. It says you get two entrees, rice and eggroll all together but they were all fucked up. I wound up getting 1 entree rice and an eggroll, Jen and renea confused each other I don't even know what Jen wound up with. We were displeased and apparently the womens bathroom was so putrid Nea almost hurled in there. We stop at Barnes & Noble real quick to see if there's a movie. New movies, not even fucking special edition were $29.99. We say fuck that but I did get the Tokyo Police Club album I wanted. So we check out and head home.


Halloween:

I awake on Halloween excited and ready. It's a saturday so it's usually pretty slow. Which is good. I get all dressed up and take off. Renea had invited a girl she met friday named Alyssa, so we knew she'd probably show if no one else. James and Laura were going to drop by aswell. I arrive at the wine bar to find Ken, Kirsten and walking John there already. So I walk in and they're all hollering at me that I won't get off that easy and I have to show them, I was merely going to set down my drink and such. So I come out and show them, first thing said is kirsten telling me how my pants aren't tight, they are actually rather baggy. I can't stand tight pants, this is the tightest pair of pants I've had since I was a kid, and while the legs were a bit baggy it held my ass snuggly and I didn't need a belt to hold them up. Even so I had suspenders to help if they got worn in and slippy. They all loved it, walking John said I should dress like this every day. I didn't realize till after I bought everything that I'm in the cowboy capital, I just look like people usually look here in town. So for those I didn't want to explain to I just said I was a space cowboy. The night was good, bit slow but fairly steady at times.

Renea and Jen get there all dolled up, Renea was a gyspy and Jen was a 50s pin up model. Renea was sitting there and people were asking if they would get their fortune told, so they go over to the dollar store to look for a crystal ball. She found a bouncy ball but it was huge and clear with flakes of purple glitter, so it worked perfectly. She told my bosses mom's fortune, which was rather comical. "I see you driving in a red convertable with a scarf blowing through the wind and I also see a suitcase next to you full of money, but you better invest wisely, because I see dark clouds on the horizon that makes me think if you spend it or invest it poorly dark times will come" Galinda responds with "So I should invest it and save it for my kids?" Renea says that sounds like a good way to invest. Galinda states "But I want to spend it!" So Renea says something like "It's your money you can do what you want with it, I'm just saying I saw in the orb that you should probably invest" they both chuckle and the night presses on.

Finally I'm closing down the kitchen when Alyssa arrives, shortly after James and Laura show up, so we all sit at high top 2. I get my after work Dunkl and we all start chatting. James is telling me how he listened to part of the mix disc I made him and how he liked it. We talk movies and shows and music. Laura gets a call from her dad that he's at a halloween party if we want to come. We agree and start to finish our drinks, he calls again and tells laura there's someone dressed just like her there. We drink up and head out. We wind up there, at Gail Stone's party. I've never met gail stone but I've seen her in my bar. It was all strange and odd but enjoyable none-the-less. I run in to clay.

Clay is this crazy guy, he's probably slightly older than my dad, but the first time I met him was at the Salloon. He had been in my bar that night and I had been drinking with dad and renea and spotted him, he has a pretty good vibe to him so I walk up drunkingly and introduce myself, telling him how I work at the bar and saw him in tonight and how I liked meeting our patrons and everything. He winds up coming over and talking to us, asking me about my dreads and what kind of message I was sending and the like. He mildly freaks dad out and dad's like "Watch out for him".

The Party:

So yeah, I run in to clay at Gail Stones. We start talking, he's giving me shit as always and asks me again about my dreads. I had run in to him a week before and he asked about my dreads and I told him again, well he leans in and tells me "Next time make up a god damn good story, that's not interesting at all!" So at gail stones he's trying to help me come up with a better story. I told him I had one but as soon as the words left my mouth I realized I had totally forgotten it. I start telling him how I was an ex anarchist and after getting rid of my mohawk I was living on the streets for awhile and thats how-- "NO NO, that is not a good story Jon. Let me see have you ever been to Jamaica?" I respond with no, because I know where this would go and at a party full of people I don't know, I don't want to be rolling cigarettes and have people joke with me about joints or get mad because of it. We try to come up with another story but can't. He introduces me to another guy, slighly older than clay. "He's an old hippy. He's growing cactus on his place right now!" Great, I think to myself, Here comes the peyote. Clay starts telling a story about a sweat lodge and how he went on a vision quest with indians. I half believe it because he's just nuts but I also half think this man is full of shit. Though it wouldn't suprise me if he was telling the truth. The other guy says he never eats enough of the cactus to have a vision quest so it's more recreational. I'm nervously laughing and looking for the people I know. Jen, renea, Laura, Alyssa and James had all gone inside. Luckily they came out shortly after, they had gone to make Jack and cokes. I lose my Negra Classico or whatever it was and roll a cig. I start chatting with clay again because everyone else is involved in conversation. We start talking tequila and gail stone walks up. I mention Patrone and how I learned my lesson and she says "Oh than you probably don't want some, huh?" I tell her I would gladly take a shot of Patrone if she was. So we go take a shot, I ask if I may barrow the bathroom and she points me to it. I walk back outside, ask renea if the car's unlocked, she says no, so I say "Great!" and commence to walking. Well I realized it was locked. So I walk back and the whole crowed is laughing at me. So I get the keys and walk off. I grab the cigar Santa Dan had given me and roll a cig. I walk back smoking the cig, which probably looked bad but you can smell my smoke, it's not weed for fucks sake. I finish it light the cigar, people are leaving things are winding down. So I start talking to Jen, Alyssa and renea. Alyssa and Jen share the cigar with me and renea. We left in perfect time as the cigar was about out. We take off to drop alyssa off and I throw in some bandits. We sing a bit and drop her off. and head home.

I get home and start telling mom and dad how crazy it was and how I wound up at Gail Stone's halloween party and they die laughing. I tell them how gail stone asked my last name and I told her and she said she remembers when we moved to town. They laugh and say that they think pretty much all the old school people around town remember it, even if they didn't meet them.

Best halloween since my uncle Danny took me, Jen and my cousin alexa trick or treating ALL OVER the city when we were like 12 or 13. Kicked the hell out of the time me and Jen drug the bed in to the living room and wound up watching chocolat. Not even a horror movie, chocolat.

wunderbaren Geburtstag

T h u r s d a y/The 22nd:

I awoke feeling mildly annoyed and discontent. I realized that with my whole family being gone the week before, Jen and my parents in nashville and the two little ones in boerne, that I had forgotten to order Renea and Jen something for my birthday. When I was a wee lad it was decided that I give my sister Jennifer a gift on my birthday, as thanks for giving me a gift. It was really because as a toddler it's hard to explain to the kid that it isn't they're birthday, only the sibling gets gifts. I carry the tradition even today because I just like getting gifts for people. Even though Renea isn't my sibling and would be closer to a wife than anything, I like getting her a gift on my birthday, just so I can give her one. Mom took care of getting something for rose and carin, which sounds like a cop-out but I barely know what they like anymore and they were wanting things in the store while shopping for me, so they loved them.

I went to work knowing the day would be shit. It wasn't even my birthday yet, but things already weren't going as I had expected. My co-worker took off to canton for a trade show to sell some of the boots she makes. No fault on her end, I don't expect people to bend to my needs purely it's because my birthday and I was glad she had the chance to get out there. But it did put a damper on my requesting atleast the day after my birthday off and it especially cut out the idea to go to austin and hit up the 6th street bar scene. So I was already in the mind-set that it was all going to fall apart. Work at the bar wasn't too bad apart from me being pretty annoyed the whole time, but I tried not to let it show. It's just one of those moods thats hard for me to pull out of.

Midnight/Birthday starts:

So I get home that night, me and dad walk in and all is well. We start drinking a few beers, I'm coming off a week of being alone where I got to hook up the Peavey amp and sing my heart out with no one around. While people are around I was still getting the Jam itch. So I plug in and play some music, midnight rolls around so we all do a shot of my moms amaretto. Then it all took a turn for the worst. My dad proceeds to tell the story of my birth. Which I hate.

Birthdays don't sit well with me. They never have. My dad, owning this amazing high tech recording studio in california always had to go to Japan to record an Indy race the week of my birthday, so he missed 2, 3 and 4. Possibly even my first. While that fucked with me younger, doesn't bother me now. But it doesn't help the aspect I take thinking that everythings going to go to shit. Even when I ignore it and try to imagine the day will be great 9 times out of 10 I wind up pissed and depressed and recently usually drinking a bottle of Jack with Jen by ourselves in my house, which is great but I'm sure my family misses me sometimes.

So toward the end of his story of my birth I start arguing with him about my birthday and various things. I finally get fed up with him telling me how I ruin it for everyone, which sends me over the edge. I read this book called "Ruining it for everybody" which changed my life and ever since then I've aspired to not be "Such a shit" anymore. So I step outside for a smoke and too cool off(quite literally, it was a cold night). Mom follows me out I start talking to her about it and apologizing for always being a fucking wreck on my birthday but I can't help it. Dad comes out and I try to leave, he asks if it's him and I don't say anything and push past him, which pisses him off. I started chugging beers and don't remember all of it but that I had banned him from coming in to mulberry's the next day. I sing a few songs in-spite of everyone because I was pissed and then I shut everything down and head to my house to drink one more and sleep. I Apologize to Renea and Jen, we drink a beer throw in a movie or show and pass out.

F r i d a y/The 23rd:

I woke up suprisingly with no hang-over. Memories of the night before begin to wash over my concious while I'm staring at the ceiling and the light that hasn't worked as long as I've been alive. I wish I could fix that light... I get up, Determined that after last night I must make it up, I must be better, I must make it a glorious night.

I arrive at work. My lovely boss sandra had set up my birthday present from her and her boyfriend John at my favorite chair. It's the one closest to the kitchen so if it's slow or I'm taking a break I can still keep an eye on things. Not only that but she had set up some balloons for me. Ironically a black balloon, which everyone said suited me because of my afformentioned hate towards my own birth and birthday. So I begin to sweep as I always start out doing on fridays. Ken, Kirsten and Walking John come in and congratulate me and ask me how it is to be 21. I told them it felt good but I didn't have the time to get in to it and explain, but I had just been to the Liquor store. I had checked the mail and gotten a card from my Uncle Danny with some cash in it so I bought I nice bottle of double filtered Gentlemen Jack. I was going to get some tequila but I remembered that Mom, Dad and Jen had given me like 6 shotglasses from when they were at the Jack Daniels Distillery in tennesee. So I spot that, grab it and 4 cigars.

Work starts out slow which I was thankful for, as I wasn't hungover but a tad tired and slightly malcontent, but I knew it would be better, it had to. Besides I just got money and got a bottle of nice ass Jack. Some orders come in, I do my stuff, renea arrives. I hadn't remembered untill about 4:30 that I had banned dad from coming in. So I text him around 5, when I had the chance, to tell him he can come in and I would like for him to and apologize about the bullshittery from the night before and for being such a douche. He responds with his fatherish stuff like "you've had plenty of nights at my expense so I won't hold it against you" type stuff. I was glad. he comes in but winds up sitting acrossed the bar past the bubble because as it wasn't busy the bar was almost full. The evening was steady, I was glad. I wasn't slammed but everything was steady, perfect for passing the time so I could go home and start my birthday. It died off again, it was only my dad his co-worker Player Player(Stephen I think his name is) and Tammy who is Jeff's girly, Jeff is one of my dads other co-workers. Then all of a sudden my sisters best friend Tia shows up. She sits down next to dad and has a coke. She said she would wait for Jen before she got something else to drink. After that it was easy to assume my mom was bringing Jen in. Renea mentioned something about Jen, my mom and two sisters coming and how they should be here any minute, which I was excited for.

The night, the party:

Shortly after Renea made the comment, I'm standing by my chair and I see a figure coming up from the side door, Recognized it but wasn't sure. Sure enough it was Renea's brother Tim. So I exclaim "TIM! FUCKIN TIM!" So we shake hands, I tell him how I'm so glad he could make it and he says he's glad he could be here. He goes to say what up to Renea and my Dad. Shortly after Renea's sister Miriam shows up with 3 of her friends. So I say what up to them. I assumed they just dropped by for shits and giggles and nothing else to do. I proceed with the few orders I have. Our friend Laura shows up with her dad, I meet him and they go and get a table. Tim goes and talks with them a bit, Tim's known Laura and her Hubby James forever, though James was working that night. Then Tim winds up outside with Miriam and her friends. Shortly after it's getting slow, but I take a few glasses in the kitchen to put them in the glass holder for washing. Sandra comes in and starts asking me about the pretzles we're selling. Weird stuff like where's the salt, what do you cook them at and stuff, I tell her how I've figured out cooking them works, tell her how I figured if you put them on a plate and sprinkle the salt you can dump all the excess back in the bag and such. She keeps me in there for a few minutes.

I then walk out and hear someone say "Should we start singing?" I'm like "what?" and then it happened. I really hate being the spectacle and having everyone stare at me, but I was rather excited this time. I feel a bit... Enigmatic? No that's too over the top. I dunno I'm different from the normal here in town. I have dreads. I feel like the shit at the bar. The dready working in the kitchen just feels like part of the whole Mulberry's experience in my opinion. Especially since I roll my own cigarettes. Maybe a bit pretentious but what can I say. I loved it. Everyone was pretty much forced to look at the dread head because everyone was singing to him. I must admit I initially wanted to go back in the kitchen. But I didn't I was like Oh man you guys didn't. So I walk over to the lit cake. All of a sudden, its My dad, Tammy, Tia, Mom, Jen, the little ones and Miriams friends all singing happy birthday. I could tell that the friends weren't that amused, but atleast they made the effort. So I blow out my cake and some guy with Becky B is bitching about not having any Cheesecake. So I go and ask my family if I can get them anything. Rose and carin had raspberry italian soda's, Jen had a strongbow cider and my mom had a coke. So I'm getting them their shit and people are asking if I'm going to cut the cake. I tell them I'm getting my family drinks first.

I get the drinks and serve the whole bar except two couples some cake. There was about a quarter of it left afterwards, which didn't bother me. I don't eat sweets that often. I'm too concerned with Savory and beer. And gravy. I love gravy. Anyways, Everyone loved Jen's Carrot Cake, two ladies even came up and told her how good it was. Shortly after I shut down the kitchen and my youngest sister Carin comes in to ask me something. So I ask her if she wants to help me and she gets all excited and agrees. So I tell her to grab that broom and start sweeping while I wash the dishes up. She sweeps up the kitchen and helps me finish up and then proceeds to help me throw down the outside furniture, which she had some trouble with but was glad to help. I get inside, now off work. Write down my hours in the logbook and sit down next to Tim and Dad. I get my Tall Dunkl and the night truly begins. We weren't there long I had that one beer and a half of one because dad wasn't quite finished. Miriam and them had left, Tia was coming home with us and Tim was to follow us. Renea wound up driving Tim's truck and it was the 4 of us. Tim's truck, Mom in our truck, dad in the vette and Me, Jen and Tia in Renea's car. I stopped at the gas station. I come out with an 18 pack of lonestar and a 6 of bud lime for tia. Along with my bottle of Jack already in the car. I toss the beer in the car and say "Yeah it feels fuckin good to be 21" pump some gas and hop in and we take off. I lead, but dad winds up passing me and leaving us in the dust. Mom drives slow so I had to slow it down so I didn't lose her and Renea and tim were in the back.

Home:

We get settled in, I break out my bottle of Jack. The cigars that John(bosses boyfriend) gave me along with the bottle of 10yro Tawny Port that My boss had given me. I set it all up with a plethora of shot glasses and the night begins. I open my presents. Carin gave me a glowy keyboard, Rose gave me how I met your mother season 2 and Dad Ironically gave me a bottle of Gentleman Jack. So now I had 2 bottles of jack, all the beer and a bottle of port. My mom fell in love with the port. We took shots. I got tired of the Coffee House on Sirius and switched it to altnation. Got tired of that and threw on my own tunes. Somewhere the mic was busted out and we had a HUGE drunken sing-a-long sesh. It started out with me, then Jen joined in and tia and renea. Tim came over at some point asking about The Decemberists, so I threw them on. The whole house was singing The Decemberists. It was a grand time. Then my dad wants to sing so we do some alice in chains and something else I forget, Time was so in to it he wanted lyrics to anything so he could try and after we had Decemberists on again and he actually had the mic and Jen was leaning over by him so they could sing together and of course I'm in the kitchen belting my brains out and drinking Jack and beers and taking sips of port.

Finally everyone was getting tired around 4 so we go back to my house. We drink a beer or maybe just half. We decide to watch Firefly and throw it in. Everyone passed out pretty quick. I wake up alone in bed with renea. Tim decided to go to work, it was optional but he decided to. Jen and Tia had left, Tia had to do some photoshoot for a business one of her uncles had or something. And mom took the little ones in to boerne. So I got myself up, not as hungover as I had expected, which I was thankful for because Sandra kept telling us "Saturday is just around the corner, you can party then, just hold off till then!" But I couldn't. I didn't over-do it, I made a point for that. But I did go a tad overboard friday night. Saturday was good, tad slow for my taste but it was good and even better since I wasn't dead hungover. Hell it felt more like sinus pressure than a hangover, but I'm sure the drinking didn't help.

All in all my birthday started off shitty but turned around and wound up glorious. I loved it so much that on the logbook at work I put a big smiley face next to the 23rd. I thank all involved, it couldn't have been better. Much love to all.