2002. Berkeley, CA
one weekend when i was getting rid of things i took a bunch of my records to
amoeba and sold them. i hadn’t played them in years. hopefully they’d be bought
by someone who still used their turntable.
one of the albums i sold was a nick drake box set
nick drake was my favorite. he is why i became a songwriter
the first time i put on one of his records, after the first song played i picked up the
needle and paused. i’d never heard music like that before. i wanted to take it in
before going on to the next song
after waiting a minute i set the needle back down on the first song. i felt like hearing
it again. when it finished i picked the needle up – paused again – letting it sink in.
then i played the first song again
after that i was hooked
on the night of the day i sold the records i got a hollow feeling, like i was lost or
homesick. i told erica about selling the nick drake box set. she knew the story of
me and his music. she said go get it back.
i called to see if they’d sold it yet. waited anxiously while the guy checked.
it was still there. i went and bought it back
i still don’t play it, but i’ll never sell it again