April 29, 2004

Today is the day to whip it. Into shape.

***ORDER MY BOOK!-NOW AVAILABLE ON POWELLS!***

The year was about 1996 and I was in a good mood, backing out of my parents' driveway to go to a friend's house. It was a beautiful day. Madonna's "Vogue" was on the radio. I somehow failed to notice the pizza delievery car parked perpindicular against the driveway 30 feet down and smashed right into it.

If the accident wasn't scary, jolting and humiliating enough, my family teased me about it for a while afterwards, saying "I just ordered a pizza, so if you're going out, you might want to take the car now. Buckle your seatbelt!"

The good thing was that apparently the driver of the car was apparently an illegal alien because he never reported the accident. But nonetheless, it was a scar on my driving record. Worst of all, though the fact that forever after, whenever "Vogue" would come on, I'd think me, getting into the dumbest accident in history.

There are tons of great things that happen to songs: dances, kisses, weddings. We remember those things. But what we don't talk about are the bad things that happen.

What song was ruined for you when something bad happened during it? Tell me your story. They run next week and the best story even wins a prize--a copy of the most current issue of Midnight Mind, which includes my gripping essay "In Praise of the Hanogver."