Back in the ’80s and ’90s this used to be an IHOP. And it was right across the street from the apartment building where I lived. So me and Duncan and Vince used to go there all the time.
IHOP had “the bottomless cup of coffee.” So me and Duncan and Vince would sit in our booth and drink endless refills and prattle on and on about our hopes and dreams, and the latest exciting projects we were working on, and the latest beautiful women we were madly in love with, and all the incredible things we were going to accomplish with our lives as soon as we got sufficiently jacked up on the coffee.
On my 30th birthday Vince treated me to a cup of coffee at IHOP. Later, when we went back to my apartment, I opened the door and all the lights were out. When I turned the lights on everybody shouted “HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!” This women who I was living with at the time, Teresa, had arranged a surprise birthday party for me, and all my friends were there. Duncan snapped a photo of me and Vince just as we walked in the door. In the photo Vince has a bemused smile on his face and I have a big smile of surprise and happiness. I’m wearing a pink “Clockwork Orange” T-shirt (of all things), and I look so young and strong it makes me sick to my stomach just to think about it
Everyone should get at least one surprise party in the course of their lifetime.
Me and Duncan and Vince were the Three Amigos back then. We checked in with each other every day. If only to get the latest gossip. And then at night we’d sort it out over endless cups of coffee at IHOP. It’s funny. Back then I used to think of those nights at IHOP as the uneventful periods in between all of the very important things that I was doing. But in retrospect those were the best times. And one of the things I miss the most. . . .
Both Duncan and Vince are dead now. So I guess I’m the One Amigo now.
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Acid Heroes 