Since the start of tour, my roll dawg, Carrie and I haven’t had a proper girl’s day. Y’know where you shop, eat, drink wine, go to dinner and then talk to each other on the phone about the day you just had. lol.
Well, Hamburg was supposed to be just that. Until she phones me this morning saying that she’s sick with something.
I offered to buy her a case of gingerale and a bowl of soup to coax her out of bed and spend the day with me, but alas, she thought it best to stay and rest. I get it. I did the same thing in Paris when I was feeling icky the day of our second show.
So, I venture out into Hamburg alone. A loner, I was. At one point, I was walking through the five story Europa Passage mall singing Adele’s “Dont You Remember Me?” out loud and on repeat.
Amidst thinking I could ACTUALLY move to Paris and be a street performer to make a living (until I secured a real job), I stumbled upon a children’s plush animal store.
Already feeling a bit aloof and extremely homesick, I decided it’d be nice to buy a stuffed lion for my niece, who I often think of when I miss home. Children have the purest of hearts and want nothing from you other than your time and attention – so I think about her wanting to play ‘Scooby Doo’ and hide from the ghosts under my parent’s dining room table this past Christmas.
I chose a lion because we’re both Leos. And I somehow think that all this love I concentrate in my thoughts of her, will somehow keep her safe back in California and cause her to grow healthy and strong – like a LION!
But instead of a large plush toy, I settle on a cute plush keychain, that coincidentally has a tag saying his name is ‘Lawrence.’ My younger brother’s name. The GODs are speaking, for sure now.
As I make my way of out the mall and still singing, I happen upon the “nice” stores. I walk past Gucci, Max Mara, and Massimo Dutti when I hit Louis Vuitton. I immediately turn in.
It’s been almost four years ago now since I worked in the Beverly Center at Planet Funk peddling expensive denim. And it’s been since then, that I’ve vied for one of two Louis Vuitton purses. The purple EPI leather Speedy 30 has been sold out for ages and discontinued but the White Damier is usually in stock and is where my fawning began.
Just my luck, she was in. She meaning, my new best friend (who at the present time is nameless), the LV Bag.
I’d decided some weeks ago I was going to make the plunge and buy a Louis. I had told myself it’d be in London at Harrod’s but today called for a special amount of self-soothing and Lawrence the Lion was only the tip of the iceberg.
Four years ago, I was on my feet, at least 8 hours a day. Working two jobs. Struggling to pull money together to pay a band to play shows.
Today, I’m in Hamburg living the dream.
And you know what? It’s cool that it’s taken this long to come around. I just have more hope for the dreams I’m dreaming today. Y’know?
And even better… Now, I’ve got Lawrence and my Louis – this girl’s two new best friends to remind me of my loved ones and the thing I love wherever I go, even if it’s alone.
A girl has gotta have friends...
