THIS KID IS ALL RIGHT

Friday night in downtown Minneapolis, beautiful summer evening and everyone was so happy. Faces lifted towards the sundown over our modest skyline, we ordered our drinks and watched each other move across the streets from table to table and venue to venue. Wine was flowing and cocktails were bright and festive, and there were plates of fresh sumptuous appetizers served by smiling waitrons in clean black shirts and pants.

Suddenly, from around the corner, a chilling scream, an agonizing moan of impossible pain,and everyone ran to see. It was a convertabile, or a float, or maybe something of each, with three white guys and one black girl riding in it, faces twisted in confusion and panic. The guy who was driving was in a wheelchair, and he was fat and red headed, and hunched over himself in pain. He was clutching a bloody blue and white kitchen towel against his privates. Something was terribly wrong.

"We need a band! We need to talk to somebody who's been a band that this has happened to before! Someone who has been in a band will know what to do! HELP US!"

People came running from every direction. Cell phones flashed 9-1-1's all up and down the street, and as for me, I yelled to them, "Hennepin County Medical Center is right up the street! Just keep going straight"

Fat boy was very pale by now, almost in shock. "We don't want no stinking doc or fucking cops! We need a band! Someone send us a band!"

I thought the kid was about to die, or at least pass out. The sea of people up and down the street, and crowding every side street was thicker than the mothers day 5 k walk at the mall of america, people everywhere!

Suddently the car stopped. Fat boy sat up straight and wiped his tears. Silence.

Then, BOOOOOOOM an explosion of fireworks from the middle of the float, and all 4 kids lept to their feet, electric guitars blazing, pounding their fists in the air

"THIS KID IS ALL RIGHT THIS KID IS ALL RIGHT FRIDAY NIGHT IS ALL RIGHT"

Brilliant! An instant concert with an instant crowd, who by the way, once they realized what had happened hooted in delight! Street theater at it's best and they were part of it!

They shouted back "THIS KID IS ALL RIGHT THIS KID IS ALL RIGHT FRIDAY NIGHT IS ALL RIGHT" and the music started, and it was loud, and everyone laughed and danced.

blackout.