CASSETTE FROM MY EX

In the summer of 1996, the year after I graduated from VCU, I worked as a screen printer for an art supply store in Richmond, Virginia. I slaved away by myself in an old wooden attic, which was perhaps one of the more miserable environments known to mankind. Aside from the toxic chemicals in abundance, the temperatures in the attic on any given afternoon were unbearable. This was partially due to the greenhouse effect of trapped summer heat, but largely due to the plastisol-curing oven that leaked temperatures of up to one-thousand degrees! My only relief came from large jugs of water, which I refilled in the bathroom sink just about every hour.

The only good memory from that job was a girl named Nina who worked downstairs in the store. She was semi-Goth, with black stockings, black skirts, and black nails. Her un-Gothness came in the form of indie rock t-shirts and bleach blond hair with a single red dreadlock that hung to the side. Nina and I quickly developed a flirtatious friendship. We often spent lunchtime together, going to the Village Cafe. One afternoon, I misprinted a NASCAR t-shirt. Instead of throwing it out, I hand-painted her name on the side of the crooked racecar, and brought it to her. It must have been a week or two later that she gave me a mixtape. Aside from the crappy music broadcast over the Richmond radio airwaves, this cassette quickly became the soundtrack to my summer.

I specifically remember making fun of her for putting “Back In Black” on the tape. She firmly argued, “Come on, it’s one of the most perfect rock songs ever!” Funny thing is, I now kind of agree with her. I also remember being bummed that she put Chrome Daddy Disco on the mix. CDD were a local rockabilly band whose singer I didn’t particularly get along with at the time. Alas.

As much as Nina and I seemed to hit it off, nothing ever really came of our relationship. Once or twice she hinted at a boyfriend she had back at college in Northern Virginia. For some reason I never pried into the subject. I think I was just too shy. Regardless, summer ended, and Nina went back to school. I quit the job soon after, overjoyed to land a much better gig as a harmonica technician at Hohner Inc. I never heard from Nina again.

Music For Physical Fitness: Scissors Shel Silverstein: Sarah Cynthia Sylvia Stout Would Not Take The Garbage Out Lemonheads: Different Drum Stevie Wonder: We Can Work It Out Billie Holiday: When Your Lover Has Gone Luscious Jackson: Citysong Superchunk: Hyper Enough Chrome Daddy Disco: Blood Valentine Holiday Flyer: I Just Keep Falling Apart

A Child’s Introduction To Musical Instruments:  Snare Drum Velocity Girl: Sorry Again Diana Ross & The Supremes: You Can’t Hurry Love AC/DC: Back In Black Erik Satie: Six Gnossiennes - Lent Nick Drake: I Was Made To Love Music Nina Simone: After You’ve Gone Sly And The Family Stone: A Family Affair Sly And The Family Stone: You Caught Me Smilin’

Michael Hearst is a musician and a writer. He is a founding member of the band One Ring Zero, which has released at least seven CDs, including their lit-rock sensation As Smart As We Are. His most recent work is a solo album titled Songs For Ice Cream Trucks, which, to his surprise, is actually being used by several ice cream trucks throughout the country. As a writer, Michael’s work has appeared in such journals as McSweeney’s, Parenthetical Note, and Post Road. He also hosts a podcast series with Rick Moody called Eighteen Fifty Nine.