Flying Over I-40 E. And I want what I want…

~ Live & Learn

3:45 am:  Alarm.

4:50 am:  DFW Airport.

6:05 am:  Boarding.

6:40 am:  Wheels up and over the pre-dawn lights of Dallas. Sunrise blazing orange on the horizon.

The National’s new album “Sleep Well Beast” has been playing on a loop for days now.  And, for 6 hours last night, the Beast did sleep well with the aid of two shots of Advil PM. For a man who swore off all forms of artificial assistance, I’m pumpin’ it now. Screw insomnia. I’m making the trade: Zombie for Woozy. A few moments of lucidity in exchange for Anne Michael’s black earth breathing its winter breath…And so far, so far, it’s workin’…

But let’s be a bit more precise, it’s not the album that’s been on a loop but “Empire Line“. I seem to sit, kneel and stand to this anthem with the mind parsing and plaiting the lyrics that burn the groove:

You’ve been sleeping for miles / So what did you see? / Here the sky’s been falling white flowers…/ Can’t you find a way? / Can’t you find a way? / And I want what I want / And I want everything / I want everything.

We climb to 35,000 feet and the giant steel bird levels out.

And here it comes. That same feeling, so rare, so light, tail feathers fluttering in the wind, that feeling of bliss, of release, of letting go. Then gratitude washes over.

It couldn’t be but 60 seconds.

I shift in my seat, and think “Indescribable.”

Then wish: Repeat. Sustain. Repeat. Sustain.

And the Mind takes over.

Yep, floating lighter. Must be the extra lift with the upgrade to First Class.

I reach for the smartphone, find the playlist, the index finger flicks the screen and lands on Empire Line. Need another fix.

But, But…

I want what I want
And I want everything
I want everything

Notes:

27 thoughts on “Flying Over I-40 E. And I want what I want…”

  8. I have to thank you, once again, for introducing me to something, in this case “The National” – I had somehow never heard of them. I think I’ll be checking out more of their stuff.

    Am I weird that I have zero songs on my phone? I am a CBC R2 person and it is on pretty much all the time. Then again, I don’t take public transport so I don’t have the same incentive. And on planes… I usually watch the movie!

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