Hot Topic: Turning 30
Thirty-years-old in less than in a month. It’s not that I’m really dreading the countdown to Forty, but I’m defiantly challenging this transition. Case in point: yesterday Sarah and I went to the mall. We split up so that she could go to Nordstrom and Williams and Sonoma. I claimed to want to check out the new iMac at the Apple store, but instead made a beeline to Pac freakin’ Sun. As I raced past the edgy Hurley t-shirts toward the shoes, I congratulated myself for recognizing the pulsing, poppy music filling the store: Pinback. And it’s actually an old track. I bet those kids over there don’t even know who the band is. I liked this song like two years ago. Posers. I asked the mallterna-dude if they sold laces separately, as I think my old black Etnies kicks can discover new life with the simple addition of a new pair of gray laces. “The only laces we have say ‘I ? Skater Boys’.” Avril Lavigne was standing next to me and laughed as if to say, “I’m on to your game, Geezer.” Instead, she was very helpful. “Dude, you can get hooked up at Hot Topic,” she said with a knowing smile.
I had even worse luck at the Topic, a store that reminded me of what would happen if Rob Zombie took over one of those rock n’ roll apparel joints on the Myrtle Beach strand. But the multi-pierced gentleman who greeted me at the entrance claimed that skate laces were indeed at the back of the store. I traversed the dark, narrow corridors lined with chokers, scary wrist bands, and handcuff chain wallets. I was nervous about actually reaching the back of the store as a truly strange Gen-Y phenomenon was going down. These kids were kicking mad hybrid styles: Goth, skate, Rap ‘n Rock, bondage, Insane Clown Posse. All at the same time. I was concerned, frankly, about brushing up against these angry young men on their own turf. So I chickened out and turned around. I should be getting my metrosexual on at Ban a Republican anyways. Instead it was back to Pac Sun. I didn’t get a chance to see all the new t-shirts.
Next week: catharsis during Dashboard Confessional’s ACL Festival set.
September 20th, 2004
