October Fest
#16. Undated, circa 1990/91.
I’m not sure why Tracy was referring to me as “Perfect One.” I was certainly far from that.
I like this letter because between the lines are so many details of our life at that time. I’m pretty sure this was in the very early 90s and our relationship. I was living in my first house I rented after moving out from my Dad’s house where I was living when I met Tracy.
I lived there solo at first, then added a roommate Roger. Later Jerry, the guitarist of Otto’s Revenge (the band he and I formed together in August 1989 right around the time I met Tracy) soon followed. Later our drummer moved in and in the years ahead most of the band — and at times the whole band — would live together in 3 different houses through most of the 90s until 1997 when I moved back to my Dad’s from the Bates house.
Everyone loved Tracy. She super cute/pretty, so sweet and down-to-earth, but also very cool in her personality, artistic style and interests.
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It was an extremely fun time with regular band practices at night at the house and a ton of people between band members, friends and girlfriends often around.
On this weekend we all planned to drive out to Hermann, Missouri for OctoberFest. It was a beautiful drive that I recall was about an hour or so through rolling hills of the Missouri farmland and along a beautiful river. It was the peak of Fall with incredible colors.
Right as we were getting ready to leave, our bass player Dave gave me acid. I knew everyone was doing it but I never had and didn’t plan to, but he popped one in my mouth and off we went.
I had a 1979 BMW that felt like a sled sailing along the roads to great 90s alternative rock.
“Her he” was a goofy sound/form of name-calling my best friend Rob would use and Tracy translated that into a nickname.
We were young and innocent and living the dream of being 20-somethings with all the hopes in the world for the future, including music stardom.
That didn’t happen, but it was an unforgettably cool time.
