"if looks could kill they probably will in games without frontiers, war without tears"
So said Peter Gabriel in 1980's somewhat creepy song, Games without Frontiers from one of many self-titled albums. So said Peter Gabriel on the same recording coming through my car stereo on July 4th of 1995 on my way to work at the franchised ice cream stand. I was singing along at the stop light waiting for my turn to go through the intersection. As the light turned green I inched forward because one of the other cars had come out too far and I had to go around them. As I did this I did not see the other car come sailing through their red light and not even slow down until the impact. My car was spun around to face oncoming traffic and I (quite brilliantly) realized, "I've been in an accident". As I gathered my thoughts those french sounding ladies kept repeating, "She-So-Fro-Tee-Ay". My first action was to turn off the goddamn radio. My second action was to get out of the car and approach the assholes that hit me. One was a middle-aged, somewhat dim man leaning against a guard rail in a white undershirt. "What the hell happened?" I asked, somewhat indignantly.
Instead of trying to explain his side of the story he got pissy. "Don't even start" he said, or something to that effect. I just thought he was a low functioning citizen so I just kept walking until I got to the driver. At this point the story blurs, but I can say that he was an older man wearing a dirty old ball cap and some sort of work attire. I don't know if I saw the bottle then or if the cops later showed it to me but I do remember "Four Roses" being involved somehow. The two had been drinking at the dam all night (no doubt celebrating the birthday of these United States).
Anyway, I am not even approaching the subject of alcohol related accidents because it is not worth mentioning in my case. I walked away completely unharmed and cannot in anyway relate to the tragedy that many Americans face. The point of this posting, however, is that song (you know, the one I started out with). Shortly after the experience when I would hear the song it was a very strange sensation. It wasn't traumatic, I just didn't want to hear it. That was 12 years ago. I have been listening to a lot of Genesis lately and decided to start re-examining solo Peter Gabriel. Last night I played the 1980 album with the melting face that has Games Without Frontiers. It was a reunion of sorts and I am looking forward to importing it to the ipod.
1 comment:
The song is great. I've always liked it although I always used to think the girl was saying "HEISF**KINGAY" - ok, ok - I knew that's not what it was saying but it sure was fun to imagine!
As for the accident - holy crap! I mean, 12.5 years later - I had no idea you had been hit by a drunk driver. To hell with you're not gonna get into it considering what other people go through - I say thank God you're still walking amongst us. It almost makes my memory of being pulled over by a Youngstown City cop for doing 62 in a 50 (it dropped from 55 right where he sat and I usually do about 5mph over). I still remember listening to Lynard Skynard's "Gimme Back My Bullets"!!!
Post a Comment