The years 2000-2002 are what I considier lost years.  They were aimless and lacked any true purpose.  In the year 2000, I often found myself wandering around Wal-Mart at two or three a.m and driving around with no particular destination in mind. I was in my mid-twenties, and the promise I felt my life held was dulled.  I smoked clove cigarettes, wore only black t-shirts and jeans, and I would go days without talking to anyone. 

At some point I began hanging out at a little music venue in the historic downtown area of Texarkana.  I liked it because some of the bands were exactly like me aimless and a little angry or confused by it.  The bands with names like The Nap, Fast to Nowhere, Wiseguy, and Some Guy Named Robb were my solace during this long dark tea-time of the soul. 

I didn't drink, or carry on affairs.  I just drove, read, smoked and listened to bands that no one really knew.  This was my life .  It was a grey time in my life, and the cycle continued and continued.  I struck up nodding acquaintences with other people who felt this was, I think. 

Month after month rolled around, nothing changed.  I just kept doing the same old thing.  Sometime during the summer of 200, The llittle venue that served coffee no one ever bought announced it was going to shut down.  I was crushed, silently, of course. 

Later that night, while a metal band covered in sludge perfromed, I stepped outside to smoke a cigarette.  I began talking toDarin,  a guy I had worked for a t a record store, and the conversation grew to include a shoe saleman named Clint. 

" I hate to see this thing go." I said.

Clint suddenly seemd to become very interested.

"What do you mean?" he asked.

"I have some money saved up. I'd love to try and run a venue." 

He quickly began running thourgh plans he had for a venue. He told me that he had a PA lined up and that since he and another guy, Frank, booked the acts for the cafe that they had a clinet list ready to go. 

I became excited for the first time in a long time.  Clint , in his excitment, resembled an over-excited Capuchin.  I wanted to believe that we could do this.  I really did.

"C'mon," he said". let's go look at the building I have picked out." 

There I was the overly cautious guy, jumping into his trash-filled sedan as we raced to look at a pipe dream, and I wasn't worried or confused.   I was ready to see what was next.