G’day!

I was booked to play at ‘De Nieuwe Anita’ last week. I really felt like coming back to my nice and warm house straight after the gig. So I made up my bed, laid a Faulkner novel on it and put on a nice small light for my safe homecoming.
I left my house.
When I arrived by car at the venue I had to find a parking spot. I put my car somewhere and tried to get a parking ticket. It was €4,50 for every hour. There wasn’t enough money on my card. I went inside the venue and asked where I could upload more money to it. No one knew. I went to a supermarket nearby.  They said to me: ‘take your car and drive to the marconi-square’.

Because I was thinking I’d be back within several minutes, I left my bag and guitar at De Nieuwe Anita.
In the bag was my telephone. I normally have an iPhone. But since the glass broke it’s been sent away for repair.
I have this small mobile as a substitute without any phone-numbers in it. So there’s not much emotional involvement to it. Anyway. I took my car to the marconi square. 19.30.
Could’nt find the bloody upload-machine at all. It was dark. There was a cranky taxi driver behind me, pushing and blinking his lights at me. So I drove trough the city looking for a parking spot, in the meanwhile trying to remember where I was going.

I finally found a parking garage called: Europarking. I drove inside, got a ticket, put away the car and started walking in a direction where I thought De Nieuwe Anita was at. Walking. Then I asked at a Turkish Durum toko where I could find De Nieuwe Anita. They sent me to the left. After 15 minutes I asked again somwhere. They sent me to the right..
I hadn’t been anle to eat that day so I was very hungry. I went inside a toko and ate. Nice people from Kazachstan. I read the papers, burped timidly and started walking again. I couldn’t reach anyone since my phone was in my bag. I asked again and then they said something what I liked: there’s a roundabout with purple crocuses on it.  Yes! How far away is it? By car you mean? About 15 minutes. Damn! I got the right directions and started walking.
It was supposed to start performing at 21.30. I arrived at 21.35. Jasper, the organiser and the owner of De Nieuwe Anita were a bit cranky of my late arrival. I told them my story, quickly tuned my guitar and did a half hour set.
the audience was nice, they listened, they clapped. There were two other bands after me which I listened to. Really nice music!

Afterwards I talked to several nice people. Drank a beer. Smoked a cigar. Went inside, took my guitar and went to the parking garage. I got a hike on the back of a bike by Janna. I got out my parking ticket. Put it in the machine to pay.
Nothing. I looked at the machine. After 01.00 closed it said. I looked around to check the time. 01.25. Closed. I pushed the  button to get in contact with the helpdesk. ‘Sorry sir, we can’t help you. This is the only parking garage which closes at a certain point. You’ll have to wait until 6.30. Goodnight.’ There’s quite a lot of family living in Amsterdam, but I didn’t have their numbers because of the substitute phone. Only Jasper’s number was available. I called him. He was still at De Nieuwe Anita.

Thing is, I was brought by bike and didn’t look where I was heading. I didn’t know where I was again. Remember I got lost the first time? I started walking, finally found somebody and asked the way. He took out his iPhone (oh irony) and told me how to walk. At 02.00 I found the cafe. I rang the bell. A man opened up and told me I couldn’t get in any more. I asked to get me Jasper. I got in. I drank some whiskey and beers, talked and listened to some music. There were still some people drinking. I couldn’t stay at Japser’s place. Then there was someone who knew a hostel somewhere in town. At 02.45 we started walking towards it. The guy had a big spliff. It was nice to calm my senses a bit. We walked and talked for about 20 minutes, then I saw a hotel. Hotel Europa. I was a little bit stoned because of the spliff.  Before I knew the guy had rang the hotel-bell. A bad sighted Hotel Europa employee opened the door and I asked if there was still a room available. ‘Yes, come in’. He walked really shaky and when it got to filling in forms, paying  it turned out the poor man couldn’t see a thing! So, before I knew I was behind the Hotel Europa Desk.
There I was, at 03.15 in Amsterdam, getting out forms, filling in codes etc. and the man telling me what to do and asking me what it said on the forms.

At 03.30 I was finally in my hotel-room.  I laughed. No correct time on my mobile. Not knowing where I was. Next day I was supposed to attend a student radio show recording thing. But couldn’t set the time. I decided to see what would happen. I woke up the next day. Strum a few chords on my guitar. Had breakfast in the hotel. Got back to my room. Washed my face. Got my bag and guitar. Went to the lobby and asked where I was. I was given some information concerning my location, took the metro to the radio thing. Had a few coffee’s over-there. Played a few songs. Talked a bit. Took the metro after finding out where my car was at. And after almost 24 hrs. I was finally back home. The light still burning. Faulkner still waiting. I took a shower and relaxed for a bit. Viva Europa!
Gerhardt

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