Mine is not a new story.

Yesterday, Joe, “The Fray’s” charming and charismatic stage-right guitar player, pulled out his iPhone while greeting Carlo and I as we changed strings on our guitars. (Well, as Carlo changed strings on our guitars.) “Check this out! Today we went fishing, and we found an alligator. Look! That’s me grabbing him by the tail and dragging him backwards. That’s what you’re supposed to do, you see.” He focused intently on his iPhone screen as he pointed out the menacing jaws of the alligator that he appeared to indeed be dragging backward along the sidewalk. “Then”, he paused for effect, “I tried to grab onto his snout, because that’s how the real pros do it.” His face squished into concerned wrinkles, “but he squirmed away…”

So much for those quaint conversations about frilly clothes and tasty delectables.

“Wow, fishing and alligators. You guys have had quite a day!” I exclaimed politely, just dying inside to discuss if the band hires someone to dress them, and who Joe’s hair stylist might be?

The stage manager called our band to set up our gear on stage in that moment, so Joe sauntered off back to his green room, and Carlo and I began pushing our amps up the ramps to the stage.