Day 152: Atom vs. The Speedboat

Lately Sharon and I have felt like we were sitting front row at a Gallagher Show. Only we haven't donned raincoats and the show is actually good. Atom has incorporated a new bit into his act. Not only does he seem to be able to blow endless bubbles in various sizes out of thin air but now he likes to impersonate a Speedboat.


No he has never seen a speedboat to the best of our knowledge but his impression is spot on. He even captures the subtle nuances of someone shifting gears and applying various levels of pressure to the throttle.


His performance usually starts off somewhat slow. He closes his lips tight and proceeds to make minor fart noises. If his audience appears to be into it (and we always are) he really lets loose. Lips vibrating, saliva sporadically spraying, and a steely stare embody his persona. It is truly a sight to be seen.


I think for me one of the best things about these impromptu jam sessions is Atom's underlying collaborative nature really shines through. No ego. No formality. No judgement.


In fact, he and I engaged in a 45 minute saliva sing-a-long without giving it a second thought over the weekend. He started with a steady bass line "Thurrrrp, Thurrrrp, Thurrrp" and I quickly jumped in with some hellacious harmonic lines of "Thruuub, Thruuuub, Thruub". We lost ourselves to the moment and didn't re-surface until my lips were numb and a drool pool had formed at my feet.


For me...the recital was epic and even though afterwards Atom instantly moved on to a staring contest with the ceiling fan above my head, I think for a brief moment we both knew something sublime had just been created.


I felt like a young jazz musician in New York after WWII who just happened to wander into Minton's Playhouse. If only Dizzy had a chance to jam with Atom...Jazz may have become the next sliced bread.