I spent the whole weekend, my bags already packed, everything I owned on my back, at Freedomfest, a festival near Barrie for local bands. My old band Settle For Less had played there previous years but we were defunct now. That was one reason not to stay.
Also I’d moved so many times in the past year that my belongings had been whittled down to just a few things anyway so fitting everything I need in a backpack, rucksack and guitar case wasn’t too difficult. People think freedom is being able to buy everything but it’s actually not owning anything.
Everyone was there, it was perfect. It was very sneaky of me to make it my goodbye party. It was a weekend long party with lots of great bands, some of which I knew and some not. It was a great time for music in Barrie.
I got a ride from my old guitarist Dave’s drummer from his new band Junior (later to be renamed Fight Like Gentlemen). They dropped me off on the TransCanada highway, said goodbye and drove off. I wonder if everyone was expecting to see me back in town the next week. I sat there, not even accustomed to hitchhiking at all, wondering if I’d get picked up and thinking about this being my last opportunity to waffle and just go back to Barrie. But I couldn’t. There was nothing left for me there…
Disappearing the Quick 