If I don't go outside today, I never will

It was autumn of 1995, a Saturday the 14th; I'm guessing October. Myself and a minivan full of comrades bounced down I-94 on our way to the Metro to see Jawbreaker. At that point 'Dear You' was out and we'd had a few chances in the past couple of years to see the band live in Chicago (and the burbs!) So the expectations we were all feeling weren't the "Oh my God, I can't wait to see them in person" sort, it was more of "what's Blake going to say, what song will they open with" etc... But it wasn't here when I fully realized my semi obsession with Blake and the band. The day before, while working as a librarian's assistant in the Joliet Junior College library, I sang '24 Hour Revenge Therapy' in its entirety, in order, to myself as I reshelved books. The only words I didn't really know where the distorted sing-back bits in 'Ache'.

"These days the people I love are spread so far apart (All out of reach)"
We threw out guesses as to what would be played first. "Shield Your Eyes" I probably said. A guy named Paul (not Pawl) said they'd play something off the new album first because that's the album they were touring in support of. We'd have none of that, at least not first. The conversation continued until we were on the Metro's floor with a thousand others awaiting the band to take the stage.

In a smart tone, Blake explained how he'd be helping us recover from another Friday the 13th. We'd made it through, obviously, because we were there but still required some personal attention, perhaps a lyric to realign us all. And with that, the show began.

Jawbreaker - Jinx Removing - mp3