A Memory in Portland [STORY]

[Verse 1] Angelina had a birthday coming, The girls had planned a night away, A fancy room, a club, some dancing, Five months of school deserved a break. I heard somebody mention Portland, I said, "I'm not going there." They looked me dead between the eyes, Said, "Don't worry, we're going elsewhere." So I packed one bag for the evening, Clothes, CPAP, computer too, A broken screen meant packing a monitor, Because I've got homework to do. [Pre-Chorus] Then somewhere down the highway, A green sign settled the score. WELCOME TO PORTLAND, OREGON. I didn't say much more. [Chorus] So I watched the roads, I counted turns, I learned the signs, I watched and learned. When everybody else said, "Everything's fine," I kept one hand On a way back home in my mind. You can call it paranoid, You can call it overkill, But when somebody lies about where you're going, You learn the road and keep still. [Verse 2] The hotel desk was on the sidewalk, A man in a suit with keys outside. We finished checking in and turned around, He said, "No, your room's three blocks that side." Black front doors and letters of gold, An elevator barely alive, We opened the room with an actual key, And somebody else's things were inside. Books on the table, Clothes in the drawers, A bottle sitting by the sink. Four women standing in a stranger's room, All having the exact same thought to think. The manager came running over, Like somehow we'd committed the crime. He gave us a bigger room across the hall, And I said, "Kitchen floor is mine." [Chorus] So I watched the roads, I counted turns, I learned the signs, I watched and learned. When everybody else said, "Everything's fine," I kept one hand On a way back home in my mind. Call it paranoid, Call it overkill, But I've learned that plans look wonderful Until suddenly they don't hold still. [Verse 3] They said, "Let's walk and get some dinner." I said, "Why don't we take the car?" They wanted to learn the neighborhood. I wanted to know exactly where we are. So while they laughed and talked together, I watched every crossing and every sign. I ordered two enormous plates of dinner, Ate half and boxed the rest of mine. "Why'd you order all that food?" Nobody bothered asking me. I knew tomorrow hadn't happened yet, And tomorrow doesn't eat for free. [Verse 4] Back upstairs came dresses and makeup, Angelina shimmered dressed in white. Three-fourths of that dress was my birthday present, And damn, did I choose that thing right. They were ready for clubs and drinking, I was ready to stay inside. So wouldn't you know, an assignment appeared, With a very convenient deadline. "Sorry, girls, it's due on Monday." Saturday night, what could I do? They went looking for their perfect party. I plugged my computer into the TV too. [Bridge] A few hours later Angelina came back, No dancing, no birthday cheer. Something about that club felt wrong, And she didn't want to be there. Amber disappeared. The fourth girl too. I still don't know where either went. So Angelina fell asleep after a movie, While I watched the night descend. [instrumental] [Verse 5] Smoke outside the fifth-floor window, Firelight somewhere down below. Glass and shouting in the distance, And noises getting closer as the hours rolled. So I packed the monitor, Packed the clothes, Packed everything back tight. Because if that building caught on fire, I wasn't packing in the middle of the night. I didn't trust that strange hotel, Didn't trust an alarm would sound. So while Angelina slept through everything, I stayed awake and watched the ground. [Quiet Chorus] I watched the roads, I counted turns, I watched the smoke, I watched it burn. Everybody told me, "Everything's fine." So I kept my bag by the door all night. [Verse 6] Morning came and checkout followed, I said, "We should be ready by ten." She said, "Checkout isn't until eleven." So I packed and waited again. Then bang, bang, bang came hotel management, Standing there with folded arms. I looked at him, looked back at Angelina, Said, "I tried waking her two hours ago." She looked betrayed. He looked annoyed. I stood there completely packed, And eventually we hit the sidewalk, With no damn ride to take us back. [Break] [Spoken word] Amber? No answer. Again. No answer. We were stranded in Portland. Fantastic. [Verse 7] [Music starts up again] I asked Angelina if she was hungry.She said she was too upset to eat.I pulled yesterday's dinner from my suitcase.She looked at me like I'd grown extra feet. "EW! That's from yesterday!" "Yep." I ate some anyway. Then packed it right back in my suitcase, Because we had bigger problems that day. I knew the restaurant. I knew the highway. I knew the route we'd walked before. And if nobody ever came to get us, I was already planning something more. She had four bags and high-heeled shoes. I had one suitcase packed. And somewhere in my head I'd started measuring How the hell we'd walk all the way back. [Verse 8] Finally Angelina called up Truck, The bouncer from our regular bar. Said, "I need a ride, I'm stranded." But forgot to mention who else was there. He finally pulled up and looked at her, Then slowly looked at me. Then looked at all those suitcases Like reconsidering every choice since three. Angelina smiled and thanked him sweetly. I could read the room just fine. He'd expected one stranded birthday girl. Surprise. There were two this time. [Bridge 2] It was mostly quiet leaving Portland. I watched the city disappear. Then looked to my phone and heard a ping And that was music to my ears. Signal. Finally. And somewhere on that ride back home,After everything that night could give me, A little sparkle crossed my screen. I got a Shiny Eevee. even if its stats was crap. [Verse 9] Truck stopped somewhere for breakfast, And even paid for mine. I sat there quietly eating, Running backup plans inside my mind. If he leaves me here, I'll figure it out. If something changes, I'll adjust. I have been though too many hard times to count on that. But he didn't leave. He drove us home. And for that, I'll give him trust. [Final Verse] We finally reached Vancouver, Dragged the luggage through the door. And there was Amber, freshly waking, After sleeping through every call. She'd come home and gotten hammered While we were stranded states away. She said she'd only just awakened. There wasn't much I had to say. So I opened up my suitcase, Pulled that second box from inside. Angelina and Amber stared at me Like yesterday's food had somehow survived. [spoken words] "Is that the food from last night?" I said, "Yep." [Music returns] Put it in the microwave.Waited for the little bell. Picked it up. Turned toward my room. And smiled. [Final Chorus] I watched the roads, I counted turns, I packed my things, I watched things burn. I saved my food, I kept the key, And when the whole damn plan collapsed, I still had dinner waiting for me. Call it paranoid. Call it overkill. Call me boring. Call me strange. But when everybody else's plans went missing, Mine survived another day. [Outro] I lifted up that plastic box, After one long trip through hell. "This... is my victory meal." [End] [Bridge 2] It was mostly quiet leaving Portland. I watched the city disappear. Then looked to my phone and heard a ping And that was music to my ears. Signal. Finally. And somewhere on that ride back home,After everything that night could give me, A little sparkle crossed my screen. I got a Shiny Eevee. even if its stats was crap. [Verse 9] Truck stopped somewhere for breakfast, And even paid for mine. I sat there quietly eating, Running backup plans inside my mind. If he leaves me here, I'll figure it out. If something changes, I'll adjust. I have been though too many hard times to count on that. But he didn't leave. He drove us home. And for that, I'll give him trust. [Final Verse] We finally reached Vancouver, Dragged the luggage through the door. And there was Amber, freshly waking, After sleeping through every call. She'd come home and gotten hammered While we were stranded states away. She said she'd only just awakened. There wasn't much I had to say. So I opened up my suitcase, Pulled that second box from inside. Angelina and Amber stared at me Like yesterday's food had somehow survived. [spoken words] "Is that the food from last night?" I said, "Yep." [Music returns] Put it in the microwave.Waited for the little bell. Picked it up. Turned toward my room. And smiled. [Final Chorus] I watched the roads, I counted turns, I packed my things, I watched things burn. I saved my food, I kept the key, And when the whole damn plan collapsed, I still had dinner waiting for me. Call it paranoid. Call it overkill. Call me boring. Call me strange. But when everybody else's plans went missing, Mine survived another day. [Outro] I lifted up that plastic box, After one long trip through hell. "This... is my victory meal." [End]