One morning in middle school, instead of cramming in with my usual crowd, I got to ride to school with Adriane, the very cool older family friend who drove The Tipsy Car.
The Tipsy Car was a turquoise and white International Harvester Scout. My brother named it as he marveled at how high off the ground it was.
Adriane, a senior, not only drove this incredibly cool car, but she listened to amazingly cool music. When she graduated, she bequeathed me her uniform skirts, all hemmed super-short and many held together by pins and staples. Most treasured was her honors jumper, which she had turned into a skirt by cutting off the top, so it could only be worn with a sweater.
So cool.
The morning we drove to school, she was playing Special Beat Service, my first introduction to The English Beat. They played in Houston two nights ago, and everyone was gaga about hearing Save It For Later, but to me, this song captures that car ride.
Kind of blows my mind to see guys in a ska band wearing pastels!
nonsequiteuse 
are you saying the English Beat was here two nights ago??? Whaaaaat? I love them and hung out with them once in Austin when I was working for Debra.
They played Sunday – it was in the back of my mind, but I didn’t make it out. Reviews said the show was amazing.