A strange combination, right?  Here is the backstory:  I pay a lot of attention to things that are not really worthy of my attention.  It is probably not the most efficient use of my time, but still, I am slightly obsessed with signs, and the inter-connectedness of things…..people, events, music.  I wrote a blog post recently about my son’s take on a Pixies song that seemed to be following me. (“Oh, There is My Mind”).

Although I love the idea of signs, I rarely follow them.  To wit: I once thought that the discovery of my old Joshua Tree tee shirt was a sign that I should re-consider my decision to not attend the U2 concert.  (“A 1987 Bono for the New Year”).   That stupid tee shirt might very well have been a sign, but ultimately I didn’t follow it, even when, the night before the show, I had access to a ticket.  I also was once sure that a song at a wedding was beckoning me back to France (“Book the Villa, it’s a Sign”), but that hasn’t happened yet, either.  C’est la vie.

Spotty history aside, even if you are not a “sign” kind of person, you’ve got to admit that the following signs from last Saturday are enough to make you scratch your head.  I’m not committing to follow through on anything, but it does make me wonder what The Pixies, Chad Stokes, and pineapple have in common, and what they might be trying to tell me.

SATURDAY SIGN #1
I had tickets that night to see Chad Stokes (from Dispatch and State Radio) play with his new band at a small club.  I’ve always had an imaginary friendship with Chad, because he looks like a friend of my sister’s who brought a pineapple to my wedding.  (“On Sisters and Pineapple”).  I love everything about pineapples  – their symbolism of hospitality, the fact that they hail from Hawaii, and that they remind me of my wedding day.

My sister texted me to have fun at the show and to say hi to Chad for her.   I responded that maybe I should bring him a pineapple.  A few hours later, what do I find at a thrift store — a small wooden pineapple.  Spooky, right?  I bought it, of course.  I had two other wooden pineapples at home that were screaming to become a trio.  (Sorry, Chad).

SATURDAY SIGN #2
Pineapple in place with its two other buddies, we headed out for appetizers and drinks before the show.  My husband had not yet read my Pixies-related blog post, so he sat and read it while we waited. “Good post,” he said, and we started talking about the kids (this is what all parents talk about on their nights out, yes?)   Without missing a beat, the song came on.  That’s right — the “creepy” song — “Where Is My Mind?” — again.  Third time in only a few days.  It’s not that common of a song, is it?   Why will this song not leave me alone?

We looked at each other –  “Hmph. Strange…..”, but ultimately did not reach any conclusions about the meaning of this occurrence, and we headed out to the show.  And it was a lovely show…..very small venue, a great combination of Chad’s new songs, State Radio songs, and Dispatch songs….including one of my favorites, “Elias”, as an encore.  The rest of the evening was, blissfully, pineapple and Pixies-free.

So what does it all mean?  That I really have lost my mind?  That I should go to Hawaii?  That I need a weekend away with my sisters?  I’m still mulling over the possibilities — you know, for a Sign that, ultimately, I will not follow.