I saw Kobain in a 7-11


The god of dreams... does this song need an explanation?

I was heating up a chicken roll in a microwave oven.
I noticed the automatic doors open.
Then walked in a tragic figure covered in dirt.
Wearing a flannelette R.E.M. Reconstruction T-shirt.
(The one with the monkey and the parrot on a bike.)
The Kobainular one appeared holy and Christlike.

"Hi, it's nice to see you back."
"Oh, you recognised me... you're the third person today."

He shuffled over to the fridge, paid homage to the god of dreams.
Stared at the chip shelf for a while, snagged a box of stale saltines.
Over and above the din of the check out chick's rings
I asked where he'd been. He said "Well, I've dined with kings, 
I've been able to see things a Kurdt really shouldn't see. 
I've been to paradise, but I've not been to me."

"What?"

"I've been bumming out at Byron Bay, wrote some more songs.
Figured out Frippertronics; learned how to play a Mellotron.
I'm going to replace Robert Fripp in King Crimson."

"My arse. Robert Fripp IS King Crimson"
"No, he sold the name to me. He's going under the name of Yes, which
 he bought off of Trevor Rabin."
"You're going progressive?"
"Yep."

Grunge just doesn't hold its allure for me anymore. 
So I staged my death by cloning my body---you know,
like in one of the first episodes of Deep Space Nine.
I left a bloody mess, but now I feel fine.

"Courtney'll be pissed"
"Yeah, I haven't gotten around to telling her yet."

Collected my change and I wandered out the door. 
This all happened 15 minutes before.
I'm here to tell you Kurdt Kobain is alive and on the loose
and happily crashing way out in Betelgeuse.

"I did say this 7-Eleven was in Betelgeuse, didn't I?"

Music: Ram
Lyrics: Ram, Graham, and Maureen


TWISTED HELICES || Ram Samudrala || ram@twisted-helices.com