Car Wash
I've always known that Friday was payday and on those paydays, I knew that before we went home — we were going to the car wash.
I am pretty sure I only saw the movie Car Wash (1976) because I thought it was a cartoon. In the 70s’, films used a lot of like cartoon style imagery in their movie posters (look up the posters for Bad News Bears, American Graffiti, Animal House or even the opening to Grease) and those would oftentimes be the same imargery that ended up on the VHS covers years later. It was all very Mad Magazine-y, so I would get tricked! BUT it’s a movie about a day in the life of people who work at a car wash and the people who come thru it. Folks are trying to win concert tickets, trying to convert people, everything. Richard Pryor, George Carlin, and Garrett Morris (who I forgot is also in 2 Broke Girls!) are all in it. I have said before that my favorite type of movie are films that take place in one day and this is another one. The last time I thought about this movie is when I watched tangerine a few years back and the car wash moments that happen in that, and the other day when I was thinking of my dad.
My dad was on pickup duty all the time. In middle school, he would often park in the same spot 3 or 4 blocks away from the school door and have me walk there to avoid the chaos that is after-school pick-up. Other times he would join the other impatient parents and drive right up to the front.
WJLB in Detroit would always — and I mean ALWAYS — play two songs every Friday constantly:
"This is How We Do It" by Montell Jordan and "Just Got Paid" by Johnny Kemp.
On paydays, I would get my $20 allowance and my dad would BLAST both every time they came on. We would sing and dance all up and down 7 mile while he went in and out of places paying bills.
First the electric company, then drive down to Ameritech building to pay the phone and internet bill (my mom also worked there for a little bit), and then up the street to the gas company, all while the windows were down and we were movin' and groovin' to his fav old school jams in between conversations where I would be talking about God knows what.
We'd always end the day with two things — A bag of shrimp and fries each from THE ORIGINAL Dot and Ettas (hush puppies on the side for my mama) and getting his car washed. He loved one particular car wash and he refused to go to others no matter how out the way it was. It was a disturbing yellow color and it was all the way behind us after our errand day, I never understood why we didn’t go to it first. We'd get out the car and when it came out he would smile and loudly say "Look at dat shine, look at dat glow, look at dat gleam!!!!" and I would be so embarrassed but still laugh and smile.
I hopped on Google Maps to see if it was still there but I didn’t see it. I miss my dad but I can guarantee you is probably going to the car wash today.
What I Watched
D.B Cooper: Where Are You?!
Rap Sh!t — I’ve seen the whole season (well, minus the last two episodes) and it’s really, REALLY good.
The finale of Trixie Motel
AHS: American Horror Stories
What We do In The Shadows is back!!! This is one of the best film-to-series shows ever. The movie is so stupid, perfect and niche that you could have never told me this was going to turn into a show.
What I Re-Watched
I am starting my first ever re-watch of 2 Broke Girls, a show I LOVED about 8 years ago and used to watch with my then roommate as we too were 2 very very broke girls.
What I Listened To
What I Read
In the next few years I want a little bundle or two of chaos and joy. My last AMH test was really good, I’m scheduled for another in August, reading articles like this, and hearing from friends who have destroyed their embryos is a bit scary but won’t stop me.
It’s always great to read about Black women in Hollywood crediting each other and not the industry.
Still obsessed with The Bear and still reading any article that comes out about it
I love PDA, not like I wanna be dicked down in public (well…) but I enjoy it. This interview with Kadar Small features his project on Black queer PDA and its liberatory power
There is an incredible book Da’Shaun Harrison called Belly of the Beast (the foreward is by Kiese Laymon who wrote Heavy which was beautiful) which everyone should read. It’s about anti-fatness x anti-Blackness and….yeah, educate yourself on things that may not affect you but those around you.
Bad Fat Black Girl by Sesali Bowen
What I Ate
Honestly, not a lot. Nothing behind it just been forgetting?
COLD BREW MILKSHAKES FROM POTBELLY ARE MY NEW FAVOURITE THING.
What I Tweeted
LOL - dykes are so fake!
Etc.
I really miss my girlfriend.
I can’t wait to get my paint from Clare! I went with Hyperlink & Pink Sky…I just gotta choose a grey but those two go really well with the yellows and brass that are in my spot already
I need a record player
blech summer
Okay bye —
