The sign
If I miss anything about working in an office it's been the music I'd share with coworkers.
"Hey Peg, we heard you're coming in to work in the back” pot shop employees outside smoking flagged me down as I walked into the little shop and cackled to themselves.
"Hi guys, yeah I am. Why, what's the deal?”
"Well you're going to work with T. He's negative."
"That's it?"
"Yeah, he’s a cranky guy. Good luck!"
I ignored them. I'm from Florida guys, being abrasive like a cat at first is common.
I went in.
There's T, an older man with a focused face on what he's processing for edibles. "Oh it's...you," he says in a monotone voice.
Could be worse?
"Hey T!" I settled in, setup where I needed to work.
I see the computer sitting in the middle of the room.
He is good at darting his eyes away and overall is annoyed at the number of people that come through the shop.
I need to figure this man out, and quickly so we can get to work.
"Hey T, in the '90s were you into Nirvana or not?" This should work, I've learned there are specific opinions about this since living in Seattle.
"Fuck no, FUCK SUB POP. I love... The Ramones!" he said like a badge of honor.
Oh, he likes The Ramones? Well, this should be easy.
I load up The Ramones for him, thinking I can keep DJing, working, and talking through his interests on this like a... therapist.
We listen to a range of music, usually falling into a routine most days of The Ramones and having woven in The Detroit Cobras and The Dirtbombs now to his delight.
We have a good routine with the music and production happening. When an extra person tries to jump in the mix, they're trying to suggest music or they come in changing it right away.
T's body would tense up, creating waves of negativity in the space and releasing a low groan.
I couldn't have that, so I’d relocate said people trying to play their music away, set them up with dabs, make sure they were filming for their Instagram so people know, take a dab myself, and then I'd sneak back to my desk.
Then one day, I was going through some other tracks to see what T might like.
I put a song on, walked away to get something, came back and sat down.
T's face for the first time had lit up like a child on Christmas. "What? What is it T, what is it?!"
"Peg what is that song.. I've heard it before.." He recognized the song but couldn't place it like when it took me a good month to track down This Charming Man by The Smiths.
"T are you serious? You don't know what this song is?" Now, I am excited realizing my power.
"This song is called The Sign by Ace of Base! It's a classic!"
T didn't just like the song. He loved it. We played it so much, other people coming through would be annoyed about the routine.
Oh cmon Peg and T, no more Ace of Base!
It became an instant mood pick up when starting to play it. We'd close up, always playing that stupid song, splitting a joint, and leaving while still singing along to it.