Celebrating the good people do!
So I’m not really sure how to start this out but I’m trying to put a request in for a very close friend of mine. It’s probably too late but I’ve been hesitant to do this because I have seen posts on here against song requests lately and even jokes about this song in particular. I read these forms daily but I’ve never officially posted but as I’m waiting on my laundry for my trip to Chicago this weekend I decided to just try and make this happen. I’ve also been hesitant because a lot of the requests I do see are typically revolving around a tragic story or a loss of some sort, so I wasn’t very sure if mine is as important because mine is more about celebrating the good in someone...
I will try to keep this short and to the point. Back in 2011 I had some really bad family issues. My cousin sexually assaulted a little girl and was found guilty and convicted in 2012. My Family was very supportive of him and I could not support that. Their attitude on the matter was because he was family, my morals we’re to be put to the side. When I voiced my opinion on the matter things became really really bad. They became very vengeful and started a feud with me which lead me having to walk away from everything. Harassment at the job, stealing my mail, vandalism to my vehicle etc. I even had to reach out to the authorities but only so much could be done. I packed up what I could and I had to get away from everything. Things got bad simply because I was standing up for what I believe. This summer has been about six years now since I’ve had any contact with any of them. I simply just went off the grid.
By 2014 when I just couldn’t take it anymore I decided to move to another town where I knew I wouldn’t run across anybody. I was broke with no place to go and about maybe four days into a new job. This guy I worked with told me I could stay at his place for a little bit and that was a huge mistake. He was like the ultimate party animal but it was fun at times. It helped because at the end of the day I had a roof over my head and I was away from all of the nonsense that used to be my family.
A couple months of being there and I met this guy named Carl. My friend I’m actually requesting this for. We hit it off pretty quickly, he was a few years younger than me but just a very standup individual. As we got to know each other better we became very close friends. It’s been a while now so I can’t remember things verbatim but we had a talk one day and it was something along the lines of I was too nice of a person to be in such an awful situation. Such as the family stuff and walking away from everything and crashing at a frat house. Lol Fast forward to today. He hooked me up with a nice place to live and I actually work for him now! He works in property. I could go on and on about him, there’s been so much more besides those few things. When bad things happen and people are in bad situations it’s very hard to see the good but it will eventually come! It makes it so much easier and better when you surround yourself with good people. It’s been almost five years now and I am just so grateful!
I took him to the two shows in ‘16 at Wrigley. He said he wasn’t familiar with them and that he only knew Even Flow and Last Kiss. I told him he had to go. He actually loaned me the money for the tickets because I was still trying to put things together a little bit at that point About halfway through night one he turns to me and says these guys are underrated. Lol After everything was said and done he said he’s never experienced anything like that. Mike destroyed that solo on night one for Even Flow so I think that helped quite a bit too. He got a poster, he wanted a shirt but the one he wanted was sold out. On the second night he was going crazier than I was.
It’s now 2018 and me and Carl are leaving in a couple hours. Upper deck night one, GA night two! He keeps talking about all the merch he wants to get and he’s been listening to more songs this time around. Also he’s been trying to control his bladder so he doesn’t miss anything so he says. Lol
Now I’ve seen quite a few shows but I always got general public tickets or after market when I could afford. I’ve never signed up for the fan club but this year I was planning on it because of the new album rumor. I figured I could sign up and maybe get tickets if they stopped in our town and show him what it’s like when you get some good seats. Lol I’m not going to lie here, the leak happened and I was able to sign up the day before I had too. Now that things are going good for me and it was Wrigley it felt like everything came full circle in life and my friendship. A little reunion of sorts for me and him if that makes any sense. Also because of the opportunities I’ve been given I was also able take a trip out to Montana for myself and see the boys play Missoula! Which was awesome! Carl was even texting me for one of the trout shirts!
Sorry if this is long. I just wanted to give a little backstory, that seems to be the format for requests but I’ll get on with it. I know it may seem goofy because it’s a song some of us may be tired of hearing but we shouldn’t feel that way. A song may be older for some of us, but it will always be new to others and I’m sure there’s a large group of people on these forms that was turned onto the band buy this song and you should never forget that. I know I don’t.
My request is Even Flow for Carl Mueller (Pronounced like Miller). I’m sure there will be a lot of Carl‘s there so I don’t know if the last name makes a difference and my name is Matt if that matters at all. He’s my best friend/brother. I love him, I care for him and I am so grateful for having somebody like him in my life. I’m assuming this song will be played probably both nights. Night two would probably be cooler because we have GA! A shout out would be amazing! I will forever be in the bands debt! The first time around he was a little new to things but I don’t want him to forget this weekend ever and it will convince him to go to more shows with me. Lol
Thank you so much and even if this doesn’t happen it’s still going to be amazing this weekend.
Matt
PS Darrell Abbott’s birthday is on the 20th. Cemetery gates? Lol