People sometimes lose music. People sometimes leave music behind. See Air Supply in Cal Anderson Park, Velvet Underground in a Fremont bathroom, 2Pac in a drugstore, and Laura Branigan on top of a gas pump.

Music that is outdated or presented in an outdated format, such as cassette, may become less special to people. It has lost its pressing gusto and sadly, at times, is expendable. Even though 2Pac is the rap risen Jesus / Makaveli, the cassette renders him less vital, less impressive, less cutting edge thug.

So yesterday, in the Safeway parking lot on 15th and E. John, I was not surprised to find a Staind CD lying exposed in the dirt. The CD was without a case. It was wet, muddy, and ruined. A leaf sat on it like a leech. I raised it to my shirt, and even though Staind sucks beyond all comprehension, I dried it and left it in plain view for someone to reclaim. The CD suckled from my dryness, ashamed, and badly wanted to be played again.

At one point, someone loved this CD. At one point it was new. In the video for “It’s Been a While”, Staind singer Aaron Lewis is tortured and pained. He’s paind. He writes a letter, has tatts, and smokes cigarettes in a tortured and cool way. He smokes cigarettes in that ‘I’ve sold millions of albums but I’m tortured’ type of way.

At one point, this CD that was left cold and naked in the Seattle rain made someone as cool and tortured as Aaron Lewis. It’s been a while, since someone played this CD. It’s been a while, since the CD could stand on its own two feet again.

Someone, find it, let it suckle from your dryness. Let it be tortured for you.