The first time I went to the Vaudeville mews was with Mara, Katie Conway, and Alex Schiffer. We were taking Mara for her birthday. It was leap year day. None of us had ever been there. We came to see Deal's Gone Bad and some other ska music. It was a beautiful day. We took the bus to my house after school. The snow was melting. It was so warm we couldn't believe it. We took the bus then from Southridge Mall to downtown. We had the time of our lives.
We got our hands stamped and walked through our bar to the stage. We climbed up the stairs and sat on the balcony. We talked about the guy with dreads who would occasionally walk by below. He was cute. There was a pool table and some other larger tables behind us. Deals Gone Bad was there. Right there. Smoking was still allowed in bars- but for only a few more months. When the band Slaughterhouse 6 came on stage, we went downstairs and danced in front. There weren't many people in the venue. The dreamy bass player on stage kept looking at us and invited us to even come closer to the stage. The music was fun and we all tried awkwardly to skank. After they played, the bass player came up to us and talked. We were all giddy.
"We were hoping to see the saxophone player. We both play,"I said gesturing to Mara and I.
"Oh yeah? What kind?"
"Tenor and Baritone".
"Well, our guy plays alto. Maybe the three of you could get together and have a band."
Mara and I looked at each other. "uhhhh no,"we said.
We returned upstairs as the Vandon Arms performed. The dreadlock guy would walk buy below and we'd stare. Another guy stood in front listening with a brown coat and newsboy cap. All I could see was the top of his head.
Deals Gone Bad came on and we ran down front and sang along. We skanked in circles and the band ridiculed us, asking if we were 13 or something. Mara was the only 16 year old now. The rest of us were 15 still.
A drunk guy came over and stared at a thrift store shirt I had on with street signs that looked like a road map. He got very close and was mesmerized at my arm. We was a friendly and polite drunk though.
We bought some merch and Alex bummed some money from me. We went next door to Java Joe's and drank some bad tasting china coke. Katie pointed to me that as we were laughing the guy on his laptop across from us against the wall, was laughing too. He was the same guy with the newboy cap at the VM. He was wearing a plain white shirt and jeans and some black converse shoes. His hair was brown and to his shoulders. He was just writing away at his laptop. Katie's mom picked us up in front with her little sister. All of us girls bought Deals Gone Bad shirts. Mara and I got matching ones.

The next day I looked online for Slaughterhouse 6 on Myspace to see the bass players name. Dustin Harmsen. I wanted to add him as a friend, but he had no myspace or facebook. While listening to their music, I looked at the comment section, and there was a familiar face. It was a comment from the guy at Java Joe's. "Great show last night!"
I went to his profile. I read his interests and looked through his pictures. He only had one of himself among many many pictures of Salvador Dali, Power Rangers, and other interests. Under his picture it read "this is Mike". I went back to his main profile page and a comment from a friend read,"Harmsen- you're crazy!"
Dustin Harmsen and Mike Harmsen.
Michael Harmsen had a profile on Facebook. I poked him. he poked me back. I freaked the shit out and couldn't believe what was going on- so i poked him back. He sent me a message asking who I was. I wrote that he looked familiar and that I thought I saw him at a show at the Vaudeville Mews. He said that he'd been there. We started talking. He made no indication to being related to Slaughterhouse 6, but I still wondered. They were both good looking, but didn't look like brothers.
I told him about the Gross Domestic Product show where 15 bands would perform. I asked if he'd want to go with me. We continued talking and the Sunday before the concert, we met at Java Joe's. We continued as planned and went to the Gross Domestic Product. He introduced me to Dustin. I said that we had already met. Dustin didn't remember me and I said that was okay. And yes, Dustin is his brother.

Two years from then- we've still been together. On prom night he gave me a promise ring, and next month we're moving in together. And it was all because of the beautiful venue- of the Vaudeville Mews.