An Interview with Eleni Mandell
Eleni Mandell has been living out a career as a singer and songwriter for many years, working primarily out of her native Los Angeles. From 2003.
Matty Byloos Interviews Singer and Songwriter, Eleni Mandell
This conversation was originally shared with Eleni over coffee on a Thursday afternoon in the Los Feliz area of Los Angeles, April 2003. It appears here in its entirety from the archives of Smalldoggies Version 1.
Eleni Mandell, Photographed by Laura Heffington
Eleni Mandell has been a singer and guitar player living out a solo singer / songwriter career for many years, working primarily out of her native Los Angeles. When we sat down for coffee [back in 2003], a few qualities immediately struck me about her: she is lightning quick, entirely honest and funny in the most potentially self-deprecating of ways, and underneath a kind of rebellious doin’-it-on-my-own kind of mini-gruff exterior, she is nothing if not genuinely sweet.
Her [then-] most recent album release, “Country for True Lovers,” made its original debut [that] year (2003). On her official site, when prompted to say a word about her country inclinations, she has said, “A few years ago I heard Tammy Wynette’s first record, ‘Your Good Girl is Gonna Go Bad,’ and I was mesmerized. Her voice was so full of feeling, sadness and love. The characters were rich and dark. Lots of heartbreak. I guess I could relate to the way she sang and what she sang about. Country music, traditional country music, is a really soulful art form.”
With that in mind, we talked.
* * *
Matty Byloos: So you’ve been well… as far as you know?
Eleni Mandell: Yeah, yeah, pretty well. It’s been a roller coaster ride, as usual — but — moving around, one doesn’t get used to that, you know — that’s life.
MB I’ve been moving around so much in the last ten years.
EM Really? Are you wearing pajamas?
MB Most of the time.
EM You and, uhh, what’s his face. Hugh Hefner.
MB My mom said to me the other day, she asked could I get you some silk ones?” I said, don’t waste your money. It’s too hot.
EM Yeah. I would wait until you’re a little older.
MB You think?
EM (laughing) Yeah.
MB Then I could wear the bottoms.
EM He does. Yeah. I think he does the whole thing.
MB I think he does like the smoking jacket, with the whole gear underneath.
EM Whatever works.
(we move from sitting inside the cafe to the outside)
EM You writing?
MB You know, I’ve been doing a lot more nonfiction stuff than fiction, and, I just figured out the next story that I want to write, but I’m trying to — organize my thoughts on that. I’ve been drawing a lot, ran out of money to be able to afford the materials to make paintings… so everything’s getting slippery, really —
EM That’s good though. Cause then you could — I dunno — like collect gutter water, and paint with that. (laughing)
MB And I will. It’s more about the surfaces than the actual paint, cause I paint on mahogany, and it’s really expensive. I have to get, like, a fabricator to make the panels and all this crap.
EM Wow, that’s cool. I like painting on wood, too. But lately, I’ve been painting on paper bags.
MB Oh yeah?
EM Yeah. Cause I like to recycle.
MB Yeah, I saw some great paintings on cardboard box tops that were really really nice.
EM Yeah. I think it’s our duty to use recycled objects.
MB I hear ya.
MB Okay. Ummm, doing a little research, I found that you were born in the Valley —
EM Yes I was.
MB — and then you went up to Berkeley for college?
EM (in agreement) Umm-hmm.
MB So we have this similar trajectory, at least, like with that early migration —
EM You’re from here and then —
MB I was born in the Valley, and I went up to Santa Clara —
EM Ahh-hah.
MB I just wanted to know maybe if that — those — those places have very specific, sort of like — histories, and maybe like their pop culture histories, also — like has that influenced or affected you at all?
EM Well, I would say that Berkeley affected me… in. Well, I mean I was in college, and it was a great experience, and I had a really wonderful writing professor, that, encouraged me to write. Leonard Michaels.
MB That’s what you were studying there? English and writing, or–
EM No, I was actually an art major, and then, got into these creative writing classes. I was told that I couldn’t write –by one English professor — so I then decided not to be an English major, cause I was so discouraged. And then — and then, I uhh (pausing to let truck pass on the street) — and then I got into these creative writing classes, and I would say that Leonard Michaels’ classes really inspired and influenced me in the writing department, and — you know — songs are very, very, very short stories.
MB (Agreeing) Umm-hmm.
EM And, um, but as far as the city itself goes, I think I was influenced mostly in that I knew that I didn’t want to be there (laughing)
MB Yeah.
EM That I wanted to come back here, for whatever reason. Growing up here, I think I’m used to space and sunshine,
MB Yeah.
EM And sort of, the emptiness, and it’s so crowded there, yeah. So I came back as soon as possible. I love to visit there, now — I didn’t really appreciate it at all when I was there. So I feel like I was really only half conscious, until I was probably about twenty-nine. I don’t know why. I mean, I remember, a lot of things–
MB Was there a specific event around that time?
EM I think it’s just becoming more secure with who I am, and, and so I wasn’t really taking in so much, I was sort of just, dog paddling. I don’t know. I might still be dog paddling, but. I remember my father was in the hospital for about three weeks.
MB When you were twenty-nine?
EM No, when I was in college. And I was –all I could think about was whether this guy called me or not, and like I wasn’t really taking in, the, the state, you know, that kind of thing. You’re immature and you don’t really pay attention to what’s important.
MB Yeah.
EM Yeah.
MB Umm, oh — the other thing is, I mean, are you gonna’ have access to email at all over the next few weeks? Some of these I may end up emailing to you if that’s cool —
EM Yup. Yeah, absolutely.
MB I’ll just throw that in there, and then let this conversation go wherever —
EM Yeah, I’m gonna check it as often as possible, so hopefully daily.
MB Okay.
MB Umm, I had a question in here — oh. So I know you through the fiction writing class, right? And then I sort of went backwards into your musical endeavors, umm — with lyric writing — do you think about lyrics, as like, writing a short story, and then having to craft like an envelope around it, with music, or is it something vice versa, or is that like, an interchange that goes back and forth for you, or —
EM It kind of goes back and forth, but — umm, now that I’ve been doing this a while, I sort of, will write melodies in my head while I’m driving or walking around. So I would say that they’re sort of simultaneous, and it’s not always, with an instrument. And I don’t think about — I don’t think about writing a story, cause, writing lyrics, for me at least, there are no rules, which is why I had a really hard time writing prose, because I think there are more rules. I don’t know. Maybe there aren’t. Maybe just in our class there were. (starts laughing) Maybe there shouldn’t be, but —
MB Right (laughing now, too).
EM But I felt like that was a lot more difficult, and what I try to do with lyrics, especially now as I get older, is simplify, and be sort of more to the point, with less words.
MB When did music start for you? In college, you were majoring in art —
EM Yeah well I’ve been — I played music my whole life, and uhh –started with violin and piano, played guitar… started when I was fifteen, and always was writing songs and not taking it seriously, and then, wanted to be an actress, and wanted to be — uhhh, a painter, wanted to be a writer, and then — the music was always there, and then I met this man named Chuck E. Weiss, who became my mentor, and he said, ohh, you, y-y- This is what you should do, and then that — that was it.
MB Umm. Did you set out, once you met Chuck, knowing that you then wanted to do something with music, did you have like, original goals — like fantasy-level goals, sort of guiding the whole prospect of being a singer / songwriter, or did that come with time, or did that —
EM Well, I — you know, I had my favorite artists, which were X and Tom Waits. And I would say Tom Waits’ career is still one that’s, enviable, you know.
MB Umm-hmm (agreeing). Something you’d wanna’, continually try to, model yourself after?
EM Yeah, I mean, most — not that I’m trying to sound like him anymore, so, when I was younger, I definitely was trying to sound like him, as much as I could being a female, but — that, uhh, you know — he has a healthy career, he makes a living, he’s got, a great body of work, he, does other creative things as well, and — he has a private life. So That seems like a good thing.
MB I heard a story about him — he’s got a kid, at least, right? If not a couple?
EM He has three, yeah.
MB I heard a story about him, umm, like burying little treasures out in the backyard, so — while his kids were at school —
EM (laughing) That’s good.
MB And they’d come home and like, go on a little treasure hunt —
EM (laughing still) I’d like to be there.
MB I always admired that.
MB So, female singing, with Exene (from the band X), obviously, right, and Tom Waits, I’ve noticed a lot, I could — I could feel a lot of the, influence of — and especially, instrumentationally, maybe?
EM Yup.
MB Which is kind of great, because there’s something really, umm, smart but like — circus — there’s something really like
EM Yeah —
MB The healthy side of frivolousness, with that sort of instrumentation, and it’s kinda’ cool.
EM (laughing)
MB Umm. Other female vocalists —
EM I just know–
MB — have you felt like — have influenced you. I mean this is really part of a larger question for me, which is more about , and you can just sort of like, take this wherever you want to, but like, as a female singer, do you, find yourself like, plugging into a narrative of other female voices. Do you —
EM I’m such an outsider, you know. So I don’t feel like —
MB Do you feel part of like, any history or —
EM I don’t feel a part of anything, no, re- not really. And never have. So it makes sense, you know, that my career is as it is. Which is, under, the underground, under the underdog, you know — but still existing. And I feel like I have a lot of integrity and I’m proud of my work. But,um. I think Exene didn’t influence me as a singer, but influenced me as a writer, and as — sort of being fearless, annnnd, as far as style, and expression, you know, in general, but — not-, not, not as a singer. Sh’e not really a singer singer. Maybe John Doe more as a singer. But, umm. Ella Fitzgerald I think has a perfect voice, and, I really love her stuff. Especially the stuff she did, umm, with very small bands. I’m not really into big bands.
MB Umm-hmm (agreeing).
EM And Nina Simone I think is really amazing, too — I mean there’s a lot of women that I think are amazing, but — it just so happens, that, I listen to more men. Not for any reason necessarily, I mean I love Tammy Wynette as a singer, as well. And I love — ahhh — I don’t know, I mean, but — I listen to a lot of Bob Dylan, I listen to a lot of Tom Waits — I pay a lot of attention to words.
MB Umm-hmm (agreeing).
EM And so, that’s, that’s that. And I’m not that knowledgeable about music in general. When I was on this last tour, all my band would like, like go through record stores and find, you know, find Keith Perlman, find like — huge treasures, and I would have no idea what to look for… (laughing). So —
MB Um, (pausing), cool. Touring stories. Got any favorites?
EM (laughing) I got a lap dance.
MB (laughing) You got one?
EM (laughing) I got a lap dance. I don’t remember that much of it.
MB (laughing) What country and city was that in?
EM My, my band was very entertained. That was in Atlanta, on this last tour. At a place called the Crammar, where I guess the strippers are particularly unattractive.
MB Right —
EM And they were dancing (car honks on the street), they were dancing to karaoke. And they were very pissed off about it.
MB Were they singing? Or, that was background noise in another room?
EM No no. There was — that was going on and that’s what they had to dance to. Really, really surreal. And, uhh — I don’t know, I really like touring, and I’ve met a lot of really interesting people, and some people become genuine friends, you know, and, and uh — I’ve met some great musicians, and, seen some beautiful places, and — all that.
MB What is your favorite place to play, so far? City, country, venue – wise?
EM Ahhh, Minneapolis is probably the best place, for me. I mean, the people are great, it’s a great music town, people are really enthusiastic, and not jaded — and, it’s just a, sort of culturally wonderful place. I could never live there, ’cause it’s much too cold —
MB Yeah.
EM And it’s so small. (laughing). But, that’s great. New York is great, of course. New Orleans is great. I love the South, even though I’m Jewish, and, I don’t know if they love me. But — (laughing again) — I love the South. It just has this really bizarre, sort of creepy wonderful quality. But it’s hard, umm, when you travel with a band and you have a lot of stuff, you know, that’s valuable, to spend any amount of time anywhere, ’cause you kinda’ have to be careful. We would have spent more time in New Orleans, except we were worried about our stuff.
MB (agreeing in there) Yup.
EM And spent it with it. So, uhh, yeah — New York is always great, Chicago’s great, Minneapolis, New Orleans.
MB Do you read on the road?
EM I brou — I really don’t — I have — I read one of my favorite books on one tour, Shadows on the Hudson by Isaac Bathshevis Singer.
MB (agreeing) Umm-hmm.
EM I brought this book called Dispatches with me, that I am three-quarters through, which is a true account of, ahh, a war correspondent in Vietnam. Which is really interesting, and really interesting to read now, of course.
MB Yeah.
EM But I didn’t really get to that. I do a lot of staring, out the window. (laughing) And I watch an incredible amount of TV on the road, and I never watch TV when I’m home —
MB What do you watch on the road?
EM Anything (emphatically). I mean, it’s horrible. Started to —
MB Are you watching the news, a lot? Are you paying attention to what’s going on?
EM I kind of, I kind of hate it. But — but I did see a little — it was hard to miss, really. But, I try not to watch it. So I’m — I’m — irresponsibly uninformed.
MB On purpose?
EM Kind of.
MB Do you have thoughts on what’s going on? (this is in reference to the very middle of the conflict in Iraq going on at this particular time). Are you —
EM Well it’s, I, I mean, the thing that bothers me about it, is I just don’t believe what’s in the papers, or what’s on television. Necessarily.
MB (agreeing) Umm-hmm.
EM And sometimes I hear — like I watch Charlie Rose when I’m home. And I saw really incredibly, articulate, educated people, historians talking about the situation — and I like that. And I like to kind of, know about that stuff, but — I don’t feel like watching, like, FOX News or ABC, it’s like, you know —
MB I don’t know what you’d get out of that, anyway —
EM Yeah. I don’t. You know — it’s all just so rah! Rah! Rah! So.
MB (pausing) Do you get nervous, performing?
EM Sometimes.
MB Do you? What do you do, to get over that?
EM Nothing. (laughing) I just walk out there, and… shiver. I don’t get nervous too often, but, but I still do get nervous sometimes. (giggling).
MB Ummmm, what was the last great album you bought? Do you listen to a lot of contemporary stuff?
EM No.
MB Not at all?
EM Not, not “not at all.” I do listen to some contemporary stuff, but I don’t, really know that much about it. So I — I need people to give it to me to really find out about it. My friends, you know, I listen to their stuff. But, the last great album I bought — I bought (laughing) I bought Prince’s Greatest Hits (still laughing).
MB Was it a Minneapolis thing?
EM I didn’t go — no, I actually got it in Toronto. But then we performed one of the songs in Minneapolis (laughing again), which was in– really hilarious. And I think he’s great. So I’ve been listening to that a lot.
MB I was talking to a friend last week, right before I saw Pinback, on Friday, Pinback has like, a very — specific way —
EM Is that a music group?
MB Yeah. Of, I think using studio time to produce a kind of sound, and they’ve been very — and it seems like the kind of sound that would be very difficult to reproduce live. Umm. From listening to your music, is it that you like, have possibly, the backwards problem? Or, situation? Like where, it seems to me to have like a very — you know, live kind of feeling to it, and then when you get into the studio, maybe it’s just like, you’d have to be wary of losing some of that spontaneity or anything… Do you feel like a difference between wanting to do something for live shows versus wanting to do, another set of things for recording time?
EM Well– I, in the beginning I recorded, you know a lot — I just really general in every kind of way, try to simplify, with each record, you know? And with each year. So there was like, a lot more — lot more layers and a lot more instruments on the first record, and then each consecutive record has gotten simpler. And, so — I would say, that therefore, the live sound and the recorded sound are sort of meeting in the middle somewhat, but I don’t think it’s important to duplicate a record live. I think it’s better actually, for it to be different, ’cause otherwise, you could just go home and listen to the record.
MB And have the experience change every time, for the fans who know the music well.
EM And uhh — I also like to give the musicians freedom to try things and have fun, I did get a lot of comments on this last tour that people liked the live stuff better than the record. So I’m trying to figure out what it is about the live shows that’s different, or possibly better. And I think, you know, energy obviously is different, but also it’s simpler, because you don’t have any options.
MB You’ve not recorded a live album. Have you thought about doing that? At some point?
EM Yea-aah. I mean.
MB That’s been a Tom Waits-ism.
EM (laughing) Guess so — I mean it’s kind of funny to me to like — think of all these things, like “Oh I need to have a live record, I need to have a box set–” but for who–
MB Yeah.
EM — Exactly? (laughing) You know? I mean, I have fans, and my fanbase grows. But it still, just seems, kind of hilarious. So. I don’t know. Maybe. (laughing together)
MB You record on your own label? Is that —
EM I have a Canadian label that was started by a fan of mine in order to help me. So, he’s been — it’s been the last three records, and it will be the next record, and, you know, as long as he wants me, and nobody else does. (a giggle)
MB Do you — feel like, you wanna’ have, an attachment to a larger record label, or is there something really, kind of great about the freedom that you can get with something smaller?
EM Freedom, is just, yeah — the freedom is great. I have, you know, fantasies about doing, better, which would seem to require, you know, a big help from some outside force. But, I don’t think it’s really necessary, and I have it — you know, I have a nice life, and I have — uhh — you know I get to tour, I work with great musicians, that are, you know, working with other great musicians; it’s not like, I have to go to the bottom of the barrel, I’m still working with everybody that I’ve really ever wanted to work with, so–
MB Yeah. So things seem pretty good.
EM Yeah. Things seem pretty good. I’d like to make more money some day, you know — but everybody would. (laughing). Pretty much. Except for you.
MB Yeah. No, that’s —
EM Gutter water. (laughing) (pausing between questions)
MB I’ve read a lot about the stuff that you’ve talked about with country music, and wanting to do that — do you have anything else that you haven’t gotten a chance to talk about, I don’t wanna’ you parade through the same answers.
EM Not really, it’s just — you know, it’s just fun, it’s just music I like.
MB Something you’ve really wanted to try?
EM Yeah. I’ve been thinking, lately about, like why I’ve — have never gotten a record deal, why, you know, like why the industry, doesn’t like or get what I do, and, what makes my country record not alt-country, you know, versus Gillian Welch or Neko Case, or whoever. And I’m not that familiar with their work.
MB Right.
EM But I think what it is is I — I’m just so old-fashioned. You know, I wanted to make a record that sounded like it could have been made in 1950. Not sonically, ’cause that’s almost impossible, but — but lyrically, and instruments, and instrumentation…. And, and I think everybody else is sort of like in this, present, tense — they write, writing is very conversational, and… I don’t know… I just — I’m just too old-fashioned. As far as country music goes, I’ve thought about that. And I haven’t told anybody until right now. (laughing)
MB Is your feeling — and you don’t have to come up with it all — other people’s attempts to use more traditional styles of songwriting as being like a little disingenuous when it gets paired up with contemporary lyrical concerns, or —
EM Yeah, I mean, to me it seems that way.
MB Yeah.
EM I don’t know if it’s that way. There’s a, a band that shall remain nameless, and ahh, and I think their record sounds really good. It sounds really old-fashioned, kinda’ country. And then they’re singing about, like copping drugs, and, you know, walking down, watching t.v. and stuff — and to me, that’s funny one time, but that’s not a record that I wanna’ listen to a lot, because, as corny as it is, I think, for me, to personally be interested in music it has to be really sincere, whether it’s Prince talking about, you know, whatever — (pauses) sex, or, or it’s, you know, someone singing about heartbreak, if I don’t feel like it’s sincere, then it’s — I’m just not gonna’ be very interested in hearing it again and again.
MB Yeah. Sincerity.
EM Sincerity without — sappiness.
MB Yeah.
EM As we recall, that was a big problem with a couple of stories I wrote (breaking into laughter) —
MB But that seemed so married to some of the subject matter, I don’t know how you could have — gotten away from that —
EM I know (still giggling) right–
MB It seemed like part of the, the content, in a way.
EM I know. I don’t think those stories were very good. I definitely deserved the criticism.
MB Have you continued to write?
EM No, you know, it’s really funny, I really enjoyed, the class. I really, really did. I looked forward to it, I loved being there, I loved the discussions — but what I took away from it was that I’m not a good writer, and I need to, focus on what I am good at. Which is, much shorter stories, (a giggle) you know. So why waste my time trying to be, you know — like some people are meant to do that, some people are meant to do something else. So, I don’t know that I’ll go back to it. Maybe.
(both laughing now)
EM (saying in jest) You can tell Ben [Weissman] thanks for nothing (pauses intermittent around idle chat)
MB This, kinda could be tacked onto something we mentioned before — I think each of us had a different point, but I don’t know if you’ve been listening to enough, new new stuff — but there’s been these weird, sort of, retreats, into safer styles of music, there’s been a couple of bands that have come around in the last year or two that are, sort of making music that’s very definitely 15 to 25 years old, from its starting point —
EM (agreeing so far) Um-hmm.
MB Umm —
EM Like who?
MB Like, The Postal Service’s album is very, seems very mired in a kind of —
EM How do you find out about these bands? Did you read music magazines? (pausing) Or just listen to the radio? Or–
MB I think — I don’t know. I kinda’ do a lot of, (sarcastically) my life is a lot about research.
EM (laughs) I’ve never heard of that band.
MB (partially now continuing with the sarcasm) My life as an art project is like research.
EM (agreeing) Um-hmm. Well, you know the funny thing is, making this country record, all of a sudden I’m getting — you know, I’ve always gotten really good reviews, but all of a sudden, it’s like, safer for, certain — and I don’t know if it was a matter of time, but like, Interview Magazine supposedly is doing this piece on me. Could always get cut, you know. And I just think, country records seem, like, okay to do something on, but my other stuff was too weird, or too whatever, but I think that’s kind of funny. Umm — I don’t know about, I don’t know about that other thing, but I know — I believe that it’s not as important to be original as it is important to be good.
MB (agreeing) Um-hm.
EM So, if people have to reach that. It seems like everything’s been done, anyway.
MB Yeah. Think that’s true.
EM (kind of mocking me) Art is dead. (laughing) Just kidding. (still laughing).
MB It’s all over for me. Might as well pack it in.
EM Maybe it would be good for people to go back and stop like, you know, having performance art with feces — required to make something good.
(both laughing momentarily)
EM I think that’s the first time I’ve used feces in a sentence. Ever.
MB (pausing) I’ll send you a copy of this before I send it anywhere. If you wanna’ remove that.
EM (laughing at me)
MB (looking over notes) Most of these things I’ve kind of covered.
EM Very thorough.
MB Umm. Well, one more question about the country style. Umm. I read somewhere that you described it as a really soulful art form, with characters who are rich and dark with lots of heartbreak — do you find something in that, like in hearing yourself talking about, or think about it that way, did you find something that mirrored who you were? Or something, like you talked about, that matched up with your idea of sincerity, or the real, somehow, that you wanted to go, explore? Or —
EM Well, I think, as far as country music goes, even thought it’s like a popular style of music, and therefore, there are sort of, rules, in a way, umm, it’s also, I guess I felt, sort of freer, to, either be silly, or to be, more vulnerable. But, I mean, I’ve always been a melancholy person, I don’t think anybody that ends up working in the arts that was just happy-go-lucky, I mean (laughing now), what would that be like? Ahh, so — so I guess, you know, being able to just —
MB (interrupting with gibberish)
EM (laughing at gibberish) But like, my other records, I guess, I feel like, in order to just really express how sad, or disappointed I was, there had to be, maybe, a level of humor in there as well, so as not to come off as really sappy. But, with country music, you are just really allowed to just be like, I — am crying — in — my puke. Period.
MB Yeah.
EM So. That’s kind of nice. In a way. (pauses) Not that I want to continue, with the crying, but whatever.
MB Yeah.
EM (laughing) I laugh a lot, too.
MB Right. Occasionally. When you need to. What, umm, do you feel like a part of, the music scene here, in Los Angeles, or a greater, like scene where art is being made?
EM Umm, in L.A. in the last year or so, I’ve sort of started hanging out in this scene, that, umm, has a lot to do with a guy named Mike Stinson, who’s a performer, who’s great, and also kinda’ honky-tonk, and a guy named Randy Weeks. And they’re, they’re both just, incredibly talented, great guys, and, and so this little community sort of developed around their shows. So, in a way I sort of feel part of that, Tony Gilkeson, who plays guitar for both of them produced my record. But, you know, as much as I’ve felt a part of anything, I suppose I feel part of a scene there, but, mostly I always feel outside of, a scene.
MB Are most of your friends, musicians, or — do they run the gamut?
EM No. Really — no. I know a lot of musicians, but, I would say most of my close friends aren’t. You know. A friend of mine works at a label, as an accountant.
MB Yeah.
EM Friend of mine’s in school, ah, another friend of mine is a lawyer, another friend’s a scientist. (laughing)
MB (laughing also, and then pausing). What’s your favorite food to eat?
EM I love food. But my favorite food… hmmm… I don’t know. I really love, ahh, all kinds of food. I love Chinese seafood a lot. I love French food. Love Italian food. I love Italy, and I love Italian food. Good stuff, you know. That’s it.
(discussing briefly where the interview will go, and then I produce a smalldoggies sticker with the identical twin chihuahuas)
EM That’s great. Smalldoggies. (investigating the sticker further for a second) Sad dogs.
MB They are — working — their situation, out. It’s a lot of problems involved with where they’re at.
EM (laughing)
MB And I’ll tell you why. Who wears the pants?
EM You ever see the, the stuff about, those conjoined twins, and one of them, they’re facing opposite directions? By the head. Attached by the head.
MB (in agreement) Um-hm.
EM Have, you’ve seen them?
MB I think so.
EM And one’s in a wheelchair?
MB Yeah. Yeah yeah.
EM And wants to be a country singer?
MB Yeah.
EM That is so weird, isn’t it? And they’ve, totally worked it out.
MB Two sisters.
EM Yeah.
MB Yeah.
EM And they each have their own rooms.
MB Yeah, there was like some sort of like news special in the last three or four years that I totally recall, ’cause I think I remember one talking about having a boyfriend, and the other one, didn’t?
EM Gaaad. I need to really, get real when I start feeling sorry for myself.
(both laughing)
EM It’s not that bad.
MB Really. K. Cool. Well thanks. I really don’t have any other stuff.
(Photos Courtesy: Eleni Mandell, Laura Heffington)