The Seam

By Patrick Watters

Seam Pronunciation: \?s?m\ Function: noun Definition: the joining of two pieces (as of cloth or leather) by sewing, usually near the edge. By its very definition, a 'seam' represents the place where one piece ends, and another begins. What you can expect to discover in these pages, is what lies between the pieces. An unnamed character in an unnamed town is drowning in routine, and has grown to resent everything about his underwhelming existence... until all that he loathes about his lackluster life comes screeching to a halt. This nameless character is suddenly thrown headfirst into a journey toward a city of lights and the promise of a fulfilling destiny. The world as he knows it is ending, and a new life has not quite begun. This is the story of his stumble through the seam, and all of its absolute uncertainty.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Lulu.com
• Release date: Apr 9, 2011
• ISBN: 9781257498123

Book preview

The Seam

The First Twenty Eight

Thank you

On this page I would like to take the opportunity to thank some of the very integral people who helped bring this small piece of work to fruition.

First and foremost of this group would be Hadleigh Robertson, my loving girlfriend. I would like to thank her for bearing this work load with minimal complaint or coaxing. And when I say work load I do not mean the editing of my work, but in fact just being my girlfriend. Her support, belief and imposed work ethic kept my fingers connected with the scraps of paper, pocket sized paperback note books and laptops that eventually lead the completion of this work.

I would like to thank Jeremy McCaig for the drunken verbal accident which led this idea. Who’s to say a few too many drinks can’t lead to something good. I cannot thank you enough for drunkenly saying we should do a concept album with a book that I would have to write. If it weren’t for that far-out idea, I would have never even considered writing ‘The Seam’ at all. So thank you for that and thank you for sitting next to me while we wrote, re-wrote and modified every song that accompanies the chapters of this book. You’re a better friend than you probably give yourself credit for.

I’d like to thank Dan Lalonde for listening to me rant on about each new idea, no matter how minute it may have been. I thank you for the thousand brain storm ideas that came from it. And in general thank you for your tremendous support.

I would like to thank Greg McDonald and Chris Monpetit for being as interested as you both were and for giving me notes on the first drafts. It all came in handy, you book worms.

I’d like to thank Dane Dallinger for being a patient man while we wrote the album that this book was based on. Thanks for sticking around, buddy.

Derek I didn’t forget you. Thank you for being the Dark Days Or Fair super fan. People like you are the reason why artists continue to do what they do: because you just plain support what we do, to the end. Thank you for loving Poo, Derek.

Kevin Baird, thank you for giving me a place to live. Thank you for the basement sessions and enduring the surprise Friday, Saturday and Sunday band practices in your basement. Thanks for falling in love with songs like murder sits on the tip of my tongue and any other tune that we then later broke your heart by changing, I’m glad you gave them all a second chance. And also for enduring the constant chatter about this book. I’m sure it’s a broken record you thought about turning into a popcorn bowl a few times over.

Side bar- funny how the basement sessions became the basement year...

I would like to thank my friends and family for the continual support, despite being inevitably convinced into buying copies of ‘The Seam’.

A little something, something…

Although I have always loved the idea of story-telling, books and literature have never been my preferred medium. I was always more interested in music that conveyed a message in the form of a ballad. I also loved watching a really good film no matter the genre. But when it came to reading, the only thing I could bring myself to put any effort into was my great uncle Laurie Watters’ published book of poems From Spring to Spring. During my teenage years and quite a bit of my early adult years I read that book of poems from cover to cover, several times over. It helped me through some tough times and I truly connected with the messages and stories in those pages.

Don’t get me wrong, I have always enjoyed writing. I have been writing random things since I can remember. I even had a teacher once tell me that I had great ideas and that if I could just work on developing them I had the potential to be a great writer.

One thing I’d like to mention is that before I wrote this story I had never taken on the task of writing more than 3 pages in one sitting, let alone a book’s worth. With great support and the right attitude you can accomplish a lot. So it may not be pages in a book that you’re looking to complete but whatever your dreams are, don’t give up. With a little determination dreams can be achieved.

THE SEAM

The Seam

By: Patrick Watters

Editor: Hadleigh Robertson

Artwork: Kaylie Seaver

Musical Accompaniment: Dark Days Or Fair

Inspiration and support: All of my dearest friends and family

eISBN: 978-1-25749-812-3

CHAPTER ONE

AMBER VIOLATION

chap1

Amber light violation

lyrics:

Is this the way it starts

a rainy day blooms fresh air

and a simple seed fills with the growth of a rose

are these the poison darts

that fill our inner despair

where we're nowhere, nowhere near relief

wake up, wake up

and be thankful your alive

cause we're moving just to fast

through these motions we call life

speak up, speak up

say the words you need to say

don't let this chance speed passed

cause we don't have long to stay

I'll keep repeating myself

until you get it

hit the brakes, before it's too late

I'm in no hurry to get home

hit the brakes, before it's too late

cause I'm sure we're running short of road

Write me a letter. Leave me a message. Come calling at my door. Anything at all to stop this feeling.

It’s as though my days slip into each other, seemingly seamless - like the outstretched skies above that never seem to end. Layers of moisture, oxygen and other minute particles that create this illusion of a barrier to the outside universe. I wake up each morning much earlier than anyone rightfully should. The dim light of dawn spills through the moth-holes in my sun-bleached curtains, specks of dust floating in each beam of morning. Dragging my feet across the peeling, broken tiles of my linoleum floor, I try my hardest not to stub my toe or cut the underside of my foot on its sharp edges. I spend the next few moments in the bathroom, preparing for my daily rituals as my eyelids try their hardest to separate and remain open. I proceed by uncapping the toothpaste tube to squeeze its innards onto the bristles of my brush, shoving it into my mouth and sweeping lazily about.

I sip my smoldering morning coffee, equally bitter as the sound of my alarm clock and consider overshooting my