Mikey Ramone: The Autobiography 

CHAPTER V: “SAFETY FIRST”

Since the times, days and years, or every single second that I would be still in high school, I had been always very unlucky, especially to find a special friend – yes, just one friend – to vibe along with. I mean, who would spend their precious times together either as a soul mate or just a casual friendship – you know, talking about life, and rock and roll music. All of my friends both in middle school and high school were morons. They were idiots. They didn’t know about rock and roll music – that’s fine; but what they needed to do is to shut the fuck up and not mocking the good music over my face, rubbing it in over and over like that. I despise people like that – they got no brains at all… maybe zombies did eat all of theirs already – to the least extent. That happened, yes – when I was so into Queen back in high school, presumably around October 2007 and onwards… Or even a year earlier when I was listening to Michael J. Jackson and his brothers – the Jacksons (Jackson 5, originally). So I would run over to another class where some other friends of mine were there – hell, they were not even my classmates! But they loved MJJ music and we talked a lot. We even did some MJJ moves, or doing some silly breakdance moves… I didn’t think much about it. I just wanted some protection. Someone to protect. Someone to cry to… I guess this is why I never had any girlfriend in my life. My love life is fucked up. It still is.

October 14, 2022: My harsh look at the camera as sister took this shot during our eat-outs at Sukiya diner, with my niece also. It was fun because I was trying their best fresh ice cream.

I was glad to leaving the high school, eventually. But the college times were some “same shit, different days” happening again. Like I said, I could never get away with this. It’d just come back to me at some point. For real – if you wish to survive in this harsh world and hard times like these, you gotta follow the rules. Your rules. Remember what Joe told Daryl in the Walking Dead Season 04, Episode 15? “When men like us, follow rules, world becomes ours.” I don’t think he’s wrong at all!!!

First of all, I was born in a Communist country, where the streets are filled with gangs and home-made machetes and pistols and shit. So I would have better off lived with my own rules in order to get through this life – at least until I can move out of this place, finding another nicer and better place for my future kids to live in. Not in this place, of course. There’s not “the best” place in this world for us anyway. But at least it’s still better than anywhere else. For example – is Japan safe? Or Denmark? Or Finland? Hell yeah they are still better than Vietnam, or the worst might be yet to come – Middle East. It’s hell there, as I read and heard on the news. Or Russia. Why?

In my alleyway where all these people I’d call “neighbors” around – I don’t like any. I can’t talk to any. Maybe one guy whom being a real useful helper to my Mom cause he fixes things. That’s it. Another creepy dude – a creep, or a stalker, he would stand in front of my house, staring at me, singing a few random tunes, then walked away. I was like, “what the fuck dude. Leave me alone! You’re creepy-ass asshole.” Yeah, I doubt he would understand what I said because I said “fuck off” in English. That’s punk. Weird shit always happened – let them be. I’d like some fun around me. I couldn’t just live without it. But some neighbors really pissed me off and I wish I was living in another country. Like where? Germany. They’d have this thing called “Ruheszeit,” which translated to ‘Quiet time’ or ‘Quiet hours,’ and everyone needs to follow this rule. Or even it’s a law? Maybe. You don’t sing that karaoke shit for too loud even on Sunday. I hated it.

October 16, 2022: Hanging out at Katinat Coffee House, with my Rolling Stones record "Big Hits: High Tide and Green Grass," US pressing, 1966. Look how pissed off I was in the public. I could never fit in in any place one bit. I guess that's how my traits should have always been.

Let’s talk about the past a little bit: August 4, 2021. That was the first time I watched "iCarly" (original series, 2007-2012) and heard "Built That Way" in this compilation bootleg from the Rolling Stones. I had also watched “Mr. In-between” and “Lucifer” series back in March and April that year. Turns out it wasn’t that great. I stopped watching them after a couple of episodes or hardly had I reached the second season and forth. But to be honest, I love movies. Horror and action are my two top favorites. I once had a big collection of pirated movies on DVDs. That was when my love for horror movies started to grow. Since late 2006 I had watched “Pet Sematary” – the 1989 original film, which is a classic cult, as written by Stephen King for his original novel. It was remade in 2019 (30 years later) but it was also another office-bomb. I hated it. They twisted the whole storyline into another direction. I wonder why they never made any sequels after that. Weird. For action-packed movies, I liked “Con Air” – which is a action/thriller film starring John Markovich, John Cusack and the great Nicolas Cage. This was when I started to develop my feelings for the OST – “Sweet Home Alabama” by Lynyrd Skynyrd. I had never heard that song anywhere before, and at that time I was still listening to The Rolling Stones and illuminating my love for Michael Learns to Rock, whom I had also had my love for them since the kindergarten years (1995-1996). But thanks to my Mom’s violent behavior around the house – mostly contributed from her pressure of working as a government agent and being the housewife at the same time – until one day my Dad and her would almost be agreeing on getting divorce; I would totally be in love with expressing my anger towards the public – with violence. About my parents’ feuds – I was deeply hurt by that but thank fuck they didn’t do it. They’d still stay together until my Dad’s passing on May 22, 2016. The divorce thing occurred in early 2012. I thought, “That’s fucked up,” and I left them thinking, “What is he doing? What are our kids doing to deserve such a fuss between us?” You know what? My sister never came home to see those fights or to do anything to stop it. At that time she was still with her ex-husband until they got divorced in 2012. The process was finalized and completed in late 2016. The ex-husband of my sister – my brother-in-law, was also a dickhead. He said he hated us and he would terrorize us everyday and he would never get over the fact that my sister was terrified of what he’d done. I mean, over ten years of marriage – this guy didn’t make any money, except he did spend his salary to buying himself a new iPhone which would be having new versions coming out each and every single new year.  Everything was falling apart. I wanted to kill myself. I wanted to put myself out of misery right away, but guess why I am still here telling you this story – rock and roll music saved my life, once again, I think.

The times I stayed at Johnny Be Good Restaurant were surely all the good-uns, I can't express how much I miss it. Not the people there - they all sucked. But the memories live on! Let me tell you a story, then… you can’t imagine this: The harsh lockdowns from May 31 to October 3, 2021. Then eating stuff from friends whom did some charity works. From two friends, actually: Manuel Reale and Chantell Hartogh, all great people. Also I could not go anywhere else except that room I was given to stay at by the boss. By the end of my stay there he became a dick, as he kept asking me, “When will you be moving out? After the lockdowns end, right?” So that explains. I mean, I only got to see my sister for certain occasions from the first time I got to JBG by March 6, 2021 until the last time I met her was July 8, 2021. Until October 3, 2021 when I came out for the first time ever again, while the infected cases were still growling out on the streets and at anywhere else like at the morgue, office buildings, hospitals and at these random households – I saw her again. First dose of this stupid vaccine called Astra-Zeneca made by the UK. I didn’t like it. I think it was stupid. People still believe in vaccines especially when they were made in a hurry to cure this shit storm? Not me. Unfortunately, the cops here started to require papers to go outside wherever we wanted to, or else we would get caught and fined. That’s how communism works. But the papers are now completely in oblivion because no one needs them anymore. Covid restrictions are gone – I am so glad to see that happen.

August 17, 2021: 365 Pizza chain's charity Frozen spaghetti. They gave away these by putting all the boxes inside a freezer in front of their place, with all the doors and gates were closed. Such a harsh Covid time we lived in; I don't even wanna relive it anymore again, but here it is. I also did not talk to anyone at JBG back then during this time so I would bring this upstairs to my room and had it, all cold. 

Around that time (August 2021), I did discover the Cars’s first album (1978), then always got on OkCupid.com to talking to Veronika, Elise and Alexandrina from Germany – well, she was the last one I ever talked to before I moved back to my house on October 17. And I spoiled that Karen witch again, from August 9 to October 6, then the last time we ever cursed on an audio call it was November 19-26. I fell in love and then blocked that Sanna girl from Sweden. May 14 to July 17, then July 25 to August 19. That was the last time I ever talked to her. Man. Shitty love life I had there, hadn't I??? Last but not least, let's talk about "People Who Died" by Jim Carroll Band from "Dawn of the Dead" movie, 2004. I was just so in love with it I set it as my ringtone for a short period of time, particularly when the chef at JBG she called me down to the kitchen working for her helping on some kitchen stuff. I think that was kinda cool, but since I got back home, Mom once again would not let me do anything but to take control of the cooking role. I mean, I love to cook, but not like this. Since my sister and Mom are all into cooking, what else should I do? Stop them in the middle of the cooking process and tell them to leave everything to mine? Not cool. If they love doing that, let them.

I always make a promise to myself that I don’t and never will trust anyone no more. I do now, which always adds to my satisfaction. It’s good to live that up your life without a hard feeling to your heart and mind. I guess everybody needs that personal space, or privacy, all the time. It works.

June 17, 2021: Me filming still video clips for my original song, "And It's A Bright Morning," with my friend Trevor's doggo, Matt. He died earlier of 2022 possibly of rat poison. Tough guy. We'll be missing him forever. I will never forget playing around with him at JBG... 

(End of Chapter Five)