Van Lampe

VL stands for Van Lampe. Van Lampe is a kid I used to sit in study hall with when I was in the Eleventh Grade.

VL was really into Hair Bands back in the 80's. He didn't look the part because he grew up in a very strict Italian house hold and his father would have beaten the living shit out of him if he grew his hair past his shoulders... but all Van Lampe really wanted to do was put on some eye shadow and a wig and hit a stage with his guitar.

Van Lampe and myself formed a band in study hall that year and named the group Jungle Cat. Van Lampe was lead guitar and I was the lead singer who didn't play an instrument. There were about ten other kids in Jungle Cat, including the Apologist (guitar) and willSIX (Bass, Keyboard).

We made it through a part of a practice. It was a sad day when Jungle Cat disbanded. One of the saddest days of my life...

Aside from working on the band and discussing Skid Row, Van Lampe and I talked about girls. Specifically a little red headed Italian broad that I had a crush on who sat three rows to the left of us in study hall.

I decided to write her a note (probably got the idea from Kevin Arnold the night before on the Wonder Years). I worked on the note for weeks and couldn't have finished it without Van Lampe's encouragement and support.

After the note was perfected it sat in my wallet for months to come while I mustered up enough courage to walk up to the little red headed Italian broad and hand her the note.

I finally bit the bullet around March or April. I introduced myself, handed her the note, stood their like a fucking idiot for about a minute and a half, and then walked away.

She never responded to the amazing love letter that I poured my soul into, but smiled at me every time I passed her in the halls at school.

One night a year or so later I hung out with the little red headed Italian broad and we drank wine coolers together in preparation for a dance-club called Obsessions that we were going to. She all but invited me to kiss her as we sat there drinking, but I wasn't buzzed enough on the wine coolers or something cause I balked at the chance.

I guess even Captain Corky was young and naive once.

Today Van Lampe is married and has a son named Wolfgang Van Lampe. We also have two friends in common on facebook. One is his brother and the other is one of the authors of the log, Lieutenant Ilia.