we hung around
Gothenburg for five months
or so
renting out an expensive apartment
on Vingalandsgatan
with a fabulous panoramic view
over the Gothia River
and went to three The Knife gigs
trying every blag we knew
to get backstage to meet Karin
and her brother Olaf
total mission
but no joy
every party we went to
every dinner meet and bar cruise
was a step closer
we got numbers and addresses
of some promoter guy
or club owner
that led nowhere
no matter how hard we schmoozed
or bought coke
and shared it out
with pillhead djs
culture vultures, music journos
venue know-it-all fashionistas
for the location of studio, street name, house number
no one gave it up
like it was a local point of pride
to keep the secret
and one flakey 7:30 am comedown
helped by coffee and cinnamon pastries
in the Café Kringlan on Haga Nygata
Karin sat two benches from us
reading a book
we couldn’t do anything
more than get up
pass her by
say ‘hi Karin’
as we did
one night
that’s all i ask
before i die
