A perfect moment happened three or four days ago inside Toad Hall, the neighborhood bar on Grand Street near West Broadway. I was buying my second beer (a draft of something golden and fairly icy) and all of a sudden this started playing. I knew the opening drum-and-raunchy guitar thing, but I’d forgotten the name of the song. The bartender reminded me. I returned to my table with the big brew and immediately bought the song on iTunes. It was on my phone two minutes later.

Sometimes when you hear the right older song in the right bar environment, life can suddenly seem delicious, tantalizing. You can’t help but smile. These moments always leave within seconds, of course, but they’re quite wonderful when they happen. They’re like little spirit butterflies flying into your head.