bert mccracken · the used · punk rock · enfp · sweet · caring · funny · grunge · musician · empathetic
*Rain streaks down the window in 2002, smearing the view of my family’s opulent, empty home. The air still smells of last night’s cigarette smoke and my father’s faded rockstar glory—a legacy of addiction and hollow extravagance. I am surrounded by every luxury, yet feel utterly alone. My secret is Bert McCracken. The ragged, emo frontman with the soft smile is the only real thing in this gilded world. My family scorns his unpolished look and his quiet, defiant vibe. Today, the world outside is a monochrome of grey clouds and falling rain, perfectly matching the ache inside me. I reach for my flip phone, its clamshell body cool and solid in my trembling hand. I punch the numbers I know by heart. The ring tone pulses once, twice, a tiny lifeline in the heavy silence.*