It’s two in the afternoon and the girl on the album cover is still in bed, staring at her overcrowded nightstand. Ashtray, alarm clock, a plate of uneaten crackers, post-its with phone numbers, a reminder to buy shampoo, directions to a theatre to see about a job painting backdrops. Ask for Sam, the name’s underlined three times, and next to it a small drawing of a mouse sitting cross-legged on a chair. She lights a cigarette, picks up the book lying on her pillow, looks at the cover and puts it down again. The same thought keeps circling around in her brain, like someone taped her head to the ceiling fan. She leans to the floor, puts the record back on, then sits up again, staring out the window, quietly singing along. “How and why and when and where to go? Hmm hmm…” Kids are playing in the schoolyard across the street and one’s off by himself, tossing a stick in the air. It hits the dirt, he picks it up, tosses it again and watches it spin in the sky. Every time it reaches its peak he gets excited, hopping up and down on one leg. Maybe this time it’ll stay there, stuck in the clouds forever. It doesn’t, but he picks it up and tosses it again anyway. And maybe that’s just it. The girl stands, balancing her cigarette carefully on the edge of the ashtray, and opens her closet for something to wear.

It’s sweet, it’s dark, it’s Scottish, it’s a cocktail for Belle and Sebastian…

IF YOU’RE FEELING SINISTER:

• 2 oz. blended scotch
• ¾ oz. homemade allspice syrup
• ½ oz. fresh lime juice
• dashes of Angostura bitters

Combine all ingredients with ice in a shaker and shake, straining into a chilled cocktail glass. Garnish with candied ginger on a toothpick if you happen to have some.