Why are There No Clouds in the Sky?, chapter 5
"Hey Mike, it'sss, it isss Bbbill, I'mm attthee Poliiice plaaceonn Eaassst Ter-welth Stu-reet, Pleese B-bbail mee outt. "
Mike stared at the machine. Billie was in jail? What the fuck did he do this time?
Then, Mike called up his next door neighbor to see if she could come and watch Estelle, because he had some important business to take care of. She agreed and came over, and Mike left the house immediately.
As he put the car in drive, he wondered if he should call Tre, but decided against it since the drummer would probably unsuccessfully try to lighten the mood.
As Mike drove to the Police Station, he could barely concentrate on the road. The anger that welded inside of him was too great to bare even for a strong man like himself. Billie was obviously drunk, and he had gotten a DUI. That's why he was at the police station. But what the hell had he been thinking? He's never that stupid! He knows never to drink and drive, and now suddenly he's a raging maniac!
Mike turned his car into the station's parking lot, and violently swerved into a space. He jammed the car into park and slammed the door behind him as he got out of the vehicle.
He burst into the building and stormed up to the front desk. "I'm here to see Billie Joe Armstrong," he said through his clenched teeth.
"Just a moment," the officer at the front desk said. "Please take a seat."
Mike went over to a chair and sat down, trying to think of what he would say. He didn't want to be too harsh- wait, yes he did. Oh dammit, who the fuck cares, whatever happens happens.
Mike suddenly heard two sets of footsteps coming towards him. He looked up when the two men stopped in front of him. "Jesus," was all Mike could sputter at the site of his friend.
Billie was completely disheveled. His face was so pale you could swear you could see right through it. His eyes had such a glossy tone you could barely recognize that he was processing that you were in front of him. His hair was in such a fashion that it resembled the messy dreadlocks he once had and his clothes had spills of drinks all over them.
"Caught him going 90 on a road meant for 45. Headed straight for those small cliffs on the East side," the officer told Mike.
Mike put his hand to his forehead and looked down. He couldn't believe his ears.
Holy shit, he thought. No. No, no, no! Billie had a good life, he isn't that stupid. He wouldn't do such a thing! Oh God, this is my fault. This is my fault, isn't it? Why do I do this kind of stuff?
Mike looked up and at the site of his wrecked friend he sighed. All he could do is shake his head. After bailing Billie out, him and Billie walked out of the police station.
While they were walking to the car, Billie spoke. "Sorry," he offered.
"I don't think that I'm the one you should be apologizing to," Mike said. "Your wife will know why you were out there in due time. Why would you even think of doing such a thing to her, Billie? And your kids, Billie? YOU HAVE KIDS, MAN! They look up to you! You can't just give up because you had a bad day! That's stupid!"
Billie Joe looked down, "I know."
"No," Mike said harshly. "You don't know. You have no fucking clue at all! You've got so many goddamn people out there who fucking care about you, and you don't care at all."
Billie got a little mad and looked Mike square in the eye. "No man," he said sternly. "You don't get it. You don't get what it's like to be alone lying on the couch thinking you have no one on your side. You don't know what it's fucking like to wake up and have no one say good morning to you. You have no idea."
"Yeah, your right Bill," Mike threw back sarcastically. "I'm the one with the two adorable sons and perfect wife, writing music to a crowd that takes me seriously and listens to my every word. I'm not the fucking bassist of a band, living alone with his daughter, not even close to be being able to give her everything she deserves. AND I am not the one who's trying to keep a band that's been going for 14 years together! NO BILLIE, THAT'S DEFINITELY NOT ME!"
Billie looked down, knowing he was defeated. "Sorry," he offered, getting into the front passenger seat of the car.
Mike clenched the wheel as he put the car in reverse and backed out of the space. "No," he said. "I don't think I'm the one you need to be apologizing to. I think you have one very special lady waiting at home that you need to beg for mercy to. You think?"
Billie nodded.
"And I think you need to tell her why you were out there. Because I think we both already know."
Billie nodded once more, and they continued to drive off into the distance.
Mike stared at the machine. Billie was in jail? What the fuck did he do this time?
Then, Mike called up his next door neighbor to see if she could come and watch Estelle, because he had some important business to take care of. She agreed and came over, and Mike left the house immediately.
As he put the car in drive, he wondered if he should call Tre, but decided against it since the drummer would probably unsuccessfully try to lighten the mood.
As Mike drove to the Police Station, he could barely concentrate on the road. The anger that welded inside of him was too great to bare even for a strong man like himself. Billie was obviously drunk, and he had gotten a DUI. That's why he was at the police station. But what the hell had he been thinking? He's never that stupid! He knows never to drink and drive, and now suddenly he's a raging maniac!
Mike turned his car into the station's parking lot, and violently swerved into a space. He jammed the car into park and slammed the door behind him as he got out of the vehicle.
He burst into the building and stormed up to the front desk. "I'm here to see Billie Joe Armstrong," he said through his clenched teeth.
"Just a moment," the officer at the front desk said. "Please take a seat."
Mike went over to a chair and sat down, trying to think of what he would say. He didn't want to be too harsh- wait, yes he did. Oh dammit, who the fuck cares, whatever happens happens.
Mike suddenly heard two sets of footsteps coming towards him. He looked up when the two men stopped in front of him. "Jesus," was all Mike could sputter at the site of his friend.
Billie was completely disheveled. His face was so pale you could swear you could see right through it. His eyes had such a glossy tone you could barely recognize that he was processing that you were in front of him. His hair was in such a fashion that it resembled the messy dreadlocks he once had and his clothes had spills of drinks all over them.
"Caught him going 90 on a road meant for 45. Headed straight for those small cliffs on the East side," the officer told Mike.
Mike put his hand to his forehead and looked down. He couldn't believe his ears.
Holy shit, he thought. No. No, no, no! Billie had a good life, he isn't that stupid. He wouldn't do such a thing! Oh God, this is my fault. This is my fault, isn't it? Why do I do this kind of stuff?
Mike looked up and at the site of his wrecked friend he sighed. All he could do is shake his head. After bailing Billie out, him and Billie walked out of the police station.
While they were walking to the car, Billie spoke. "Sorry," he offered.
"I don't think that I'm the one you should be apologizing to," Mike said. "Your wife will know why you were out there in due time. Why would you even think of doing such a thing to her, Billie? And your kids, Billie? YOU HAVE KIDS, MAN! They look up to you! You can't just give up because you had a bad day! That's stupid!"
Billie Joe looked down, "I know."
"No," Mike said harshly. "You don't know. You have no fucking clue at all! You've got so many goddamn people out there who fucking care about you, and you don't care at all."
Billie got a little mad and looked Mike square in the eye. "No man," he said sternly. "You don't get it. You don't get what it's like to be alone lying on the couch thinking you have no one on your side. You don't know what it's fucking like to wake up and have no one say good morning to you. You have no idea."
"Yeah, your right Bill," Mike threw back sarcastically. "I'm the one with the two adorable sons and perfect wife, writing music to a crowd that takes me seriously and listens to my every word. I'm not the fucking bassist of a band, living alone with his daughter, not even close to be being able to give her everything she deserves. AND I am not the one who's trying to keep a band that's been going for 14 years together! NO BILLIE, THAT'S DEFINITELY NOT ME!"
Billie looked down, knowing he was defeated. "Sorry," he offered, getting into the front passenger seat of the car.
Mike clenched the wheel as he put the car in reverse and backed out of the space. "No," he said. "I don't think I'm the one you need to be apologizing to. I think you have one very special lady waiting at home that you need to beg for mercy to. You think?"
Billie nodded.
"And I think you need to tell her why you were out there. Because I think we both already know."
Billie nodded once more, and they continued to drive off into the distance.
