Without A Bass Player, chapter 7
Mike took a sip of his coke while swinging his long brown hair behind his back.
"So, I ask again, what's your past Mystery Man?" Ginger said after taking a large gulp of water.
"Lets see," Mike replied while scratching his head and staring at the shiny, red seats, "My birthday's May 4th, 1972 --- "
"You're a senior?" Ginger interrupted.
"Uh, yeah, I had no idea that you were a junior. you look like a senior."
"Yeah, for some odd reason, a lot of people think that." Ginger said with a smile.
"So what else do you want to know, just ask away."
"Why do you live with Billie?"
"My parents moved two years ago ---"
"Why?" Ginger interrupted again.
"To escape earthquakes, stupid huh? Anywho, Sweet Children is really important to Billie and me, so I begged to stay, and I guess my mom just let me."
The short stubby woman returned and plopped their plates onto the table carelessly. "Is everything alright?" She asked politely in a low voice.
"Yes, thank you." Mike nodded to her. And yet again she disappeared back into the kitchen.
"Umm, what's your favorite color?"
"Brown." He replied
"Do you have any siblings?" She asked with her mouth full of chicken.
"Yeah, I have a brother and a sister." Mike said, and then remembering that he had a cheese burger in front of him, took a big bite out of it. "They're older than me, I haven't heard from them in a while." He said through chews.
"How long have you been playing bass?" Ginger asked after taking a long sip of her water.
"I started playing around the same time that I met Billie."
"Man, I've always wanted to learn to play bass." She said, and Mike could see the longing in her face.
"Maybe I could teach you one day." Mike said and Ginger smiled.
"REALLY? That would be so fucking awesome."
"Yeah, really, it'll be cool. All you have to do is give me fifty bucks and we're even." Mike said laughing, and Ginny reached over and playfully hit him in the shoulder.
***
As they walked in the club, Mike could smell the strong odor of pot, and he knew he was home. Ginny looped her arm around Mike's while they walked over to the back office.
"Mike!" Came Billie's voice from behind them.
"Billie! Hey man, how's it going?" Mike asked as he waved.
"Its cool, hey Ginger." Billie said a little quieter.
"Billie Joe." Was all Ginny said back. Mike didn't understand it, but it seemed as if she didn't like Billie anymore, just the tone is her voice gave it away.
"Anywho," Billie didn't seem to notice, "Our set starts in thirty minutes, so lets get moving." Mike and Ginny followed Billie down a long hallway to a small practice room.
"Where's my bass?" Mike asked searching the room.
"Don't worry," Billie said, grabbing Mike's arm, "I didn't forget it, its over here in this closet see, I didn't want someone to steal it. See, aren't I a good friend?"
"Just the best!" Mike replied, smiling. He grabbed his bass by the neck and sat down next to Billie on a beat up couch. John was sitting on the other side of Billie and was practicing beats with his drumsticks. His drumset was already on the stage.
"Mike! Hey. Oh, and is this the Ginger girl you've been talking about oh so much." John said with a grin. Mike nodded, and John jumped up and shook Ginny's hand vigorously. "Hello, my name would be John, John Kiffmeyer. But you can just call me Al. So YOU'RE Ginger. Mike talks about you all the ti--"
"Okay John, I think we should practice a little more." Mike said, while his face slowly turned red.
"Its nice to meet you." She laughed. Oh how Mike loved it when she laughed.
They played a few songs for about 10 minutes, and then just started goofing off. Throughout the madness, Billie lit a joint and passed it around. By the time Kyle, the manager showed up, they were all a little messed up.
"You guys are up." Kyle said, his beard trembling with every word he said. "You better be good."
They walked out through the long hallway to the large room with the sea of people, and the deafening screams. Ginny grabbed Mike's hand, and for the first time all day, Mike felt nervous.
"So, I ask again, what's your past Mystery Man?" Ginger said after taking a large gulp of water.
"Lets see," Mike replied while scratching his head and staring at the shiny, red seats, "My birthday's May 4th, 1972 --- "
"You're a senior?" Ginger interrupted.
"Uh, yeah, I had no idea that you were a junior. you look like a senior."
"Yeah, for some odd reason, a lot of people think that." Ginger said with a smile.
"So what else do you want to know, just ask away."
"Why do you live with Billie?"
"My parents moved two years ago ---"
"Why?" Ginger interrupted again.
"To escape earthquakes, stupid huh? Anywho, Sweet Children is really important to Billie and me, so I begged to stay, and I guess my mom just let me."
The short stubby woman returned and plopped their plates onto the table carelessly. "Is everything alright?" She asked politely in a low voice.
"Yes, thank you." Mike nodded to her. And yet again she disappeared back into the kitchen.
"Umm, what's your favorite color?"
"Brown." He replied
"Do you have any siblings?" She asked with her mouth full of chicken.
"Yeah, I have a brother and a sister." Mike said, and then remembering that he had a cheese burger in front of him, took a big bite out of it. "They're older than me, I haven't heard from them in a while." He said through chews.
"How long have you been playing bass?" Ginger asked after taking a long sip of her water.
"I started playing around the same time that I met Billie."
"Man, I've always wanted to learn to play bass." She said, and Mike could see the longing in her face.
"Maybe I could teach you one day." Mike said and Ginger smiled.
"REALLY? That would be so fucking awesome."
"Yeah, really, it'll be cool. All you have to do is give me fifty bucks and we're even." Mike said laughing, and Ginny reached over and playfully hit him in the shoulder.
***
As they walked in the club, Mike could smell the strong odor of pot, and he knew he was home. Ginny looped her arm around Mike's while they walked over to the back office.
"Mike!" Came Billie's voice from behind them.
"Billie! Hey man, how's it going?" Mike asked as he waved.
"Its cool, hey Ginger." Billie said a little quieter.
"Billie Joe." Was all Ginny said back. Mike didn't understand it, but it seemed as if she didn't like Billie anymore, just the tone is her voice gave it away.
"Anywho," Billie didn't seem to notice, "Our set starts in thirty minutes, so lets get moving." Mike and Ginny followed Billie down a long hallway to a small practice room.
"Where's my bass?" Mike asked searching the room.
"Don't worry," Billie said, grabbing Mike's arm, "I didn't forget it, its over here in this closet see, I didn't want someone to steal it. See, aren't I a good friend?"
"Just the best!" Mike replied, smiling. He grabbed his bass by the neck and sat down next to Billie on a beat up couch. John was sitting on the other side of Billie and was practicing beats with his drumsticks. His drumset was already on the stage.
"Mike! Hey. Oh, and is this the Ginger girl you've been talking about oh so much." John said with a grin. Mike nodded, and John jumped up and shook Ginny's hand vigorously. "Hello, my name would be John, John Kiffmeyer. But you can just call me Al. So YOU'RE Ginger. Mike talks about you all the ti--"
"Okay John, I think we should practice a little more." Mike said, while his face slowly turned red.
"Its nice to meet you." She laughed. Oh how Mike loved it when she laughed.
They played a few songs for about 10 minutes, and then just started goofing off. Throughout the madness, Billie lit a joint and passed it around. By the time Kyle, the manager showed up, they were all a little messed up.
"You guys are up." Kyle said, his beard trembling with every word he said. "You better be good."
They walked out through the long hallway to the large room with the sea of people, and the deafening screams. Ginny grabbed Mike's hand, and for the first time all day, Mike felt nervous.
