2028, chapter 1
California, 2028
Fourteen-year-old Katie stepped up to the gate of her new house. This house had been built in about '94 or '95 was huge. In fact, not only was it huge, but it had two houses on the property, one of which had always been used for guests and what-not.
"C'mon honey, let's go inside," her mother, Ellie, smiled.
"Where's Dad?" Katie asked, following her mother in.
"He's off wishing he were somewhere else. He grew up around here, you know?"
"Yeah, I'm aware of that. I mean; it makes sense that people seem to recognize him. Like that woman on the street... with the little kid."
"Oh... " Ellie smiled, "Yeah."
"Hey Mom," Katie suddenly asked as her mother paused to open the door.
"Yeah sweetie?" her mother responded only half listening.
"Ever heard of Green Day? Like, you grew up during that time, so... " Katie began.
Her mother's head jerked around, "How'd you find out about them?"
"I was looking through one of those music stores... with like, CDs and stuff, and I saw some and I listened to it on one of the store's listening thingies."
"Oh, yeah, I've heard of Green Day honey. Do you like them?"
Katie's eyes got big, "Hell yes! Megan thinks I look like Billie Joe, the—"
"I know who Billie Joe is. I can recite his bio right here and now."
"Oh, wow," Katie looked impressed, which made Ellie happy, "I guess you liked them?"
"Liked? I love them Katie, they were the subject of my obsession until Mr. Green-Day-Hating-Boy came along."
"Huh?" Katie raised an eyebrow.
"Your father has... personal problems with the band, lets just say. He's um... well he can tell you later. In the mean time, I got some stuff you might like, but we can do that later. Let's go inside."
"Yeah, lets," Katie shivered in the Bay Area air.
***
A few hours later, in her somewhat-put-together room, Katie listened to one of her Green Day mp3s, an album called Dookie. She watched the music videos for some of the songs, as they played. Long View, Welcome to Paradise, Pulling Teeth, Katie marveled at the genius of the songs wishing she had been there to hear the band play these songs live. But sadly, that would probably never happen. In 2020, eight whole years ago when Katie was just six, the band had broken up in a violent fight. It reminded Katie of her father's relationship with his family, at eighteen he had gotten out and never went back. But now he was back, in his old neighborhood, near his old home, and old friends. She wondered if he would be able to handle it.
***
In Ellie and her husband's room, the two were having a heated discussion some could call and argument.
"I think you're overreacting," Ellie said calmly.
"Overreacting? You think I'm overreacting?" her husband retorted, "I don't want her listening to that crap! It's bad enough your goddamn job picked us up and landed us here, in his goddamn old house, but no way is she gonna listen to Green Day!"
Ellie's eyes, usually a calm blue, were now frothing and angry, "You can't hide from your childhood anymore!" she roared at her husband, "I'm gonna let her listen to it, and you are not going to stop her!"
Her husband looked somewhat scared, "Yeah... "
"She likes it, and deep down so did you!"
"But what if she finds out?" he whined.
"Who cares? What's she gonna do? Demand a fucking autograph? 'Cause as I see it, there is no problem with listening to Green Day, Joey!"
Joey looked down, "Just, um... no Insomniac, that's embarrassing."
Ellie laughed and shook her head, "Alright. No Insomniac. But only if you give her that picture."
"What picture?"
"The one, you know with him and you."
"Are you kidding me? The one where we're at some awards show? Fuck no! No way!"
"Fine, be that way."
"Yep," Joey smiled.
Things weren't going so bad, he finally realized. Sure, he was in his old house, mere miles away from his father, closer than he had been in years, but things weren't so terrible. The other parts of his childhood, had been quite pleasant, and it wasn't until he turned fifteen that he started having problems with his dad.
Fourteen-year-old Katie stepped up to the gate of her new house. This house had been built in about '94 or '95 was huge. In fact, not only was it huge, but it had two houses on the property, one of which had always been used for guests and what-not.
"C'mon honey, let's go inside," her mother, Ellie, smiled.
"Where's Dad?" Katie asked, following her mother in.
"He's off wishing he were somewhere else. He grew up around here, you know?"
"Yeah, I'm aware of that. I mean; it makes sense that people seem to recognize him. Like that woman on the street... with the little kid."
"Oh... " Ellie smiled, "Yeah."
"Hey Mom," Katie suddenly asked as her mother paused to open the door.
"Yeah sweetie?" her mother responded only half listening.
"Ever heard of Green Day? Like, you grew up during that time, so... " Katie began.
Her mother's head jerked around, "How'd you find out about them?"
"I was looking through one of those music stores... with like, CDs and stuff, and I saw some and I listened to it on one of the store's listening thingies."
"Oh, yeah, I've heard of Green Day honey. Do you like them?"
Katie's eyes got big, "Hell yes! Megan thinks I look like Billie Joe, the—"
"I know who Billie Joe is. I can recite his bio right here and now."
"Oh, wow," Katie looked impressed, which made Ellie happy, "I guess you liked them?"
"Liked? I love them Katie, they were the subject of my obsession until Mr. Green-Day-Hating-Boy came along."
"Huh?" Katie raised an eyebrow.
"Your father has... personal problems with the band, lets just say. He's um... well he can tell you later. In the mean time, I got some stuff you might like, but we can do that later. Let's go inside."
"Yeah, lets," Katie shivered in the Bay Area air.
***
A few hours later, in her somewhat-put-together room, Katie listened to one of her Green Day mp3s, an album called Dookie. She watched the music videos for some of the songs, as they played. Long View, Welcome to Paradise, Pulling Teeth, Katie marveled at the genius of the songs wishing she had been there to hear the band play these songs live. But sadly, that would probably never happen. In 2020, eight whole years ago when Katie was just six, the band had broken up in a violent fight. It reminded Katie of her father's relationship with his family, at eighteen he had gotten out and never went back. But now he was back, in his old neighborhood, near his old home, and old friends. She wondered if he would be able to handle it.
***
In Ellie and her husband's room, the two were having a heated discussion some could call and argument.
"I think you're overreacting," Ellie said calmly.
"Overreacting? You think I'm overreacting?" her husband retorted, "I don't want her listening to that crap! It's bad enough your goddamn job picked us up and landed us here, in his goddamn old house, but no way is she gonna listen to Green Day!"
Ellie's eyes, usually a calm blue, were now frothing and angry, "You can't hide from your childhood anymore!" she roared at her husband, "I'm gonna let her listen to it, and you are not going to stop her!"
Her husband looked somewhat scared, "Yeah... "
"She likes it, and deep down so did you!"
"But what if she finds out?" he whined.
"Who cares? What's she gonna do? Demand a fucking autograph? 'Cause as I see it, there is no problem with listening to Green Day, Joey!"
Joey looked down, "Just, um... no Insomniac, that's embarrassing."
Ellie laughed and shook her head, "Alright. No Insomniac. But only if you give her that picture."
"What picture?"
"The one, you know with him and you."
"Are you kidding me? The one where we're at some awards show? Fuck no! No way!"
"Fine, be that way."
"Yep," Joey smiled.
Things weren't going so bad, he finally realized. Sure, he was in his old house, mere miles away from his father, closer than he had been in years, but things weren't so terrible. The other parts of his childhood, had been quite pleasant, and it wasn't until he turned fifteen that he started having problems with his dad.
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