Unforgetable Road Trip, chapter 1
It was summer '06 and we all just turned 18. This summer was going to be amazing. Green Day was still taking a break from touring and working on their album but they were doing shows all threw California and my band mates and I were leaving the day we all finished our exams.
We were going to Cali to follow Green Day around, play a little, and try to get recongized. Obviously our parents werent to impressed but whatever, it was our choice and there was no stopping us.
Hey! Im Jamie by the way. Jamie McLellan. In our band, Rave, I play bass. Its my favourite. Im average height and weight, with long brown hair with red tinges in it. Usually you find me in a t-shirt, or hoodie and jeans and my red and black checkard Vans. Im 18 and from a small town in Ontario Canada.
I live with my dad because my mom died when i was 5 in a car accident. I know your probly thinking that my dad abused me or something but no, he didnt. Me and my dad had a pretty good relationship and were pretty happy with our lives. We werent wealthy and sometimes didnt have enough to eat but we managed and it made us closer.
***
"Thank FUCKING god! Its over, we never gotta go back. Good bye St. Thomas, here we come Cali!" Josh yelled while taking all of his school stuff and chuckin it in the garbage by his locker. We were all done exams and were just clearing our stuff out.
Josh was the happiest of all of us. He never wanted to finish high school but his mom was a drop out and wanted him to complete it, so he did. He was pretty tall...shoulder length brown hair, big brown eyes and the most perfect smile you've ever seen. He played guitar in our band.
" James, how long do you think its going to take you to pack your shit and stuff?" Michelle asked me. My friends call me James sometimes. Michelle is tall, chubby, longish brown hair, glasses, brown eyes. She plays drums.
"Haha are you joking? I was packed last night. Me and my dad went out for dinner and then I packed. I gotta go see him before we go. He says he has something for me."
"Sweet! I wonder what it is. I hope its money because we seriously need some!" Kyle said. Kyles awesome. Hes my best friend. Hes a tall guy, with brown hair, about the length of Billie Joes, blue eyes and beautiful teeth. Hes our singer and also plays guitar.
"Whos driving,and what car are we taking? Kyles or Michelles?" I asked.
"Um, Do you think we should take both, just incase something happens to one?" Josh asked. He was always thinking ahead.
"Yea, that sounds good. Me and Jamie will go in my van with all the equipment, and Josh, you and Michelle in her car with the luggage. We will take turns driving." Kyle said.
"That sounds cool." Michelle said.
After the locker clean out we walked down to the small deli that my father worked at. I really want to know what he had for me. I made it seem like I was really excited to get out of St.Thomas, and I was, but i was still going to miss it. I lived here all my life. And I was really going to miss my dad.
"Won't it be great if we get signed?"Kyle asked. He really wanted this. He really needed this. He didnt want to work. Music had been his life since he was just a little boy. For his 6th birthday his mom got him a cheap accoustic guitar and ever since hes loved music.
"Won't it be awesome if we meet Green Day?"I asked.
"I would seriously faint into Mikes arms. Wow, I dont even know what it would be like..."Michelle said.
"So guys..You think about 4 days it will take to get there?"Josh asked. He was the one that was planning this whole thing.
"Yea 4 should do it if we drive right through Canada and then down into the united states and then I think there is...3 or 4 states to drive through and then good ol' Cali." Kyle said. He had planned this trip out back when we were 14.
When we arrived at the deli I walked in to see my dad standing at the counter frying up some chicken for an old lady.
"Hey dad!" I walked over and hugged him.
"Hey sweetie, hey guys" he said as he waved to my friends. "I have something for you at home so I just wait another 5 minutes until Ron gets here and then my shift is done and I'll walk you home."
I went and sat down at a table with my friends. We didnt talk at all. Alls I was thinking about was what my dad had for me. And then Ron walked in. So my friends, my father and I left.
"So sweetie, how long do you guys think you'll be in Cali for?" My dad asked as we walked down the street towards our place.
"Not sure dad."
"All depends Mr.McLellan. If we get labelled than we have to see, if nothing happens then we should be back by September 1st."Josh explained to my dad.
"You know Im going to miss you sweetie and this is really hard for me to let you travel to another country without me, but I know you and your friends can do it. And I hope you do! You guys have talent, and a good chemistry together. You guys are all great at the instruments you play and Im counting on you to become stars. Don't give up! You will make it." This was my dads goodbye before the goodbye. He told us this as we walked up the front porch stairs to my house."Now get in here and get that gift!"
We all followed my dad inside. He ran to his room, while I ran to my to get my 3 fairly large suitcases. We met back in the living room where my friends were seated. My dad came with 3 gifts. A big box, a small box and a basket.
"I know i shouldn't have done this, seeing the income level right now and its going to be worst when your gone but I love you sweetie so I did it. Here open this one first" He said handing me the basket. I open it.
It was just little personal items shampoos and what not. Plus a journal and some blank tapes and cds for demos. I hugged him for that. Then he handed me the small box. I opened it. There was 2 cell phones it. I started crying for joy and jumped on him.
"THANK YOU THANK YOU! But what is the other one for?" I asked a little confused.
"Me. then we can still keep in touch though phone calls and text messages" He said, giving me a hug and handing me the big box. I open it and cant believe my eyes. It was a shiney, brand new pink bass with my name on the back in black writing and a black rose on the front. I nearly faint and get up, start jumping and nearly attack my father.
"OH MY FUCKING GOD DAD! I LOVE YOU SO FUCKING MUCH RIGHT NOW!!!"I yelled as I hugged him.
"Jamie, watch you mouth!! And your welcome sweetie. Now go go have a good time! I'll call you lots!" He hugged me and we said out goodbyes as kyle and michelle went to pick up their cars.
When they go back my dad helped us load our equipment into the van and luggage into the car. We said goodbye one more time and were on our way out to Cali. Me and Kyle had the windows down, the music loud and were singing down the open road. This was bound to be a good summer.
We were going to Cali to follow Green Day around, play a little, and try to get recongized. Obviously our parents werent to impressed but whatever, it was our choice and there was no stopping us.
Hey! Im Jamie by the way. Jamie McLellan. In our band, Rave, I play bass. Its my favourite. Im average height and weight, with long brown hair with red tinges in it. Usually you find me in a t-shirt, or hoodie and jeans and my red and black checkard Vans. Im 18 and from a small town in Ontario Canada.
I live with my dad because my mom died when i was 5 in a car accident. I know your probly thinking that my dad abused me or something but no, he didnt. Me and my dad had a pretty good relationship and were pretty happy with our lives. We werent wealthy and sometimes didnt have enough to eat but we managed and it made us closer.
***
"Thank FUCKING god! Its over, we never gotta go back. Good bye St. Thomas, here we come Cali!" Josh yelled while taking all of his school stuff and chuckin it in the garbage by his locker. We were all done exams and were just clearing our stuff out.
Josh was the happiest of all of us. He never wanted to finish high school but his mom was a drop out and wanted him to complete it, so he did. He was pretty tall...shoulder length brown hair, big brown eyes and the most perfect smile you've ever seen. He played guitar in our band.
" James, how long do you think its going to take you to pack your shit and stuff?" Michelle asked me. My friends call me James sometimes. Michelle is tall, chubby, longish brown hair, glasses, brown eyes. She plays drums.
"Haha are you joking? I was packed last night. Me and my dad went out for dinner and then I packed. I gotta go see him before we go. He says he has something for me."
"Sweet! I wonder what it is. I hope its money because we seriously need some!" Kyle said. Kyles awesome. Hes my best friend. Hes a tall guy, with brown hair, about the length of Billie Joes, blue eyes and beautiful teeth. Hes our singer and also plays guitar.
"Whos driving,and what car are we taking? Kyles or Michelles?" I asked.
"Um, Do you think we should take both, just incase something happens to one?" Josh asked. He was always thinking ahead.
"Yea, that sounds good. Me and Jamie will go in my van with all the equipment, and Josh, you and Michelle in her car with the luggage. We will take turns driving." Kyle said.
"That sounds cool." Michelle said.
After the locker clean out we walked down to the small deli that my father worked at. I really want to know what he had for me. I made it seem like I was really excited to get out of St.Thomas, and I was, but i was still going to miss it. I lived here all my life. And I was really going to miss my dad.
"Won't it be great if we get signed?"Kyle asked. He really wanted this. He really needed this. He didnt want to work. Music had been his life since he was just a little boy. For his 6th birthday his mom got him a cheap accoustic guitar and ever since hes loved music.
"Won't it be awesome if we meet Green Day?"I asked.
"I would seriously faint into Mikes arms. Wow, I dont even know what it would be like..."Michelle said.
"So guys..You think about 4 days it will take to get there?"Josh asked. He was the one that was planning this whole thing.
"Yea 4 should do it if we drive right through Canada and then down into the united states and then I think there is...3 or 4 states to drive through and then good ol' Cali." Kyle said. He had planned this trip out back when we were 14.
When we arrived at the deli I walked in to see my dad standing at the counter frying up some chicken for an old lady.
"Hey dad!" I walked over and hugged him.
"Hey sweetie, hey guys" he said as he waved to my friends. "I have something for you at home so I just wait another 5 minutes until Ron gets here and then my shift is done and I'll walk you home."
I went and sat down at a table with my friends. We didnt talk at all. Alls I was thinking about was what my dad had for me. And then Ron walked in. So my friends, my father and I left.
"So sweetie, how long do you guys think you'll be in Cali for?" My dad asked as we walked down the street towards our place.
"Not sure dad."
"All depends Mr.McLellan. If we get labelled than we have to see, if nothing happens then we should be back by September 1st."Josh explained to my dad.
"You know Im going to miss you sweetie and this is really hard for me to let you travel to another country without me, but I know you and your friends can do it. And I hope you do! You guys have talent, and a good chemistry together. You guys are all great at the instruments you play and Im counting on you to become stars. Don't give up! You will make it." This was my dads goodbye before the goodbye. He told us this as we walked up the front porch stairs to my house."Now get in here and get that gift!"
We all followed my dad inside. He ran to his room, while I ran to my to get my 3 fairly large suitcases. We met back in the living room where my friends were seated. My dad came with 3 gifts. A big box, a small box and a basket.
"I know i shouldn't have done this, seeing the income level right now and its going to be worst when your gone but I love you sweetie so I did it. Here open this one first" He said handing me the basket. I open it.
It was just little personal items shampoos and what not. Plus a journal and some blank tapes and cds for demos. I hugged him for that. Then he handed me the small box. I opened it. There was 2 cell phones it. I started crying for joy and jumped on him.
"THANK YOU THANK YOU! But what is the other one for?" I asked a little confused.
"Me. then we can still keep in touch though phone calls and text messages" He said, giving me a hug and handing me the big box. I open it and cant believe my eyes. It was a shiney, brand new pink bass with my name on the back in black writing and a black rose on the front. I nearly faint and get up, start jumping and nearly attack my father.
"OH MY FUCKING GOD DAD! I LOVE YOU SO FUCKING MUCH RIGHT NOW!!!"I yelled as I hugged him.
"Jamie, watch you mouth!! And your welcome sweetie. Now go go have a good time! I'll call you lots!" He hugged me and we said out goodbyes as kyle and michelle went to pick up their cars.
When they go back my dad helped us load our equipment into the van and luggage into the car. We said goodbye one more time and were on our way out to Cali. Me and Kyle had the windows down, the music loud and were singing down the open road. This was bound to be a good summer.
