Rebellious, chapter 6
Autumn
JUDY
"HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOUOUOU... . HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOUOUOU... .HAPPY BIRTHDAY DEAR JUDY... HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOUOUOU!!!"
"IT'S EIGHT THIRTY IN THE MORNING!"
Three blurry images come and embrace me and I am too sleepy to shout for air, so I let them scream unidentified words while I try to remember what my name is and what I'm doing in Eileen's guestroom.
"How does it feel to be eighteen?" Nora asks, running her hands through my messy hair, trying to fix it.
"Like a dream."
"You know it's great that each one of us has her birthday in a different season of the year; it makes time run fast because we have always something to look forward to."
"I want to see if you'll say that when we're fifty Mrs. Bright Side." Dep is the sarcastic one, Eileen is the optimistic one, we have those kinds of conversation constantly. Even at eight thirty in the morning on my, apparently, birthday.
"We'll skip school today!" Nora shouts, directly in my ear. Damn, they'll make me hate my own birthday!
"And we will go shopping and then we'll pick up Dep from the record shop and get the biggest pizza in the world!" I didn't know Eileen spoke high-pitched.
"And after all that, we are going to come with you to change your name so you can officially be Fabulous."
"Alright birthday girl time to get up!"
I moan, even though I know it won't do any good and it doesn't, because Dep tries to lift me up by my elbows, Nora grabs my feet and Eileen my arms and at the risk of getting injured for life I prefer to get up by myself.
"I'm up! See?"
"Yeah, now prepare for present attack."
"You didn't have to get me anything!" Now I love them again.
"Of course we had to get you something. If you hadn't bought me a present on my birthday I'd kick your ass." I had bought Dep three movies: The Pink Panther Strikes Again, The Party and Rosemary's Baby. She has made us see each of them with her at least ten times so it was a pretty good buying.
"This one is from me. I love you, happy birthday." Eileen gives me a generous hug and waits for me to unwrap her present, grinning. Of course it's a record.
"I love the Kinks!"
"I know you do. Do you like it?"
"I love it. Thanks so much!" We hug again and Nora comes next with a very big bag, ridiculously white with black letters saying 'Gucci' and I do not dare to look what's inside.
"You know just this bag is a good enough present for me."
"Don't be silly you'll like it."
"But Nora... "
"I didn't spend much I swear. Just open it."
And I take out an amazing black belt with silver drawings and a light blue blouse that is simply perfect and as always, I feel like the presents I get her every time she has her birthday are shitty and ridiculous.
"They are fantastic. Thanks so so much!" I get a hug from her too.
"Just promise me that whenever you decide to wear them you'll tell us so we can put on something nice too. Otherwise we'll look hideous next to you." Of course the only way they could look hideous next to me is if Eileen cut off her legs and shaved her head, if Dep didn't have any breasts at all or this gorgeous permanent tan and if Nora wasn't... well Nora.
"Okay enough with the hugs it's my turn." Dep shouts. "Now you better like this because I didn't eat lunch for two months to save money to get it to you."
A video camera. A video camera just for me. I have a new video camera now.
"Judy?"
"This is the part where you react to the present."
I scream and Dep screams and I run to her and we both fall on the bed.
"Thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you!!!!"
"You're welcome but if you drive me nuts with it I'll take it back and break it."
"Deal!"
That's the hobby I love the most, apart from playing guitar (which is a way of life not a hobby); taking videos and pictures of us. I had bought a great video camera last year with the money from the gigs but it broke under circumstances I never found out (I think that maybe Dep did break it because I was giving her a hard time and all) and I'm still saving to buy a decent camera for photos since Eileen loves to take silly poses more than she loves talking to Billie Joe's poster. (Just kidding!)
I always have so much fun when we go shopping: Nora wants to try on clothes, Eileen wants to buy records and I want to sit somewhere and have a nice cup of coffee. And once Dep comes, she's gonna want to get another piercing.
"I think we were all born in the right season." Says Nora, while we pass by the teenie shops.
"Why's that?"
"Judy in autumn which is melancholic, sweet and quiet with some kind of strangely mellow sadness."
"You should be writing the lyrics, not me." Eileen tells her.
"You were born in spring which is pretty and colorful and there's this great feeling of anticipation in the air and it's romantic too."
"And Dep was born in summer because it is loud and people get wild and drunk every night?" I think I'm catching on. I definitely get the Eileen/spring matching and she seems to be making a point about me and the sadness.
"Exactly. And I was born in winter because... well first of all because I like taking my time and second my birthday is really close to Christmas where people dress up in fancy clothes which is my other passion besides Harley."
"And judging from how you've named you bass your third passion is motorbikes."
"You know me too well."
***
BILLIE
"Good morning hon"
"Five more minutes."
"Oh baby we have so many things to do. We have to take Jacob to the doctor and then we need to go shopping our fridge is empty and then there's this parent teacher thing in Joey's school."
"They have parent-teacher things in kindergarten?"
"Apparently. Come on get up." She gives me a kiss on the chick and goes into Joey's room to get him ready too. Gee, you'd think that once you're a rock star and stuff you'd have other people worrying about the fridge and you'd get to get up any time you want. Nope.
"Good morning daddy."
"Morning buddy. Ready for school?"
"Yeah. Our teacher taught us the four seasons yesterday and she said that whoever remembered them today was going to get a surprise."
"Wow cool: You remember them?"
"Of course. Autumn, winter, spring, summer."
"Good job."
"And now we are in autumn and the leaves fall off the trees."
"Very nice. Your teacher better give you that surprise."
Adie walks in, having that amazing smirk on her lips and hands Joey his little hand bag. She goes all "mommy" like and tells him to be a good boy and listen to what his teacher says and behave and Joey nods and looks at me. I wink, just when the sound of the school bus has my little son on his feet. We both kiss him and he screams "bye".
"I'll go make some coffee and then we will go wherever you want okay?"
"Sure honey, take your time."
"I love how you're still my very flexible wife and still love me and routine hasn't turned you into a bitch."
"You think I'll turn into a bitch?" She pretends to be offended.
"Of course not. I was just joking." I give her a kiss on the lips to reassure her and then I disappear into the kitchen to satisfy my need for caffeine.
"You know I do love autumn." I hear my wife saying.
"Oh yeah?"
"Yeah. Everything seems to be calm and peaceful. There is still some summer left and there is also some winter to make you feel a little eager for time to move faster and I don't know... It's sweet."
"You should be writing the lyrics not me."
She giggles and comes into the kitchen to drink some water just when Jacob starts to scream.
"Duty calls." She announces and shrugs, leaving her glass on the table.
I look out of the window and of course Adrienne is right. Autumn is great; it's mysterious, it's melancholic, it's... unpredictable. Leaves fall off the trees and once spring comes, the trees will magically grow new ones. All of this feels the way it was supposed to. It feels right.
"Let's get going shall we?" Adie comes in again, holding a sleeping Jacob in her arms.
"Of course. Come on."
"Hold him for a second please I forgot my purse in the bedroom."
"Sure. Hey Adie?"
"What?"
"I love you."
***
NORA
"What do you think Billie's doing right now?"
"He's sleeping." Judy answers to our lead singer.
"But it's ten o'clock."
"He's a millionaire. He gets to wake up any time he wants babe."
Eileen seems to be thinking it over but I can tell Judy's answer won't suffice.
Somehow, in her mind, Billie Joe can not be sleeping at this hour while she is out, under the November sun, shopping and having fun (it's not much of a sun but anyway). She is convinced that he is out as well and they share the same air at least. I am sure those are the thoughts that run through her mind right now. Judy turns on her new camera and starts filming herself.
"Hello! Welcome to Nora, Eileen and Judy's day of fun!" she cries. "Dep will be with us later on because right now she is working but her crazy spirit is always with us. She bought me this brand new video camera as a birthday present and I loooooove her for that. Yes I do! Alright let's move on to the stars of the day: Standing to the left the sensational Nora 'Baby' McKenzie. Isn't she gorgeous? Alright don't stare too hard."
I laugh and wave at her, accusing her of not giving me any warning before video taping me and that I must look like shit.
"Nonsense you're amazing. And to the right you see the woman who turned Anthony Kiedis down! Eileen Clash!"
"I did not turn him down! We made out for three hours!" Eileen protests to the screen. "And he said that if we ever meet again we'll be friends so ha! In your face Judy Fabulous!"
"Okay then... So our schedule for today is shopping until our legs can't move... " Judy continues.
"Which would be a tragedy in Eileen's case!" I interrupt. Eileen pushes me playfully and then sticks her tongue out to the camera. "Then we will go pick our drummer up from the record shop she works in and eat until our stomachs start complaining... "
"And then we'll come with Judy to change her name so she can be officially fabulous." That was a good line I said in the morning so I'd like to have it video taped.
Judy doesn't like watching herself in the videos she makes though. She only talks in the beginning to kind of introduce herself, or say where we are and what we're doing and then she just follows us around. I don't care about it but Dep just wants to kill her; that's why I don't really understand why she bought her a new camera when she was so appalled by the other one that she "accidentally" broke it.
"Tattoo shop!" Eileen cries. Oh God, not this again.
"No." I say and start to walk forward. I am never going to get a tattoo so why don't they just leave me alone?
"Oh come on! It would look so good on you. And it's really sexy all the guys love it."
"I'm afraid of needles ok? End of story." Judy is practically covered in tattoos.
She has ten gold stars and a red butterfly in the middle on her right arm, she has the scarves from "The Lord of the Rings" all around her wrist, she has a snake on her ankle, the words "Fulfilled Dreams" on her shoulder surrounded by red and blue stars and more gold stars on her waist. Yeah she likes Astronomy.
And she goes and tattoos herself like I go and have a bath. No fear and no doubts. Every time she has a new crazy idea she will go and have it scared on her skin.
Eileen just has two: Billie Joe's sketch from "1039" and the Beatles' "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band" logo on her waist.
"Fine. Where do you want to go then?" Eileen asks, but she is still looking inside the dreadful shop.
"Let's go shop some clothes. We have a gig tonight and we've pretty much been wearing the same things for the last months."
"Okay fine let's do that." Judy smiles and waves goodbye at the camera before turning it off.
"You know once we get famous, all these videos are gonna cost a fortune." Eileen tells her giggling. "So if we stop being talented and still want to be in the public eye we may start selling them."
"Good idea hon; let's go." I grab her arm and Judy grabs mine and we start exploring the city.
"Do you realize that it's been something like thirteen years since we met each other?" Judy looks at us. Has it really been that long? I feel like we met yesterday, in a way. I mean on the one hand yes I know all of them better than myself but yet every time we are about to meet I am thrilled.
"It doesn't feel that long does it?"
"No it doesn't."
"I like it that it doesn't."
"Yeah... it's really cool."
***
TRE
"It looks like it's going to rain... "
"Then we'll stay in and do funky stuff until the rain stops."
Claudia laughs and pulls the sheets a little further up. We get like this when it is rainy outside and there is no sun and basically nothing makes you want to get out of bed.
"Who's gonna make breakfast?" She asks, curling up on me.
"I'm not all that hungry right now."
"Yeah sure!"
"What? I'm serious."
"The day you're not hungry, I am getting out with no bra on."
"There's the door ma'am."
"What if I give you a kiss and then make waffles?"
Okay I guess she can get out with no bra on some other time 'cause I wouldn't say no to waffles. And kisses are pretty good too.
"Fine. But don't think I'll forget the braless deal."
I love how this woman laughs with everything I say. You see, there were two types of women until now: The ones who found me hilarious at first, agreed to spend the night with me pretty easily and then after sometime they started finding my jokes irritating, and the ones who thought I was an idiot from the beginning.
But hey, I got myself a keeper as it seems. Technically, we're still at the beginning because we knew each other for something like two months before we got married and we haven't even closed a year as hubby and Mrs. (that will happen next Thursday) but hell, married life is different.
"I'm going in the kitchen. You can stay in bed if you want but I am not getting you breakfast in bed alright? These are brand new sheets, I'm not spoiling them."
"Fine. Then I'll walk around naked in the house."
"Like it would be the first time."
She pecks my lips and gets up putting on her robe. "The faster you get a shower the sooner you're gonna eat waffles... " She sings.
"Do I have to take you in the shower with me to get you to put some ice cream on the side?"
"That doesn't sound so bad."
"Ha I though so, you little slut."
"Hey! I'm insulted. How dare you call me a slut, my husband will kill you."
"I'm not afraid of him. He sounds like a wanker after all."
"He is sometimes."
And after that I get out of bed and run to the kitchen to tickle her until she says sorry, which she always does sooner than she is supposed to.
"You're naked again... "
"I'm considering being naked the entire time."
"You may want to put some pants on when my girlfriends are coming over other wise they might want to fuck you."
"Sounds nice."
And after that I get a hit and a pinch and a long, sweet kiss. (Does that rhyme?)
"Go have a shower Casanova."
"Fine."
I never really got why we have such a fucking big window on the bathroom. It's not like we want to enjoy the view while we take a piss right? And this weather depresses me. It's better when it is sunny and we can go to the beach and act crazy. This whole grey atmosphere doesn't do it for me. It makes you want to stay in the house all day long.
Once I go back the waffles are patiently waiting for me. And so does Claudia.
"What's up?"
"Nothing. Sit down and eat, they taste nice." And they really do; but she stares at me in a funny way and I can't help but notice.
"Is there anything you want to tell me?"
"Actually there is."
"What?"
"I'm pregnant. Tre you're going to be a daddy again."
DEP
"What the fuck is this?"
"It's Billie Joel."
"And you just say that? With no shame? With no blushing?" It's as if they don't want costumers in their store those guys.
"Hey don't take it out; 'Uptown Girl' was next!"
"You must thank God I'm actually a music fan and I work here."
"What is this?"
"This is Nirvana okay? This is what kids listen to these days."
"It's really loud stop it!!!" Paolo starts screaming but I cover my ears and go to fix the Pop/Rock area. Man I've been working here for two years and I haven't taught anything to either him or Martin. I am kinda disappointed for that.
And of course just minutes after the Nirvana record kicked Billie fucking Joel out of the record player in comes the guitar guy Nora has a secret crush on.
"Hey." He says.
"Hey. What's up?"
"Do you have a copy of Never Mind?"
"You don't have Never Mind? And you're in a rock band?"
"My little sister visited, there was some cute little vandalism, don't ask for details."
That's hilarious. Imagine him coming home and finding his sister sitting on Never Mind and banging it to see if it breaks. Now to him it must be a tragedy (I would kill that little monster) and if I were, let's say, Nora I would sympathize but it's so funny I can't stop laughing.
"Here you are."
"Thanks. I appreciate the sympathy by the way." See? That was what he expected and because he is not all that bad and maybe Nora will marry him some day I hold my breath and byte my lips and manage to let out a fading 'Sorry' before I start laughing even more.
"Bye bye." He says and hands me the money.
"Hey!"
"What?"
"We got new deliveries today. There's some cool stuff you might want to go and check out."
He thinks about it and then looks at the door and then back at me and finally he smiles and nods.
"That would be nice."
"Alright call me if you need anything."
"Thanks." And that's all it takes to make it up to a musician. Talk to him about music.
Back to the Geeky Twins, they are writing something and they stare at me with guilty expressions and then they go back to writing. I grab Martin's notebook 'cause I can't be bothered to go all the way to where Paolo sits and I'm seeing my worst nightmare written on a piece of paper.
"What the fuck are you guys on about?"
"Nothing, just some songs that we like to play when... "
"When I'm not here right?"
The guilty expressions carry on. God, that's it. They don't want costumers; they enjoy being miserable and moneyless and not having to socialize with anyone. That's why whenever someone asks them something they tell them to speak with me; they're afraid of communication the bastards so they're sabotaging the store. That's the only explanation for it.
"Okay, Elvis? No. Otis Redding? Only on Monday nights and that's my final offer. I guess you can keep Bruce Springsteen but only his old stuff. What's that? Buddy fucking Holly? What are we, selling records to Baby Boomers?"
Someday, when I have the time I am going to start teaching them about real music. Real rock and real punk and then I'm gonna get bored mid project and Eileen will keep it on.
"Paolo you're even more pathetic so please don't even show me your list."
The girls enter, holding bags and singing "Should I Stay or Should I Go?" and I jump from the counter to greet them.
"Hi Paolo hi Martin."
Eileen waves at them, even though she knows the idiots are drooling all over her. I guess some people want to be nice no matter what. Nora and Judy also wave, since Eileen did and they don't want to be rude and then the guitar guy shows up with two more records. This is going to fun.
"Hi." Says Nora.
"Hi" Says the guitar guy. Then he realizes other people are standing there too so he repeats it.
"Hi." Says Eileen.
"Hi." Says Judy.
"Nice day hugh?" Says the guitar guy, talking to Nora.
"Yeah. It's amazing. Bright and everything."
"It's raining outside." I point out. Eileen and Judy try not to laugh; even Paolo and Martin find this amusing.
Nora looks at the records he is holding and asks the same thing I did.
"You don't have Never Mind?"
"My little sister came to visit and she broke it." Okay I swear I don't want to laugh anymore but what can I do when I have Eileen on my right side, already turning red from trying not to giggle and Judy on my left who has put her hair over her face so that they won't see her laughing her heart out?
"Poor thing." Nora says that like the guitar guy told her his dog had been run over by a car and of course we all reach our point. We start to laugh and break their romantic atmosphere. Nora looks at us angrily and then turns back to the guitar guy saying that she has to go.
I say goodbye to Paolo and Martin, tell them not to take the Nirvana record out or I'll kill them and then the four of us go out, leaving the guitar guy on the counter, paying.
And of course we keep on laughing.
"Look at Baby blushing!" Eileen, pinches Nora's cheeks and Judy is videotaping it and although our bassist wants to look like she is pissed off, she can't help but smile.
"I am officially not going to be around you when I flirt ever again." She yells.
"Hard that will be my friend. Hard that will be."
"He will think we were making fun of him!"
"We kinda were." Eileen tells her, still trying to control her laughing.
***
MIKE
"Hey man."
"Hey. Tre is already here. He is behaving like a total fucking nut."
"Yeah, so? What got you worried?"
"He said he wants to buy a Volvo."
"Oh God."
This is going to be fun. Last time Tre wanted to have a conversation about family cars Ramona was on her way so if I'm guessing correctly...
"Claudia is pregnant." He tells me instead of 'Hello Mike. Nice to see you.'
"Really? Congratulations man!!"
"Thanks!!!" He jumps his way to me and hugs me. I pat his back and try to free myself but he tightens his grip and I can't even talk. So I jump with him.
Billie joins too and in seconds Green Day has transformed into fifth graders.
"That's great. I can't believe I'm going to be the only one with one kid. Not fair."
"Well maybe you and your lovely girlfriend should consider doing it on Sundays too."
Billie jokes and gets out of the group hug, lifting Blue from the floor.
"Nah, I just want to spoil Estelle as much as I can before I have another kid."
"The man's got a point. I can't even begin to think how I'm going to tell Ramona about it."
"So do we know any details about the next offspring of the Wright dynasty?"
BJ asks playing one of his new songs 'Scattered' while he speaks.
"Just that Claudia is three months along already. She hadn't noticed she was... you know... late so when she did it hit her like a fucking ton of bricks and that when we go to the doctor we'll know if it's a boy or a girl."
"Cool."
"Yeah I really hope it's a boy so I can teach him you know... manly stuff." Both Beej and I laugh at how Tre deepens his voice and shows off his muscles. I throw a pillow at him and after he throws it back he sits on the couch next to Billie and I get a coke from the fridge.
"This rain is going on all day long." I say looking out the window. I don't like it so much; I'm more of a snowy type of person because if it snows you have a good excuse to stay in your pj's all day and drink coffee by the fire.
"I like it, it's poetic." Billie answers me and The Smirk appears again. I let it drop though without asking for reasons why he suddenly appears to be a rain fan because this is Tre's day after all.
"So where's Claudia now?"
"At her parents' house, telling them. I was bored as hell to go."
"That's why you brought your ass over at my house?" Billie jokes.
"Pretty much. And because you're my best friend and I can't get enough of you."
"But of course."
"So Mike. Tell us how is going with your new love interest."
"It's... going." I don't feel like getting into this at all. Why can't we discuss Tre's new baby? Or the reason for Billie's smirk? Or the new album which will be released in two months and there are so many things to do?
"What's wrong with her?"
"Nothing's wrong with her. That's the problem."
"You mean it's not working out because she is too perfect?" Of course that kind
of problem doesn't exist in the soon-to-be-father's head.
"Well yeah. In a way, I mean. She's just a little... blah."
"Help me out of here man."
"Well, she doesn't have any bad habits for example. Not one pretty little annoying thing that is capable to remind me of her you know? Like, blushing, or getting extra nervous or always ordering the same dish. Know what I'm saying?"
"I do." Billie rushes to answer. Okay man I get it your marriage is perfect. Beat me over the head with it.
"Okay... why don't you ditch her then?" Tre asks.
"I don't think I'd be reasonable breaking up with someone because she doesn't make mistakes."
"You won't be breaking up with her because of that, you'll be breaking up with her because she doesn't have an identity for herself." Billie again buts in, all sophisticated. And to think I was once upon a time the one to give him advice.
"It makes sense." Tre agrees.
"You know what? Let's just leave it there for now. Let's go jam."
"Actually I have this new song I want to play for you guys." Billie informs us. Aha, now we're talking.
***
EILEEN
"Judy has her own desire. She wants to step into your fire. She wants you tangled in her web. She wants the flame never to tire."
It's amazing how time goes by in front of our very eyes. I know, that's a line often used by sixty year olds but I just can't help but wonder how Judy became eighteen years old. When I met her she was this shy little girl who sat on a corner, afraid to talk to anybody. And by that time she was just five.
"She's wanting. She's tripping and she's falling... Can you catch her...? Now she's calling... Can you hear her...? She's falling down"
And if Judy is eighteen, that means I am eighteen too. It's strange how I never realize it on my own birthday but on one of my best friend's. Dep seemed like eighteen ever since she left her house. The way she handled herself and survived, found a house and a job, made her seem so grown up. But Judy... .Judy was always my puppy. I made sure no one did something bad to her because she didn't seem capable of taking care of herself. And now she is standing next to me, with a guitar in her hands, rocking all these people.
"Judy wants to love so much. Can it release her from her hurt? Judy's dreaming of your touch. She'll smother you till it's too much."
I guess all people grow up. Others get married and have kids, others want a better career others travel around the world or whatever but we all get to a point where we just feel like an era has just ended. To me it all ends here in this rainy November night. And from here it will all begin.
"Alright that was the song 'Judy' by the Corrs and it is dedicated to my best friend Judy Fabulous who is turning eighteen today." The small crowd starts to cheer and Judy smiles at me.
"And this day is very important to all of us for another reason too. For the first time ever we are going to perform one of our own songs so we hope you guys won't come hard on us alright?" There are some more cheers and I feel my heart beating like crazy. If I start trembling when I hold the mic I'll lose it.
"Okay this song is called It's Always One Step Away. Remember it as the first song by Gun Shot you've ever heard."
I take a deep breath, pray to God or whatever magical force controls luck not to forget my lyrics, I wait to hear Dep's counting and there I go...
"You see it everyday, it seems so far away... snowy days of hazy warmth slowly envelop you. The static on the TV it blinds and covers me, well all the hours that pass me by aren't standing in my way"
Do they like it? I'm too scared to open my eyes and see the look on their faces. What if they crucify us? It'll be a fucking disaster; we won't find anywhere else to play, our reputation is going to be torn to pieces.
"In my head, 300 stations no effective communication all the words are out of sync with what the people think."
I steal a guilty glimpse and the people in the front smile. That's a good sign right?
"There's a buzzing in the air I'm not sure how it got there. It started out as something small now you hear it everywhere. Played guitar for something to do rusted strings in dusty rooms the bridge is broken, no big loss no one's getting across."
Oh my God. They're cheering again. They're cheering and shouting like they always do when we play well known songs. Beat that Big Jack! I finally open my eyes and watch Nora and Judy who seem as excited as I am. I love this.
"In my head, 300 stations no effective communication all the words are out of sync with what the people think. In the morning sun shines bright and for reasons I can't understand I see it all so clear. It's always one step away..."
Dep's banging the drums with all the power inside of her, I can always tell when she does that. When we play Clash for example she does it; when she wants to make the performance better than it already is, she does it too. When she feels her energy is getting too much for her to handle, boy she gives those drums a good time.
"In my head, 300 stations no effective communication all the words are out of sync with what the people think."
Look at Nora playing with that amazing ease. It's as if her bass makes music by itself and her fingers just touch the strings. And I can bet there's no other bass in the history of music named after a motorcycle. And how she also manages to bewitch the audience just by standing there is something I'll never understand.
"There's a buzzing in the air. I'm not sure how it got there; started out as something small now you hear it everywhere."
***
BILLIE
"So? What do you think?"
Neither of them is talking. Fuck.
"Did it suck?"
"Play it again, Beej," Mike mumbles.
"Yeah?"
"Billie I beg you play it again."
"Alright here it goes." I take my guitar again, look at their faces that have become very weird all of a sudden and then I start with the song again.
"Another turning point, a fork stuck in the road. Time grabs you by the wrist, directs you where to go. So make the best of this test and don't ask why, it's not a question but a lesson learned in time. It's something unpredictable, but in the end is right I hope you had the time of your life..."
JUDY
"HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOUOUOU... . HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOUOUOU... .HAPPY BIRTHDAY DEAR JUDY... HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOUOUOU!!!"
"IT'S EIGHT THIRTY IN THE MORNING!"
Three blurry images come and embrace me and I am too sleepy to shout for air, so I let them scream unidentified words while I try to remember what my name is and what I'm doing in Eileen's guestroom.
"How does it feel to be eighteen?" Nora asks, running her hands through my messy hair, trying to fix it.
"Like a dream."
"You know it's great that each one of us has her birthday in a different season of the year; it makes time run fast because we have always something to look forward to."
"I want to see if you'll say that when we're fifty Mrs. Bright Side." Dep is the sarcastic one, Eileen is the optimistic one, we have those kinds of conversation constantly. Even at eight thirty in the morning on my, apparently, birthday.
"We'll skip school today!" Nora shouts, directly in my ear. Damn, they'll make me hate my own birthday!
"And we will go shopping and then we'll pick up Dep from the record shop and get the biggest pizza in the world!" I didn't know Eileen spoke high-pitched.
"And after all that, we are going to come with you to change your name so you can officially be Fabulous."
"Alright birthday girl time to get up!"
I moan, even though I know it won't do any good and it doesn't, because Dep tries to lift me up by my elbows, Nora grabs my feet and Eileen my arms and at the risk of getting injured for life I prefer to get up by myself.
"I'm up! See?"
"Yeah, now prepare for present attack."
"You didn't have to get me anything!" Now I love them again.
"Of course we had to get you something. If you hadn't bought me a present on my birthday I'd kick your ass." I had bought Dep three movies: The Pink Panther Strikes Again, The Party and Rosemary's Baby. She has made us see each of them with her at least ten times so it was a pretty good buying.
"This one is from me. I love you, happy birthday." Eileen gives me a generous hug and waits for me to unwrap her present, grinning. Of course it's a record.
"I love the Kinks!"
"I know you do. Do you like it?"
"I love it. Thanks so much!" We hug again and Nora comes next with a very big bag, ridiculously white with black letters saying 'Gucci' and I do not dare to look what's inside.
"You know just this bag is a good enough present for me."
"Don't be silly you'll like it."
"But Nora... "
"I didn't spend much I swear. Just open it."
And I take out an amazing black belt with silver drawings and a light blue blouse that is simply perfect and as always, I feel like the presents I get her every time she has her birthday are shitty and ridiculous.
"They are fantastic. Thanks so so much!" I get a hug from her too.
"Just promise me that whenever you decide to wear them you'll tell us so we can put on something nice too. Otherwise we'll look hideous next to you." Of course the only way they could look hideous next to me is if Eileen cut off her legs and shaved her head, if Dep didn't have any breasts at all or this gorgeous permanent tan and if Nora wasn't... well Nora.
"Okay enough with the hugs it's my turn." Dep shouts. "Now you better like this because I didn't eat lunch for two months to save money to get it to you."
A video camera. A video camera just for me. I have a new video camera now.
"Judy?"
"This is the part where you react to the present."
I scream and Dep screams and I run to her and we both fall on the bed.
"Thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you!!!!"
"You're welcome but if you drive me nuts with it I'll take it back and break it."
"Deal!"
That's the hobby I love the most, apart from playing guitar (which is a way of life not a hobby); taking videos and pictures of us. I had bought a great video camera last year with the money from the gigs but it broke under circumstances I never found out (I think that maybe Dep did break it because I was giving her a hard time and all) and I'm still saving to buy a decent camera for photos since Eileen loves to take silly poses more than she loves talking to Billie Joe's poster. (Just kidding!)
I always have so much fun when we go shopping: Nora wants to try on clothes, Eileen wants to buy records and I want to sit somewhere and have a nice cup of coffee. And once Dep comes, she's gonna want to get another piercing.
"I think we were all born in the right season." Says Nora, while we pass by the teenie shops.
"Why's that?"
"Judy in autumn which is melancholic, sweet and quiet with some kind of strangely mellow sadness."
"You should be writing the lyrics, not me." Eileen tells her.
"You were born in spring which is pretty and colorful and there's this great feeling of anticipation in the air and it's romantic too."
"And Dep was born in summer because it is loud and people get wild and drunk every night?" I think I'm catching on. I definitely get the Eileen/spring matching and she seems to be making a point about me and the sadness.
"Exactly. And I was born in winter because... well first of all because I like taking my time and second my birthday is really close to Christmas where people dress up in fancy clothes which is my other passion besides Harley."
"And judging from how you've named you bass your third passion is motorbikes."
"You know me too well."
***
BILLIE
"Good morning hon"
"Five more minutes."
"Oh baby we have so many things to do. We have to take Jacob to the doctor and then we need to go shopping our fridge is empty and then there's this parent teacher thing in Joey's school."
"They have parent-teacher things in kindergarten?"
"Apparently. Come on get up." She gives me a kiss on the chick and goes into Joey's room to get him ready too. Gee, you'd think that once you're a rock star and stuff you'd have other people worrying about the fridge and you'd get to get up any time you want. Nope.
"Good morning daddy."
"Morning buddy. Ready for school?"
"Yeah. Our teacher taught us the four seasons yesterday and she said that whoever remembered them today was going to get a surprise."
"Wow cool: You remember them?"
"Of course. Autumn, winter, spring, summer."
"Good job."
"And now we are in autumn and the leaves fall off the trees."
"Very nice. Your teacher better give you that surprise."
Adie walks in, having that amazing smirk on her lips and hands Joey his little hand bag. She goes all "mommy" like and tells him to be a good boy and listen to what his teacher says and behave and Joey nods and looks at me. I wink, just when the sound of the school bus has my little son on his feet. We both kiss him and he screams "bye".
"I'll go make some coffee and then we will go wherever you want okay?"
"Sure honey, take your time."
"I love how you're still my very flexible wife and still love me and routine hasn't turned you into a bitch."
"You think I'll turn into a bitch?" She pretends to be offended.
"Of course not. I was just joking." I give her a kiss on the lips to reassure her and then I disappear into the kitchen to satisfy my need for caffeine.
"You know I do love autumn." I hear my wife saying.
"Oh yeah?"
"Yeah. Everything seems to be calm and peaceful. There is still some summer left and there is also some winter to make you feel a little eager for time to move faster and I don't know... It's sweet."
"You should be writing the lyrics not me."
She giggles and comes into the kitchen to drink some water just when Jacob starts to scream.
"Duty calls." She announces and shrugs, leaving her glass on the table.
I look out of the window and of course Adrienne is right. Autumn is great; it's mysterious, it's melancholic, it's... unpredictable. Leaves fall off the trees and once spring comes, the trees will magically grow new ones. All of this feels the way it was supposed to. It feels right.
"Let's get going shall we?" Adie comes in again, holding a sleeping Jacob in her arms.
"Of course. Come on."
"Hold him for a second please I forgot my purse in the bedroom."
"Sure. Hey Adie?"
"What?"
"I love you."
***
NORA
"What do you think Billie's doing right now?"
"He's sleeping." Judy answers to our lead singer.
"But it's ten o'clock."
"He's a millionaire. He gets to wake up any time he wants babe."
Eileen seems to be thinking it over but I can tell Judy's answer won't suffice.
Somehow, in her mind, Billie Joe can not be sleeping at this hour while she is out, under the November sun, shopping and having fun (it's not much of a sun but anyway). She is convinced that he is out as well and they share the same air at least. I am sure those are the thoughts that run through her mind right now. Judy turns on her new camera and starts filming herself.
"Hello! Welcome to Nora, Eileen and Judy's day of fun!" she cries. "Dep will be with us later on because right now she is working but her crazy spirit is always with us. She bought me this brand new video camera as a birthday present and I loooooove her for that. Yes I do! Alright let's move on to the stars of the day: Standing to the left the sensational Nora 'Baby' McKenzie. Isn't she gorgeous? Alright don't stare too hard."
I laugh and wave at her, accusing her of not giving me any warning before video taping me and that I must look like shit.
"Nonsense you're amazing. And to the right you see the woman who turned Anthony Kiedis down! Eileen Clash!"
"I did not turn him down! We made out for three hours!" Eileen protests to the screen. "And he said that if we ever meet again we'll be friends so ha! In your face Judy Fabulous!"
"Okay then... So our schedule for today is shopping until our legs can't move... " Judy continues.
"Which would be a tragedy in Eileen's case!" I interrupt. Eileen pushes me playfully and then sticks her tongue out to the camera. "Then we will go pick our drummer up from the record shop she works in and eat until our stomachs start complaining... "
"And then we'll come with Judy to change her name so she can be officially fabulous." That was a good line I said in the morning so I'd like to have it video taped.
Judy doesn't like watching herself in the videos she makes though. She only talks in the beginning to kind of introduce herself, or say where we are and what we're doing and then she just follows us around. I don't care about it but Dep just wants to kill her; that's why I don't really understand why she bought her a new camera when she was so appalled by the other one that she "accidentally" broke it.
"Tattoo shop!" Eileen cries. Oh God, not this again.
"No." I say and start to walk forward. I am never going to get a tattoo so why don't they just leave me alone?
"Oh come on! It would look so good on you. And it's really sexy all the guys love it."
"I'm afraid of needles ok? End of story." Judy is practically covered in tattoos.
She has ten gold stars and a red butterfly in the middle on her right arm, she has the scarves from "The Lord of the Rings" all around her wrist, she has a snake on her ankle, the words "Fulfilled Dreams" on her shoulder surrounded by red and blue stars and more gold stars on her waist. Yeah she likes Astronomy.
And she goes and tattoos herself like I go and have a bath. No fear and no doubts. Every time she has a new crazy idea she will go and have it scared on her skin.
Eileen just has two: Billie Joe's sketch from "1039" and the Beatles' "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band" logo on her waist.
"Fine. Where do you want to go then?" Eileen asks, but she is still looking inside the dreadful shop.
"Let's go shop some clothes. We have a gig tonight and we've pretty much been wearing the same things for the last months."
"Okay fine let's do that." Judy smiles and waves goodbye at the camera before turning it off.
"You know once we get famous, all these videos are gonna cost a fortune." Eileen tells her giggling. "So if we stop being talented and still want to be in the public eye we may start selling them."
"Good idea hon; let's go." I grab her arm and Judy grabs mine and we start exploring the city.
"Do you realize that it's been something like thirteen years since we met each other?" Judy looks at us. Has it really been that long? I feel like we met yesterday, in a way. I mean on the one hand yes I know all of them better than myself but yet every time we are about to meet I am thrilled.
"It doesn't feel that long does it?"
"No it doesn't."
"I like it that it doesn't."
"Yeah... it's really cool."
***
TRE
"It looks like it's going to rain... "
"Then we'll stay in and do funky stuff until the rain stops."
Claudia laughs and pulls the sheets a little further up. We get like this when it is rainy outside and there is no sun and basically nothing makes you want to get out of bed.
"Who's gonna make breakfast?" She asks, curling up on me.
"I'm not all that hungry right now."
"Yeah sure!"
"What? I'm serious."
"The day you're not hungry, I am getting out with no bra on."
"There's the door ma'am."
"What if I give you a kiss and then make waffles?"
Okay I guess she can get out with no bra on some other time 'cause I wouldn't say no to waffles. And kisses are pretty good too.
"Fine. But don't think I'll forget the braless deal."
I love how this woman laughs with everything I say. You see, there were two types of women until now: The ones who found me hilarious at first, agreed to spend the night with me pretty easily and then after sometime they started finding my jokes irritating, and the ones who thought I was an idiot from the beginning.
But hey, I got myself a keeper as it seems. Technically, we're still at the beginning because we knew each other for something like two months before we got married and we haven't even closed a year as hubby and Mrs. (that will happen next Thursday) but hell, married life is different.
"I'm going in the kitchen. You can stay in bed if you want but I am not getting you breakfast in bed alright? These are brand new sheets, I'm not spoiling them."
"Fine. Then I'll walk around naked in the house."
"Like it would be the first time."
She pecks my lips and gets up putting on her robe. "The faster you get a shower the sooner you're gonna eat waffles... " She sings.
"Do I have to take you in the shower with me to get you to put some ice cream on the side?"
"That doesn't sound so bad."
"Ha I though so, you little slut."
"Hey! I'm insulted. How dare you call me a slut, my husband will kill you."
"I'm not afraid of him. He sounds like a wanker after all."
"He is sometimes."
And after that I get out of bed and run to the kitchen to tickle her until she says sorry, which she always does sooner than she is supposed to.
"You're naked again... "
"I'm considering being naked the entire time."
"You may want to put some pants on when my girlfriends are coming over other wise they might want to fuck you."
"Sounds nice."
And after that I get a hit and a pinch and a long, sweet kiss. (Does that rhyme?)
"Go have a shower Casanova."
"Fine."
I never really got why we have such a fucking big window on the bathroom. It's not like we want to enjoy the view while we take a piss right? And this weather depresses me. It's better when it is sunny and we can go to the beach and act crazy. This whole grey atmosphere doesn't do it for me. It makes you want to stay in the house all day long.
Once I go back the waffles are patiently waiting for me. And so does Claudia.
"What's up?"
"Nothing. Sit down and eat, they taste nice." And they really do; but she stares at me in a funny way and I can't help but notice.
"Is there anything you want to tell me?"
"Actually there is."
"What?"
"I'm pregnant. Tre you're going to be a daddy again."
DEP
"What the fuck is this?"
"It's Billie Joel."
"And you just say that? With no shame? With no blushing?" It's as if they don't want costumers in their store those guys.
"Hey don't take it out; 'Uptown Girl' was next!"
"You must thank God I'm actually a music fan and I work here."
"What is this?"
"This is Nirvana okay? This is what kids listen to these days."
"It's really loud stop it!!!" Paolo starts screaming but I cover my ears and go to fix the Pop/Rock area. Man I've been working here for two years and I haven't taught anything to either him or Martin. I am kinda disappointed for that.
And of course just minutes after the Nirvana record kicked Billie fucking Joel out of the record player in comes the guitar guy Nora has a secret crush on.
"Hey." He says.
"Hey. What's up?"
"Do you have a copy of Never Mind?"
"You don't have Never Mind? And you're in a rock band?"
"My little sister visited, there was some cute little vandalism, don't ask for details."
That's hilarious. Imagine him coming home and finding his sister sitting on Never Mind and banging it to see if it breaks. Now to him it must be a tragedy (I would kill that little monster) and if I were, let's say, Nora I would sympathize but it's so funny I can't stop laughing.
"Here you are."
"Thanks. I appreciate the sympathy by the way." See? That was what he expected and because he is not all that bad and maybe Nora will marry him some day I hold my breath and byte my lips and manage to let out a fading 'Sorry' before I start laughing even more.
"Bye bye." He says and hands me the money.
"Hey!"
"What?"
"We got new deliveries today. There's some cool stuff you might want to go and check out."
He thinks about it and then looks at the door and then back at me and finally he smiles and nods.
"That would be nice."
"Alright call me if you need anything."
"Thanks." And that's all it takes to make it up to a musician. Talk to him about music.
Back to the Geeky Twins, they are writing something and they stare at me with guilty expressions and then they go back to writing. I grab Martin's notebook 'cause I can't be bothered to go all the way to where Paolo sits and I'm seeing my worst nightmare written on a piece of paper.
"What the fuck are you guys on about?"
"Nothing, just some songs that we like to play when... "
"When I'm not here right?"
The guilty expressions carry on. God, that's it. They don't want costumers; they enjoy being miserable and moneyless and not having to socialize with anyone. That's why whenever someone asks them something they tell them to speak with me; they're afraid of communication the bastards so they're sabotaging the store. That's the only explanation for it.
"Okay, Elvis? No. Otis Redding? Only on Monday nights and that's my final offer. I guess you can keep Bruce Springsteen but only his old stuff. What's that? Buddy fucking Holly? What are we, selling records to Baby Boomers?"
Someday, when I have the time I am going to start teaching them about real music. Real rock and real punk and then I'm gonna get bored mid project and Eileen will keep it on.
"Paolo you're even more pathetic so please don't even show me your list."
The girls enter, holding bags and singing "Should I Stay or Should I Go?" and I jump from the counter to greet them.
"Hi Paolo hi Martin."
Eileen waves at them, even though she knows the idiots are drooling all over her. I guess some people want to be nice no matter what. Nora and Judy also wave, since Eileen did and they don't want to be rude and then the guitar guy shows up with two more records. This is going to fun.
"Hi." Says Nora.
"Hi" Says the guitar guy. Then he realizes other people are standing there too so he repeats it.
"Hi." Says Eileen.
"Hi." Says Judy.
"Nice day hugh?" Says the guitar guy, talking to Nora.
"Yeah. It's amazing. Bright and everything."
"It's raining outside." I point out. Eileen and Judy try not to laugh; even Paolo and Martin find this amusing.
Nora looks at the records he is holding and asks the same thing I did.
"You don't have Never Mind?"
"My little sister came to visit and she broke it." Okay I swear I don't want to laugh anymore but what can I do when I have Eileen on my right side, already turning red from trying not to giggle and Judy on my left who has put her hair over her face so that they won't see her laughing her heart out?
"Poor thing." Nora says that like the guitar guy told her his dog had been run over by a car and of course we all reach our point. We start to laugh and break their romantic atmosphere. Nora looks at us angrily and then turns back to the guitar guy saying that she has to go.
I say goodbye to Paolo and Martin, tell them not to take the Nirvana record out or I'll kill them and then the four of us go out, leaving the guitar guy on the counter, paying.
And of course we keep on laughing.
"Look at Baby blushing!" Eileen, pinches Nora's cheeks and Judy is videotaping it and although our bassist wants to look like she is pissed off, she can't help but smile.
"I am officially not going to be around you when I flirt ever again." She yells.
"Hard that will be my friend. Hard that will be."
"He will think we were making fun of him!"
"We kinda were." Eileen tells her, still trying to control her laughing.
***
MIKE
"Hey man."
"Hey. Tre is already here. He is behaving like a total fucking nut."
"Yeah, so? What got you worried?"
"He said he wants to buy a Volvo."
"Oh God."
This is going to be fun. Last time Tre wanted to have a conversation about family cars Ramona was on her way so if I'm guessing correctly...
"Claudia is pregnant." He tells me instead of 'Hello Mike. Nice to see you.'
"Really? Congratulations man!!"
"Thanks!!!" He jumps his way to me and hugs me. I pat his back and try to free myself but he tightens his grip and I can't even talk. So I jump with him.
Billie joins too and in seconds Green Day has transformed into fifth graders.
"That's great. I can't believe I'm going to be the only one with one kid. Not fair."
"Well maybe you and your lovely girlfriend should consider doing it on Sundays too."
Billie jokes and gets out of the group hug, lifting Blue from the floor.
"Nah, I just want to spoil Estelle as much as I can before I have another kid."
"The man's got a point. I can't even begin to think how I'm going to tell Ramona about it."
"So do we know any details about the next offspring of the Wright dynasty?"
BJ asks playing one of his new songs 'Scattered' while he speaks.
"Just that Claudia is three months along already. She hadn't noticed she was... you know... late so when she did it hit her like a fucking ton of bricks and that when we go to the doctor we'll know if it's a boy or a girl."
"Cool."
"Yeah I really hope it's a boy so I can teach him you know... manly stuff." Both Beej and I laugh at how Tre deepens his voice and shows off his muscles. I throw a pillow at him and after he throws it back he sits on the couch next to Billie and I get a coke from the fridge.
"This rain is going on all day long." I say looking out the window. I don't like it so much; I'm more of a snowy type of person because if it snows you have a good excuse to stay in your pj's all day and drink coffee by the fire.
"I like it, it's poetic." Billie answers me and The Smirk appears again. I let it drop though without asking for reasons why he suddenly appears to be a rain fan because this is Tre's day after all.
"So where's Claudia now?"
"At her parents' house, telling them. I was bored as hell to go."
"That's why you brought your ass over at my house?" Billie jokes.
"Pretty much. And because you're my best friend and I can't get enough of you."
"But of course."
"So Mike. Tell us how is going with your new love interest."
"It's... going." I don't feel like getting into this at all. Why can't we discuss Tre's new baby? Or the reason for Billie's smirk? Or the new album which will be released in two months and there are so many things to do?
"What's wrong with her?"
"Nothing's wrong with her. That's the problem."
"You mean it's not working out because she is too perfect?" Of course that kind
of problem doesn't exist in the soon-to-be-father's head.
"Well yeah. In a way, I mean. She's just a little... blah."
"Help me out of here man."
"Well, she doesn't have any bad habits for example. Not one pretty little annoying thing that is capable to remind me of her you know? Like, blushing, or getting extra nervous or always ordering the same dish. Know what I'm saying?"
"I do." Billie rushes to answer. Okay man I get it your marriage is perfect. Beat me over the head with it.
"Okay... why don't you ditch her then?" Tre asks.
"I don't think I'd be reasonable breaking up with someone because she doesn't make mistakes."
"You won't be breaking up with her because of that, you'll be breaking up with her because she doesn't have an identity for herself." Billie again buts in, all sophisticated. And to think I was once upon a time the one to give him advice.
"It makes sense." Tre agrees.
"You know what? Let's just leave it there for now. Let's go jam."
"Actually I have this new song I want to play for you guys." Billie informs us. Aha, now we're talking.
***
EILEEN
"Judy has her own desire. She wants to step into your fire. She wants you tangled in her web. She wants the flame never to tire."
It's amazing how time goes by in front of our very eyes. I know, that's a line often used by sixty year olds but I just can't help but wonder how Judy became eighteen years old. When I met her she was this shy little girl who sat on a corner, afraid to talk to anybody. And by that time she was just five.
"She's wanting. She's tripping and she's falling... Can you catch her...? Now she's calling... Can you hear her...? She's falling down"
And if Judy is eighteen, that means I am eighteen too. It's strange how I never realize it on my own birthday but on one of my best friend's. Dep seemed like eighteen ever since she left her house. The way she handled herself and survived, found a house and a job, made her seem so grown up. But Judy... .Judy was always my puppy. I made sure no one did something bad to her because she didn't seem capable of taking care of herself. And now she is standing next to me, with a guitar in her hands, rocking all these people.
"Judy wants to love so much. Can it release her from her hurt? Judy's dreaming of your touch. She'll smother you till it's too much."
I guess all people grow up. Others get married and have kids, others want a better career others travel around the world or whatever but we all get to a point where we just feel like an era has just ended. To me it all ends here in this rainy November night. And from here it will all begin.
"Alright that was the song 'Judy' by the Corrs and it is dedicated to my best friend Judy Fabulous who is turning eighteen today." The small crowd starts to cheer and Judy smiles at me.
"And this day is very important to all of us for another reason too. For the first time ever we are going to perform one of our own songs so we hope you guys won't come hard on us alright?" There are some more cheers and I feel my heart beating like crazy. If I start trembling when I hold the mic I'll lose it.
"Okay this song is called It's Always One Step Away. Remember it as the first song by Gun Shot you've ever heard."
I take a deep breath, pray to God or whatever magical force controls luck not to forget my lyrics, I wait to hear Dep's counting and there I go...
"You see it everyday, it seems so far away... snowy days of hazy warmth slowly envelop you. The static on the TV it blinds and covers me, well all the hours that pass me by aren't standing in my way"
Do they like it? I'm too scared to open my eyes and see the look on their faces. What if they crucify us? It'll be a fucking disaster; we won't find anywhere else to play, our reputation is going to be torn to pieces.
"In my head, 300 stations no effective communication all the words are out of sync with what the people think."
I steal a guilty glimpse and the people in the front smile. That's a good sign right?
"There's a buzzing in the air I'm not sure how it got there. It started out as something small now you hear it everywhere. Played guitar for something to do rusted strings in dusty rooms the bridge is broken, no big loss no one's getting across."
Oh my God. They're cheering again. They're cheering and shouting like they always do when we play well known songs. Beat that Big Jack! I finally open my eyes and watch Nora and Judy who seem as excited as I am. I love this.
"In my head, 300 stations no effective communication all the words are out of sync with what the people think. In the morning sun shines bright and for reasons I can't understand I see it all so clear. It's always one step away..."
Dep's banging the drums with all the power inside of her, I can always tell when she does that. When we play Clash for example she does it; when she wants to make the performance better than it already is, she does it too. When she feels her energy is getting too much for her to handle, boy she gives those drums a good time.
"In my head, 300 stations no effective communication all the words are out of sync with what the people think."
Look at Nora playing with that amazing ease. It's as if her bass makes music by itself and her fingers just touch the strings. And I can bet there's no other bass in the history of music named after a motorcycle. And how she also manages to bewitch the audience just by standing there is something I'll never understand.
"There's a buzzing in the air. I'm not sure how it got there; started out as something small now you hear it everywhere."
***
BILLIE
"So? What do you think?"
Neither of them is talking. Fuck.
"Did it suck?"
"Play it again, Beej," Mike mumbles.
"Yeah?"
"Billie I beg you play it again."
"Alright here it goes." I take my guitar again, look at their faces that have become very weird all of a sudden and then I start with the song again.
"Another turning point, a fork stuck in the road. Time grabs you by the wrist, directs you where to go. So make the best of this test and don't ask why, it's not a question but a lesson learned in time. It's something unpredictable, but in the end is right I hope you had the time of your life..."
