AIN'T TALKIN' 'BOUT LOVE

CHAPTER 2 - JUKEBOX HERO by FOREIGNER

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THE GUITARBAR

This bar was born to spread diseases. So packed, it was impossible not to smear your chest or back across someone else's chest or back. Forced intimacy in a dank, subterranean hall sheltering any action that was born of sin. A man couldn't stand in this crowd and not be half hard most of the time. It was just the way Eren liked it. Standing room only was a euphemism for I can feel your dick in my ass...nice to meet you.

He looked over at his friend, Jean who bristled and leaned in every direction to keep from feeling cheerfully violated. "This place is fucking disgusting," he yelled into Eren's ear.

"That's the point," Eren yelled back.

Jean bent and curled his body around Eren's sister, Mikasa. Like she couldn't take down every fucker in this bar. But while Eren didn't mind the press of every set of tits and cock head against his backside, these two looked like they would put a body sized condom on if they could.

Thank fuck, he was saved by the happy commotion of better friends, Connie, Sasha and Armin, whooping and slithering into the barely existing spaces between bodies, beers hoisted above their heads, Eren laughed and relaxed a little. Armin fell giggling into Eren's chest, beer running down his arms. "I see you brought the killjoys," he hollered into his face.

Eren rolled his eyes and laughed again, steadying his friend with one arm and relieving him of a beer with the other. The bass from "Jukebox Hero" thumped so loud and so hard that he could feel the reverberation in his sternum. "I don't know why they came," he spoke directly into Armin's ear. "They don't even like rock."

"This is so fucking cool, Eren!" Connie playfully kissed his cheek with an arm wrapped securely around Sasha's waist, as she complimented a surly biker's tattoos behind them. "How did you find out about this place? It's pretty far off the grid."

That was an understatement. GuitarBar didn't even have a website, nor did they advertise. He actually found out about it from the custodian, Kenny, who worked in the studio space he rented. Eren had been immediately drawn to the guy and his outrageous funk. With every part of his body tatted and pierced, he was a walking canvas of art.

Eren had been listening to some old Van Halen when the guy made the rounds one night. The man bobbed his head to the base weaving through the song and when it was over he turned to Eren. "You don't hear Van Halen very much anymore," he'd said.

"No," Eren shook his head, running his utility knife down the matting he was cutting to fit a picture frame. Black and white photographs dangled from strings around the room. Stuck with clothespins. "But I still love to hear them."

Kenny puckered his lips at the sound of the guitar. "This fucking song..." He pushed his chin forward to the beat. "This was my first fucking concert." He stopped, letting the notes run over him. The guitar riffs had a mauling sound...punishing and fluid. "The first time I heard this song was at that concert. We were all standing up on the backs of the fucking chairs, Jack, holding onto each other's shoulders and pumping our fists in the air together. First time I ever felt like I belonged to something bigger than me, you know?" He shook his head. "Man, it's never been as good as that night."

Eren watched the man slide back into that glory 35 years ago. "That would have been the Sportatorium, before they built I-75, right?"

Kenny's eyes lit up. "Yeah, man! How do you know about that?"

The boy grinned big. "My mom's told me so many fucking stories about that place." Eren laughed. "She and her friends jumped the divide road once in a fucking Pacer to get her home on time." He looked conspiratorially at Kenny. "Last year before they broke up, you lucky bastard."

"Ha haaa! Yeah I know that shit." The haggard man started sweeping again, deep in thought. Eren added some purple ink to one of the pictures on his table, deciding the sky should be bruised rather than black.

"You know," Kenny turned around and put his hand on the top of the broom handle. "There's a cover band that plays all those songs and more...70's rock, 80's metal, 90's grunge...they're playing at the GuitarBar this Saturday."

Eren froze with big eyes. "Really?"

"Yeah, baby! Like the good old days, but better." He put his chin on his hand. "The little guy that shreds the shit outta that axe is the real deal. He's the best fucking guitarist I've ever seen, Jack." He dipped the handle and strummed imaginary strings. "And I've fucking seen them all."

"Where is this place?"

"Downtown. It ain't for pussies." Kenny took his ball cap off and wiped his forehead off with his arm. "It's worth it though...especially for some authentic Sportatorium spawn like you." He smiled and waved goodbye.

Eren searched immediately for the bar. Eventually got the address from a fucking phone book being used as a stool to reach the higher brushes. It had been easy to get Armin to go. They were Guitar Hero brothers. He was sorry he ever mentioned it to the killjoy twins. Connie and Sasha would be fun for sure. Thank god they were here.

The crowd was getting restless. The energy was thick and rose up around them. There was nothing like the anticipation of a band gearing up to start. He wondered what kind of music they would play and what this guitarist would be like.