"Hey, Rick! Gotta ask you sumptin'." Shane Walsh shouted from across the parking lot.
Rick Grimes had just opened his car door and was about to sit down when he heard his best friend since childhood yelling like he's the damn police. Actually, they were police officers, but that don't mean Shane needed to be hollering at him like that. He waited until the loudmouth reached him before he casually said, "What?"
Out of breath, Shane burst out, "Friday is your birthday. Whattarudoin'?"
Looking up into the bright sunny sky, Rick slammed his car door shut, turned and folded his arms, "Well, I was plannin' on taking Lori to meet my parents for dinner."
"Is that sumptin' you wanted to do? Or is that what Lori wanted?"
"Shane don't be gittin' on me about that now. You already know the answer."
Rubbing a hand through his short, dark curls, Shane smirked, "Yeah, I do. That's why you're not goin'."
Rick's arms dropped. He should have felt panicked he had to break a date with the woman who insisted he take her to his parent's house. He got tired of her nagging and wasn't planning on doin' anything for his birthday, anyway. Now that Shane gave him an alternative…
"So, what are we doin'?"
With a giant grin on his face, Shane placed an arm around his buddy's shoulders and maneuvered him toward his own jeep, "Great! Now, you know Leon does security when he's not on duty, right?"
"Yeah."
"Well, he got a sweet gig this weekend working with the one and only, Michonne Anthony." He reached into his car and pulled out an envelope and displayed it to Rick like it was a winning lottery ticket.
Rick folded his arms again, "Who?"
Shane gave him a look of disbelief and tsked, "Michonne Anthony? Pop goddess? Queen of Alternative Rock?"
Rick guffawed, "You know I don't listen to that stuff."
Shane placed the envelope back into his glove compartment, "I know you don't, but you should've at least heard of Michonne. You really are a country bumpkin, aren't you?" Scratching the back of his neck, Shane shook his head. "Doesn't matter, you're going. I got four front row tickets and Daryl and Glenn is going with us."
Rick sighed, "Fine," and went back to get into his car.
Shane yelled after him, "Yeah, fine. And don't be wearin' your uniform. Wear some regular clothes!"
Rick, Shane, their fellow officers, Daryl Dixon, and Glenn Rhee, pulled into the large parking area for Amaretto Arena. The lot was filled almost to capacity and outside the front entrance, hundreds if not thousands of fans were milling about, waiting to get in.
Seeing the huge crowd, Glenn worried, "That's a lot of people. It'll be hours before we can get inside."
Daryl only grunted from his seat in the back.
Shane turned off the engine and pursed his lips, "Y'all worry too much. I got you. Leon's waiting for us and he'll get us to our seats before any of these yahoos." He turned to a silent Rick, "Okay birthday boy. Time to get some fun in your life."
