Ride On

Chapter XXXIX: Love At First Meal

The flyers coating the outside of every building in my line of sight couldn't have made it more obvious where AC/DC were playing next. 

Someone was getting a raise that day. 

They were headed north this Thursday and were playing in various festivals and pubs along the way before leaving the state. It looked like they had two nights off so I'm sure they were looking to paint the town before they left. 

With my nausea subsided I took a look at the pastry shop and bought a few goodies. Just a cinnamon swirl, two croissants, some bikkies, and an apple tart. 

I loaded them all back into my hotel fridge and looked around the room. Brown carpet, white walls, pink drapes. The bed was unmade and my stuffed bear was hiding under the covers. A couple books were piled on the nightstand next to an old glass of water. There was a ring stained on the furniture.

It was there when I got there, I swear.

I looked out my bedroom window to the city below. Palm trees dotted every corner with surfboard shops, sundries, clubs, and even a small tattoo joint.

Imagine if I came home with a tattoo....

Tempting. But being allergic to pain and a perfect crybaby, I decided against it. 

Falling asleep on the beach had proved risky leaving me with a brand new sunburn on my leg. It wasn't big, just the size of a two dollar coin, but it hurt like a bugger. At least my cough had lightened some making it easier to sleep at night. 

I thought about calling home. Ask how Rosemary was doing and that I was managing on my own. No, I didn't have any strange men in my hotel room. No, I wasn't doing anything illegal. No, I wasn't--

Just then there was a knock at my door. Thinking it was the housekeeping I straightened up the bed as best I could and picked up any stray paper or tissues. But behind the door was a very small and very shy Angus Young.

Oh, be still my beating heart.

"Hi," was all he said. 

"Hello," I replied. 

He was fidgeting with his hands. "I wasn't expectin' you to answer," he said. "I jus'...thought I got the wrong room or somethin'." I stood there like an idiot. "Cliff told me he saw you outside. He got a general direction of the hotel an' I asked the front desk an'..." He shrugged. "Uh...anyway, he also said you weren't well?"

I snapped out of my trance. "Last night I felt a little sick but I'm okay now," I explained. "I'm sorry I missed the show."

"Nah, don't be sorry an' all that. Not your fault. Hey, plenty of times I've been sick an' wished the gig would play itself," he smiled. "But uh....I was wonderin'....are you busy at all?"

I looked back at the telephone on the table. "No, not really."

"Well, then...." He sort of shifted his weight from one foot to the other. "You wanna find a place to eat? Nothin' too fancy, just a couple of friends?" I just about glowed.

"Yeah."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah," I smiled. He smiled back and held out his hand. I took it and closed the door after me.

**********

There weren't too many diners like the ones back in Sydney but we found a small secluded bar behind a couple bigger and busier bars. The bartender looked happy to see us. "Hello! Come in and sit down!" We took his advice and sat at the empty counter. One man sat at a table by himself with a stein and a newspaper. "What can I get you?"