How Not To Be A Groupie

Chapter Eighteen: Bus Exploration

Turns out I couldn't party with the best of them. 

By one in the morning I was feeling sluggish and awful. I helped myself to a bite of the pizza and some water but what I really needed was a good sleep. I looked around for Stelle to tell her I was planning to head for the bus but I couldn't find her. Taking a quick trip to the bathroom which reeked of pot, I headed out the backdoor to find the bus. 

Despite the late hour and how dark it had gotten, it didn't take me long to find the enormous bus surrounded by fans and road crew. Some flies and moths were buzzing around a street lamp. Dragging myself up the steps I found the bus was empty, not even the driver was there. The perfect environment for getting some rest and peace and quiet. 

Taking my seat at the front I closed my eyes. 

"Had enough for one night?" Cliff asked. I opened my eyes and he stood over me with a cigarette. 

"Yeah," I admitted sheepishly. He nodded and walked towards the back of the bus. 

"Yeah, nobody gets much sleep around here," he said. "We're sort of used to it but sometimes I'd like a good bed. We've got these here in the back." I turned around in my seat to see him gesture toward the very small beds. They looked like toaster slots. Or an Easy Bake oven. I giggled at the image of someone sliding a spatula inside and pulling out a band member. "What's so funny?" 

"Nothing," I coughed. 

"Ya' know if ya' get tired or somethin' you can always sleep in one," Cliff said. "Not everyone uses 'em...most like to stay awake an' continue the party at the hotel."

"Thank you," I said. He smiled and walked past the beds toward the curtain where the table was. I really didn't want to inconvenience anyone by taking a bed. But I was curious....I'd never lain in a tour bus bed before....

I rubbed my hands together and tip toed over to the beds. They would be just wide enough for me to scoot into. I tossed my notebook and pen inside and stuck one foot in the lowest one. It was quite a circus act I was putting on and I wondered if Cliff might not be back any second. Scooting myself in, I stared at the ceiling a few inches away from my face. 

I sure hope I don't sneeze while I'm in here....

I heard footsteps coming back and through the little slit I could see Cliff walking past. I heard him exit the bus and then nothing. I was alone. 

It was very nice.

After lying there a few minutes I started getting a bit uncomfortable. There's no way anyone could sleep in these for more than a minute! Carefully sliding myself out of the toaster I almost fell to the floor and caught myself just in time. I explored the rest of the bus while I was by myself and while it wasn't moving. There was a mirror hanging on the wall and I checked my reflection. 

I looked awful. 

The lighting was terrible and I was exhausted. But I checked my eyebrows to see if they needed plucking. They seemed to be exactly the way they were before I time traveled. So....hair simply didn't grow when you went back in time, is that what I'm gleaning? I guess it makes sense. Only....it also doesn't...

I left the mirror and peeked through the curtain Cliff had gone through. I couldn't tell if this was the same little room Malcolm and I talked in or if this was the other bus. They looked exactly the same. There was a little table back here with a couch wrapped around it and an ash tray. No deck of cards, though. I found a little door that wouldn't open when I tried it and I wondered if it was just for storage. I figured I'd never know until I found a key hanging on the wall. Looking over my shoulder I grabbed the key and tried it in the lock. 

It stuck a few times and I hurried thinking I'd get in trouble if someone caught me breaking in. I was, after all, unauthorized personnel. Once I finally got the key to turn the door opened and inside was a shabby toilet. There was barely any toilet paper left on the roll and the seat was up. Looked clean, but not something I was looking forward to using. My thoughts began to wander.

How....where....where does it...who....

I shook my head. I didn't need to know. 

I closed the door and locked it again, and they key got stuck. I thought this was a terrible function. What if the key got stuck and it was an emergency? You're in a bus full of people! What a nightmare! I wondered if perhaps they left it unlocked when people were onboard. I hooked the key back on the wall and continued to look around. 

I left the sectioned off area and there was still no one on the bus. I wondered how long they expected the party to last. Thinking it would be a couple of hours I found the bed I threw my things in and climbed back in. Uncomfortable or not I wanted to try to sleep. As cramped as it was I managed to ignore it in favor of rest. 

And somehow I fell asleep for way longer than a minute....