The Shop

Chapter 14

"So Harry, take a seat my friend." I oblige, as Tuck walks around to his desk with a smile. The huge wall of glass behind him holds a breath taking view of the city skyline. 

"I assume we are here to talk about my new track." I fill in for Tuck and he nods. 

"I am expecting a sample of it, just a preview for the board. Maybe half of it?" I pull out my laptop for him and set it on his massive desk. 

"I actually completed all of it." My boss's eyes light up and his voice is ecstatic. 

"Well done Harry!" He congratulates me and I flash him an awkward smile. Tuck grabs my laptop and stashes it in his satchel. 

"I'll give this to you tomorrow because the meeting is at five." Tuck informs me, and I stand to my feet as our hands shake. I pull my ass out of the office and before I leave Tuck stops me with his words.

"...and Harry, take the day off." He orders me with a smile and I nod in response. 

Taking the elevator down to the Lobby, Megan gives me an appreciative smile as if she knows the 'big news'.  Word travels fast in this place. Exiting the building, I glance around the city wondering what I'm going to do for the next three hours. I guess I could grab lunch at Sepia and just walk down there, but that would consume all of my time, which I guess isn't too bad. 

So I tour down the sidewalks in the cold city in search for my food providers, while thinking about what I'm to do after my meal. I curtly go over the checklist in my head:

1) Shit Tara told me to pick up from the store

2) Meet with Jasmine

3) Shoot myself  to get out of the dinner I'm practically being forced to attend at my own house

Looks like I have to eat fast if I ever want to make it to number three in time. About one boring, and stomach filling hour later, my mind zones back to my body to realize I've been on the train long enough, and I have to get off at my stop. The grocery store isn't too far away from the lot my car is parked in so I might as well just walk it. I pull out my phone to re-read the message Tara sent. Dessert, I got this. Striding in the store, I have somewhat of an idea on what I'm getting. The bakery is near the cash registers, so it'll be easy to pay when I'm finished. God my lazy ass needs to get out more. On my way over, the wine section happens to be right next to the bakery...

And no, I'm not an alcoholic, nor do I have a problem. But am I over the age of 21 and sometimes need to wind down? Fuck yes. So the ride to bakery-ville takes a slight detour to wine town and before I know it there is a bottle of Gallo in my mitts.  Back to my first reason to come here, I eventually make it to the bakery isle and order a simple platter of sugar cookies with snowman decorations. I hadn't even realized how close it's getting to Thanksgiving but my one question is, why do they have fucking snowmen and not turkeys. Sure the holidays are in the same season but still...shit...I can't get worked up over this. Grabbing the tray from the ginger behind the counter I scurry over to the conveyor belt before the line gets too crowded. I suppose I could've gotten a turkey while I was at it but too late now, guess we are having Thanksgiving chicken this year. After wrapping up that checkpoint, I haul tonights shit to my car and begin my descent to the apartment that will soon hold my suicide trigger. A fucking family dinner!

The apartment is still empty when I arrive but furniture has been moved around and the dining table is conjoined with another table that I supposed was the lamp table next to the couch. A golden table cloth is strewn over the wooden surfaces and matches Tara's stupid house color scheme. She has been here, but left temporarily I suppose. I throw the dessert onto the counter but am quick to hide my wine in a safe, but easy to reach, hiding spot. I will most likely need it by the end of the night. After that, I get an alert on my phone for the time. Shit. It's only three, I still have another hour before meeting Jasmine, so I guess I'll just practice some samples to kill time instead. Pulling out the laptop from my backpack, I dramatically fall back on the couch. Which is now pushed up back on the wall giving the area more space. The Mac takes a little while to wake up because it's my extra and older laptop, so that makes me a little antsy but soon enough I log on to the dashboard and find Serato DJ, ready to be started.

It's been a while since this laptop has been touched so I'll need to update a few things to add more effects but all in all it's working decently. My recent tracks pop up and I'm indecisive on starting a new project or recycling an old one. Inspiration has yet to find me so recycling it is. 

But thirty minutes of already used samples and head-banging frustration later I find myself at a dead end with no music produced. When did I become such a...I can't even find a word, thats how uncreative I am right now. If the career I want for myself ever wants to become true, inspiration needs to have a date with me so I can get some popular music flowing. But now I remember, the most interesting person I've met is about to meet me at our coffee shop in sixteen minutes.