D.M.S.R. (BOOK 1) || PRN

(22) BLOWing Miami Away

April 4, 1985
Miami, Florida

"So you're in Miami too?"

Prince shuffled on the other line. "Nope, Lakeland."

"Close enough. Your last show is in Miami though, right?" Holding up my magazine, I utilized the tour poster I was subject to buying when seeking other entertainment. I marked off the dates as I asked him questions whenever I had a magazine handy.

"Mmhm," He hummed as I turned pages, until I saw the front of the magazine, and set it on the nightstand next to the bed. I checked the clock. It read 11:32 AM. It was almost time for me to leave for the studio. "When I get there I want to play you something, cool?"

Even though I wasn't that good at it yet, I attempted to finish his thought. "Because you thinking about putting it out and don't want me to be on that ass like honey on bees?"

"Honey on bees," he repeated with uncertainty. "You mean bees on honey?" He heartily chuckled into the phone. His laugh came accompanied by a tone of correction.

Fighting embarrassment, I stood my ground on the slip of my tongue. He wasn't stopping me. "Same thang!"

"So sassy," he teased, barely above a whisper.

My laughter never ceased as I aimed my warning to my friend. "Dig up, don't let the valley girl rap fool you too."

As our laughter died down, Prince ran back to the previous details of our earliest conversation. We'd been on the phone for maybe ten minutes. He had to get his point out before the call ended and he got back on the road. "Like I was sayin', when I'm down in Miamiiiiii, I want to play you a something."

"Yeah, yeah but is it going to Sheila again?"

A statement like that was no hard feeling toward Sheila, of course not. A statement like that was meant to cast all shame toward Prince. I was very critical of what songs he did and did not keep for himself back then and maybe it was based on my bias against Sheila but I always felt he could do it better. I'd been privy to hear so many masterpieces in the making and the final project when associated to Sheila was always watered down. I started to resent him in a way. I didn't see what she had that was making her so special to be gifted the songs he was gifting her.

"Why, you want it?"

I laughed to assure him that I was only joking this time. I told him, Sheila and I were cool. If I walked in the room, it'd be all jokes and games but that didn't mean she and I were going to be riding in my Mustang through Chicago playing Noon Rendezvous on our way to a show. Keep it cordial. My goal was only to keep it cordial because that's how the big girls play.

Pleading my case, I threw my metaphorical hands up into the air to keep his harshness at bay. "I'm just say–"

"Maybe I'll use it for a B-side?"