Ask Me Anything

Chapter 17 - Songs and Snapple

I've been trying to focus on work all morning with only a moderate amount of success. I stayed up way too late last night trying to come up with a playlist of songs to make for Lena, which is why finding 3 urgent assignments in my work inbox this morning was quite aggravating. I had hoped my slow work week would continue so I could finish up the list and put my idea into action. Instead, I'm in a rush because a manager forgot to assign the stories.

I'm slowly sinking into the crack between the couch cushions from sitting in the same spot for so long. I'm just proofreading the last one before I send it on to the managing editors. After another 10 minutes of painstaking rereading, I hit send, crossing my fingers there won't be any extensive rewrites.

Searching through the couch cushions, I find my phone. Only one text from Jas, which sort of surprises me considering her usual lack of restraint.

Jas: You're killing me. Like with actual death and everything.

Me: Can you do something for me?

Jas: YES!!!!

Me: Do you know if the show on Saturday night was recorded? If it was, can you get me a copy of it?

Jas: I think Mike still tapes all of the shows. I'll find out.

Me: Thanks!

With Jas occupied with a task, I log in to YouTube, looking at the playlist I started last night. The first video is the easiest. The movie clip of John Cusack as Lloyd Dobbler in Say Anything with the boom box playing In Your Eyes is a given. After that, I had only picked out 3 other songs:

Love is Blindness – Jack White

Sometimes – My Bloody Valentine

Undisclosed Desires - Muse

I was already struggling and overthinking everything else. I pour over every lyric of every song that I put on the list, which was why I wasn't making very quick progress. I desperately need her to find a recording of that performance and wish I would have thought to ask someone to do it. I hate to say it, but I need Jas here to walk me through this project. I'm a musician for crying out loud, how can I only come up with 3 appropriate songs?

As if she senses my distress, my phone chimes.

Jas: He's got it and is giving us a copy.

Me: Perfect. Can you get it and come over here?

Jas: Yeah. I don't have my key though so you'll have to let me in. I'll be there in 10.

I snort laugh and roll my eyes involuntarily at her last text. With 10 minutes to kill, I shut the laptop and struggle to get out of the couch crack. Taking the computer with me, I unlock the front door so Jas can make her grand entrance, grab my guitar, and open the balcony door and sit down. My random strumming turns into Undisclosed Desires. Quietly, I mumble the lyrics along as I play, having accidentally memorized them while I was over analyzing it last night. On a whim, I suddenly stop playing and grab my phone.

Me: What's your favorite non-alcoholic drink?

I'm surprised by her quick reply.

Lena: cherry lime-aid

I shake my head and laugh at her answer.

Me: That's actually my favorite too. I've never heard anyone else give that answer before. What about your favorite book?

Lena: The Great Gatsby. Oh, and Ender's Game.

Me: Favorite color?

Lena: Green. No, blue. No...it's green.

Me: Tell me a random fact.

Lena: Did you know that a Venus flytrap can eat a whole cheeseburger?

Me: That's actually a really impressive fact.

Lena: I usually can't come up with stuff that quickly, but I'm at work and drinking a Snapple. That was the fact under the lid J

As if to prove her point, she texts me a photo of the Snapple lid.

Lena: Gotta run! Customers!

I'm jolted out of my post texting bliss by the slam of a car door and Jas calling my name from down below. I grin and wave at her from my balcony spot. She responds by squealing and bouncing up onto the porch. I hear the downstairs door slam and her frantic footsteps coming up the stairs, pausing briefly before my door flies open.

She plops herself down on the floor next to me since the step is only big enough for one. Dropping her purse, she flings her arms around me in an exuberant hug.

"Here, here, here!" she cries, practically bouncing around as she fumbles in her huge purse for the USB drive. "Now tell me what we're doing!"

"Well, you asked me how I want this to end, and I think I know. All I want is a fair chance. If I can get that, then I'll be happy, even if it doesn't work out. She said she would never date a guy in a band, but I'm going to make her give me a chance."

"How?"

"Public opinion."

She gives me a blank stare. I'm more amazed that for once she is quiet. I trade the guitar for the laptop, open it up to the YouTube channel, and pass it over to her. She sits quietly as her eyes run over the site before she starts peppering me with questions.

"Are you going to add more songs?"

"Yes."

"Are you putting the entire Bluebird show on here?"

"No, just the acoustic song."

"You need a profile picture and channel art."

"I know."

"Are you going to just text her the link?"

"No."

My last answer makes her look up.

"This is why I need your help."

"You want me to give it to her?" she asks, looking confused.

"No, I want everyone to."

I'm rewarded with more silence.

"I want you to tell my story. Post the link to this channel on every social media account you have and tell everyone to share it. You have like a thousand people following you. Eventually, it will make its way back to her."

Understanding starts to wash over Jas' face. "Everyone is going to leave comments trying to figure out who she is. There can't be too many people named Lena in Columbus. People who know her will tag her once they see this to see if it's referring to her or not. She'll start getting notifications from YouTube, Instagram, Facebook....," she trails off, deep in thought. "She'll have to give you a chance when half of the city is cheering for the two of you."

While she quietly mulls over the plan, I reach over and grab the forgotten USB drive from her hand and take the laptop back. I make a quick copy of the original file just in case something tragic happens to the original during the editing process. That was a lesson learned the hard way a few years back with some video editing homework. I open the file to check out the quality of the recording, but I can't focus. I've never seen Jas be this quiet for so long and her silence is starting to worry me.

"Well?" I say, breaking the silence.

"What?" she says, somewhat startled.

"What do you mean 'what'?", I say forcefully, clearly exasperated. "What do you think I'm talking about?"

"Sorry," she answers, shaking her head and turning her attention back to me.

"Well, I think the idea is brilliant. I'm sort of disappointed I didn't come up with it myself. Are you sure you're ready for this? It's not just a grand gesture. This is going to put you in the spotlight too. People are going to want to know who you are."

"I thought about that, but I need to do this. I'll be ok," I say quietly.

Her face lights up and she folds me into a huge hug, knocking the laptop on the floor. "I am so proud of you!" she cheers. "Alright...let's get to work!"