Wait until the music's over

3. Weirdos and knockouts

When my shift is over it's already dark outside. I get home and the blinking number on the display of the answering machine is the first thing I notice as I enter the apartment.

I smile, take off my shoes and walk towards the phone without turning up the lights. The nearby bowling center's neon sign alone makes the outline of the living room quite clear. I press the Listen button, light a cigarette and throw myself on the couch.

First Message : "Yo! It's Jeff. Guess what? We got the singer! Call me"

Second message: "Hey girls it's me again! I guess you're not at home. Fuck. So, this guy's a friend of Irons, from California. That fucker didn't want to join the band, but at least he found us a badass singer! I talked to him a couple of times on the phone, seems cool, you're gonna like him. Call me back!"

Third message: "You gotta come by as soon as you can, gotta listen to this shit, it's great man!"

Fourth message: "Where the fuck are you? Meg, you work too much, Angie you really need to put down those books. Just bring your ass over here!"

Fifth message: "Hey I forgot, his name is Eddie"

Sixth message: "Hello ladies, it's Stone. I just wanted to inform you about our latest achievements. After all Jeff only called you ten times in the last 30 minutes, I assumed that may not be enough. So I'm glad to tell you that we found a new singer. See ya!"

Seventh message: "Hi Meg, it's Mike. I don't give a fuck about the new singer, I just called to piss you off. And tell you that I love you. Oh and hi to Angie too! Uhm still waiting for my double chocolate brownies. Bye!"

Are they high on something? Now there's only...

Eighth message: "Ehm... hi! What do I say? *mumbles, undefined noises are heard* Right right, listen, it's Dave, it's just... Mike forced me to call because he's an ass, of course, I'm just a victim. So, have a good day!"

Ahahah oh my god that's...

Ninth message: "Hey girls, this is Jerry. What the hell's going on in here? Everybody keeps calling you, I'm fucking growing jealous, ok? Bye"

Ok, my friends are weirdos. I chuckle to myself. If, let's say one year ago, somebody told me that my answering machine would be full of messages by musicians I would have laughed at his face. But then, along came Meg. Well, actually along came I here in Seattle, eventually got employed at the Roxy's diner and met her. Then she turned my life upside down and turned me from a nerd outcast into a nerd who can make friends.
We didn't click immediately. I'm not exactly the most social and talkative person when it comes to meeting someone new, whereas she's really outgoing and friendly. She was always trying to make small talk during our idle time at work and asked questions about me. Asking too many. I was so prejudiced against her at the beginning, I believed she was the typical bimbo, with nothing behind her perfect smile, makeup and hairstyle, and that her kindness towards me was just an act.
I completely changed my mind the night she knocked out a drunk customer in two punches after he grabbed my wrist and called me a whore.

"Hey Angie, need a ride? I can take you home if you want"
"Oh ehm thanks... and also thank you for what you did before" I said getting on her car.
"Oh dear, you're welcome. It served him right! That fucker's just lucky the boss didn't call the police but just threw him out"
"Well it was just... Wow, I mean, I was shocked. You seem such a cute girlie girl, and you're quite skinny too... and all of a sudden you're there, beating the crap out of that bastard!"
"Nothing's what it seems"
"Yeah... That's so true..."
"And he was drunk, I had an advantage"
"But where did you learn to fight like that?"
"Two older brothers" she looked away from the road for a moment to face me "You're an only child instead, right?"
"Yeah. That's why I can't fight. Fortunately I got my own superheroin who defends me against the forces of evil"
"Exactly! That's me, Wondermeg! I also have the costume" she answered slightly opening her jacket to reveal the diner's pink and black uniform.
"Oh no, please, you need to find a new one, no sober villain would take you seriously with that shit on! This dress just sucks"
"It looks good on you though"
"What? Honestly, I look like a half-chewed sugar plum"
"Honestly, the dress is horrible, we all agree on that. But it looks fine on you, it... oh how can I say it...it tastefully accentuates your curves! Mainly your upper curves, if you know what I mean" she chuckled.
"Oh God, now I hate it even more! Like it was something to accentuate rather than hide..."
"What! You're crazy dude, I envy you so much! For that and for your fingernails. Mine are such a mess..."
"Because you bite them. Well, mother nature had to gift you with one imperfection at least"
"Ha-ha"
"Well, that's probably the only frivolous thing I'm into. My little concession to the demon of vanity" I said looking at my purple-laqued nails.
"That and perfumes" Meg stopped at the red lights and quickly winked at me.
"What? No way, I hate perfumes, I never use them"
"Really? I just assumed that, you always smell good. Now you just smell like marshmallows"
"That's the shampoo"
"Yesterday it was blackberries"
"That's the soap... or was it the cream? One's raspberries and the other is blackberries, I can't recall..." I pondered.
"Oh my God, Angie! Beauty products! There's a cute girlie girl inside you too!" the lights turned green.
"Eheh oh my, she's well hidden, but I guess she's ehm somewhere in there"
"Knew that"
I just turned to the car window and focused on the city lights for a while. Then something on the stereo caught my attention and I turned up the volume.
"Do you like it?"
"Yeah, who are they?" I ask.
"Mother Love Bone, do you know them?"
"Just heard of them. And saw their name written on a number of walls, is it possible?"
"Yeah, it's them... They're friends of mine"
"Really? They're famous!"
"Uhm... they were, they split up after... Andy, the singer passed away"
"Oh fuck. I'm sorry... How?"
"OD... 24 years old"
"Holy shit"
"Yeah that... happened a few months ago, that was just... terrible"
"I can imagine... I'm sorry, didn't mean to be intrusive"
"Oh you weren't at all, don't worry. You know, I only recently started to listen to his music again, it used to hurt... so much... Now it feels right, I don't know, it's like celebrating him. And remembering him at his best, and not like... later... That's here on the right, isn't it?"
"Yes, the first one on the right"
"Whatever... a couple of guys who where in MLB are trying to put another band together. I'm sure they're gonna make it, they're so talented! And I'm not telling that because they're friends. Stone and Jeff are really meant to be, they were born for that"
I remained silent for a while, then looked at her frowning, still silent.
"What?" she asked.
"Stone?"
"Yeah, what's up with Stone?"
"Is it like... a band name or..."
"It's his real name!"
"You got a friend called Stone?" I giggled.
"Yes, oh he's called Stone Carpenter actually, I think only 3 people in the world know that apart from his family"
"Well, I'd say 4 now"
"Ahahah right! Hey, just don't tell him when you'll meet him. Because you will, I mean, I'd be glad if you hang around with me and my friends sometimes. I think you're cool, and I'm almost always the only girl around with them, I could use some female support!"
"If they even notice I'm a female"
"Ha-ha it's kinda evident"
"Well maybe... but they'll undoubtedly notice that I'm... you know, a kid... I guess they're adults"
"They're just in their twenties, like me, we're not old!"
"I'm a teenager though..."
"So what? As far as I know you I can say you're more mature than most of them!"
"But I'm not good at fighting"
"Oh you'll learn, especially if we get to be friends, we'll fight all the time"
"I'm on the right track then" I smiled as Meg pulled at the boarding house I was staying at.
"How's it here? Looks nice"
"Yeah it's ok, as a temporary solution... I wish I'll find a real apartment before the lessons start... I guess I still have lots of cheeseburgers to serve"
"Sure you're gonna find one. If I hear about someone looking for a roommate I'll let you know"
"Thanks! And thank you for the ride" I opened the door and got out of the old Impala.
"Wait!" Meg took the tape we'd been listening to and handed it to me "Listen to this"
"Err are you sure?"
"Yeah, this is not the only one I have, come on, take it. At least you're gonna grow a bit of musical culture"
"Hey! I already have a huge musical culture, Miss!" I reply pretending to be outraged.
"Great, we're gonna get along for sure then!
"Uhm... maybe. Good night!"
"Night!"

We really started to get along since then and became good friends. And after her old roomie moved to Texas with her boyfriend we also became roommates. Getting to know her better I found out she's all but a bimbo. She digs music and art, and she's a really good painter. She used to study psychology at college in Portland, her hometown, but she dropped out half way because of a relationship she had with a professor. Or an assistant, she doesn't get in too many details about that story. I just guess the guy somehow fucked it all up badly. So she ended up attending a beauty school, working as an apprentice in a salon for free and waiting tables in a retro 50s style diner wearing a dress with balloon sleeves to pay her bills. Wasted talent! Our friendship is based on a kinda Give and Take tacit agreement. She sometimes uses me as a guinea pig for her beauty experiments, I let her since I couldn't really get worse. And in exchange I make her read my grotesque attempt at screenplay, even though she's not really up to scratch as a critic, she's always enthusiast about everything and tells nothing negative. She takes me to art exhibitions and rock clubs and in exchange I do the housework and sometimes cook, the most relaxing activities in the world for me.
So we found a balance, which is only at risk when Meg tries to find me a date, unsuccessfully of course. Matchmaking is her all time favourite activity, but I'm a tough nut. And by now I wouldn't have time even if I wanted to...

Still on the couch in the darkness finishing my Nth cigarette, I can hear the door unlock and open.
"She's not home yet, maybe..."
"Hi Meg" I say turning on the lamp beside the couch. She just leaps up screaming.
"Whaa... Jesus Christ, Angie! You scared me to death!"
"I know, I do that to people"
"Ha-ha"
"How did it went at work?"
"Oh same shit as always... when you're not there"
"Yeah, no Angie no fun"
"Uhm that would be a great title for your TOMORROW's birthday party" an evil grin on her face as she takes off her coat and shoes and drops her bag on the floor.
"Oh no... Chris..."
"He came to eat and told me, he was kinda pissed off because we told nobody"
"That was the plan"
"Failed plan"
"No plan B?"
"No, there'll be a lot of people here tomorrow, hope they fit in"
"What? Here? But it's all a mess"
"Well, at least you won't tell the difference after the horde leaves"
"Uhm yeah, you're right"
"So their plan is getting here, hanging out a little, then taking you to see Melvins and then coming back here and get wasted or something. Oh and it's supposed to be a surprise so... be surprised tomorrow"
"Shit Meg, you're so good at keeping secrets! I'll never share my innerest feelings with you anymore"
"You never did that"
"Thank God"
"Oh shut up, I told you because I know you don't like surprises and you'd rather have everything... under control, you know"
"Oh Meg, you really know me then! You're a friend. I take back all the horrible things I said about you"
"Horrible things?" she pretends to be on the verge of crying.
"Fine, I think I'm gonna study a little and then go to sleep"
"Oh right, stop going out with different guys every night, why don't you study a little bit for a change?"
"Oh just to cheer you up... you should really listen to the answering machine. There's also a special message for you"
"What?"
"Good night Meg"