Wait until the music's over

20. Hanging on the telephone

This new one is gonna take Ed's demo's place in Angiemobile soon... I think I'll miss it though. I can say I really grew fond of that first sound and that voice. Yes, I know, it's always the same voice but I grew somehow close to that one. Anyway, I adore Eddie's voice, I'd listen to it for hours... telling him, and with these words, is something I consider inappropriate though, first because as far as I know him he doesn't like compliments, and second because he'd think I'm crazy. It's been a long time since Stone playfully introduced me to him as underage groupie, and dimple guy didn't believe it even for a split second, but you never know. I'd better not tell him that his triptych of songs, amazing and damned at the same time, has been the soundtrack of my car rides through traffic for more than two months now; that at this point I know it all by heart and remember also his breaths and the low noises in the back, even someone's sneeze and Eddie's following "bless you". Beth maybe? Another thing I'd better not ask. I'm realizing that, by not asking him any questions, at the moment I know almost nothing about him, even though I met him months ago. I only know the little information he gave me since the night of the guys' first show, what I hear from the others and what I think is, at least partly, authobiographic in his songs. Well, I know he's from San Diego, that he's lost his father and he and his girlfriend broke up after a lifetime together, that he enjoys infomercials on tv and is a vegetarian, that he likes surfing and playing basketball and doesn't sleep too much. And I also happen to know he's extremely talented, another voice joining Seattle's music melting pot. Sometimes I stop and think about this unusual concentration of talented people: Chris, Layne, Lanegan, Kurt... what the hell do they give their children to eat here in Washington State? Well, Eddie is a brand new Seattlelite. After all ,I know something about this new citizen and what I don't know I can gather it from his silences. With him you must pay more attention to what he doesn't say rather than to what he says, also because when he's not speaking he's listening, listening carefully to everything and has a very good memory of it. God, it seems that I know him more than I thought. But, I mean, I can't compete, he even knows I like hedgehogs, that's not fair! I didn't expect him to come over today, at least not alone. Of all the guys he was probably the only one who had some spare time in Angie-friendly hours to come and bring me their demo. Anyway it was really kind of him, I can say he's a good friend. He'd be a perfect friend if only he didn't regularly embarrass me somehow, luckily I think I did it to him too sometimes, tit for tat. A pleasant habit I don't mean to give up anytime soon.

My thoughts about Eddie, together with the listening of the demo and the useless attempt at studying Movie production techniques, are interrupted by the phone ringing. The excitement only lasts until I take a look at the watch and find out it's big brother's call time.

"Hey Angie! You picked up the phone faster, it means you're feeling better!" Jeff laughs and mutters something in the meantime, probably addressing someone next to him.

"Or it means that I carry the phone around with me, you genius" I snap as I finally walk into the kitchen to cook something for dinner, waiting for Meg to come back home. After today's pizza I don't feel like take-away stuff again or frozen food to put into the microwave.

"I see your sense of humor never fails. Anyway I wanted to give you encouragement, Eddie told us you're feeling a little better, is it true?" he asks and I have the vague impression I've heard a strange accent in his voice when he said the name Eddie.

"Yeah, it's true, I'll be back tormenting you next week, it's official"

"Are you sure? Maybe you should stay at rest a little longer"

"Nah, today the doctor told me everything's ok, indeed I have to start walking outside these four walls again and it will do me good"

"Great! I'm sorry I couldn't come over these days, Eddie... told us you're bored to death" Jeff adds, this time he makes an evident pause after the singer's name.