Wait until the music's over

48. Mistakes, fetishists and tongue-out faces

"What the fu-" for a moment I think I got inexplicably blocked in when, after I turn off the tap, I stretch my hand with my eyes closed towards the shower door to open it and it doesn't move an inch.

It takes me a few seconds and too many attempts to push it to realize the problem is I gotta open it the other way, the opposite than the one in Seattle. 'Cause I'm not in Seattle, I'm in San Diego, I'm at home. I don't really feel at home though, it's like I'm on holiday, as if this was the umpteenth motel and not the place where I planned to spend my future, at least the nearest future, with my ex girlfriend. The ocean, during the first surfing session half an hour ago, is more familiar to me than this place. Maybe it's really because of touring. Being in a different place every time makes you lose your reference points. Maybe it's because I'm actually unconnected to this house somehow, after all I had lived here for two or three months when I left to go to Seattle. And I didn't even have the time to make it more personal anyway, also because I was waiting to do it with Beth, so the decor is kinda neutral and impersonal. The only personal touches are the baseball cards on the fridge, the black and white picture of Pete Townshend flying mid air with his guitar I have in my bedroom and now that I think about it I really should take it back to Seattle with me, a cheap acoustic guitar placed against the couch, the basketball hoop I mounted in the back, the wetsuit hung to dry out on the porch, the dart board on the door. The little bit of personal I had in here is now part in the small bedroom and part in the living room of the apartment I share with Jeff and where I spent more time than I ever did in this house. Or maybe it's just because I've been here for just a couple of hours and I haven't met anyone of my friends yet. It's not the walls that make a home, but the people.

I throw the towels in the laundry basket and as I do I remember I've got a washing machine here and I won't need to go to Wash'n'Go to do the laundry, although the washing won't happen magically by itself and I'll still have to make an effort and put all the stuff into it, add soap and push a button. I walk into my room, put clean underwear and t-shirt on and as I'm thinking if my pants need to go into the washing machine too or I can give them another go, I hear the door bell ringing. I quickly promote my cargo bermuda for another round putting them on and run into the living room as I'm still zipping them up and I look through the shut mirror blinds to see who it is.
"I'm not a hot chick but I hope you'll let me in all the same!" Craig exclaims looking towards the window.
"Why should I?" I ask him after I open the window.
"Because I have beer" he answers showing me the twelve-pack.
"I like your line of argument" I close the window and open the door to my friend. I don't like to call him best friend, I never use that word, it's not like I'm making charts or something, but he's surely one of my closest friends, and the oldest one, basically since childhood.
"I hate you" he shakes his head standing on the porch.
"I'm happy to see you too"
"You didn't wait for me" he complains pointing at the wetsuit hanging on the banister.
"You know I like to hit the beach early"
"You're an asshole," he grumbles as he gets in "but I'm happy you're here" he adds giving me his hand and a not so light pat on my back before entering.
"I warn you, I've got no food" I point out when I see him making a bee line to the fridge.
"Jamie will take care of that later, after work, don't worry" he explains placing the beer in the lowest compartment of the fridge.
"Chinese?"
"Of course. And his brother's coming too. Oh and Mitch will surely be here too with her college mate. And then I don't know, someone else"
"You set it all up, uh?"
"And your band?"
"They must be chilling at the hotel right now, they'll join us later"
"Great. What about your girlfriend?" he asks directly as he sits down on the couch.
"My girlfriend?" I walk towards the window and roll up the blinds completely, as if I was expecting for her to show up all of a sudden knocking on my door.
"Yeah, where is she?"
"God, I don't know, I haven't met her yet. She surely didn't come to tell me welcome back, honestly I hope I won't met her even by chance"
"Hehe weren't you all for zen now?"
"Yes, but if I don't see her I'll be better" I basically inspect the whole neighborhood from the window, then join Craig on the couch.
"Anyway who cares about Beth, I don't wanna know about the ex girlfriend, I was talking about the new one"
"The new one?" I give him a side look as I immediately figure out where he's getting at.
"Yeah... what's her name... mmm it's on the tip of my tongue"