November 3, 1978, Pembroke Pines Florida
Somehow, as if by a miracle, Roger managed to not kill Brian and they got through the setlist intact. The next stop on the tour was Lakeland, set for tomorrow and traveling most of the night. Roger was on one side of the bus, Brian on the other; each of them staring at each other and the tension obviously still there. Brian had his head back against the window, Roger leaned over on a pillow in the darkness of the bus. Freddie and John had long been asleep. It seemed that Roger and Brian were being hypnotized by the combination of the rain against the bus windows and the road noise. They continued to star at one another until Brian finally broke the silence. “I do know her name.” he said.
“Huh?” was Roger’s reply as he adjusted his pillow.
“Peaches. Earlier you accused me of sleepin’ with a whore whose name I didn’t even know. She has a name and she’s not a whore. She’s a wonderful, wonderful, vibrant…” Roger stopped him.
“Stripper. She’s a stripper, Brian. She’s in for a buck and a ride on the fame train.” Roger told him seriously. They were silent again for a moment.
“She’s not a stripper. She lives in Baton Rouge and she…” Roger stopped him again.
“She what? What does she do in Baton Rouge?” Roger wanted to know.
“She…dances…at a…club.” Brian said meekly. Roger shook his head in the darkness. “I don’t get where you’re going with this. I wasn’t the only one who fucked someone else.” He accused Roger.
“That’s where you’re wrong. I won’t lie. A stripper went down on me. That’s it. There was no other funny business and she left in the middle of the night. Brian, the difference in you an’ me is what you did is much more serious because you are emotionally involved. What I did was entirely physical and believe me what happened that night in New Orleans? I’d fuckin’ erase it if I could but I can’t. I have to live with it and I have to change my indulgence this time for real. You get so emotionally invested and I don’t give a damn about your relationships or what you do and don’t do. I’ve never given a damn about your choices but what you did in New Orleans trumps what I did. You had an emotional affair. You are so damn needy and pathetic Brian.” Roger lectured him. The raindrops almost mimicked Brian’s forming tears.
“I needed her. I desperately needed her in my arms.” Brian nearly whined.
“That’s my point. Listen to you. No one needs a stripper in their arms. You latch on to anything that shows you a little bit of attention. You only get one rock in your life, everything else is sand that washes away. You haven’t even taken the time to call your wife and confront her about what happened because you’ve been so wrapped up in a stripper you fell in love with four years ago. Shit! Lydia knows I messed up but I want her to be able to get ahold of me anytime, any fuckin’ where at any hour of the damn day. She always knows how to get a hold of me. We have the relationship we do because are both willing to work our arses off and she has never….ever given up on me. Your wife can’t handle that. You married the right woman and you know that as well as I do. That’s all I’ll say about it because god knows I’m no one to give advice.” Roger finished, adjusting his pillow and rolling over.
