Donny shook his head. "I can't believe those kids recognized me...looking like this." He shook his hair out, and continued stroking the still uncomfortable scruff on his face.
"Yea" Vic responded, "that's cool."
"Yea" said Hugo. "That was."
"The truth is," Vic continued, "You stay hidden so long...you remain hidden."
Hugo guffawed, "Ahaha! Ninja Mel!"
"And to be honest," Vic continued, "Happy Days got a great deal with re-runs, naturally."
"Pfft. I wish we did with the residuals."
"How much you get a year from those Most?" Hugo inquired, "10?"
"Less. Closer to 6. Much less in a few years."
The dark clouds parted with the sun shining straight down on them. The air was warming. Heavy raindrops slapped the road in intermittent bursts.They were heading west on 161 and would turn onto I-64 just past New Baden.
Donny Most tried pulling the cassette out of the car's player.The player needed cleaning and would catch any tape they tried to play. He pulled it out slowly, cautiously, tapping while he did it and trying to jiggle it loose. But the tape gave no slack, and snapped while being pulled out.
"Fuck!"
He picked his up tape case and searched for the cassette cleaner inside. The cleaner tape had disappeared somehow about a month ago, but Donny kept obsessively checking through the tape box for it, as if it were bound to reappear.
"Every other shitty tape, still here! Only good tapes and the tape cleaner vanish. This Asia tape will never go missing. "Desert Moon" by Dennis DeYoung will be with me for fucking life!"
Most rolled the window down and threw out the empty cassette case of the Fine Young Cannibals tape he'd just broken. He then grabbed the tape itself, shook it for a few seconds and tried it furiously wing it outside also, but his arm hit the corner of the window in mid-throw and it just fell out of his hand onto the side of the road. He grabbed his elbow and winced.
"Ahahaha! Turn some light jazz on the radio and chill out," said Hugo, "We'll have to cancel the tour if you hurt your arm!"
"Yeah! Cool it Most! We don't need to get pulled over for that shit!"
Donny sat quietly fuming, rubbing his elbow. He stuck finger and thumb into the cassette player to try and clear the remaining tape strands.
"But if you got any Sinatra, now I could go for that," Vic winked.
"Dude. It doesn't WORK! It eats every tape and needs cleaned."
"I've got my small tape player, but it sucks. And needs batteries." Hugo said.
"It's ok man. We'll just stop at a drug store and get cleaner," Most said exhaling.
Being adored by the little league kids felt good, but Donny found himself easily transported back to the same agitated state he'd been in lately. Lack of weed was probably the main reason. He hoped to score some at the studio, in fact that was the only reason they were going. He didn't know these guys that well, but he had a feeling they thought he could help them with their career. He definitely couldn't, and his technical knowledge was non-existent. He could play guitar a little, but he'd never actually even been in a recording studio. So he'd planned to show up, listen, act positive and friendly, bullshit, take their demo and act like he was going to give it to a producer he knew while getting some kind bud for his troubles. He didn't smoke a lot before he hit the road, but he'd practically become a viper since.
Vic pulled off into an Arby's. "I'm tired, and kinda hungry again."
They went through the drive through, and parked in the lot and ate. Vic got a Beef 'n Cheddar and Curly Fries, Donny got the Jalapeno Poppers and nibbled on the fries. They sat there for a bit, sipping burnt coffee while the food digested.
"We late?" Vic asked.
"Nah. We don't need to be there right when they start. Just before they're done," Donny answered.
"Mmmm. Good. I'll take a nap when we get there."
Vic put his coffee on the dashboard, without removing his hand, and rested his head on the steering wheel for a few seconds before finally leaning way back. He exhaled deeply, patting his big gut. "Ya know," he said with a yawn, "after a breakup, oftentimes a man can temporarily lose his mind."
Hugo smacked his forehead loudly.
Donny Most turned his head and stared at Vic quizzically. "Yeah. So?"
"Loses it. Becomes pathetic. Desperate."
Most continued staring at him, his mouthly slightly open. Hugo began burrowing into a pile of dirty clothes. Vic turned and stared back at Most intently, raising a finger.
"Temporarily!"
Donny nodded his head very slightly at him, wondering where this was going.
"While at the same time...hurting his own cause. Women are repulsed by it!"
Donny began tapping on the outside car door, in sync with his slight nodding. "Yeah, it's like quicksand."
"Exactly. My point is...it shouldn't be. For a lot of reasons. It should be a turn ON. They should get WET when you're pathetic!"
"Why?" asked Donny.
"For one, it's flattering. Women looove being flattered. What's more flattering than having someone LOSE THEIR MIND because of you? Secondly, provided you weren't some sniveling wuss the whole time, there should be sympathy, some increased affection for someone in great pain. Someone in HELL! Thirdly, imagine the gratitude this poor son of a bitch is going to show you if you do decide to give him another chance? Can you imagine? You just SAVED HIS LIFE. You know for damn sure you you aren't going to be taken for granted for awhile. You want treated like a princess - bammo! And isn't saving someone's life kind of fucking HOT? I mean at least just FUCK him one more time for godssake! Jesus. I could go on..."
"Hah. Yeah, that's true, but at the same time the whole thing has been building. She's been setting her mind against you. Getting resolved."
Most kept on drumming on the door. He was tired too. He could also play the drums, and for awhile thought that's what he'd end up as. He almost took lessons, seeing himself as a Neil Peart/Keith Moon type combo. But no. It wasn't so much the feel of that hollowed out Rickenbacher 330 as much as the need to be out front. Leading the show. He was a lead guitarist, and a lead singer. He wished he could spark up right now and sleep. Hugo nudged him on the shoulder, nodding his head and motioning out to the right.
"Yeah. That's why it's called a second chance. Things can change," Vic responded. Donny looked out his window and saw a cute, bleached blond girl in short cut-off jean shorts, late teens-early 20s, walking towards a fuschia colored Trans Am with her Arby's bag. Nice, round ass. Cheap sunglasses on. A shorter, heavier-set brunette followed her. As the blonde leaned forward to open the door, Most saw a lighter fall out of her pocket, unnoticed as she slipped into the driver seat.
"Things have changed," Donny told Vic, opening the door quickly and jogging over towards the girl.
"Yeah!" Hugo cheered.
They both watched as she rolled her window down and accepted the lighter from Donny with a smile. Donny leaned against the car. The girl kept smiling as they chatted for a bit. He turned and headed back, but immediately turned around and the girl handed him a piece of paper. She reached out of the car and hugged him towards her. The held each other for awhile, making out.
Donny turned around, flipped his hair back as he walked away, and slide the small piece of paper into his front pocket. The girls honked as they pulled out and he waved and pointed back without turning around.
Hugo high-fived him as he got back in the car. "Damn, dude. Smoothness."
"She was very appreciative of my...consideration."
Vic stayed quiet, looking at Donny with puzzlement and, annoyance.
"Sweet ass," Hugo remarked excitedly, "you got digits?"
"More than that," Donny answered, pulling out and unfolding the paper she gave him. As he unwrapped it, he picked up a small joint and showed it around. "I thought maybe we could fire it up, and you could continue on with your...theory?"
Vic locked eyes with Most, shaking his head, expressionless, and backed the Rambler up.
"Spark it!" he growled, before punching the gas and fishtail screeching onto the highway.
Hugo continued laughing hysterically as he was thrown across the seat, bouncing headfirst of the side window and onto the floorboard.
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