Chapter 12

Muller’s cutting the grass while Judy meditates in the sunroom. I’m sitting at the computer watching Max and Ruby guide Otis into frame. He’s wearing suspenders over a tank top. Pieces of toilet paper hang from his ear. At least his eyes aren’t rolling around anymore.

“I’d like to send this one out to all the girls—” Otis starts off and a hand smacks him across the head. “Ouch! Okay, women out there who have known some level of sadness in their lives. This is from the early days of Stax Records. It’s by Isaac Hayes and David Porter called, ‘When Something is Wrong with My Baby.’” The needle makes a popping noise. “I remember Sam and Dave singing this at the Lyceum,” he says. “Imagine those boys in their prime. They sure knew how to build up a sweat.” He sits back, closing his eyes.

Ruby goes to the laundry room and turns on the washing machine. “Ruby, cut it out!” Otis yells. “I got laundry to do, Otis,” Ruby yells back. “Tell your listeners this is a working household. We got chores like everybody else.”

She comes out and pulls a shirt over his head. The record pops and hisses to the end, then Otis goes straight into Little Milton’s, “Baby I Love You.” Ruby’s folding towels in the background. When the song ends, Otis cues up another. “Here’s one for Ruby,” he says, grabbing her by the hand. It’s The Stylistics and Ruby is noticeably touched but still tries squirming away.

“Cut it out, Otis,” she says. “I’m try to fold here. Lay off.”

“You’re my everything, Ruby,” he says.

“Damn you, Otis.”

They disappear out of frame, making enough racket to bring Max downstairs. “For crying out loud,” he says, as Ruby squeals and Otis bangs his head. Max steps over them and sits in Otis’s chair.

“Pardon my folks,” Max says. “They’ve had some setbacks these past few months. I guess they’re ready to kiss and make up. I just wish they wouldn’t do it here.”

Ruby lets out another squeal. Max quickly tilts the computer screen up showing the acoustical ceiling with watermarks.

“I’m leaving if you’re going to do that,” Max says to them. “Seriously. I mean it, you guys. Knock it off.”

“I want to make a request,” Otis calls out.

“Make it a short one,” Ruby says. “I got a cake in the oven.”

A shirt is flung through the air. “I just ironed that, Otis,” Ruby says.

“That’s why I took it off.”

“I’m out of here,” Max says.

“Put Wee Willie Walker on the other turntable, Max.”

“Put it on yourself, old man.”

“I’m busy here.”

Max goes back, finds Wee Willie Walker, and cues it up.