Twenty-Seven

Bobbie stood in the kitchen doorway, surveying the wreckage that her life had become in the last week. The curtains were still drawn; the light on the phone continued to flash, ignored, and the garbage overflowed. The capper was the empty Sara Lee box on the counter and the reek of sour cheesecake. Taking a deep breath, she went to work cleaning up before heading back to the bedroom and putting on a fresh pink tracksuit. She grabbed her iPod, dialed up Lucinda Williams, and headed for the street. On her way out, she ran into the super and asked casually, “Y’all haven’t seen a goofy looking guy with short blonde hair hangin’ around, have you?”

The super nodded. “There was a cowboy-looking fella singing and riffling through the trash a few nights ago, but I threatened to call the cops, and I haven’t seen him since. Was he bothering you?”

“No, I’d just noticed him around and wondered, that’s all. See you later.” Bobbie headed down the street and broke into a jog, feeling better already. Returning about forty-five minutes later, and having attracted more than her share of male attention, she felt ready to surface again. Showered and changed, she picked up an iced mochachino and plugged her dead cell into the charger in the car.

“Hey there, my funky skunk, did you change your stripe while I was away?” She giggled, pulling onto the PCH. “I love that kooky accent. Call me your little cauliflower again.”

Delray came into the garage studio in a Cocktails t-shirt, bobbing his head as he handed Danny a can of Lone Star. Danny grabbed it with a lurch and laughed as the foam spilled into the console. “Dig this, big guy!” He hit play and cranked the speakers to Richter scale levels. A spaghetti western guitar line moaned over a steady drum and bass groove until the vocals kicked in. A major shit-eating grin enveloped Delray’s face as he listened to his voice bathed in deep reverb.

“There’s a fella stands tall on his board

Hangs with the surfers and walks with the Lord …”

“Awesome. What d’ya think, Danny my man, is that cool changing it to ‘hangs’ instead of ‘swims’?”

“I don’t give a rat’s ass. It’s a fugging smash, DJ. I played it for Gwen this morning, and she was blubbering by the end of the first verse. ’Course she’s preggers, so that might not count for much, but I think it seriously rocks.”

“So, when we gonna play it for Telly? You figure he’ll be stoked?” Delray played air guitar behind Danny’s chair.

“Hell with Uncle. With him it’s all about Roc and that fucking memorial he’s planning. I know who to send it to. That record company dude, Justin, he really gets what we’re doing. I’ll send him an mp3; it’ll just take a second.” Danny took a slug of his beer and fumbled with his keypad, but not enough to prevent the song from heading for Justin Savage’s inbox.

Uncle lay on the floor in Marie’s bedroom face down while she polished his head slowly and tenderly. “I would not assume that l’Occitane made this for the head of the man, but it smells as some lavender, no?” Uncle rocked his head slightly in agreement. Marie inhaled deeply. “There is always so much busy in here.” Uncle groaned. Letting her hair fall around his face, she pressed her breasts into his ears. “But maybe there is a little place for moi, no?” Uncle purred deeply in reply. “I would sing for you if I had some song, my big man. Did you find what you promise, mmm?”

“Oh … no, but don’t worry, my little bonbon, there are so many songs, and I’m sure you could sing anything you set your mind to.” Uncle was emerging from his torpor and attempted to redirect the conversation to more carnal matters. “Why don’t we perform a little duet before I have to go.”

Marie tossed her hair back and slipped on a bathrobe. She picked Uncle’s cellphone up from the bedside table. “You know, monsieur, I see a number that you call so many times, and I wonder if I am your only and one, eh?”

Uncle awoke in a hurry and hastily grabbed the phone from Marie, who shot him a wicked look. “It’s one and only, my sweet, and don’t you be concerned, I’m sure I can work out something regarding your career. Leave it with me.”