Dear Unknown

“Tom, make sure you don’t miss those notes in “Rette Mich” like you have been” Bill says from the seat across from me.

I glance up from my lap-top. I press the power button as I respond to Bill, “Bill you told me that last show”

“I know I’m just reminding you” he says a bit snotty.

“Well don’t worry I won’t” I say just a snidely. By now my computer is fully on and I type in my password. I log in to my email and an alert comes up saying I have a new one. I open it and start reading. At her first sentence I begin to smile again. In that one sentence she seemed to sum up everyone’s view of me.

“Tom!!” Bill shouts.

“What?” I ask annoyed that he yelled at me.

“I’ve been trying to get your attention for who knows how long” he throws his hands in the air.

“Fine, what do you want?” I ask still annoyed that he interrupted me.

“I . . . don’t remember” he says trailing off, “Never mind.”

I roll my eyes and return to the screen of my lap-top. I finish her email and get started on my return email.

Dear Lynny,

Yeah your description of me is how everyone else would describe me. And it’s true I do like to go to parties and I admit that I do drink because where I come from I’m of legal age to.

I guess that leads me to answer your questions. I’m from Germany and so are the rest of the guys in the band. Right now I’m in London backstage. It’s about fifteen minutes before we go on to perform our concert for the night. I’m headed for America by the end of summer.

I know what you mean about being the weird one because sometimes I get that feeling too when I see pictures of the band. I look really out of place in my hip-hop style next to everybody else. I can also relate to the feeling of being hated and loved at the same time.

When you say you’re a musician what do you mean? Do you sing or play an instrument? If you play what instrument do you play? I myself play guitar and a little bit a piano.

Oh and I’ll be sure to tell Georg what you said.

P.S. Question: What about you family?

P.P.S. No, I’m not Tom Cruise, I’m far sexier.

Sincerely,
Tom

“Tom I remembered” Bill shouts from across the room.

“No you didn’t” I say knowing it will throw him off.

“Yes I did. How do you know that I didn’t remember it?” he says with his hands on his hips.

“Fine Bill what is it?” I stand up.

“I don’t remember” his shoulders fall. His face sinks as he thinks about it for a second, “Hey you did that on purpose!”

“Now what would give you that idea?” I say faking innocence. I hear Georg and Gustav laughing in the background.

“You’re a jerk” Bill sticks his tongue out at me.

“I know, I know” I say patting him on the back, “but we all know one of those.”

Georg walks up behind me and hits me in the back of the head, “Yeah and we all also know a retard.”

Gustav joins in, “I wonder who the one that we know is?” He looks at me and raises his eyebrows. I roll my eyes for like the hundredth time tonight and just laugh along.