Status: Fresh new fiction for my friends, fans, and fried eggs.
Two-Bit Prism
01
Amber and I were right in the middle of a Dalek invasion of Earth when my cell phone started throwing a tantrum in my pocket. We knew who it was by the ringtone. “Better answer,” she said. “You know how he gets when you don’t.”
I pulled my phone out of my pocket. “WE’RE WATCHING DOCTOR WHO!” I shouted. “Fuck off for another hour or so.”
“I can’t do that, Dahlia,” Aaron K. Samson replied. “ You know I can’t do that. We need to meet up for lunch. You and Amber can come meet Alistair and me at…”
“McDonald’s!” I blurted.
“Fine. McDonald’s.” Aaron sighed audibly. “We’ll see you when you arrive. It’s a business meeting.”
“Ooh, a business meeting,” I echoed. “See you in a bit, Aaron. You owe me Doctor Who time.” I hung up. “Amber, baby, put your shoes on. We’re going to McDonald’s for a business meeting with Aaron and Alistair.”
“But-but,” Amber sputtered, “the Daleks are invading!”
“I know. I’m pissed too. But we can watch Doctor Who after the meeting.” She looked at me funny. “What?”
“It’s only on for another hour,” she said, pouting.
“I know. But we’ll figure something out. I have Netflix. The Doctor can wait until we get back.” Amber gave me puppy eyes. “He’s a Time Lord from Gallifrey! He can do anything!” I turned off the TV and we slipped our shoes on.
Alistair was waiting in line when we got to McDonald’s. “They call this fast food,” he said, rolling his eyes. “Only thing that’s fast is how quickly it makes you fat.”
“It’s Alistair the Amazing Melancholy Tour Manager! Yay!” I joked. “Got enough black bile in there?”
“We were watching Doctor Who,” Amber blurted. “Aaron called during Doctor Who.”
“Amber, I’m surprised!” Alistair said. “I didn’t know you were into Doctor Who!”
“I know I usually laugh at Dahlia’s geeky tastes,” Amber admitted, “but she made me watch Doctor Who this morning and I really fell in love… with David Tennant.” The line moved a bit. “Should I get a wrap or a sandwich?”
“Tough choice,” I said. “Wrapping up with David Tennant or making a David Tennant sandwich.”
“I was talking about food!” she laughed. “But as far as that goes, I’d rather make a David Tennant sandwich.”
“With me, right?”
“Yup.”
After obtaining lunch (which was not easy with the guy behind the counter always screwing up our order) Amber and I followed Alistair to the table where Aaron waited for us. “Sit, girls,” Aaron said. We sat down across from him and started dividing up our order of McNuggets. “I’m going to cut to the chase here. You’re going on tour to promote the record.” He popped a fry in his mouth. “Alistair is going to be your tour manager, just like he was for Warped Tour last year after we released the EP. We’re calling it the 48 and C Tour.”
“Why 48 and C?” I asked. “What does it mean?”
“You’re going to be in 48 states and do a few dates in Canada,” Aaron explained. “We hired new drum and guitar techs, a new sound tech, and a merch guy. I think you’ll really hit it off with them. You get to ride a small tour bus as well.”
“Sweetness,” Amber said. “Can we make one request?”
“Anything,” Aaron said.
“Doctor Who!” Amber and I said in unison. Aaron cocked an eyebrow at us. I continued, “Somehow, you always manage to interrupt when I’m watching Doctor Who. Today, you interrupted when Amber and I were watching Doctor Who together.”
“You’d rather travel in a TARDIS than a tour bus?” Aaron asked sarcastically, sucking down a gulp of Coke.
“Yes,” I answered. “However, we don’t have access to a TARDIS, so we’re stuck with a bus.” I stuck my tongue out.
“Look,” Aaron said, leaning forward, “Barely Broadband is selling really well for a debut album on a label as small as Diadochokinetic Records. We need to get you out on tour and connecting with your fans. If it takes a bunch of DVDs of Doctor Who, or a replica TARDIS, I’m going to make you tour again!”
“Okay, Aaron!” I said. “We’ll take the TARDIS.” Aaron rolled his eyes and I giggled. “I’m joking. How long is the tour?”
“Three months.”
“Then give us one season of Doctor Who,” I said. “We’ll do anything you want if we can have just one season to watch while we tour.”
“Great!” Aaron said. “Which season do you want?”
“David Tennant,” Amber said quickly. She blushed and stuffed a McNugget in her mouth.
I pulled my phone out of my pocket. “WE’RE WATCHING DOCTOR WHO!” I shouted. “Fuck off for another hour or so.”
“I can’t do that, Dahlia,” Aaron K. Samson replied. “ You know I can’t do that. We need to meet up for lunch. You and Amber can come meet Alistair and me at…”
“McDonald’s!” I blurted.
“Fine. McDonald’s.” Aaron sighed audibly. “We’ll see you when you arrive. It’s a business meeting.”
“Ooh, a business meeting,” I echoed. “See you in a bit, Aaron. You owe me Doctor Who time.” I hung up. “Amber, baby, put your shoes on. We’re going to McDonald’s for a business meeting with Aaron and Alistair.”
“But-but,” Amber sputtered, “the Daleks are invading!”
“I know. I’m pissed too. But we can watch Doctor Who after the meeting.” She looked at me funny. “What?”
“It’s only on for another hour,” she said, pouting.
“I know. But we’ll figure something out. I have Netflix. The Doctor can wait until we get back.” Amber gave me puppy eyes. “He’s a Time Lord from Gallifrey! He can do anything!” I turned off the TV and we slipped our shoes on.
Alistair was waiting in line when we got to McDonald’s. “They call this fast food,” he said, rolling his eyes. “Only thing that’s fast is how quickly it makes you fat.”
“It’s Alistair the Amazing Melancholy Tour Manager! Yay!” I joked. “Got enough black bile in there?”
“We were watching Doctor Who,” Amber blurted. “Aaron called during Doctor Who.”
“Amber, I’m surprised!” Alistair said. “I didn’t know you were into Doctor Who!”
“I know I usually laugh at Dahlia’s geeky tastes,” Amber admitted, “but she made me watch Doctor Who this morning and I really fell in love… with David Tennant.” The line moved a bit. “Should I get a wrap or a sandwich?”
“Tough choice,” I said. “Wrapping up with David Tennant or making a David Tennant sandwich.”
“I was talking about food!” she laughed. “But as far as that goes, I’d rather make a David Tennant sandwich.”
“With me, right?”
“Yup.”
After obtaining lunch (which was not easy with the guy behind the counter always screwing up our order) Amber and I followed Alistair to the table where Aaron waited for us. “Sit, girls,” Aaron said. We sat down across from him and started dividing up our order of McNuggets. “I’m going to cut to the chase here. You’re going on tour to promote the record.” He popped a fry in his mouth. “Alistair is going to be your tour manager, just like he was for Warped Tour last year after we released the EP. We’re calling it the 48 and C Tour.”
“Why 48 and C?” I asked. “What does it mean?”
“You’re going to be in 48 states and do a few dates in Canada,” Aaron explained. “We hired new drum and guitar techs, a new sound tech, and a merch guy. I think you’ll really hit it off with them. You get to ride a small tour bus as well.”
“Sweetness,” Amber said. “Can we make one request?”
“Anything,” Aaron said.
“Doctor Who!” Amber and I said in unison. Aaron cocked an eyebrow at us. I continued, “Somehow, you always manage to interrupt when I’m watching Doctor Who. Today, you interrupted when Amber and I were watching Doctor Who together.”
“You’d rather travel in a TARDIS than a tour bus?” Aaron asked sarcastically, sucking down a gulp of Coke.
“Yes,” I answered. “However, we don’t have access to a TARDIS, so we’re stuck with a bus.” I stuck my tongue out.
“Look,” Aaron said, leaning forward, “Barely Broadband is selling really well for a debut album on a label as small as Diadochokinetic Records. We need to get you out on tour and connecting with your fans. If it takes a bunch of DVDs of Doctor Who, or a replica TARDIS, I’m going to make you tour again!”
“Okay, Aaron!” I said. “We’ll take the TARDIS.” Aaron rolled his eyes and I giggled. “I’m joking. How long is the tour?”
“Three months.”
“Then give us one season of Doctor Who,” I said. “We’ll do anything you want if we can have just one season to watch while we tour.”
“Great!” Aaron said. “Which season do you want?”
“David Tennant,” Amber said quickly. She blushed and stuffed a McNugget in her mouth.
♠ ♠ ♠
My apologies if I alienated anyone with all the Doctor Who lovin' in this first chapter.For those who don't know, diadochokinetic refers to an inability to perform rapid, alternating movements. I thought it sounded like a cool name for a record label.
Comments please!