Wish You Were Here

Even though it's December, it's still pretty warm here in California. I've grown used to the whole Cali surfer and guitar playing state of mind that everyone seems to have here. Palm trees swaying in the wind and kids skipping school to go surfing or hang out around their favorite places. I'd rather be somewhere else other than Long Beach to tell you the truth, but I have nowhere else to go and the little money I get from my jobs, I use for rent, and food for me and my dog Loki. He's a beagal, just thought you'd like to know. I'm just here babbaling on about my life here in Cali that I almost forgot to tell you. It's been three years since we broke up K.B. Since then I've been playing small shows with small bands and getting paid. There have been Ska punk bands, Deathcore bands, Heavy Metal, Hard Rock, and yes even Pop bands (I'm ashamed to even say i've played justin timberlake songs, but hey! a man has to make a living). Of course I've been working on trying to make an actual band here in California, but all the bands i've gone to audition for seem to want something I don't have..whatever it is idk, but it feels like we just don't jell together like K.B. did. It's sad really

Anyway, on with the story. I work in a music shop..you know the ones with Guitars and Basses and Drums and all that. Well work isn't quite the word i'd use..i'd perfer complete and utter hell without pay. In other words...Community Service. No i didn't get arrested! Matt would kill me..if he came back from his tour every now and then. The old man that owns the shop gives me a place to sleep and warm food, in exchange for my soul. Ha ha ha, Just kidding....sorta. His name is Joe. A lot of people say he used to be in this rock band in the early 70's and on through the 90's. Apparently they got reallly famous and all of a sudden just broke up. I just laugh at them cuz i know its probably impossible to meet someone of such stature here in a music shop like this run down place.

Three windows, two of them with cracks running diaganol through them. The door is falling apart. Just yesterday I went to lock up and when i closed the door, a slice of wood came out and hit me in the head. Reallllly irritating. The carpet smells bad, there's mold everywhere and the floor actually has sinkholes in it somewhere. I'm surprised no one has broken anything once stepping in them. Joe says I have to fix it up since he's giving me a place to stay. I smile and shake my head and grab some tools. I learned not to butt heads with this guy. He always wins somehow.

A bunch of people come in the shop all the time and buy something so i guess the business is going good. There's always band leaders who come in looking for a new guitar or mic or something and end up talking to joe about needing a singer or guitar player and he leads them to me. I've been in so many small shows that i've lost count. As of lately though a lot of people have been asking me if they know someone other than me. It's like they don't want me in their band for some odd reason. The only thing I can think of is that when I play, I try and force everyone to play faster than usual. I guess they don't like it. I say if you're not willing to improvise during a show then you aren't going to make it. I've asked Joe what he thinks about them not wanting me to play with them anymore. He just yells at me to get back to work and not to worry about it. Stingy old man.

So like i said, people come in the shop all the time. But this particular time surprised me to the point where i became speechless. I'm over by our drum set that Joe had me setting up at the time. Joe's in our album room re-arranging them by year they were made. He's like a walking music encyclopedia. Anyway, the bell on top of the door rings. I smile and stop working on the drum kit and walk over to the counter. I look up and see this stunning beautiful girl..no not girl, women. She had long blonde hair, down to her shoulders. She wore a olive green button up shirt and a black tie with purple stripes diagnols down through it. She was wearing a olive green skirt that was long enough to just go past her thighs. Her skin was so pale, like she hasn't been outside for a week. Her hair had a streak of pink and black in it, and immediately i knew this chick was either a groupie or in a girl punk band. She saw me and smiled, then walked over to the wall where the Bass guitars were. I heard something fall in the back and Joe curse. I smiled at the woman and ran into the back rolling my eyes at the old man's incompetence.

"JOE!! What are you doing??" I yell as I walk into the back room and see a bunch of broken empty cd cases on the floor and Joe beating on the store's stereo. "I'm Trying to make this god damned thing work!!" He yelled back and then lowered his voice realizing I was in the room. He pointed at it mouthing something. I smiled and rolled my eyes.

"use your words old man." I say as i walk over and look at the stereo. I give it a once over and sigh. "Dude, you didn't put the C.D. all the way in. You'll ruin it like that." I push the disc down so it holds and close the stereo and hit play. "Next time, don't break stuff cuz you can't get stuff to work. We've got a customer..or did but you probably scared her away." He looks at me with squinted eyes and then shrugs. "Don't make a difference, she'll be back if she left. They always come back cuz of someone." he eyes me then sneakily..or in his book it is, points to me. I roll my eyes and walk back to the counter with the old man snickering behind me.

"Stupid Old Coot" I thought as I reach the counter and sit on the stool behind the register. All of a sudden I hear the music come over the store speakers and I realize its a song I recorded with one of the bands I played with. I look over at the woman and see she seems to know it too cuz she's singing every word. I smile as and look through the magazine thats sitting on the counter. The next thing I hear is the bass line to the song being played through an amp in the store. I look up and see she's playing it by ear and still singing it. I smirk and walk over and grab a guitar, sit across from her and start playing the song while she sings.

And just like that I felt like we had known each other for a very long time, Like we've been playing together for years. I laughed and she smiled as the song stopped. I put my guitar down and she put the bass back and walked over to me. " Its good to know that everyone was scared for nothing. You're an amazing guitarist." I laughed and then smiled "And you're a really good bass player! Not to mention your singing abilities. The pipes you've got on you!" I whistled and smiled. She giggled and looked back at the bass she was playing. "I want that one. Would you mind if I pay you in payments instead of one whole payment?" She smiled that sweet smile and I couldn't help myself. I worked out a plan for her and let her walk out with the bass. I smiled stupidly as I watched her walk out. Joe came up beside me and jabbed me in the side with his cane that he never uses. "Idiot! you're not supposed to let people do that!! she could run off with the thing without paying and we'd be in big trouble cuz that bass is a lot of money!!" he jabbed me in the side again and then hit me in the head with it. "alright...alright...ALRIGHT!! i've got it you old coot!! Just relax. We'll see her again."

That was three months ago. And although she made all of her payments on time with the exact amount everytime. She never came to the shop. She always either sent the money through the mail or through another person. So that's why i'm out and about with Loki. Besides taking him for a walk, I'm also looking for the woman who has that bass. I want to jam with her again, I want to know if she wants to be in a band with me. Of all the people I've played with in Long Beach..or even in California! She's the only one that really knows how to play with someone like me. Now that you're caught up on the story, I can continue with my search.