Can't Finish What You Started

I kept all these ideas for proper closures in my head that evening at work. I believed MCR's tourbus would be fixed and ready to go by the end of this week. I knew Billie Joe would finally be able to return to his life...

But I still didn't know what to do with Justin Pierre. Of course I wanted him to be happy, but where would that leave me? I guess what I am saying is: I knew his ending, but I couldn't figure out my own.

Well, that night I had a discussion with my boss. I was fired. Damn.

I came home. The bus wasn't ready just yet, but things were looking good. "It'll go tomorrow," I thought, proudly writing the rest of the story in my head, "We'll say our farewells, return to our lives and they'll be happy."

I sighed. At least, they'll be happy and extraordinary. I'll just return to my bitterly mundane mediocrity...

And then Billie would leave...and then...Justin...And then I'll be alone with it, with a taste of something extraordinary teasing my hungry soul.

"I gotta get a job," I thought, distracting myself with something necessary and practical, "Hey, maybe I'll go back to school." It was a great plan, but it wasn't what I really wanted, and in my heart I knew it...

But luckily for me I was still plotting, and not only that... I was dreaming again! I was a true believer once more. I believed things could work out at last.

The next day was bright and sunny, and under that lovely glow we saw the tourbus off. I hugged them all. Gerard was the last. "Don't be a stranger, Gee," I said as I broke the warm embrace.

"I won't. I promise," he replied sincerely, and with that he waved goodbye and got in the tourbus, and those five incredible men drove out of my life. I truly wish them the best and absolutely nothing short of that.

Then a car pulled up in the wake of MCR's bus. It was a neat, little convertible containing Mike Dirnt in the driver's seat and Tre' Cool bouncing about energetically in the back seat.

"Hey guys!" I greeted them with a big smile on my face, " I take it you're here for Billie?"

"Yep, he's always wandering off and getting lost, that one is," Mike replied with a smile of his own.

Tre' shot Justin and me a strange look, and then grinned. I assume that a weird Tre' Cool version of "hello".

"I guess this is goodbye," Billie Joe said to us, "it was nice knowing ya."

"You're making it sound so final," I said with a laugh, and then hugged him. Justin smiled and hugged him, too. Then Billie got in the car. They all waved to us as they drove off, and I heard the last bits of some small talk before they got too far away.

"So I'm thinking we should go get some waffles. That sound good to you, Billie?" Mike asked. How he knew about all of this or if it was actually an amusing coincidence is still a mystery to me.

Billie laughed, and Tre' shouted something about washing them down with either a "Cheech" or an "Orange Mocha Frappucino". Then they too faded out of my life, and I hoped the absolute best for them too...

Which left me staring with fascination at how the bright light and newly developed slight breeze played with the tips of Justin's spikey hair...And suddenly under the warm sunlight, everything in my troubled mind clicked.

"Looks like it's just me and you, kid," he said.

"Yep," I responded, "and if it's okay with you it's gonna stay that way just a little longer."

"What do you mean?" he asked curiously.

"C'mon," I answered, offering my hand, "I've still got one more plan." (and I suspected he was just impulsive enough to go with it.)

After some very brief packing and last minute settling of other meaningless affairs, my plan found us at an airport, Minnesota bound. "Well, look," I said, "it'll be a little weird now, but I'll settle out my shit a little better when we go back on tour. I mean the way I see it, bands could always use an extra hand, and I desperately need to get a life-"

He smiled at me and accepted my proposal before I even asked, and with that I was a member of the MCS crew, and I was on cloud nine.

Everyone's story seemed to be ending just as I had dreamed-no, everyone's story ended better than I had dreamed.

I couldn't wait for the next tour.