Need a Light?

Written the same day as "Disappointing Show" with the same event in mind.

 

Cecil leaned his head against the cool glass of the tour bus, erasing the past four hours of his life. They had been grueling as usual and this was his only chance of relief before the other rockers would get drunk off their behinds; a nightly ritual that they could lose themselves in easily. For the moment the other barely intelligible band members skittered around the bus, preparing themselves for a quick exit before their wave of drunk, crazed fans could climb the front bumper. Cecil’s thin mouth ticked. It had happened before and it wasn’t always fun.

            (just as long as i’m gone by the time these kids hit the major clubs)

            He closed his eyes. The rumble of distant thunder told him that the crowds had been freed from the venue and were haphazardly marching their way to the bus, whipping out their cracked CD cases and polished permanent markers. Cecil opened one eye warily and was grateful for the line of gruff-looking roadies guarding the parking lot. That was good; Cecil wasn’t prepared for any glazed over stares and harrowing resentment from any long-standing members of this damn band’s fan club. For that he was thankful for the tinted windows; he could watch the circus outside quietly, because they could be real morons, the band’s demented fans never failed to disappoint.

            “D’you want a Mountain Dew, man?”

Cecil jerked and looked up at the bassist. He shook his head. The bassist left with a thinly veiled shrug of her thin shoulders. Cecil ignored it. They had been on the road for days and he didn’t know if he could take it any longer with these crazy, band people. He was a keyboard-for-hire and he couldn’t allow himself to be close to them. There was no money that way.

Soaking in the air conditioning and sinking into the plush seat, he idly stared back out the window, allowing himself to be drawn to a small group of concertgoers billowing out from the side exit of the theatre. Cecil looked closer, cupping his hands against the glare of the glass. Fascinatingly, the group wasn’t trying to catch the eye of any weak looking security guard, and they weren’t trying to sneak a photo of the tour bus... Actually, what was interesting was that they were entirely focused on each other, completely ignoring their proximity of the band they had just been blasted away from for four trudging hours.

(four hours)

(that has to be the longest YET)

Groaning, he tapped an improvised beat on the frosted windowsill.

Cecil closed in on the small party at the side of the theatre again. What was with all the privacy? He supposed he should be humbled for their offbeat lack of fanatical curiosity, but there was something uneasy going on that he was not privy to. Was it unnerving to know that he would never find out their secret? Cecil narrowed his eyes for a better look.

            There were four of them. Three girls, maybe in their early twenties; one guy probably in his waning twenties. He couldn’t tell if they were entirely comfortable with each other or not… They were hugging, but looked confused. The guy didn’t hug the short girl with the wavy blonde hair. Her head seemed to tint red when she swayed uneasily in and out of the streetlamp’s flood of garish light. She seemed to be ignoring the entire situation all together. Cecil dragged his eyes from her to glimpse at the other two women. They had wrapped their arms individually around the man, but there was nothing provocative in their actions. However, all three looked embarrassed and the ticks in their faces broadcasted that they were related. The fourth, the woman with the reddish-blonde hair and the narrower nose stared off politely.

            Cecil felt guilty for gawking, but couldn’t look away. There was something familiar in their private exchange. Were they forgiving themselves for some former altercation? Their mouths moved giddily, the reddish-blonde interjecting every once in a while, but no one seemed to respond in kind. Something in all four of their faces was holding something back. Madly, Cecil thought that he should just jump off the bus and ask them what they were feeling. Why were they just standing there, talking, thinking biting thoughts and hugging each other grudgingly? He closed his eyes again; it would be saner not to take notice.

            But the reddish-blonde woman swam behind his eyes. What was her part in this? Squinting one eye out the window, so none of the other band members would notice (especially that bass player; she had been getting really nebby lately), but the man was gone and the girls were migrating to the corner, their hair flicking dewy sparkles of light under the streetlamp. They were slowly being swallowed up by the waxing darkness. The reddish-blonde followed the other two hesitantly, every once in a while looking over her shoulder. She didn’t know it maybe, but Cecil stared back into those flickering eyes, wanting to walk in their glow, bask in her presence. The way she flowed into each motion, even in her compulsive paranoia around her… He would love to get to know a girl like her.

            An Econoline van pulled up to the corner. A light flashed on and a hand beckoned the trio in from deep inside. Cecil exhaled and yanked his eyes away from them, leaving them alone, distantly aware that he’d never see those twenty-somethings again. The world was full of interesting people but oh man, how he longed to get off that bus and meet someone interesting and in a sense…normal?

(yeah but normal’s a recurring dream)

Cecil closed his eyes and pinched the cigarette hiding behind his ear and placed it in his mouth for safekeeping. A brassy light fluttered behind his eyelids and he opened them again. A lit match and an outstretched hand.

“Need a light, buddy?” The bassist smiled, her velvety red hair now curling around her thin shoulders. “It’s been a long night for me too.”

Reviews

It's always great to wonder what people are doing- your own version is usually alot more fun than the reality as well :P I love the last part :) xx

[Emily B]

You've captured a moment in time in an intriguing way. I've always loved to watch people. And make up stories about their actions, their lives and their thoughts.