Daron's Guitar Chronicles: Vol 4

240 MIRROR PEOPLE

MIRROR PEOPLE

We had take-out Indian from a place Michelle liked, so she brought it. There was way more than we could eat. Lars promised he'd throw the leftovers out before we got back if he couldn't eat them himself. He was moving in with his girlfriend, but he was going to take the two months we were gone to gradually move his stuff and make sure the house was okay. While we were gone the whole outside was going to be painted and the gutters fixed. Chris had arranged all that so I hadn't even really thought about it that much.

I barely felt like eating anyway. Just some bread dipped in spicy goop. I don't know anything about Indian food so that's pretty much what it comes down to for me anyway. Probably not the best meal for a nervous stomach.

We were all like kids on Christmas, having a sleepover. When it got to be midnight I figured no one was going to sleep. Bart and Michelle went into the guest room by themselves, but I don't know if sleep was on their agenda.

I found myself talking to Colin in the kitchen at one a.m.

"I just hope I fit in," he was saying.

"What do you mean?"

"It's a pretty big crew, Carynne says. I know I'm with you, but I'm really one of them. I hope I get along with them."

"I'm sure you will." I started to laugh then.

"What's so funny?"

"I just realized you're kind of in the spot I was in the first time I went on tour. With Nomad. And I hired you the same way Remo hired me."

He shrugged. "Well, it's not my first tour, exactly, since I went around with you in the spring."

"I know. I meant more like getting hired as a friend. I'm sure you're going to be fine, Col. Chris is all excited about partying with you."

That made Colin laugh. "He's a trip. We're probably going to get into another cribbage grudge match. Besides, he's got a girlfriend now. Um, not that that makes a difference to some guys."

I shrugged. I wasn't about to judge something I didn't know about. Maybe Lacey was like Michelle and didn't mind.

Ziggy came in and got a beer from the fridge. "You two talking shop?"

"Not really," I said. He looked tired, but like me, wired. "I don't think I'm getting to sleep tonight. Not without getting laid. Not that that was a proposition to either of you," he added hastily.

"Crap on a stick, what time is it?" Colin asked.

"One-fifteen?"

"I can't sleep on planes. I'm going to try to grab a nap," he said, then left the room. I heard his feet on the stairs as he literally ran up to bed.

Ziggy watched him go. "You know, if you two stood next to each other, and you asked ten people which of you was the rockstar guitarist and which one was the tech, you know nine out of ten would pick him over you."

"So what are you saying?"

"I'm saying let me go through what clothes you packed, promise me you'll wear eyeliner, and will you let me cut your hair?"

"Right now?"

"The haircut could wait until we're in Seattle, which might be good, because then someone else'll have to clean up the clippings. But seriously."

He looked completely serious and businesslike. And earnest.

"Is this your idea or did the other guys put you up to it?"