Daron's Guitar Chronicles Vol 5

367 EVERYBODY HAVE FUN TONIGHT

EVERYBODY HAVE FUN TONIGHT

I had figured we would go down to Houston–which, by the way, is pronouncedHow-stin, not like the city in Texas–and catch a cab, because that was what Antonio had been planning to do. But when we got to the corner, there happened to be a limo sitting there, the driver leaning against the door, crushing a cigarette out under his aggressively shined shoes.

Tony and I looked at each other and I knew what he was thinking and he knew what I was thinking. That was all it took for Tony to take charge. There was a quick sort of homeboy greeting between the two of them and pretty quickly the driver was opening the door for us to get in.

Once we were in the car, Jonathan asked, "Riding in style?"

Tony made his of course gesture, which always looked kind of like someone sticking a towel through a rack with both hands. "You do realize that it wouldn't do for an A-list man like our man here to pull up in a yellow cab. Would not do. At. All."

I snorted. "I'm not A-list."

"I assure you, you are," Tony said. "Leastways now that you're playing the Garden."

"I just thought it would be fun to pull up in a limo after all those years of being the jailbait outside, lining up and hoping to be picked to go in."

"Did I ever pick you?" Tony asked.

"No. Some blond guy did once or twice. I think his name was Bruno?"

"Bruno. Aha." Tony seemed to think that made sense and I didn't ask why. Maybe I was Bruno's type. I had been way too chicken back in the day to find out.

"I usually went to Limelight because it was easier to get in," I said.

"Yeah, I could see that."

"I've never been to the Palladium," Jonathan piped up. "That's the place with the Basquiat mural, right?"

"Art class is over," I said. "Now I get to find out if you can dance."

It being a weekend night after 10pm, we were expecting there to be a crowd outside. The line of hopefuls waiting to get in was sometimes as much fun as the crowd inside, honestly. There were nights when I didn't get in but I didn't care.

"You don't strike me as the club type," Antonio said, and I thought he was talking to Jonathan but then I realized he was talking to me.

"I'm not, really, but you know, when you're young and fucked up nothing beats dancing with thousands of strangers you don't have to talk to," I said. It was worth getting out from behind the guitar for. It was something different from loitering around the Jersey shore.

I could probably count the times I'd gone there on my fingers and toes, but you know, it felt like something I used to do "all the time." Maybe I didn't have to do it hundreds of times to know what it was like.

"Okay, here's the deal," Tony said as the limo slowed when we were still a block or two away. "You want to stay in the car while I get the green light, then we'll bring you in quick as we can? You want to go straight to the VIP room?"

"Shit, Tony, I'm happy just to get past the velvet rope." I tried to see through the tinted window where we were. "It's not like I'm going to be mobbed by fans and paparazzi."

Tony nodded. "I should at least pass you by the boys so they'll treat you right. Well, you I'm not that worried about boss, your face is famous enough. But writer-boy here, he needs eye contact."

"Will they even notice me?" Jonathan asked.

"Memorizing faces is one of the most important parts of the job," Tony said, quite seriously. "Don't worry. I'll take care of you."