Wait until the music's over

22. Child's play

What a jerk, who does he think he is? I hope the big slap I gave him on his stupid face tonight was enough to make him donwsize his expectations. Ok, I talked to him yesterday. So what? I just wanted to have a little chat with someone, I had two more hours work to go, I was tired and pissed off, those fucking hair kept falling over my eyes and that kind of ex boyfriend of mine, the one who's now dating another girl, had just entered the diner. I may have fluttered my eyelashes a little too much and pitched my voice a little too high from time to time, but that surely doesn't give him the right him to smack my ass. His hand really chose the wrong butt to mess with, if he dares one more time I'm gonna be the one to violate his ass, not with a slap though.

I wipe the steam off the bus window with my hand, to cancel all the little drawings I've happily made during the ride, then I stand up from my seat and get ready to get out at my stop. Angie should already be at home by now, Ed told me she was working until six today. I'm glad that guy finally broke the ice. Sure he's not become the clown member in the gang, but he managed to develop a connection with everybody, on way or another, and that's the most important thing: laying the foundations for anything you wanna build upon, a little bridge, a hut or a castle. With me and Smurfette, I think he's building a couple of cute townhouses, especially with Angie, also because they clearly have an affinity, at least in attitude. And I'm happy for Angie too, it seems like ages have passed since she used to tolerate me at Roxy's without complaining. From a distrustful lost puppy she's slowly turned into, well, a puppy, who's still a little suspicious, but doesn't feel chronically uncomfortable among people; who can easily and without fear assert herself at a table full of drunk musicians and still tolerates me, yet complains sometimes. And now she also found love, what more could she ask for? Yeah, I know, Jerry's not the easiest person to deal with sentimentally, but if there's someone who could really make him clean up his act that's probably my room mate. The thing is she needs to understand it and make things clear right from the beginning, she can't let him push her around. I hope she's following my advice.

Led Zeppelin II welcomes me, quietly in the distance, from the moment I step out of the elevator and then totally envelops me with Ramble on as soon as I enter my apartment. I immediately notice a suspect detail, some food displayed on the coffee table in the living room. I steal a sandwich and go on with my explorative investigation, which ends seconds later, when I find Angie in her room, in a bathrobe, intent upon examining the whole content of her closet, which is now spread out on her bed, with a discouraged expression on her face.

"Hey Angie"

"Meg! Hi!" she greets me with the same frightened look of a nocturnal animal caught in car headlights at night as it crosses the road.

"I see you're already getting ready. Did Stone call you?" I ask as I unbutton my coat and run to the window, where the radiator and I become one thing.

"Stone? Why?" she asks looking back at the bazaar displayed in front of her.

"He popped in at the diner, before practice, and told me they're all meeting up at the Crocodile tonight. Isn't it the reason why you're trying to figure out how to get all dressed up?"

"I'm not dressin up! But no, Stone didn't call and that's not the reason... and I don't think I'm coming too tonight"

"Why? What do you have to do? Wait, don't tell me..."

"Jerry's coming over" she cuts the long story short and grabs a striped sweater which is ridicolously large and could well be used as a nightgown, or a cassock.

"Ok, I suggested to act like a bitch with him, but I think hurting him by wearing that monstrosity is a little too much"

"Ha-ha, you're so funny"