One Day in a Record Store • Roger Taylor

1

There's always something to do on a Friday night in Los Angeles; clubs, bars, street performers and everything in between.

However, those weren't the places of interest for a certain resident of the area.

Dylan O'Hare's daily schedule rarely changed; she'd wake up, go to school, if she had work, then go to work, and then go home after. Sometimes she'd stop at the store if she needed something or get take out if she didn't feel like cooking, but that was about it.

One Friday night though she was feeling bored and didn't want to go home just yet, so she made her way from her uni to the record shop not too far away.

It wasn't a place she went often as she could spend hours, and more importantly, her pay check without blinking an eye, but she needed something to do and something new to listen to.

After aimlessly roaming the rows of vinyl she found the rock section and began flipping through the selection.

She decided on a Led Zeppelin album she didn't yet have in her collection and, because it was a mini tradition of hers, she grabbed an album by an artist she didn't know of.

She was about to turn to pay when someone caught her attention.

"Nice choice," the blonde male said from next to her, seeming to have appeared out of thin air.

"Oh, uh, thanks," she replied with an awkward laugh. She was about to turn away to leave, but the guy stopped her again.

"Plant's got one hell of a voice," the man said. "As does Mercury."

"Who, sorry?" She questioned.

She felt very confused about the current situation; who was this guy? Who was Mercury? And how come, in all her years of studying in California, this was the first time she ever heard someone with a British accent?

"Freddie Mercury? From Queen," he stated, pointing at the black album in her hands. "They're a good band. You a fan?"

"Uh, no actually," she replied. "Never heard of em."

"So you're buying the album because...."

"Because I don't know them. Helps me find new music," she explained.

"They're good. I think you'll enjoy them," he told her with a smile.

"Alright, I'll trust your judgement then," she said with a forced smile. She wanted to leave, this stranger making conversation with her was just freaking her out.

"LA is quite the place to find new music, huh?" He stopped her again.

"Yeah, i guess so," she said tiredly.

"I've found that people tend to be more open to new, different stuff here," he went on and she had to force herself not to roll her eyes at his rambling.

It wasn't that she was antisocial. She could appreciate a good conversation and occasionally enjoyed meeting new people (depending on the people), but usually it was because of a mutual friend, not some random British guy in a record shop.

"Hey, okay, I'll leave you alone now, but here, take this," the guy said to her, handing her a piece of paper- an ad for a local show. "My band's playing tomorrow night not far from here. I take it you're from close by?"

"I guess," she replied hesitantly, not wanting this stranger to know where she lived.

"I'm not a creep, I promise," he said quickly, noticing her reaction. "I noticed your sweater has a university on it."

She just nodded in response.

"Anyways, if you like this kinda music, hopefully, you'll like the bands playing tomorrow," he went on. "All the info is on there."

"Alright, thanks," she said, scanning the paper in her hands and planning to throw it in the first garbage she saw.

"Do you just stand in record shops waiting to give your info out to people?" She asked, looking up from the paper.

"No, actually, I just happened to be in here and you seem like a cool girl," he replied with a smile. "Listen, I'll let you go, but if you do end up coming, I'd love to keep talking with you."

"I'll see," she said quietly. "Who are you, anyway?"

"The name's Roger," he smiled proudly. "And you are?"

"Dylan," she answered, laughing lightly at how happy he seemed to give her his name.

"Like Bob Dylan!" He exclaimed.

"Sure," she smiled back. "See ya, Roger."

"See ya-oh, listen to that Queen album tonight, or just, before the show tomorrow if you come!"

She just nodded and gave a small smile in response before turning and making her way to the cash.

-

As soon as she got to her dorm, she put her stuff down before calling up her good friend, Grace.

Dylan and Grace had been friends for years, even now that they were in schools in different states.

Grace picked up on the third ring and Dylan immediately began telling her about what had just happened at the record store.

"I don't know if I'm gonna go," Dylan told her friend.

"Why not? It could be fun!" Grace encouraged.

"Maybe," Dylan thought aloud. "But I don't even have anyone to go with."

"What about your roommate?" Grace suggested.

"And listen to her whine about anything she can all night? I don't think so," Dylan said making the both of them laugh. "Can't you just fly out here and drag me out?"

"As much as I'd love to, I'm afraid I can't," Grace laughed. "Okay, well you can talk to that guy, Robert, while you're there."

"Did you mean Roger?"

"Whatever."

"Okay, but he's going to be on stage," Dylan said.

"Then watch on your own and talk to him afterwards," Grace said like it was the most obvious thing.

"I don't know..." Dylan said for the millionth time.

"Was he cute?" Grace asked.

"Yeah, i think so," Dylan answered honestly.

"Oh, wow. If you think he's cute he must be something else."

"What does that mean?"

"You never find anyone cute!" Grace exclaimed making them both laugh.

"Oh, whatever," Dylan said. It was quiet a bit between them before Dylan heard the door to the dorm open and close. "Alright, well Stella's here and I want to make myself some food, so I'm gonna let you go."

"Alright. Have fun," Grace joked. "And I think you should go meet up with that guy."

"Okay, whatever. Talk to you soon. Goodbye," Dylan said with a light laugh before hanging up.

After making herself a sandwich and being told by her roommate Stella that she was going out, Dylan made her way back into her room and put on the new album she'd bought that day.

"Queen II," she said to herself as she put the needle down. "Didn't know there was a Queen I."

And that was how Dylan spent her Friday night; eating her sandwich, listening to Queen and doing a bit of studying.