Far Beyond Broken

January 15, 1987. Thursday

I took a seat on the curb and lit up a cigarette.
I shivered as the winter breeze blew past me.
I noticed a figure walking towards me. It was Phil. He sat next to me.
I tilted my cigarette over to him, “Want some?”
He took a few puffs then gave it back.
“Do you guys not use last names?”
I chuckled as I stomped out the cig.
“Katie Lenten, Mad Myles, and Vic Horton.”
“I'm guessing Vic is Victoria, but Mad is?”
“Maddie.”
“You have a nickname?”
“Some people call me K.”
“I'll go back in if I'm botherin' you.”
“You're fine, I just needed some air.”
“Hey, I'm no psychic or anything but you seem tense.”
I laughed, “Everything has been going a little slow lately. You know? Like with my band. It should be fine though, all bands go through dry spells.”
“I'm sure you guys'll be fine. Y'all play great, I don't know why people wouldn't wanna come out and see you all play.”
I wasn't sure what to say to that.
“I'm guessing you were in a band back in New Orleans? What happened with that?”
“It was very shifty. People always comin' and goin'. After I met Darrell and the guys I knew what I wanted, and that band wasn't cutting it.”
“I've never had to deal with people leaving. I'm lucky for that.”
We sat in silence for a few minutes.
“Wanna go back in, it's getting cold?”
“Sure,” I responded.
He held a hand out to pull me up.
When we walked back in together all attention turned to us.
“I thought you went back to Louisiana already. I was about to come looking for ya,” Darrell said.
“I just went to make sure she wasn't sitting out there by herself.”
“Aw, what a gentleman,” Mad said fluttering her eyelashes.
I rolled my eyes.
“We should probably get going, its almost one.”
“Yeah,” Vic stumbled getting to her feet.
“We're playing Friday at Joe's. Come see us!” Darrell shot out.
“Maybe if you're lucky,” I said waving as I left.