No time like the present to work on some lyrics. I go into the booth and start to play. There’s no way I can set up the recording and perform at the same time but if we have the space I might as well use it.
She takes her time making decisions
Not one to rush into the room
She finds a way to make you smile
When you’re looking through the gloom
The words just come to me as I play and I work out how they should sound. I don’t want to write anything overly sappy when it comes to my music. Part of the image I’m going for is keeping a hard edge. I have to throw myself under the bus some when it comes to my lyric. Somehow, I find the next part is about me and I can picture her singing it.
He tries his best to seem immobile
His touch ignites a flame
He can’t get out of his own way
And she I’m not the one to blame
“That was good, man,” I jump not realizing Thomas has come back into the room. You’re evolving as a writer and a singer. We’ve just got to figure out what’s wrong with your muse.
“She’s come unhinged,” I say and write that down.
“Something, figure it out. This day will be a freebie, but we’ve got it for the next three.”
I play for a little longer and then call her one more time. Since she once again doesn’t answer and it’s now eight o’clock, I give up. Heading to the house I pick up Chinese on the way. I feel like it’s a good night to drown myself in noodles. Surely, she’s going to have a good reason. I can’t believe she would just blow me off.
I pick up a six pack too because I figure it’s also a good night for a beer. I wish I had a decoder for what women were thinking. I thought I had her figured out and come to find out I didn’t. After the second beer someone is knocking on my door.
I’m thrilled convinced it’s Addy and she’s ready to tell me what’s going on. We’ll make up, make love and then sing. Everything will be okay.
I throw the door open to find George. He’s shivering wearing a button up white shirt over a tank top both of which are dirty. His jeans are ripped and there’s blood on the knee of on leg. His eyes are wild as he walks into the apartment pushing past me. I don’t think to push him back out because I’m so shocked to see him.
“George, what the hell?”
He walks over to my refrigerator and takes out a beer.
“George, put that back. We’re not friends right now. You shouldn’t be at my house right now.” I’m angry at the audacity he has to walk in and not say a word.
“Charlie, I need a fix. I know you’ve got that coke. You don’t do it.” He’s moving towards me and he kind of puts me in the mind of a zombie hunting for brains. I wonder how many days he’s been up.
It’s against my better judgment, but I have to tell him. I flushed the drugs when Ada came over. I didn’t want them to be in the house with her there. It wasn’t like she’d ever find them. It was just me feeling better not having it in the house.
I’ve truly never seen someone so jazzed over coke before. I start to wonder if he’s been shooting harder drugs and smoking crack.
“It’s gone, George. I did it. I was upset over Ada not showing up so I partied a little. I’m sorry.”
“You’re lying, he says taking another sip of beer and pointing at me. He’s nodding and moving back and forth from foot to foot. I take a step back away from him as he continues to point. “Where is it, Charlie? I’m going to tear this place up. Just give it to me, you know I can’t help it.”
Now the heat is rising in my body and my fists are clenching. How dare he come into my home and threaten me.
“You can help it, George. You can help it by not being a junkie. I don’t know what you’ve been shooting but you’ve never been like this over coke. I flushed it. Is that what you want to hear. I flushed it. It’s not here anymore.”
George starts to shake and grabs the front of my shirt. He shakes me and his mouth turns into a snarl.
“Why would you do that, you idiot. You could have given it to me.”
I take his hands off my shirt and shove him as hard as I can towards my door.