The Past Recedes

Chapter 12

"When I went on tour for the first time, I never thought I would be doing this", said Josh with a laugh.

"What did you think was going to happen on tour? Sex, drugs and rock and roll? I don't do the first two, but there's plenty of the last one", teased John.

"Hah, I meant it would be a little more eventful. I mean, it's cool to go on tour and see all these different places. But I like it, I've been all over LA and New York but I've never been to the Midwest, I've just flown over it", said Josh.

"This is the best bookstore in Chicago, I try to find used bookstores or record stores in each place we play. I might need to get an extra room for books and vinyls", said John.

"Same here", agreed Josh.

John adjusted his sunglasses and black beanie hat before he led Josh inside Myopic Bookstore. The massive used bookstore in Chicago was spread out on three floors with shelves nearly up to the ceiling stuffed with books. Josh's eyes went wide in delight and he immediately knew he was going to be buying something. "I was the same way when I first got here, the first tour we did after we got sober. When I was a younger guy, every tour stop I'd be trying to hook up with girls", he said ruefully.

"Girls are not interesting in my pasty, skinny self. Oh well", said Josh with a shrug.

The men grabbed plastic baskets and stalked the aisles. "I'm going to find a good book on ancient Egypt for Nika. I know she's not going to like some kiddie book", said John.

"Yeah, she seems like a very smart girl. I wouldn't have liked reading a kiddie book on Egypt either", said Josh in agreement.

The two men went over to the ancient history section and started browsing. While many of the books were about ancient Greece and Rome, the store did have a sizable amount of books on ancient Egypt. John could only shake his head when he scanned the back cover of a book which claimed that aliens built the pyramids. "Oh yeah, I read that one, I got it at a flea market. It's crap, aliens didn't built the pyramids, slaves did. And some of my ancestors might have been among them", Josh quipped.

"Hah, maybe some of mine too since Mom is half-Jewish. But really, someone's watched too much Stargate", said John.

"This looks like a good one, it's an Oxford book", said Josh.

"Yeah, it does. And it's in British English, her grandparents are British", said John as he placed the book in the basket.

"That is awesome. I'd love to be part-British, maybe one day I can visit England. That's been my dream since I was a kid", sighed Josh.

"England and the UK in general are too cold and rainy for my tastes, I've lived in California too long. Plus the food sucks, it's bad for my system", said John.

"I love British food and I like the rain and chill. I can wear baggy clothes all the time and not look like a weirdo", Josh laughed.

"You were born in the wrong state", teased John.

"I know, I'm not a California guy at all. Maybe I was British in another life, but then again, my Mom is Irish", said Josh with a shrug.

"I'm a quarter Irish, my family's all mixed up", said John.

"Maybe one day I'll get to see England, I want to go someplace cold", said Josh.

John had to smile when he saw Josh half an hour later with his basket laden with books, the skinny young man barely able to carry it. "You'll have to stash it under the bunk", he remarked.

"Yeah, I have too many books at home. But my parents are glad that at least I don't drink or take drugs. Plus used books are a reasonably cheap hobby, and they don't rot your brain like video games", said Josh.

John nodded in agreement as he took the books out of the basket and the clerk rang them up, the Oxford history book and several books by Buddhist writers. "No wonder you're so chill", teased Josh.

"Yeah, I got all the partying and craziness out of my system and depleted my interest in ever doing that shit ever again. It was kind of a fucked-up learning experience, but a learning experience nonetheless", said John.

Back at the hotel John put away the books and took out his Nokia. He hopped up and down on the balls of his feet as he called the house and waited for someone to pick it up. "Hello?", said Nika.

"Hi Nika, it's Dad. We're in Chicago for the show tomorrow", said John.

"Nice, what's Chicago like?", she asked.

"Windy, big. Josh and I went to a used bookstore and bought lots of stuff", he replied.

"Ohh, that sounds fun! I would buy lots of books if I had a job", she said excitedly.

"I know, I've never seen a kid who reads as much as you do", he teased.

"I like to read, I want to know many things. Grandma and Grandpa took me to the mall and got me all your band's albums", said Nika.

"Really? Did you listen to them?", he asked.

"Some of them, I don't like the older older. They're very noisy and Anthony sings all weird", said Nika.

"Uh, we were much younger and I wasn't in the band yet. Did you like our other albums?", he asked hopefully.

"The new one is nice, the one with the red swimming pool. I liked that Scar Tissue song and Road Trippin;", she replied.

John couldn't help the smile on his face." Thank you so much! I was concerned you wouldn't like our stuff", h e said.

"It's not bad, just not to my taste. It's cool, are you on MTV?", she asked.

"Yeah, we're on MTV. Why don't you watch some?", he suggested.

"Maybe, I don't want to watch a lot of dumb videos", she said dubiously.

An idea suddenly came to him. "I got an idea, Nika. But say Hi to your grandparents for me", he said.

"Okay, Dad. See you soon", she replied.

John put on his jacket and went downstairs to ask the concierge something. Soon he was at a local Blockbuster Video, having rented a VCR and bought a blank VHS tape. "That's a great idea, John!", said Flea when John told him what he wanted to do.

The two men hooked up the VCR to the TV and turned on MTV. Luckily MTV was playing a block of rock videos and they managed to tape several of their videos, followed by their Making the Video for Around the World. "You can show it to Nika, or do you want to mail it?", asked Flea.

"That sounds like a great idea, I'll mail it", agreed John.

Both men went down the street to the post office, clad in baseball caps and sunglasses. John placed the tape in a sturdy box and added the address to the top as the man behind the counter added stamps for next day delivery. "I understand why she didn't like the early stuff, Clara things our early stuff sucks too, kids don't seem to like it much. But at least she'll see what we do live", said Flea.

"I want my daughter to like our music, is that strange?", John asked.

"No, it's only natural. You're still new to this whole dad thing, it'll get more natural as time goes on and you get experience", said Flea.

"Does it get easier?", he asked.

"No, since being a parent is always an adventure. It doesn't get easier, but it does become more natural", said Flea.

"I guess. Do you think I should start dating again, Nika might need a mother figure", said John.

"Be careful, you have to make sure she likes your new girlfriend. If Clara doesn't get along with girls I date, then we break up. I don't want to have my daughter feel she comes in second, she's the main girl in my life now", said Flea.

"I guess you're right. I have to concentrate on my daughter right now", agreed John.