The Past Recedes

Chapter 19

Nika wasn't sure what this feeling was as she got in the rental car to pick up Josh and drive and her father to the airport. On the one hand, she knew this was her father's job and he was going to the East Coast of the country to play shows. On the other hand, she was going to miss him since he was kind to her and brought her to the museum. "Josh can't afford the long-term parking, plus his truck is so old", Gail explained.

"After the tour, he should make enough to buy a new car. His truck needs to be towed to the junkyard", said John.

"I know, he deserves it. He's a brilliant kid", said John Sr.

"We're going to Washington DC, Baltimore, Pittsburgh, Philadelphia, New York and Boston. Then we got three weeks off before we play some festival dates in the UK and Europe. Is there anything you would like me to bring back?", asked John.

"Maybe some pictures of museums, I would like to see the Metropolitan Museum of Art, and the Smithsonian", said Nika shyly.

"Sure, I'll take plenty of pictures. Next time we do a show in LA, you can watch it from backstage", said John.

Josh was outside waiting for them with the suitcase at his feet, an eager grin on his face. "You're not old enough to be jaded by touring", John laughed.

"I know, I'm still at the stage where I love touring and seeing places. When I've been around the world a few times, then I'll hate touring", said Josh with a laugh.

"Have you been the world, Dad?", she asked.

"Yeah, at first I thought it was exciting but I got bored of it since it was a lot of rushing around. Now since we got a more laid back schedule, touring is much better", said John.

"Yeah, and after this tour I'm going finally get a new car. But I'm going to miss the old boy", said Josh with a sigh.

"Yeah, but don't keep dumping cigarettes and soda cans inside", said John Sr.

"I won't, Mr. Frusciante. Maybe I can get a car with an ashtray", said Josh.

"Yeah, of course it would be great if we never started, but that's in the past", said John with a shrug.

They arrived at LAX and John and Josh joined Bob outside to smoke cigarettes. "One day, I'm going to smoke nice ones", laughed Josh as he lit up a Camel right from the pack with a cheap disposable lighter.

"One day, after you get the new car. You can get a really good cigarette case with a Zippo lighter", said Bob as he took a drag off his Marlboro.

John nodded as he lit up his Dunhill, the silver of his cigarette case shining in the morning light. "Yeah, I got tired of my cigarettes getting crushed. When you get the car, then I'll take you to buy a cigarette case", he said.

The trio continued smoking quietly for a few minutes. John took a drag off his cigarette and mused that this was the one vice he still allowed himself, how him and Bob had done so much crazy stuff and now just smoked cigarettes like old men. He watched as Josh took a drag and exhaled, the younger man having smoked down to the very end of the filter. "Josh, you shouldn't smoke it down to the end", he chided.

"I want to get the last bit of the tobacco out of the cigarette. I need to make mine last", he said.

"When you start making better money, you won't need to smoke down to the filter", said Bob.

The three men finished smoking and deposited the spent butts into a plastic outdoor ashtray. "When are you going to stop pounding coffin nails?", teased Flea.

"It's my one vice, after all the shit I've done, cigarettes won't kill me", said John with a shrug.

"When we come back from this tour, you'll have to try and see about finding a school for Nika", said Flea.