The Online Experience

April 9, 1996 (part 3)

A short while later Prince was fast asleep on the couch, he head leaned over to the side, resting comfortably against the back of the couch. Quietly extracting myself from his sleeping grip I left him there, covering him with a plush white throw from the back of the sofa. While he slept off his Thanksgiving food coma, I began the task of putting away the leftovers and generally cleaning up from a day of cooking. The apartment quickly filled with the subtle sounds of dish cleaning and his muffled, heavy sleeping breath.  As I passed between the kitchen and the kitchen table I glanced his way, noting how gentle and childlike he appeared snuggled under the fuzzy white blanket and curled into the couch.  The soft lines of his face, not a worry in the world showed on his face while he slept, and as beautiful as that sight was, it still made me think back to how I'd found him earlier today. It had been so painfully obvious he had been upset this morning and I'm still not sure if he had lied to me for his sake or mine.  Thick lips mumbled through his sleep, his forehead furrowing, I couldn't make out a single word, but the worry and lines starting to show on his sleeping features told me his sleeping conversation wasn't any fun.  After a few more minutes he quieted and appeared to be in a peaceful rest again. As I finally turned away from the sight before me the piercing sound of the phone ringing cut through the room and rushed to grab it, hoping not to wake him. Dragging the phone into my apartment I glanced his way, finding him still asleep as I shut my door and finally answered the caller.

"Hello?"

"Um, Hi, is this Sydney?" The very deep voice rang from the other side of the line only causing my features to tense up in question.

"Yes and who is this?" The mans voice wasn't completely foreign, but I was completely unable to place it.

"Oh, hi, this is John." His smile was evident in his large voice, but I still couldn't find that voice in my memory.

"I'm sorry, um, I don't know any John."

"Yeah, we met briefly, in Minneapolis, I'm dating your friend Meg."

"Oh John, I'm so sorry, I didn't recognize your voice at all." My fingers twirled around the phone cord as I happily recalled that trip and everything it entailed; it was the first time in a while that memories of that trip had made me do anything besides grimace. "So what's up John," my smile faltering slightly, "is everything alright with Meg?"

"She's fine actually," the nervousness in his voice was evident now as he drew an uncertain breath, "this is gonna sound crazy."

"Well I've got a lot of crazy going on in my life right now, so what's a little more." Laughing through my words. "Lay it on me John."

"Ok, you remember I work security for The Artist?" None of these words sounded comfortable coming out of his mouth for whatever reason.

"Hhhmmmm." Nodding to my empty bedroom.

"Alright here it is. He left for a 'trip' over the weekend and didn't tell any of us where exactly. Now is wife is concerned because she hasn't been able to reach him since they last spoke this morning. He left a few people to contact in case we needed him, and, well, you're on that list." My mind was spinning as his rushed words finally ended and I could vaguely tell he was hoping I wouldn't actually think he was crazy. "I've called everyone else, so this is my hail marry sort of. Hoping you have some idea where he might me. I just want to make sure he's alright. He didn't want us coming on his trip and wouldn't. . . "

"John," interrupting his hasty rambling, "take a deep breath and relax." My heart sped up as the words started to form on my lips. "I know where he is and he's fine.'' John obviously didn't have a clue, and while my tone revealed nothing specific, I knew by the end of the call he would know.