It was the last day of the tour and Hewitt was packing up his bag. The RV they had rented three weeks ago was standing in the empty parking lot of Kmart it Louisville, with a bright blue sedan parked by its side. City bu city, boys slept, ate and tried to rest in the tin can they called 'a home'.
"Let's do a final sweep. The hell I'm leaving anything in this tin can." The drummer, Darius, slammed the tiny bathroom door shut and set his long blond hair into a shaggy ponytail.
"Make sure you get your valuables," Joseph pushed his shirts into the bag, opening drawers and then slamming them shut as he packed up his stuff.
"The driver is waiting. Pack up your shit," Howie, the youngest member of the band shouted from outside and all the guys pushed their belongings back into their bags.
After zipping up his bag and then throwing it over his shoulder, Joseph hushed everyone out of the RV.
"We meet up in Lockley's on the 22th." He reminded to his fellow mates, opening up the drunk of the car.
"Six o'clock?" Darius asked and Joseph nodded.
Since the tour was over and everyone needed a little break, Joseph hadn't scheduled any gigs until the two week break was over. Guys headed home to spend time with their wives and kids, else Joseph planned to visit his parents in Baltimore. He hadn't been home for two years, busy writing music for their new album.
The new studio, shared with another local band, was outside DC, nowhere close to anyone's home. So when they decided to record another album, all the bandmates had to move cross country to work. That caused a lot of problems in everyone's personal and family lives. Except Joseph- he didn't have kids, nor did he have a girlfriend.
"Anne made peach cobbler today," Howie leaned against the trunk of the car, his hands crossed on his chest. "Married life is like heaven. Nice food, gorgeous woman, hot sweaty sex."
Everyone else burst out into laughter. Howie stared at his friends, confused.
"What's so funny?" He asked.
Darius wiped tears from his eyes with the back of his hand. "Once that hot sweaty sex leads to small humans, all that is over my son."
"Yeah, yeah. Then it's diapers, nuggets for dinner and she having headaches every day just to avoid you touching her." Jonas, the band's bassist, came around the car and put his hand on Howie's shoulder, patting him gently.
"That can't be so bad." He asked and watched everyone huff out a laugh before sitting in the car.
Howie moved restlessly, his forehead now covered with sweat.
Car doors slammed shut and he narrowed his eyes, realization slowly seeping in.
"Can it?" He mumbled to himself.
*
It was half past six when Joseph stepped into Lockley's, the pub he visited most. Behind the bar, Marcus was putting beer bottles into the fridge.
"See who finally had time to come and see an old friend," he watched Joseph pull the jacket off his shoulders and lay it down on the stool beside him.
"You know I was on tour." He replied, lacing his fingers and resting them on the cold wood. "Sorry, my brother. I have forsaken our friendship but now I am here to redeem myself."
"It was about time. And seeing how tired you look, I can't blame you avoiding any attention for some time. Anyways, a beer? Or two?" He asked, letting the door of the fridge close.
"You know what I need the most right now. Hit me up," Joseph replied, bringing the bowl of nuts closer to him and dug in.
Whenever he came from tour, it wasn't beer he craved. It was a glass of Johnny Walker, the drink that had grew to be his signature poison. Like always, Marcus didn't pour him a glass from an open bottle. That was against his policy of serving his best friends. Instead, he took a new bottle from under the bar and filled the glass.
"How's business?" Joseph took the glass and poured the drink down his throat immediately. "Any news?"
"Same old, same old. Haven't had a full house in a while." Marcus replied, embracing himself against the sink, both hands clenching the cold ceramic.
"Oh, we will change that. As soon as guys get back, we are here to entertain the crowd for weeks." Joseph replied.
"You sure about that? As I recall, you basically gigged in every fucking city in the past month. I don't know if there are any souls in the close area who hasn't been brain washed with that rock music. They might be sick of it."
"Hell! Don't remind me, God. I'm not sure I even remember all the places. This went like a blurry effing roller coaster."
Marcus smiled, dimples coming to view on his cheeks. "I never doubt in your promises, Hewitt. I am most grateful to have you here to play. It will bring me in some good money."
"Good, because I am giving my all to have this pub be recognized with a place with good music, great ambiance and best beer in town."
"Thank you, buddy. It means a lot to me." Marcus leaned over the bar to shake Joseph's hand.
Joseph pulled back, fiddling with the glass.
"Don't get so mushy, will you?! My glass is empty and I don't need any sentimental shit actually right now."
"Yeah, sure." He filled Joseph's glass again. "But since you are here, how about we discuss the plan?"
"Fine." Joseph held his drink to his lips. "Lay it on me."
