"Joey, you got any new records?"
Elise folds her arms on the edge of his lifted register's platform as she watches Joey turn to give her his attention.
She's in need of a good record on this fine Monday. It's been a rough couple of months and she has yet to have finished her biggest project. She spent all morning trying to create the perfect shade of orange. It took a moment before it occurred to her that perhaps a listen to the right record could help her locate that specific kind of funky spunk to create a firey sunset hue that will best fit a teeny tiny dot that is to become the beauty mark of a true beauty unmarked.
"Yeah, I got a few."
"Cool, but first,"Elise slips off the edge of the counter top. "I have to find the James Brown record I hid beneath the Fred Astaire albums back there."
Joey's eyes tell all. Elise pauses for a moment as she reads his expression. For some reason, she'd prefer that he vocalize what exactly has happened. Instead, he silently opens up his usual book of crossword puzzles.
"Joey..."
"Yes?"
"Where's my hidden James Brown record?"
Joey places his pencil in the creasing of his book. His bottom lip rolls inwardly as he reaches beneath the register for a registry of inventory. Joey scans it as if he has no idea where the hidden record has gone. He closes it and looks at Elise, who's patience is running quite low as she awaits her friend to deliver the news she knows she will reap.
"It's been bought."
Elise questions, "By who?"
Who else, thinks Joey.
"Prince came in here twenty minutes ago with one of his little gal pals, you know? He'd gone back there— exactly where you hid it and bought it. I can't really deny him the purchase, because, y'know... that's illegal."
As expected, the first thing out of Elise's mouth is: "That bastard!" Joey sighs once more as he retrieves his activity book and pencil. Elise's foot begins to tap in anger. "How did he even know where I put it?"
Joey shrugs.
"And who was he with?"
Joey shrugs again. He says, "Some weepy eyed white girl. I'm not really sure who she is. I've never seen her."
It is quite rare for Joey to not know who is roaming Minneapolis. With Electric Fetus being smack dab in the center of all of Minneapolis' commotion, Joey knows practically all of the county's citizens due to the popularity of his employment office. Whoever the female is, she is new.
"You know what that means?"
"Uh, you gotta' buy a new record?"
"No!" Elise paces across the edge of the glass counter. "That means that punk bitch was fucking watching me shop. He's such a fucking creep!"
"Well..."
Joey's eyes begin to roam in an awkward manner. He knows exactly what is happening between the two. After all, Elise knew him long before her gaze met Prince's. He also has come to befriend Prince with all thanks to Else, of course. He's in a rocky spot and he chooses to not say anything at all... even when Elise bad mouthes Prince and he knows that Prince only speaks highly of her.
"You know what that means?"
"Uh, you're gonna' buy a new record now?"
"No, I'm going to get the one that belongs to me!"
Elise briskly exits.
