go check with Gary and
Holland to make sure they’re all set. Kill it tonight, ok?” she says, swatting
my arm as she passes.
I manage to return her smile before the
resigned sigh escapes. Dandelion Luke. I guess it has a certain ring to it.
Beats Train-Wreck Luke anyway.
Atlanta, Georgia
September
15
“Donuts!
Coffee if you want it!” our tour manager Kenneth calls, waving in the
promoter’s assistant whose arms are loaded with provisions. I jump up from the
couch to help him set his load on the table in the lounge of the bus. Eli and
Sweeny are still in their bunks, and Callie and Casey are giggling in the back
behind closed doors. I can tell Kenneth is annoyed at his small audience, but
that’s nothing new.
“Where is everyone?” he asks, gripping his binder with white
knuckles.
I struggle to suppress my grin as I shrug, amused by his abhorrence
of all things rocker-living. Kenneth is a fantastic tour manager, but I can’t
imagine a worse career for the rigid, detail-oriented drill sergeant than
dealing with a busload of entitled, Type B artists day-in and day-out.
“I’ll fill them in, don’t worry. What’ve you got?” I assure
him before his eyes burst from their sockets.
He mutters something and shakes his head in an attempt to
refocus on his thick, tabulated binder. I grab a coffee from the tray and lean
back, waiting for my instructions. I can sense the young assistant’s gaze and
glance over, even more amused at his obvious awe as he hovers at the top of the
stairs. He knows his job is done but is reluctant to end his brief moment inside
the walls of this legendary shrine. I’ve seen it a thousand times and it still
makes me smile.
“Come grab a donut,” I call over to the poor kid, half to be
nice and half to watch the shocked horror cross Kenneth’s face. Breakfast with
the help is most definitely not on his schedule.
The assistant has no idea what to do with my comment and
just stares at me from the top step. I smile to myself and pull one from the
box as if demonstrating the process of eating for my two companions. He’s now gazing
up at Kenneth who’s glaring at me. I don’t know why I find this whole thing so funny,
but I’m about to egg them on further when we hear shuffling. I turn and see Eli
staggering toward us, sleep still in his eyes, right hand rubbing his messy
hair.
“Oh hey, Kenny. Coffee? Fantastic,” he mumbles, grabbing another
cup from the tray. He drops beside me on the couch and takes a sip. Oh god. “Kenny.”
Kenneth hates that!
“What’d I miss?”
I have to restrain a laugh at the expression on Kenneth’s
face as he scans his pages with suppressed ire.
“Nothing yet, Eli. Thanks for joining us. We were just about
to begin. Now, I know we’ve had a tight schedule the last few days, and it will
continue in Atlanta. We’ll have a nice break in Myrtle Beach starting tomorrow,
but for now, I need you all to adhere to the plan and hang on for one more day
until…”
“Can you book us each a room here?” Eli interrupts. “I need
a real shower. Like, a big-ass ginormous one. I’m sick of sharing.”
I turn away to hide my smirk. I can’t tell if Eli is just
trying to get under Kenneth’s skin or is really so oblivious. He has that dry
delivery that makes it impossible to be sure. Either way, it’s hilarious
watching the older man’s world crumble.
“Not in Atlanta, no. I’ve booked one for you to share for
your cleanup today as usual, but that’s it. You will have a few rooms in Myrtle
Beach. Perhaps you can hold out until tomorrow? I will do my best at finding ‘big-ass’
amenities on such short notice.”
I almost die. It’s everything I can do to hold it all
inside. Eli just sighs and closes his eyes. It actually looks like he’s gone
back to sleep, and I jab him in the ribs. He jumps and glares at me.
“Kenneth is giving us the schedule,” I explain, and we have
to look away from each other so we don’t burst out
Holland to make sure they’re all set. Kill it tonight, ok?” she says, swatting
my arm as she passes.
I manage to return her smile before the
resigned sigh escapes. Dandelion Luke. I guess it has a certain ring to it.
Beats Train-Wreck Luke anyway.
Atlanta, Georgia
September
15
“Donuts!
Coffee if you want it!” our tour manager Kenneth calls, waving in the
promoter’s assistant whose arms are loaded with provisions. I jump up from the
couch to help him set his load on the table in the lounge of the bus. Eli and
Sweeny are still in their bunks, and Callie and Casey are giggling in the back
behind closed doors. I can tell Kenneth is annoyed at his small audience, but
that’s nothing new.
“Where is everyone?” he asks, gripping his binder with white
knuckles.
I struggle to suppress my grin as I shrug, amused by his abhorrence
of all things rocker-living. Kenneth is a fantastic tour manager, but I can’t
imagine a worse career for the rigid, detail-oriented drill sergeant than
dealing with a busload of entitled, Type B artists day-in and day-out.
“I’ll fill them in, don’t worry. What’ve you got?” I assure
him before his eyes burst from their sockets.
He mutters something and shakes his head in an attempt to
refocus on his thick, tabulated binder. I grab a coffee from the tray and lean
back, waiting for my instructions. I can sense the young assistant’s gaze and
glance over, even more amused at his obvious awe as he hovers at the top of the
stairs. He knows his job is done but is reluctant to end his brief moment inside
the walls of this legendary shrine. I’ve seen it a thousand times and it still
makes me smile.
“Come grab a donut,” I call over to the poor kid, half to be
nice and half to watch the shocked horror cross Kenneth’s face. Breakfast with
the help is most definitely not on his schedule.
The assistant has no idea what to do with my comment and
just stares at me from the top step. I smile to myself and pull one from the
box as if demonstrating the process of eating for my two companions. He’s now gazing
up at Kenneth who’s glaring at me. I don’t know why I find this whole thing so funny,
but I’m about to egg them on further when we hear shuffling. I turn and see Eli
staggering toward us, sleep still in his eyes, right hand rubbing his messy
hair.
“Oh hey, Kenny. Coffee? Fantastic,” he mumbles, grabbing another
cup from the tray. He drops beside me on the couch and takes a sip. Oh god. “Kenny.”
Kenneth hates that!
“What’d I miss?”
I have to restrain a laugh at the expression on Kenneth’s
face as he scans his pages with suppressed ire.
“Nothing yet, Eli. Thanks for joining us. We were just about
to begin. Now, I know we’ve had a tight schedule the last few days, and it will
continue in Atlanta. We’ll have a nice break in Myrtle Beach starting tomorrow,
but for now, I need you all to adhere to the plan and hang on for one more day
until…”
“Can you book us each a room here?” Eli interrupts. “I need
a real shower. Like, a big-ass ginormous one. I’m sick of sharing.”
I turn away to hide my smirk. I can’t tell if Eli is just
trying to get under Kenneth’s skin or is really so oblivious. He has that dry
delivery that makes it impossible to be sure. Either way, it’s hilarious
watching the older man’s world crumble.
“Not in Atlanta, no. I’ve booked one for you to share for
your cleanup today as usual, but that’s it. You will have a few rooms in Myrtle
Beach. Perhaps you can hold out until tomorrow? I will do my best at finding ‘big-ass’
amenities on such short notice.”
I almost die. It’s everything I can do to hold it all
inside. Eli just sighs and closes his eyes. It actually looks like he’s gone
back to sleep, and I jab him in the ribs. He jumps and glares at me.
“Kenneth is giving us the schedule,” I explain, and we have
to look away from each other so we don’t burst out
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