TWO SOULS: INTO THE FIRE
63rd installment
warning...adult content
~
The next morning, people were packing up...some leaving, some going sight-seeing. Steve decided to try fishing again. As he was getting his fishing pole ready, Ghost was writing in his journal, and taking pictures of the lake and Steve. A couple of nearby campers came over.
"Mornin'," they said.
Ghost smiled, and offered them some coffee they'd made on the little gas stove. Steve walked over to see what was up.
"We heard your singing and playing last night...it was great." they said. "Did you say you were playing in town tonight?"
"We're gonna try to. Maybe y'all can come," said Ghost.
Steve came up behind Ghost, then. "Hey, Steve, these are some people who liked our songs. Oh, this here's Steve...he plays the guitar."
They all nodded and said, "Hey."
"Well, we're going to be in town, so we'll look you up, then," said one. They all walked off. Steve didn't say much, but he had a wary look, as he went back to his fishing pole.
"Don't start nothin'," Ghost muttered to himself, but Steve heard him, anyway.
"What was that, Ghost?"
"Nothin'," Ghost said, as he went back to his writing.
Steve did catch a few fish, and showed Ghost, who took a picture. "You ready to eat fish for breakfast?" Steve asked.
Ghost looked appalled, but said, "Sure, Steve...not really."
"Well, which one is it then?" Steve asked, baffled at Ghost.
"Uh, they're real nice fish, but...but...I'm not hungry...ok?"
"Fine then, I'll eat them all. First I have to..."
Ghost started running away, up the embankment, and all the way to the car. Steve shook his head, but continued preparing the fish for the pan. After cooking them, he was enjoying fresh, fried fish, when Ghost came slinking back to the campsite. His eyes were dark, and Steve knew he was upset.
"These sure are good...want some?" Steve held out his plate, knowing it would creep Ghost out, but couldn't resist doing it anyway.
"No...how can you do that, Steve? How can you catch a nice, innocent fish, and then just kill it...and then just eat it like nothing just happened?"
"Easy...I was hungry." Steve licked his fingers.
Ghost just looked sad.
"Listen, dude, ya gotta get over things like this. Somebody caught the ones in the grocery store, and you eat those just fine. This just eliminates the middle man," Steve explained. "What'd ya do, go sing a dirge to the fishies?" he snickered.
"Maybe I did," said Ghost.
"I know you did...I heard ya," said Steve.
"Whatever," said Ghost as he looked for something else to eat.
~
They drove into town to inquire about performing. The bar said sure, and put them on the line-up of acts. Then having the rest of the day to themselves, they went over to the coffee shop, and asked about their chances of playing there the next night. They got the go-ahead there, too.
Next, they figured they'd better do some laundry, so they gathered up their dirty clothes, and found the laundromat. As they sat there waiting for their clothes to get washed and dried, they didn't notice groups of townspeople passing by on the sidewalk, and peering in the window at them. Word was spreading around the small town, that some drifters were going to be appearing at the local bar and coffee shop.
The campers had been talking to shopkeepers, that they'd heard them sing last night, and that they were good.
Ghost and Steve, - or rather Steve - considered what he should wear that night. He didn't feel he should wear his all out rocker get up, so had to think of something that wouldn't be so in their face, so to speak. Settling on his jeans, black t-shirt, and boots, in other words, his everyday clothes, he was done. Ghost never worried about what he'd wear, just grabbing whatever he happened to see first.
Looked like today, it was worn out, faded jeans, with holes in the knees, and a soft blue and white striped hoodie, his striped knee socks, and tennis shoes that he'd written all over. Steve thought he was cute, no matter what he wore...or didn't.
They decided to sing and play a few older songs, and maybe a new one mixed in. They only had a little while on their turn to play. They didn't expect such a big crowd, though, when they arrived. It looked like it was a packed house. This place was similar to the Sacred Yew...bar, game room, dance floor, and stage.
They were the last on the list of performers, so they got to hear someone else's music. They were mostly covers of country bands, some bluegrass, a pop tune or two, and one guy did a rap, and he got booed off the stage. Since Ghost and Steve's main genre was southern rock, they figured they'd do ok in this crowd.
There were some teens, some college kids from the nearby big town down the road, a few older folks, but they didn't see any kids dressed in goth clothes, like at home. They were up next, just the two of them...Steve with his acoustic guitar, and no background tape, but they were ready. Ghost felt a tingle of exciement, as usual, as they took the stage.
The announcer, a local DJ, introduced them. "Everyone please welcome a band form the east coast of this great state..."Lost Souls?"
Ghost took hold of the mic and nodded to Steve, and they began their first song, a cover of the Eagles, *Take it to the Limit". They figured everyone had heard this one, and it'd get them off to a good start...and it did. People were singing along, and the dance floor filled up. They continued their short play-list, putting in a couple of their own songs.
Most everyone was having a good time, however there was a group of guys who were just drinking at the bar, and hollering rude comments. Steve figured it just came with the territory - gotta be someone who wasn't happy. They closed with "World", which most of the audience didn't understand at all, but seemed to like anyway.
Afterward, Ghost went back stage before Steve, who was packing up his guitar, and accepting a beer from a guy who'd liked their show.
~
*Take it to the Limit" by the Eagles, Randy Meisner, Don Henley, Glenn Frey, released November 15, 1975, label - Asylum
Next installment coming soon!
Peace, Love, & Writing
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