Next Exit - Prologue(part 2 of 3)

Next Exit
Prologue:

Bonzo's Coffeehouse
(Coventry Village)

Two:

I couldn't wait until my shift was over. Eleven o'clock couldn't get here any sooner. I had to work double shifts because one of the girls got pregnant. I didn't see what that had to do with me. It's not mine. Anyway I was stuck taking the flack for it. This whole week went sour, but today took the cake. One of my associates started an arguement with me right behind the counter in front of the customers. I so tried to keep my cool, but she had been getting on my f**king nerves all week. Then the boss called us into his office and read us the riot act. Still she wouldn't shut up. I just sat in the chair, and I slowly began to nod off. I just just plain tired. Then there was knocking. I sat straight up in the chair at attention. I thought for sure I was about to become an unemployed busboy. As it turned out, I was ordered to take my hour lunchbreak now. She, however, got a write up and was sent home for the day. I went outside and caught some air. She storms out and she sees me and gives me as look of disgust. I just stuck my tongue at her. That was the solace of my day.

I walk over to the park across Euclid Heights Boulevard and just sat down on one of the benches. I then started to ponder thoughts in my head when I came to this conclusion; All I ever do is complain about every f**king thing. I complain about work, complain about school, complain about the customers, complain about the boss, my associates, my friends, my life, anything, everything. I am always feeling tired. Just tired. I maybe haven't had a good nights sleep in over a couple of months. My daily routine during the week is school and work. Weekends, it's catching up on schoolwork and work. I go to school full time and I suppose to only work part time. However, I'm not making enough money as a busboy, so I scrap my whole summer to work some extra shifts just to be too damn tired to care.

I feel myself nodding out again. So here I go again popping about five or six 'no-doze' caffine pills to stay awake. Although I wish I could just fall asleep right here in the park on this bench and just let the world just wash over me. Unfortunatly, I still have another seven hours of work to go yet.

At least after this shift, I will have this weekend off. This will be my time. My escape from everything. I don't care if I lag behind in my studies, I am going to enjoy what little bit of summer is left.

I left the park and walked over to a pay phone to call my good friend, Roger. We haven't spoken much all summer because I was always busy with my same routine, school and work. I missed hanging out with my friends and having fun. I missed out on a whole lot this summer. The concerts on the square, the fireworks on the fourth of July, the Cain Park arts festival, the camping trip to Big Bear... Oh great, I get his answering machine. I'll just leave a message for him to ignore to call me at work before eleven o'clock.

Back at work, time seemed to just drag on. Finally, the sun starts to go down as the days seem to be getting shorter. But usually after about eight P.M. on a Friday evening, this place usually gets packed with college geeks on their laptop computers, wanna-be poets and coffehouse whores. So-called smart people asking stupid questions, wanting table service. Complaints over muffins not having enough blueberries in them, or why the donuts fall apart after they dunk them in their cafe' mocha. Stuff I really don't care about. After all, I am just the busboy.

Eight-thirty P.M. The boss informed me that I had recieved a phone call, along with the announcement about personal calls while on the job and gave me five minutes to respond. I answer in his office. It was Roger. I was a bit surprised that he called, but I was glad he did. He told me about how he had broke up with his crazy girlfriend, Jasmine, and had an extra ticket for the Vicious Circle concert down at Paulie's tonight. He invited me since I had called and wondered how I was doing, since it had been a long time since we had seen each other. I couldn't go into detail because of time restraints, but I agreed to go to the concert with him. I hang up the phone with a big grin on my face, and was ready to face my last couple hours of work without a care about what's around me.

I began to get quite anxious about how slow time dragged in the last hour. The hands on the clock didn't seem to want to move. I decided to get my sidework done early so I wouldn't have nothing to keep me from punching out and walking out that door soon as eleven o'clock came. I was slowly coming down from my last dose, and the feeling of drowsiness was covering over me like a dark cloud. Still I was determined to finnish everything I needed to get done.

Ten minutes until eleven. I don't see Roger outside yet. It's almost closing time. I hope he is on his way here. I really begin to sweat bullets, wanting so badly to get out of this melting coffee pot and out of this languid funk that I am in. Roger said that the concert starts at eleven. It would take us at least twenty minutes to get downtown from here. Hope if he gets here right on time, we would only miss a little of their first set.

I had put all the newly replenished set-ups on the tables and was ready to do the final task for the night when I looked up and saw Roger and D'wayne looking through the window from the street. I wave at them cheerfully, as they are both a redeeming sight to behold after this long twelve hour day. Five minutes later I had finally finnished my work, went into to employee restroom, quickly took off this ugly uniform and put on my jeans and my Cleveland Indians tee-shirt. I exited from the restroom, went straight to the time clock and punched my card out. I made a beeline from the back to the front door. I didn't bother to say goodbye to anyone, I just burst out the front door out to the street.

I walked over to the curb, and I started to feel a bit lightheaded and drowsy. It was time for another doze. This time, I took about six to eight pills and swallowed them whole. I was quite tired, but it wasn't time for sleep yet. I wanted to be alert to enjoy the night. Something I haven't done in such a long while.

Roger pulled up from the parking lot to the curb where I stood waiting. I rode shotgun, and D'wayne sat in the back. Finally, we were on our way downtown.

As soon as we got out the Heights into the city limits, D'wayne lit a bib fat blunt joint. The aroma guickly filled the air in the car. I thought I was catching a quick contact buzz by just breathing the air. D'wayne then passed the joint to me and I took two heavy drags from it. I then passed it to Roger and he followed suit. The rotation continued as we rolled down Chester Avenue.

I was feeling a bit euphoric between the high from the blunt and the 'no-doze' kicking in. Here comes the side effect to the method of depriving myself of sleep. My mind goes into a dreamlike state, and the marajuana effect is like I am on a roller coster ride. I seem to nod out of reality and I begin to see things that I thought I had blocked out of my mind. Somehow, for whatever reason, my vision was of a girl that was in my literature class last quarter named Cathy. She came like a flash, like her pearly white smile that would be the death of me. I visioned her like an angel, or a beautful bird whose feathers were so bright I would be struck blind.

I then felt a nudge on my shoulder. D'wayne was passing the blunt back to me. I quickly snap out of my trance. Here I am back in reality, and I now I think of Cathy... the girl who rejected me. The one who once was rumored that she dated the guitar player of the very band we are about to see. I must be high to even have a thought that I would ever be in her league. I am nothing but a tired busboy. Just a f**king nobody.

Finally we reached the wearhouse district. Traffic is quite heavy downtown as there is a game at the "Jake" tonight, and the city seems to be alive with action.

Ontario Street was jammed with traffic for quite a few blocks. It took more than five minutes to get past one block. Roger made a detour onto Huron Rd to get down closer to the east bank of the flats near Water Street. From there, we would approach Old River Road where Paulie's was located.

We had went over the drawbridge and made it over to the Canal Rd. intercetion, which was a four way stop. Roger came to a complete stop at the blinking red traffic signal. As he saw that traffic was clear, he rolls through the intersection. Suddenly out of nowhere, some crazy idiot on a motorcycle come racing from the south side of Canal Street, headed straight for us. I was close to blind from the cycle's bright lights approaching towards me. Roger floors the gas pedal, and the car races through the intersection, with the cycle missing us only by mere inches. The cycle continues to race down Canal Street, not breaking it's speed. He must've been flying at more than eighty miles-per-hour. We all had to catch our breath after that f**king s**t. Roger finally composed himself, as did D'wayne and myself, and we continue on to the club.

Finding a place to park was a total bitch. A real pain in the a**. We drove around in traffic for another twenty minutes before one was found a couple blocks away near Main Avenue. That sucks, now we got to walk about six blocks to get to the club, and we are missing more of the show every minute that is waisted.

We finally arrive onto Old River Road, and Paulie's is Right across the street. There is a big crowd out front of the joint. Getting in was gonna be a trip, but why complain. We are here now.

Another five minutes in a long line to get inside the club. At least you could here the band play while we waited. They were sounding in rare form this evening, and the cheers from their hometown fans just made me more anxious that this line seems to be moving too slow. We reach the ticket booth, and Roger gives the beautful girl behind the glass the tickets. She has a gracious smile welcoming us to enjoy the show. I knew this would be a very fine night.

Once inside the first place we worked our way to was the bar. I looked over to the stage, and "Vicious" had most of the crowd dancing on the dance floor. The fast song had came to an end, and the crowd seemed to roar in applause and cheer. We then reached the bar before the next song began to play. The crowd cheers as soon as the first few notes are played. They were playing one their original songs that I loved to hear...the one with the ominous, mysterious guitar solo. I always wonder whenever I heard the song on the college station how did he make his guitar sound like that.

I ordered a Jack Daniels with a waterback, and Roger and D'wayne ordered theirs and we were lucky to find a booth close to the dance floor in perfect view of the stage. I then took close to a handful of 'no-doze' and wash it down with the Jack Daniels. This would not be the first time I went on a binge like this. Once I went for thirty-six hours on 'no-doze' and drank like a fish. I would go off in a world colored black and blue and felt like I was walking on air. The acid black effect is what it's called. I had bought three bottles before I went to work this morning. I am unexpectedly prepared to have some fun and not miss a monent by sleeping.

Here I go off into my trance again, right on time for that kick-a** guitar solo. I am oblivious to everything around me at this moment. It's like nothing is significant in the world but the spooky sound of that guitar. I am in heaven.

I burst back into the world when the song ends and the crowd burst out with applause and loud cheer once again. That was the end of the first set. I decided to walk around the club. Roger and D'wayne decided to flurt to some women. I go over by the other end, and who the f**k do I see? Jasmine, submerged in conversation with two guys that look like they could be in some street gang. I knew that bitch was f**king around while I was dating her. I had a feeling about it.

A second later, I see my once dream girl Cathy walking towards the three of then. She look angry. Just then, I witness Cathy grabbing Jasmine by the arm. Jasmine is screeming and yelling at Cathy to leave her alone. They get close to the dance floor when Jasmine seemed to had scratched her or something. Then the start to fight right on the dance floor. Cathy tries to hold her, but Jasmine is slapping her and pulling her hair. Then I saw something bright gleem in my eye...something in Jasmine's hand. Next thing I know, down she goes. Jasmine stood there for a monent, dropped whatever was in her hand and she took off. Someone screemed, "Somebody call 911!"

Roger and D'wayne came from behind me and half startled me to death. They thought that we should leave before the place get raided by the police. But I really didn't want to leave. I wanted to stay and watch more of the show. But just then, the bouncers started to clear out the club. "The party is over", one big security guard said. People started pushing their way out and the bouncers was directing the crowd out the door.

"What the f**k is this"

Once we got outside the club, the police cars came by the numbers. The officers were trying to dispurse the crowd. It seems like the whole area was coming undone. I was getting f**king crazy out here. They tried to clear the way for the ambulance to get through. The three of us waited across the street to see the paramedics bring out Cathy out of the club on a stretcher. I still couldn't believe what the f**k just happened.

Then I heard someone shout, "Bobby is dead. Bobby is f**king dead."  Who the f**k is Bobby?

Well, needless to say, I high was totally blown tonight.


                                            2. Kevin