School Life Chp. 23

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“I feel ridicules performing like this.” Lindsey was in a two-piece bikini performing, while the guys, minus Dan were in speedos.

"Join the club." Terry and the other guys felt the same way Lindsey did.

The gig they were playing, was for the grand reopening of a spa and pool store. Brenda had been contacted by the owner for them to play at the grand reopening. He was paying big dollars for them to play in swim suits. He was also giving away a free spa and throwing a huge cookout to entice people to come to the store.

The reason Dan wasn’t with them anymore, the position he had wanted opened. So, he took the offer from the band from New York. He left after they got back from the Oregon gig, Brenda paid him what he was owed, and he said good bye.

Now they had to get a band vehicle and hold an audition for another band member. Hopefully, they could play as many instruments as Dan could. They play for four hours. They took breaks in between each set they did. Lindsey was getting tan with the sunscreen she was wearing.
She felt sorry for the guys. Especially, Terry and Jamie. They were right out-front playing. Ian at least had some shade to protect him.

When their time was up, Lindsey puts on a pair of shorts and tank top. She was ready to head home and take a nice relaxing bath. It had been hot and humid as they played outside.

“How much did we get for playing this gig?” Ian was curious as he helped Krist load the trailer up with their gear.

“Twelve hundred dollars.” Lindsey had asked Brenda how much money they were making on this gig.

The guy that hired them, allowed them to sell their merchandise as well. So, whatever they made from that was going towards the new vehicle.

They do hang around and mingle with the crowds. She gets hit on a few times by some men and older boys. If she goes anywhere, she makes sure one of the band members is with her.

When she gets home, she peels herself out of her bikini and step into the shower with the water slightly cold. She listens to some relaxing nature sounds while she is under the shower. Lindsey closes her eyes and imagine that she is under a cool, clear waterfall.

She decreases the hot water some more, so the water is a little cooler. She just stands like that for a while. She knows her mother has prepared a nice cool salad for dinner. She stands there for bit longer, before shutting off the water and drying off. She looks in the mirror and could see her tan lines from her bikini.

She slips on a night shirt with a cat playing a fiddle and a pair of panties, before heading into the dining room. She was hungry and didn’t want a heavy meal.

“Feeling better, Dear?” As Barbara looks up at Lindsey as she comes walking into the dining room.

“Yes ma’am. I thought we sweat when we’re playing on stage. Today was terrible playing out in the sun and in my bikini.” Lindsey sits down in her chair at the table and take a sip of the sweet tea her mother made.

The salad she put together looked lovely. Lindsey pours some vinaigrette raspberry dressing on her salad.

“Did you hear back from the seller of that party bus you found?” Barbara knew Lindsey had been searching for a new vehicle for the band to travel in.

She had a lead on a band vehicle for them, but she needed an experience mechanic to come with them to check it out. Since, Krist Uncle was an independent mechanic and was well respected. He volunteered to come with them to check the vehicle out.

“Yes ma’am. He wants $16,000 for it and it has 210,000 miles on it already. It can sit 18 people comfortably and is black. He has another one that has 140,000 miles on it and can seat 22 people, but he wants $19,000 for it. It’s black as well and both are Ford E450. One is a 2001 and the other is a 2004.”

“Well, you can decide after Krist’s uncle looks at them and tells you which is in better shape. Where do you need to go, to look at them?”

“Augusta, Georgia. The name of the place is called Belaire Bus and Van world.”

“What type of warranty are you getting?” Barbara wanted to make sure the kids didn’t get ripped off.

“One year, or we can pay extra for a three-year warranty.” Lindsey takes a bite of her salad.

“How much is insurance going to cost the band for it?” Barbara knew only Krist, Terry and Ian could drive the bus.

“Since none of us have a license, except Krist. The insurance company said it is going to cost us $1,200 a year. Since we’re using it to travel
between gigs.” Lindsey takes another bite of her salad.

“That’s pretty reasonable.” Barbara takes a sip of her tea.

They sit in silence and enjoy the rest of their meal. Afterwards, Lindsey heads to bed for the night, while Barbara works on some paperwork.

“Lindsey, time to get up.” Barbara walks into Lindsey’s bedroom to wake her up.

Lindsey peeks out from under her blanket at her mother “do I have too?”

“Yes, you need to get up, so you, Brenda, Krist and his Uncle can go and look at those buses today.” Barbara picks out a nice business suit
she bought for Lindsey to wear.

She gets all the undergarments out and lay them out for her daughter. She grabs her good pair of heels that match the business suit.

“Come on sleepy head.” Barbara moves the blanket off Lindsey.

Lindsey just looks at her mother and slowly get out of bed. She was still sore and tired from playing out in the sun yesterday. She stumbles out of her bedroom and to bathroom. When she gets back in her bedroom, she starts getting dress in the outfit her mother laid out for her.

Since she was representing the band. She needed to make an impression. Lindsey walks into the kitchen and grab some breakfast before Krist, Brenda, and Krist Uncle show-up.

Just as she comes from brushing her teeth, she hears a car honking.

Lindsey grabs her purse on the way out “bye mom.”

When Lindsey walks outside, she notices a black old-style Mustang fastback. She walks up to the car.

“Lindsey this is my Uncle Joe Liggermen. Uncle Joe, this is Lindsey Weathers. She’s one of the band members.”

“It’s nice to meet you Lindsey. Do you have the address to where we are going?”

“Yes sir, here you go.” Lindsey hands the printout to Joe. She climbs into the back of the car, next to Brenda.

“Hey Lindsey.” Brenda slides over, so Lindsey could get in the back with her.

"Hey Brenda." As Lindsey sits down next to her.

“So, what type of music does your band play, Lindsey?” Joe looks in the rear-view mirror at Lindsey.

“Steampunk, soft rock, hard rock, pop rock, some country. We’re more of an eccentric type of band.” Lindsey knew it hurt them some, but it
gave them several genres to fit into.

“Have you guys been played over the radio?” Joe couldn’t recall if he heard them before.

“Yes sir. Station 96.5 FM played some of our songs after the interview we had.”

“And recently several more stations have requested to play their music.” Brenda had kept that secret from the band.

Lindsey looks at Brenda “they have?”

“Yep, I’ve been contacted by several stations for some of you guys music. They have been getting request, but since you guys don’t sell your records in stores and such. They tracked you down on the band’s social media sites.” Brenda was rather proud that the band was doing good.

“Man, I didn’t know that. Wait, till the guys find out.” Lindsey was pleased they were doing so good.

“What do you know about this bus we’re going to look at?” Joe would like to know more about it.

“Well, it uses to belong to an entertainment company. They traded it in for a newer model and they have all the repair records.”

“What type of fuel does it take?” Krist was curious.

“Diesel.”

“Does it have a co-pilot seat?”

“Nope, it has a folding door where the passenger seat would be.” Lindsey brought the pictures of it up on her phone.

“Here Krist, here are some pictures of the bus.” Lindsey hands him her phone.

Krist looks at the pictures of the inside and notices there was a pole in the middle of the bus. A smirk appears on his face as he imagines Lindsey, Maxine and Kaja pole dance in the back.

“Well, it doesn’t look to bad and we won’t have to do to much work on the inside of it. We can either keep those neon lights or remove them.”

“I think the band should talk about that. I wouldn’t mind our logo on the outside of the but, then we have to worry about people recognizing us.”

“That could work to you guys advantage.” Brenda figures it might draw more business to them.

“I know, but it could draw attention to us from people stalking us as well.” Lindsey didn’t want that to happen to them.

They finally arrive at Belaire Bus and Van world. The sales person that Lindsey email was on the lot. He showed them the two Lindsey had inquired about. The second one that had less miles, had a hole where something had been mounted, but was removed. The sales man had three more they could look at.

Lindsey, Krist, Brenda and Joe examined each of the five and narrowed their choices down to three. One could hold 22 people and had 250,000 miles on it. The next one had 185,000 miles and could hold 16 people on it and the last one which Lindsey had inquired about could hold 18 people and had 210,000 miles. The sales man was willing to come down to $14,000.00 for it. The others were $20,000 and the next one was going for $18,000.00.

“What do you think Joe?” Lindsey looks at him as he closes the hood of the last one.

“All of them are sound and just need a simple tune-up. As for the inside, you just need to do some repairs to some of the fabrics and steam clean the seats.”

“Krist what are your thoughts, since you’ll be driving it?” Lindsey looks towards him.

“Either of them would be fine. How much would insurance cost if you get the 22-seater?” Krist knew Lindsey had gotten a quote.

“Add additional five hundred to the quote.”

Lindsey looks towards the sales person “can you come down $2,000.00 if we buy it?”

“Are you financing it?”

“No sir. We’re paying for it today by company check.” Brenda brought the company checkbook.

The sales man looks at the people gather around him and at the 22-seater. He didn’t have much money invested in it. He has only had a few people interested in it.

“Alright, I’ll knock $2,000.00 off today.”

“Thank you.”

Brenda and the sales man finishes the sale and put the temp tags on it, till the custom ones come in. Lindsey walks over and climb aboard the bus. Krist got behind the driver seat and started it up.

“Uncle Joe, we are going to have to stop and fill up.”

“Okay, Krist.” Joe follows his nephew to the nearest gas station to fill up.

Lindsey pays for Joe’s gas and gives him $200.00 dollars for coming with them and going over the bus. They take the bus back to Joe’s garage, so he could do a tune-up and have new tires installed on it.

Brenda driven her car over to Krist place, where his uncle picked them up. So, she went back there. They drop Lindsey off at home.

“I’m home mom.” As Lindsey walks into the house and hear moaning sounds coming from her mother’s bedroom.

Lindsey looks back outside and spots Greg’s car parked across the street from their house. Lindsey just smirks as she heads to her bedroom to change and then to her music room to work on some music.

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Comments

The 22 seater is a

Samantha Heart's picture

Good idea family & friends could come WITH the band to their gigs. But the SLSO need to think about their gear can this bus pull a trailer? If not then someone has to haul all their gear and merchandise. Or can they copartmentlize the bus for everything? It sounds like Barbra is having her world rocked by her boyfriend lol. Well there maybe a new sibling coming soon lol.

Love Samantha Renée Heart.

Hmmm. You are right about storage.

WillowD's picture

I see no storage lockers under the floor level or else where. Also, I don't think it would be legal to sit in those seats while the bus is moving, given that they are sideways and there are no seat belts. So, with no storage areas or passenger seats, this bus definitely needs some rearranging.

Rearranging the bus

I don't think it would be too difficult to pull out a couple of the seats near the back and convert the back area into a storage space.

Also, it shouldn't be too hard to add seat belts to the seats that remain if they do change it like I said, thus making it safer to use.

It might even be possible to add a co-pilot seat at or close to the front of the bus. That would depend on how the bus was built, though.

At the mileage mentioned, and

At the mileage mentioned, and the engine being a diesel, it should simply require a good tuneup and possibly changing a few items in the engine for new. If engines are maintained properly, they can run for a very long time and diesels even longer. I would say the back section needs to be re-arranged for both storage and the ability to escape from the bus there, as that is where the exit door or hatch is located. If the seating is for 22 people, that should leave them a good part of the room interior to re-create what they want and still room to seat everyone plus a few others.

They could have gone...

They could have gone with a RV also. But it’s a done deal.

Rv

I thought of that and the price wouldn't be in their price range. I looked at several used ones and since they have 4 band member, and three support personnel. They would need one that could at least sleep ten people. I figure a former party bus would be a good choice for the band. Since most of their gigs have been within a days travel from their home, they wouldn't need much to travel in.

garfieldwritingsf.jpg
If there's a book that you want to read, but it hasn't been written yet, then you must write it.”
― Toni Morrison

Pole

chrisl's picture

Hope it's not holding the roof up, nice chapter, Thanks.