Alco’s Self Storage:
“Man, I am so sore from moving all those heavy boxes and that piano.” Rustie looks at Ivy as he sweeps up the last of the trash in the second locker.
Rustie didn’t know that when someone bought a storage locker, they had to throw away all the trash in the locker as well. It was a good thing the storage unit manager had a wheel barrel they could use to haul all the trash to the dumpster.
“I know what you mean, Rustie. I’ve been doing this since I could walk helping my parents and grandmother. What are you going to do with all those instruments we found?” Ivy couldn’t believe how many musical instruments and amps he and Rustie found buried in the storage locker.
“The piano will come in handy writing music after I pay to have it tuned. As for the guitar in the white case. That’s a beginner’s guitar, it's not really good for doing our kind of performances on. I was thinking about giving it and the two trombones to our school musical department. I’ll tell them they are from you. As for the sax, I’ve always wanted to be able to play like Kenny G. He rocks the sax plus the girl from Dusty Gaskets plays the sax as well.” Rustie saw some of the performances Dusty Gaskets did online for their fans. They were into the stream punk culture, but some of their music was good.
“And the box of comic books?” Ivy knew Rustie collected comic books and t-shirts with comic book characters or organizations on them.
“Those go into my personal collection. I know I’m a nerd, but I love comic books.” Rustie had a soft spot for comics.
“Too bad you can’t draw as good as some of those comic artists. You could make a killing.” Ivy carries over the last bit of trash to the wheel barrel to be dumped.
“It’s hard getting into the comic book field, but remember Georgie from our art class in elementary school?”
“Yeah, what about him?” Ivy remembered Georgie from their elementary days.
“Well, he owns an animation studio and he does animation for several anime shows and himself. He works with some of the popular cosplay and anime people around. I’ve been communicating with him about doing an animation for our band. There’s a particular song we play that would look good as an animation cartoon.” Rustie hasn’t run the idea by the others yet, but the song would be perfect with an animation cartoon backing it.
“Damn! I didn’t know he had his own studio.” Ivy never bothered to keep in touch with most of the people he went to school with.
“I always liked how he drew characters and came up with storylines for the characters he created. He’s a very creative person. I should see if he’s willing to do the job for the band.” Rustie loads the rest of the stuff into the transport van.
Ivy walks over puts the broom and dustpan in the van and shuts it. He looks towards Rustie “What about the wheel barrel?”
“I got it covered. Meet me up front.” Rustie walks over to the wheelbarrow and lifts it. He starts walking towards the office and puts it back in the storage unit he got it out of.
Rustie walks into the office to let the manager on duty know that he returned it. Afterward, he walks back out to the van and gets in.
“Where to?” Ivy looks at Rustie as he makes himself comfortable.
“How about the piano shop first and then some lunch afterward?” Rustie looks at Ivy when he says that.
“What are you in the mood for?” Ivy drives towards the piano shop in town.
“How about Mexican? I know this great Mexican food truck that serves homemade tacos and such.”
“Sounds good. I could go for a good burrito.” Ivy loved the California burritos that Los Portales made and sold.
“You really know how to show a girl a good time.” Rustie just shakes his head.
“I hate to break this to you, Rustie. But you’re not a real girl.” Ivy didn’t mind being seen with Rustie or having him as a friend, but sometimes he had to remind Rustie that he wasn’t a girl.
“Just because I wasn’t born with a girl’s body, doesn’t mean I don’t identify as a girl. I don’t know how many times I can explain how I feel inside.” Rustie knew Ivy didn’t mean any harm.
“I still think that you and Brandy should swap bodies. It would be easier on the two of you.” Ivy knew Brandy had first come out being a lesbian
and then later that how she truly felt was that she should have been born a male.
“If it was that easy, I know several women who would do it. Some of them were normal, so they didn’t have to face the discrimination they faced for being a woman. Also, I bet they would love to see how some of the rapist and abusive husbands would feel when the tables were turned on them.”
Ivy stops at the piano shop first and helps Rustie move the piano from the van to the store. Inside the shop owner tests the piano and gives Rustie an estimate. Rustie knew his share of the prize money would cover the cost of fixing the piano.
Afterward, they stop at one of the two Mexican food trucks to grab some lunch. Ivy buys a huge burrito, while Rustie buys a six-pack of tacos. He loved tacos and it didn’t matter what type of tacos they were either.
Rustie looked at his cell phone to see what time it was and noticed it was close to the time Lou wanted everyone to meet at his house. Rustie looks at Ivy “Can you drop me off at Lou’s house, please?”
“Sure, but what do you want me to do with the items you want?” Ivy knew he needed to get the van back to his uncle.
“Can you meet me at my house in about an hour?” Rustie knew the meeting wouldn’t be that long.
“Or, I could just hang around and give you a ride back to your house.” Ivy didn’t mind waiting.
“Sounds better. We already know what we are going to play at Deamon’s this week.”
Ivy drives Rustie over to Lou’s place to pick up his musical instrument and amps. Also, to pick up his share of the winnings as well. He’ll pitch the idea of the van as well. That way they could transport all their instruments together and unload everything when they get home.
Lou’s House:
When Ivy and Rustie arrive at Lou’s place. Rustie spots Jason’s motorcycle in the driveway. Russell’s older brother’s pickup was parked next to Lou’s car. Ivy parks on the street in front of the house.
The two of them walk towards Lou’s house. Rustie rings the doorbell and a few minutes later, Russell opens the door.
“It’s about time you showed up. We were wondering if you were going to come. Oh, hi Ivy.” Russell moves aside to let Rustie and Ivy into the house.
“I was helping Ivy, here.” Rustie walks into the house followed by Ivy.
“So, what are you guys up to, Russell?” Ivy examines the interior as they are led through the house.
“Not much, our booking agent got us another gig for next month.” Russell escorts Rustie and Ivy towards the backyard.
Once they are outside, Lou looks at them “It’s about time you arrived. Go ahead and grab yourself a drink, because I got some news for everyone.”
“I’m fine.” Rustie sits down in a nearby lounger.
Ivy grabs a cold beer and sits down near Rustie. He wonders what Lou has on his mind.
“As you all know, we won studio time at any studio Dusty Gaskets Productions owns. I found out that’s three days’ worth of time for us. If we want to buy more time, we can do so at half the going rate. Now, as for the monetary prize. I have cashier checks here for everyone. Half the money is being spent to cover all the debts we owe and pay my father back for the loan he gave us. We still have eighteen thousand we can use for the band.”
“Can I make a suggestion? Why don’t we all chip in some of our winnings and buy a transport van like Ivy’s uncle owns? It’s big enough for us to travel in and to hold our equipment. Plus, if we had to, God help us if we need to, sleep in it as well.”
“How much are we talking about?” Jason looks at Rustie when he suggests the van idea.
“I don’t know, I’ll have to shop around for a reasonable price. Also, I was thinking about getting in touch with Georgie and seeing if he wouldn’t mind doing an animation short film for us for our song Fighting Tiger. I think with some modifications to the song we can turn it into a cool animation.” Rustie already knew how she would modify Fighting Tiger.
“Are you talking about Georgie Connors? The guy we went to elementary school?” You knew who Georgie was.
“The very same. He owns Artlinix studios and does work for cosplay people and a few organizations as well.”
“You know this person, Rustie?” Russell looks at Rustie when he asks that question.
“Yeah, I know him. He and I have kept in contact over the years. I consider him a friend and I think his animation style will benefit us with a few songs we have written.” Rustie looks at everyone when he says that.
“All right, if you think if it will help us. I’m willing to give it a try. Here is our schedule for this month and part of next month. Depending on what traffic is like at Deamon’s. We’ll be playing there for the rest of the month. Then we have a weekend gig in Benton for Friday and Saturday at a place called the Brewery Kettle. After that we are back here for a three-day gig at Lousie’s Sports bar. It’s going to be an outside event, so bring bug repellant.
Our school principal has contacted me and asked if we wouldn’t mind playing with the orchestra. They are putting on a show and would like us to be part of it.”
“I didn’t know that. I have some instruments to deliver to the school; I’ll check on that. It will be cool to play with our orchestra.” Rustie thought it was a good idea.
“I think the van is a good idea. See how much it will cost us.” Jason liked the idea.
“All right, is there anything else we need to cover?” Lou looks at everyone present.
“Not that I’m aware of.” Russell looks at everyone.
“I do. Are you going to start dressing as a girl all the time, Rustie? Because the band was shown with you dressed as a girl.” Jason wanted to know.
“I might, because if people figure out, we didn’t have a real girl in the band. It might hurt us.” Rustie was already semi-dressed as a girl.
“Well, if you are. I think it will help us a lot and we’ll need to keep it a secret as well. That includes you as well, Ivy.” Jason, Russell, and Lou looks towards Ivy. They heard what he did to embarrasses Rustie and Brandy.
“I promise Rustie’s secret won’t come from me.”