Rustie pushes the lawnmower back and forth as she cuts the front yard. The gig they did only lasted a few days because a fight broke out at the place. A few guys had gotten drunk and became loud and belligerent. The bouncers tried to handle the situation, but when they got pushed, and fell into another group of guys that were drunk. A fight broke out and spilled onto the stage where they were performing.
Lou and Jason had been hurt, trying to protect her. Lou’s and Jason’s playing arms were in a cast. She had a black eye, a broken nose, and two cracked ribs. Russell’s drums were in the shop being repaired. The neck on her guitar had been broken and was being replaced. On top of that, they had to cancel their next three gigs because of their injuries and broken instruments.
Since they were going to be in town for a while. She told her parents she would cut and trim the yard, instead of just sitting around in the house. She went for her morning run, feeling like crap. Her ribs, even taped up hurt like hell, so when she got back from her short jog. She took some pain pills and changed out of her jogging clothes and into some work clothes.
When Rustie finishes the yard work. She sits outside on a lounge chair enjoying a cold glass of lemonade. Her right eye was still healing from the elbow she took to it. She takes a sip of her lemonade.
“Hey Rustie, are you around?” Ivy had heard that the Rattlers had come back to town.
He noticed the front yard had been cut and trimmed recently. So, he figures Rustie might be outside.
“I’m in the backyard, Ivy.” Rustie heard Ivy’s loud voice from the front yard.
Ivy heard Rustie’s voice and headed towards the side gate. He opens the gate and finds Rustie resting in the backyard lying on a lounger and enjoying a glass of lemonade. He also noticed she had a black eye and a broken nose.
“What happened to you?”
“Bar fight. Jason and Lou have broken arms.” Rustie watches Ivy.
“Damn! What caused it?” Ivy wonders how the band got involved.
“Two drunk guys being nasty and assaulting the bouncers of the club when they stepped in to try and defuse the situation. The police showed up and took everyone’s statement. And yes, they even checked our IDs to see how old we were.”
“I bet that raised some eyebrows when they checked yours.” Ivy knew Rustie was only seventeen years old, but would be Eighteen in a few months.
“I got carded by a female cop and she just smiled when she saw the F on my ID.”
“How do you have an F for sex on your ID?” Ivy was curious.
“The law was changed last year that allows you to change your sex to either male, female, or non-binary. Since I normally dress as a woman and play female roles at the theater. I had mine changed so as not to have any problems when I get pulled over. Would you like anything cold to drink?”
“Sure, what do you have?” Ivy sits down on a lawn chair.
“Ice tea, lemonade, flavored water, Red Bull, and if you want something a little stronger. My father has St. Paul’s Girl.”
“I’ll take a Red Bull, please.” Ivy liked Red Bull.
“One Red Bull, coming up.” Rustie stands up and walks into the house and grabs a Red Bull For Ivy.
She walks back outside and over to Ivy “Here you go.” as she hands him the cold drink.
“Thanks.” Ivy noticed it was one of the 20 oz cans.
“You’re welcome.” Rustie sits back down on her lounger.
She looks towards Ivy as he pops open the can and takes a drink from it. She knew her father and sometimes drank the Red Bull. She wonders why Ivy stopped by to see her. She did what she promised to do by dropping off the instruments Ivy had bought in the storage locker.
“So, you're probably wondering why I stopped by.”
“It has crossed my mind. You normally don’t stop by unless you need help with a locker or moving something.” Rustie knew how Ivy operated.
“True, the reason I stopped by, is I bought a storage vault that had a bunch of special effects items in it. I don’t know anything about the items or who to talk to about the items. Also, at the swap meet I sell at, people normally aren’t looking for the items I found. Would you mind coming and looking at the items?”
“I don’t mind coming with you. If what you say is true about the items. The theater I perform at might be interested in buying the gear or I could buy it from you.”
“Cool, how about after we finish our drinks, we go and look at everything?”
“Sounds good.” Rustie didn’t have anything else planned for the day.
Oxford Vault Storage:
Rustie watches as Ivy pulls up to a moving/storage locker place. She spotted at least five people unloading wooden storage crates and loading them into their vehicles.
“So, how many storage vaults did you buy?” Rustie knew Ivy bought all sorts of things.
“Five, the other four vaults have things I know me and my family can sell. But when it comes to industrial or computerized items. We're out of our depth.”
“How much did you pay for the vault?” Rustie figures she could pay Ivy for everything.
“Four hundred dollars.” Ivy stops in front of the five storage vaults he bought.
“Here, take these gloves.” Ivy opens the center console and hands Rustie a pair of grey leather work gloves.
“Thanks.”
Rustie and Ivy get out of Ivy’s van and walk over towards the storage vault. She stands back, as Ivy unhooks the vault cover and lets it fall towards the ground. When Rustie looks inside the vault, she lets out a whistle. There was a bunch of special effects, and lighting equipment inside the vault.
“Wow, Ivy. That’s a lot of equipment.”
“Do you know what all this is?” Rustie looks towards Ivy.
“Nope! All I do know is it has to be computerized or something, because here’s the main control unit.” Ivy points to a box with a name on it that was in another language. It showed the unit being used as some sort of control unit for things.
“Well, you have a bunch of lighting and special effects items in here. The unit is the brain of it and it can be programmed to do all sorts of things.”
“Well, since you know so much about it. Why don’t you give me fifty over what I paid for it?” Ivy looks at Rustie to see if she would take the offer.
“Fine, I can do that. I can donate it to the theater group I perform with. Let’s see what else you bought.”
“Okay.” Ivy starts opening the other vaults and loading them into his van.
Rustie helps Ivy load everything. She set aside items she was interested in buying from him. She liked working with Ivy as they went through everything. By the time they were done loading and making deals. Rustie was feeling hungry.
“Hey, Ivy. If you don’t mind stopping for lunch, I’ll treat you.” Rustie didn’t mind buying lunch for Ivy.
“Sounds good. I know a good Thai restaurant nearby. Is that okay?” Ivy looks toward Rustie to see what she thinks.
“Sure.” Rustie liked Thai food.
Ivy drives to the Thai restaurant and finds a parking spot where they can see the van. Once they were parked, the two of them exited the van and headed inside the restaurant. The restaurant was decorated nicely and the hostess was nice as she led them to a table.
Later on after lunch, Ivy drops Rustie off, after they deliver the items Rustie bought for the theater. As for her stuff, Ivy helps Rustie carry it into the house and up to the spare bedroom, Rustie uses for her stuff.
“Does your mother ever get on your case with all this stuff in here?” Ivy was looking around the room and noticed all the costumes and cosplay items in the room.
“Yes, but I love to perform either on stage with the band or with the drama group at school or the theater.”
“It looks like you're into cosplay as well.” Ivy spotted several outfits, including several female superhero outfits.
“Yep, I love playing my guitar, but sometimes I love dressing up and having fun.” Rustie loved acting and pretending to be someone different.
“Well, I can see why your mother would get after you. If you ever decide to get rid of some of this, I know some people who are always looking for cosplay outfits.”
“I will.” Rustie walks with Ivy back downstairs.
Ivy waves goodbye to Rustie as he walks towards his van. Once he arrives, he gets in and drives off.
Rustie watches as Ivy drives off. Her ribs were bothering her, so she headed toward the bathroom and popped a few pain pills into her mouth. Afterward, she heads upstairs to go through the items she bought from Ivy.