orangetoughguy | log post II

You'll see. You'll see. Keep your shirt on.

[Parking now, though they gotta walk up the street. The old man enjoys keeping the guy guessing. What can he say? It makes all the planning worth while.]

Get out.

[They're in front of a dry cleaners. Is the kid still guessing? He should be.]

[His shirt is still on, just worn unbuttoned over his wifebeater. When they stop in front of a dry cleaners Freddy just has to ask...]

You want me to do the laundry? We got units at home you know.

[No, Newendyke. This is a dry cleaners not a laundromat. Duh. Don't say the kid doesn't have his blonde moments.]

[Casual, clean and not at all dressed for work. Even dry cleaners have workers that look a little more together. Though when you're a rough trade hustler type, you don't need a daily grind.]

No. [Larry shuts the door and adjusts his sunglasses.]

Come on.

[Push to get him into motion on the sidewalk.]

We're not there just yet.

[Oof. He gives Larry another look, not so much for the push than for the way he's going about this surprise. The suspense is killing the kid, can the old man see it on his face?]

Okay okay.

[After another split second.] Don't I get a hint?

[Oh he an. All the same he is very tempted to take him around the block at least once before going in. He won't though. That's just too fucking much. This one is just right.]

A hint. Huh.

[What to say that won't give it away.]

You can carry it.

[A tune and a guitar. Ha! Larry does his best not to laugh about it. Three more establishments to pass.]

....So you brought me out here to be your bag bitch?

[Toucan play at that game, lucky for Larry the bird didn't accompany them on this trip.]

[Sam wouldn't be helpful picking out the right kinda guitar for the kid. That's the bottom line. And that Larry said they were going someplace that wasn't made for toucans.]

That's not the reason for the trip.

[It just happens sometimes. That's all.]

Woah there, cowboy. We're here.

[In front of the music store.]

Edited 2011-06-11 08:39 (UTC)

[Okay well color him still curious and that feeling of curiousness hasn't gone down a bit. When they do stop again the kid tilts his gaze from the windows to the store sign then back to the windows. Really? Green focuses on brown.]

What is it?

[Don't be stupid, Newendyke. You're a cop, you know.]

A store.

[Larry puts his hands on his hips pushing his open coat back past his hips.]

We gotta go in. I think you need to find somethin' in there.

[No, he's not gonna hold the door this time but come on. The kid has to be putting the pieces together.]

[Oh he's putting the pieces together, yep. It's the disbelief he needs to swallow.]

Are you sure?

[What a dumb question, but the enthusiasm, excitement, and a little shyness are creeping into his mildly freckled face. Freddy waits a second before getting the door himself to scuttle in.]

Positive.

[Following but not too close. For appearances and because Larry wants the kid to find out which one he wants all on his own. There's only one thing he can find.

A long haired son of a gun gives them what might be a greeting if he opened his mouth wider.]

Thanks. Just lookin' for me.

Oh man...

[Freddy feels like a kid again looking over all the instruments, the gear, some he recognizes and some that don't even seem like it's from planet earth. Don't get too excited though, Newendyke, or that long hair's gonna try and rip you off. Of course, maybe that's the other reason Larry's here.]

Will you look at this? [Fender, Gibson, Rickenbacker.]

Which one catches your eye?

[He leans just so that these words are for Freddy and Freddy alone.]

Pick one. Go ahead.

[Lawrence Dimick, the voice of temptation....or something.]

[For the record that would make Larry the serpent and Freddy Eve...that just won't do, unless he goes by Steve and Freddy Newendyke don't look like no Steve. Pick one though, which? Would getting a bass just like his old one be the same as clinging to the past? That issue was with his father and getting a clone isn't going to resolve it or make him feel better. Getting something different would mark this occasion as strictly between the old man and himself. Something memorable. The kid would like that very much.]

I'm gonna take a while.

[Freddy warns except at the same time his hands go for a Rickenbacker 4001, c. 1986. It carries a not too high price tag, but it definitely ain't cheap.]

[In the Biblical sense he would be a serpent, it's true. Bears can't do that though? Even cunning ones? Larry is smarter than the average bear.]

Take your time, babe.

[He's able to breathe it quiet enough for only the man to hear. Price shouldn't be an object. Not right now. After all, it's a fucking surprise. Also the kid is getting plenty of use off of their grenade sale.]

[Oh he's cunning enough, after all he led this fox-faced hound on a chase. Also those words don't go unnoticed, fff. Green eyes narrow with a bit of slyness at brown ones before he waves at the long haired dude.]

I'm gonna hook this up.

[To which the guy over there shrugs like it ain't no thing. He's not your average salesman cause this is no average music store in an average city. After finding the amp the kid takes his time setting it up. He hasn't done this in forever, it shows by the way he looks at every port and switch longer than he needs to. Okay, this side goes in here that side goes in there...]

[The salesman...if he is actually interested in selling...looks like the deadbeat brother of Shaggy, the groovy slacker with the herky, jerky coward of a Great Dane. Larry shrugs to himself. Everybody's got a job. And the product practically sells itself anyway. Someone's gotta keep the air moving in the room and make sure none of the merch leaves with the standard Dimick discount.

Oh ho! Freddy found something. He tries not to look too amused as he's flipping through sheet music books. No, he can't read it just the lyrics.]

Is it the right kinda weight?

[That's part of the choosing process right? At least that's one of the elements when the old man is looking for a weapon.]

[Snort. The kid waves a hand at the old man.] Weight's nothing but a number. This is Geddy Lee's gear of choice.

[At least he didn't say the price tag ain't nothin' but a number. As if that matters to Lawrence Dimick but anyway. Pluck pluck, bawm bum. The bass croons, the sound sends a shiver up his fingertips and down his spine. Suddenly Freddy Newendyke's not just a cop except on the side of the brass he knows he's a decent cop. Not so much a bass player.]

[Okay. Never mind then. Larry leans back against a upright piano.]

Looks nice.

[Not that that is a factor that matters either. Standing there and able to hook it up he's impressed. The old man don't know shit about music in the technical sense. Ears are open for Freddy's critique. The fact that Geddy Lee had an ax like this is a note of quality, right?]

[Totally a note of quality, that Paul McCartney guy uses one too but who cares when there's Geddy Lee? If Freddy wanted to get taken for all he's worth (in the money sense) he'd unleash his inner fanboy 35 minutes ago. Fortunately he keeps it underwraps which should make Dimick's dealings a bit easier. He knows Larry's always willing to pay top dollar for top quality but he's not someone who would buy the Brooklyn Bridge either.]

It needs a little tuning but it sounds great.

[The light color body makes his hands look as if they're disappearing into the instrument but his fingertips practically glow against the black scratch plate. He'll try out a few others but it's clear the kid is sold on this one.]

[It's plain to see on his face. That's adoration. Having seen it many times himself, the old man can recognize it. All the same he stays off to one side. Looking around at the rest of the musical junk. Though he wanders to bother that shaggy son of a bitch in his loitering to ask if they tune here. The man said yes though it looked like it pained him.

Yep. Dimick is planning on dropping quite a bit. Only the best.]

[It takes only two other guitar try outs for the kid to come back to the Rickenbacker. Play it cool Newendyke, the old man knows it but does the shaggy guy know it? Freddy downplays his own enthusiasm with hands in his pockets.]

I don't know...I'm gonna need an amp. Maybe I should sleep on it or somethin'.

[He says after rejoining Larry's side, presumably in the company of that other guy. See Freddy can play the game too. When it's about stuff he actually understands it's a little easier. Suits and cufflinks and all that are a different story.]

[Sleep on it? Woah. Wait? What? The old man doesn't express exactly how confused he is by this sentiment. He's watching the delivery. What does it mean? Wait. Watch. Learn.

Aware of the future noise and aware of the lack of sleep he may have don't discourage his determination to get the kid a guitar.]

You wanna try another place...?

[This is helpful if the answer is yes and if the answer is no.]

[Now now now no need to be hasty. Shaggy's buddy here can knock off a digit or two to make a sale, has he made one all day? Not quite. And that Rickenbacker's been sitting there for some time now (not enough appreciation from the locals, honestly).]

The amp and a second set of strings.

[Not that bass players are known for breaking them but he'll take what he can get out of this package deal. The price knockdown isn't huge but in this kid's opinion it's definitely worth a trade for part of a grenade's earnings.]

[This kid is so generous to decide to patronage at all. Can anybody put a price on that?]

That come with the strap?

[Since we're wheeling, dealing and.....the old man doesn't want to feel left out of the loop since he's the one gettin' out his wallet right now. Not that Freddy needs any help at all. He's quite impressive all on his own.]

log post II

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