This is a chapter of something I never finished. If you want I'll post more... ps - if you love nifty, and you can afford it, donate some $$$ ...you know dubya wouldn't!.... comments, requests? gumbo recipes? xxxoo ~hessa_meena@hotmail.com ---------
Gutless - pt 1 -
Every year Mr. Murphy accompanied the Quartet to perform a set of weekend concerts at a music college or equivalent department. He insisted it was a prime opportunity to see a college music scene first hand, but was usually more excited than the students. This year was no exception as the Quartet piled their equipment into a van, and drove up to Smith College in sleepy Northampton, Massachusetts.
"Remember girls, this is our opportunity to present ourselves!" Mr. Murphy crowed. But like a sex-starved soldier, he loved any opportunity to socialize with other adults. Katarina rolled her eyes.
"This is an opportunity to resent ourselves," she mimicked Mr. Murphy's cheerleader stance and pretended to strangle her bass case.
"Don't be so bitter, Kat," Beat, their drummer Beatrice, had her kit stacked together and was ready to wheel her equipment to the van. She craned her head under Katarina's and batted her eyes. "We had fun with Ask Alice, didn't we?" Katarina laughed, and Beat went back to fiddle with one of the Velcro attachments on her kit. Last year their band had traveled to Northampton for an all ages rit grrrl festival.
"You shoulda seen it!" Katarina nudged Amy. "The girls couldn't get enough of Alice." She swiveled her shoulders in what Amy recognized as her, "flirty girly" routine, and continued. "Oh, Alice you can stay in my room...no no, I'll sleep on the couch."
Katarina scanned the school parking lot for Mr. Murphy and lit a cigarette. After a few smoke rings, she laughed and nudged Beat for approval.
"Oh come on," Beat protested. "You make Alice sound like such a ho!"
Katarina tilted her head in lieu of an apology and sighed. "I'm sorrrrrry." She mimicked her fiery Russian emotions, and crushed her cigarette butt behind the dumpster, "Here comes Captain Happy! Time to go!" she grimaced towards Mr. Murphy who held up the bottles of bottled water and grinned. The girls groaned and shuffled towards the van.
Amy didn't mind the trip, at least Mr. Murphy would leave them alone. Apparently the guest faculty house was more in town than it was on campus, and he'd sleep there. Because of that, they all made a pact to have some fun. For everyone except Beat, it was the beginning of junior year. Katarina had a bottle of vodka and Dalia had the number of an old boyfriend stationed on a military base in nearby Chicopee.
But Amy still felt wary. Katarina was acting weird again, and alluding to their one drug-fueled kiss from last year. Amy just wanted to play the show at SMITH, and maybe check out the local rock scene. Maybe this would be a cool place for college.