Page 68 of Tough Guy and the Show Off

“Same here, Trav. You play tonight?”

“Yep then we’ve got a roadie. Montreal, Toronto, Minnesota.”

“I remember.”

“You?”

“Tomorrow evening. A roadie the week after next. West Coast.”

“It’s good for us. We’ll be busy and working hard.”

“Right.”

“Which is great until…” He trails off.

“What?”

“Nothing. I shouldn’t be putting this on you.”

“Who else you gonna put it on? Above all else, I’m your best friend.”

“I know.”

“Talk to me, Trav.”

“Sorry. I’m just not good at having my routine messed up. I do okay during the day, but at night, you not being here has me fucked up.”

“I notice it more at night too.”

“So yeah, I miss you, but I’ll be alright, and so will you. We’ll get through this and figure out… Fuck. I don’t know.”

“Yeah.” A melancholy silence floats between us for several seconds until I ask, “Did you get the gum?”

“Yep. Trying it out tonight. It’s funky, but I dig it.”

“I’ll be watching. You show them what’s up, Trav. You got this.”

“I’ll do my best.”

“I know.”

We linger, both of us unwilling to end the call.

“Fergie has a boyfriend.”

“Oh yeah?”

“Yeah, and my realtor is married to a man. He’s a man.”

“I figured.”

“I guess it’s cool to see people just living their lives, you know?”

“Very cool. How’s the team about Fergie?”

“Good. He said they were fine. A little surprised, but they don’t treat him differently or give him shit or anything. The fans have been cool too.”

“Great. Maybe things are changing in the league.”