A Normal Day: 22 Years Old
All names have been changed. All memories, I'm sure, have been altered due to time time. But they are as close to the truth as I know.
I wake up to the feeling of something pressing against my lower back. I reach behind myself and dislodge a beer can. I toss it on the ground and roll over a for a few more minutes of sleep. I’m wedged between the couch cushion and its back with a Star Wars blanket over me. As I’m readjusting, I hear commotion in the kitchen and and sit up to see who it is. S is making rustling around making breakfast.
“Morning!” He says.
“Good morning!” I say with a retainer filled smile and one open eye.
We’re in Kirkwood, where I live. Kind of. I walk into the hallway, where my stuff lives in a duffle bag, at the same time that B comes out of his room.
“Hey!” He greets with his bouncy sway, his curls following his stride, and a floppy wave.
“Hey, B! Good morning!” I wave sleepily as I’m crouched down, deciding which outfit the radio station staff hasn’t seen me repeat too often. I land on my white and green Aritzia shorts I bought my senior year in High School and a loose, white tank top.
“Hey, did you sleep on the couch last night?” He asked.
“Uh…” I frown and look towards the open bedroom door at the other end of the hall. “Shit, I totally forgot K was still on tour.” I didn’t forget. But I feel bad sleeping in his bed every night that he’s gone. I’m not paying rent while I’m staying here, so I don’t want to take advantage of too much.
“When’s he coming back again?” I ask, pretending I’m still looking through my things.
“Today!” B calls moving into the kitchen. I smile to myself and get ready in the bathroom.
Heavy steps come up from the basement and J enters the space.
“Well good morning everyone!” He booms.
“You’re up early.” S pours another coffee.
“I’m a busy guy.” He says, backpack already over his shoulder. I salute him as he walks out and I follow after him soon after.
I get to Lightning 100 and hear my best work friend before I see her.
“Pepperoni!” I’ve been Pepper for about 7 months now.
“Hey!” I smile and look up at this beautiful, cool chick that’s decided I’m cool enough to hang out with. “What’s up?” I raise an eyebrow. I came early knowing something would be up. We sit on the couch upstairs and she rolls her eyes telling me about how she saw her ex at Mickey’s last night and it was a whole fucking thing. I eat it up for breakfast. Which is great, because I can’t really afford breakfast right now. Even though I don’t pay rent, I don’t technically have a job. While we’re at the climax of the event, everyone else fills the space and our boss begins the meeting. Local bands and other industry reps sit in the circle as well. One of my favorite bands is here today and I look at the paper passed to me in excitement for their song on the list.
“Welcome to the music meeting everyone!” We spend the next two hours listening to local music pitched by the bands and reps, and our main DJs. We circles songs we especially like, and the powers that be choose the ones that make it to air. I don’t even know if I vote correctly, I’m just excited to be here. Me and A text each other under our laps about songs we really love or really hate and hide snickers under our hands.
After the meeting, my boss waves me over and I stand up obediently.
“Do you wanna do a check in?” I nod excitedly and anxiously. We go into the upstairs studio - that I don’t get to use on my own. We listen back to my practice sessions I’ve been doing at least 3 times a week. I come in, go into old files, and do a practice DJ session for an hour with ads and intros/outros. We’ve had a few reviews where he’s given me critiques and tips on how to improve. He’s nodding and gives me a few notes on timing and speed. I write down what he says on the back of my Music Meeting sheet.
“Ok! I can definitely work on that.” I say it slowly. Curiously.
He nods slowly and smiles kindly, “I think you’re in a good enough spot to start though.”
I try to dial back my smile, but I know my eyes don’t hide it. “Really???”
“Pepper, you’ve worked really hard. I’ll take you to the office and we’ll get your paperwork filled out. Welcome to the team.” He reaches his hand out and I shake it.
I exhale.
I pull A aside before I leave and we squeal quietly and decide to celebrate with Bloody Mary’s this weekend as official W2 coworkers.
I go home and put some sort of lunch together, and then go into the basement and practice for tonight before putting on a little more makeup and and heading out with my Danelectro on my back.
When I get to Belcourt Taps, I see CK first and we hug.
“Ah! Just a few more weeks!” She says in our hug.
“I know!” I say with a chuckle. “Trust me. I know.” CK is only here for a few days, visiting her boyfriend. But she spends the summers in Wisconsin playing paid gigs around the Milwaukee and Lake Geneva area. Which is why we decided to sign our next lease together in August. Which is why I am without a bedroom for 110 days.
“How’s couch surfing?” She asks.
“Not as romantic as it sounded!” I admit. “But fun. Living with the guys is hilarious.”
We get on stage soon with a few others and begin the classic, Nashville writer’s round. I sing harmonies on CK’s songs and it feels like another version of home, these songs that I love that I haven’t gotten to hear for months. I play a new song I’ve been working on called Mysa inspired by the Swedish guy I shacked up with while he was here on an exchange program last year.
My voice is too loud and my guitar is too electric for the setting, but I don’t have enough band shows yet to satiate me. The writer’s rounds keep me going during the interim of finding the right drummer and booking the next show. I’ve been playing writer’s rounds since my first month in Nashville and at this point, it’s also habit.
Afterwards, CK and I share a drink with her boyfriend and we laugh and catch up on the summer. I tell her how I’m still in love with the boy I dated for two weeks in the Spring. It was the perfect kind of limerence where I barely knew him and he didn’t want me. She told me about her parents were thinking about selling her childhood home soon. We hugged and said a genuine see you soon.
I get home to noise and it’s a hug. The boys are playing video games and drinking beer. They’re yelling at each other and laughing and I quickly change into night clothes so I can harmonize.
I nestle into my corner of the couch, where I usually end up falling asleep, and I catch K’s eye from across the room.
“Hey,” he gives me his forever boyish grin. My smile back reaches my eyes and I wave.
“Welcome back.” I say.
I’m quickly lulled to sleep by the soundtrack of my friends.
While I’m drifting and sensing the room begin to empty, I feel a tap on my head. I see K and he nods up at me. I nod in agreement. After everyone is gone, I go into his room.
We curl up under his covers and he cradles me in his long body. We don’t kiss. We don’t undress. No part of my body buzzes or soaks. We just hold each other.