[fancypost bgcolor= ; border: ;border-top:10px ridge black; border-left: 0px groove black; border-bottom: 0px dotted black; border-right: 0px groove black;][justify][font=georgia][size=12px] If I could, I would like to take a step backwards and explain a few things. My golden rule and that little technicality I had briefly mentioned earlier. Remember that? It was the sole reason that my band knows all about my preference of sexuality. In fact, the two go kinda hand-in-hand with another. You have to understand one story to comprehend the rest. I will spare you the minor details that aren't so important, but I'm telling you this a purpose. So please, bare with me. Or just tell me shut the hell up. Both options could work, but as far as I'm concerned, this is important stuff here. I swear; I'm the kinda guy who gets the point. No need to beat around the bush, so here it is.
My rule, the one that held I wouldn't drink before or after a show was nothing more than a charade I put on for the comfort of my band. I tried, I truly tried to hold onto that, but I was a weak individual. Not that I have ever in my lifetime claimed to be strong. I was bullheaded and as stubborn as they come, but I'm not strong. Someone who was strong could face their life and find the beauty in it. I had been pushed to the edge so many times, sometimes I felt like I was never going to come back. How easy it would be to let this alcoholism take complete control over me, but I wasn't heartless. The only reason I tried to remain sober was for my friends and my parents. It's kinda like quitting smoking though, I suppose. You can't stop because everyone wants you to. You can find the power to quit only if its something to you honestly hope to achieve. Did anyone every stop to think for a moment, that I possibly didn't want to change? Maybe I was afraid of it. After all, this had become a part of my life for last couple of years.
I am thankful for the guys, but at the same time there are things I wish I could take back. They watched me fall and tried to pick me back up, but I refused help. Here's another story for you -- about a year or so ago, I had been drunk off my ass. Normally, I am a rather happy drunk. Giggly and friendly, honest in the most humanly way possible. But that night, I wish I could erase that memory. My drinking habit was worse than they had known, and Blake, bless him, had tried to confront me about it. I didn't want to hear it any of it. I can recall him yelling at me, pleading with me and demanding me that I turn over any liquor I had in my possession. Yeah, right. As if I was ever going to do such a thing. Clearly, he was upset and I had turned violent in our verbal quarrel. I did something I never thought I would do, and it tears me up inside to think I had actually done it.
I swung at him. I clenched a fist and aimed to crack him upside the head. You know what they say though, your reaction time is so much slower when your intoxicated. I had missed my target, thankfully, I don't know if I could ever face him if I had actually hurt him. The rest happened in a blur and I got what I deserved. Tommy was the older brother and I swear that man came outta no where, eyes set to kill. He shoved Blake away from me and popped me upside the nose so hard that I bled. It was everywhere, I could still taste the bitter metallic of it on my tongue and lips. It ruined my bleach white shirt and I haven't worn that color since. I didn't put up any further of fight, though. I hit my knees so hard on the parking lot pavement I split the skin open there as well. I was a mess, so much more than I have ever been.
I spilled everything that night, every secret I had ever had bottled up. The fact that I'm gay. The fact that my home life was no where near fine. The fact that I was in trouble with my drinking and I was falling fast. That fact that I wanted to get help. Now, I will deny that fact till I'm blue in the face when I'm sober, but I had told the truth in that crowded little bus. I spilled my guts out to those guys. Sawyer, Tommy, Blake. It was all there and out in the open and I couldn't take it back. I pretended like I forgot all about that conversation. You know, I used the excuse that I was so trashed, it was nothing but a blind spot in my memory. I always knew though, that everyone had remembered. They constantly reminded me of the promise I made that night - no drinking on a show day.
Like I said, I'm a weak individual. Sometimes I honestly remained sober on days we played for the kids. But of course, there were some days that I simply could not handle the reality we face everyday. I carried my own personal stock of vodka, whiskey, the good hard stuff. Bottles that I've collected during meetings with our manager and nonsense like that. It was purely meant to be social, but hey I didn't steal it. I just took mine to go. Sometimes I would sneak into the bathroom, just for a sip that would always more than likely turn into a large gulp. What about the smell? The power of mouth wash, baby. They never suspected, or I at least told myself as much. Please, don't judge me.
Ahem, so moving on. Damnit was Patty Walters distracting. If I hadn't known better, I swear he was doing those little things on purpose. Trying to get a ruse out of me, I wonder. They were probably silly things to something else. The way he laughed, smiled, and gave that little sway of his hips. Hell, forget that. The way he chewed on that lower lip... Ugh, I apologize. Sometimes I can't just help myself. If I didn't do something soon, I would be willing to bet that I would eventually end up scaring the poor guy away. And I was no betting man.
I laughed as he pulled a bag of popcorn from the top bunk. They were so much like us, always hiding food from each other. My smile was genuine, and my eyes were brighter than they've probably been in months. There was just something about him. I was enticed and compelled to get to know Patty. I mean really get to know him. Not just enough to make it through this tour. Oh, what gives. If they could have a good time, then so could we. I swung my legs over the side of my bunk, making a beeline towards my luggage. The black bag was stuffed to full capacity, that's for sure. At first, it seemed nothing more exciting than clothing. But as I moved away some of the layers, the glimmer of glass reflected off the lights. I slid two bottles from the bag - one was about half way full with an auburn brown liquid inside and the other never even opened, but containing a clear fluid. My alcohol stash. You're welcome.
Turning around with a wild grin on my face, I watched Patty mess with the microwave. I scampered back towards my bunk, watching him approach with amusement dancing in the depths of my eyes. He startled me a little when he spoke. I mean, seriously, this guy had nothing to apologize for. And yet, he had. "Please don't apologize," I started, fighting off the urge to reach over and touch his hand in a gesture of understanding. I didn't want to scare him off. [color=limegreen]"I get it, I really do." I motioned briefly towards the bottles, for I didn't want to come off as pushy. If he didn't want to drink, he didn't have to. I just needed something. I didn't intend on getting wasted -- I just wanted to take the edge off. I wanted to relax and be lazy. F*ck. I wanted to cuddle.
[color=limegreen]"Care for a drink?" |