3 – Blog a16 – Roadhouse Whiskey Bar

It’s almost 4 am when we get back. Daytona is a 24-hour city, so we fill up on burgers and shakes. Already I’m missing Casper. Jack asks Michael to sleep with us, supposedly so Iggy can tuck in with Hippie and Robby. All I can think of is Michael’s dirty, smelly feet. I go to the office and get a second room for Jack and me with one double bed. It’s $30 a night. I fall asleep while fucking Jack, a great wet dream. We need new sheets in the morning. The Spanish maid points at us and giggles.

The uncles try to rouse the others. We are on vampire hours and sleep in until noon. Jack wakes up to find me moping.
“What’s wrong? You didn’t even want to fuck last night.”
“I miss Casper,” I admit. “Maybe he’ll want to stay with his mom. We’re even cutting him out of our sex lives.”
“He told us the sex pact is off.”
“What if he thinks we don’t want him anymore?”
“Stop making up problems. I’ll let him fuck me all night long. He’ll know we love him.”
Jack gets me back in bed and assumes the position. My lack of ardor soon has him on top. I succumb to that weakness I feel when he takes charge and he has his way with me. I feel much better.

The uncles knock on our door and we go outside.
“Do you know that Hippie picked up a biker last night? Is he safe?”
“That’s Iggy. He’s in the band. We got another room, so there’s not three to a bed. Iggy’s harmless unless you’re in a fight.”
“You were in a fight?” they immediately get protective of Jack.
“Yeah, it was more like a brawl. Look at my black eye.” Jack crows.
They’re so flustered, they say he has to go to the ER and be checked out.It’s good to know someone else is protective of Jack.
“Stop treating me this way. I’m not your pet. I stand up for myself now. And Tim will kill anyone who threatens me. I’m invincible.” He flexes.
They look at each other and start to run towards their room.
“Don’t you dare call Mummy. We’ll take your cars and leave you here in slumsville.”
“Oh, Johnny, we have to keep you safe.”
“Stop calling me that. I’m Big Jack to you from now on.”
“Big Jack-off,” I whisper to him.

We leave to look for the guys and some food. We find both in the same place as yesterday, 24-hour breakfast.
“Look at the love birds,” Robby and Iggy crow. They always bring out the worst in each other.
“Look at the dumbbells,” I counter.
“Yeah, who didn’t get an A+ in English?”
“Well, next time, I’ll blow the teacher, too.”
Everyone explodes. The diner patrons glare at us for foul language. We are in the Deep South Bible Belt.

We take the De Soto to meet Candy and Nate at their house. When I see Casper, I sign, “Miss you.”
He rushes over and hugs Jack and me. He signs, “She never stopped loving me!”
“You will always be in her heart.”
His anxiety is gone. I know we haven’t lost him to her.
“What was my boy like?” Candy asks.
“He was wonderful.”
“No, tell me the truth. It couldn’t have been all roses if his step-brother killed him.”
She isn’t one for platitudes.
“Okay. When I met him, he was quiet with a perpetual scowl. His only friend was Max.” And Max barks at his name.
“We were all just stoners with no plans other than to be high all day.”
Candy starts crying. Nate comes to hold her hand.
“Oh, my baby.”
“He asked me out of the blue if he could hide at my house because he was being sent to drug rehab. He stayed with me from then on.”
“Jace was gay?”
“No one had ever loved him before. We were just interested in music together. I saw how much talent he had. It was the music that brought us together. That’s when we started the band, right after Halloween. By Thanksgiving we were playing parties and fraternities, as well as on the street. Michael’s girlfriend asked us to play her New Year’s Eve party. We planned to do the whole Romeo and Juliet scenario. We were having a great time, but then his step-brother came home from college. He always bullied Jace and his step-brother John. He threatened me, so I knocked him down and told him to never touch Jace again. Max was ready to attack him. He got a gun to kill Max. He came to my house and threatened us. Jace was protecting Max. Jeff fatally shot him. My dad shot Jeff, who’s in juvie until he’s 25.”
I muffle a sniffle, with Jack sitting next to me. Candy comes over and hugs me.
“Jace wasn’t gay at first. No one had ever loved him. He was terrified about having sex. We were just friends. Once we started the band, it was like a fog lifted. He was so loving. He just responded to my feelings. We also have girlfriends. Soon everyone in the band was affected by him. He taught us all how to play and that we can play any song that’s in our heads. After he died, we still played Jenna’s New Year’s party and because of all the publicity, ten thousand people came. We played four different sets so everyone would remember him. They call it the Miami Woodstock. Now there’s two bands, with the 14-year-olds playing pop songs at kid’s parties. We do metal and hard rock, plus our own songs. We also got in the news when we succeeded in getting black kids to stay after school for activities. With all the publicity, Ry Cooder asked us to open for Lynyrd Skynyrd next month. All ‘cause of Jace.”
“I’m so glad you found me, but I’m so sad as well. I feel I failed him.”
“If yer worryin’ that yer not a good mama, then come to New York for Easter. This whole tour is a Tribute to Jace. It’ll be a movie you can keep forever.” Then I break out with a bit of Morrison’s “Next Whiskey Bar,’

“Oh, moon of Alabama (:58)
We now must say goodbye
We’ve lost our good old mama
And must have whiskey, oh, you know why”

“Anyway, he always loved you so much. We had to find you.”
“You saw how good they play. Ur boy musta had hella talent. I believe ‘em.” Nate says.
“Well, let’s get your fine mama on stage, so we can sing the duet we told you about for Free Bird. See if any of Jace’s talent was genetic.”
“Oh, she can sing alright.” Nate affirms. Candy has a little grin going, not quite goofy, trying to look like she doesn’t want to do it.
“Here’s the scoop. Van Zant sings it like he’s telling his old lady he has to be free. In a duet his old lady doesn’t want him to go but knows it has to be. She agrees but still loves him and wants him to stay. On second time through, she really wants him to go and be free. ”
“Man, you boys over-think things, but that’s cool,” Nate remarks.
“We don’t ever rehearse. However it comes out, this is the song I’ll dedicate to Candy. If you don’t mind I kinda want her to be my good old mama, too?” I ask Nate.
“Totally cool. I’ll put out five frostie ones tonight.”
“Yeah, um, you got an empty Jack bottle you can put out full of ice tea.? Jack’s gotta really make the whiskey song look like Morrison.”
“Is all this plotted out, like the Hell’s Angel showing up at the last minute.”
“You mean Nick? As in the nick of time? He does Iggy Pop and we left him behind. I won’t ask how he got the motorcycle, but let us know when other Hell’s Angels show up.”
“Jesus, you’re firecrackers. It never stops.”
“That’s what you said about Robby.”
“Naw, he’s a piss-ant.”
Everyone laughs.
Candy finally gives me the goofy grin.
“You know that smile I showed you last night. That’s not Jace’s goofy grin. That’s yours.”
She’s so happy, she looks ten years younger.
My wheels are turning big time. Would Jack be jealous if I have her do New York instead of him. I need an instant karma moment. It will be enough to do it tonight. I can hardly wait.

We take off, knowing we will all be at the Bar & Grill later. Casper comes with us. We talk about the Free Bird duet. Casper says all three of us will be on the first mic with Candy on the second. Casper can mix Jack and my vocals to sound like Jace. For us we’ll really be hearing Jace sing to his mama. He’ll be letting go but leaving a part of him in her heart.

“Who’d you call?” I ask Jack. “Was it Isaac?”
“Don’t be jealous.”
“I’m not jealous of Isaac. He’s straight. It’s the hot head we discussed. No one gets that upset unless they’re gay.”
“Ha, that’s what you think. Yes, I called Isaac, but he was just as upset as Bart, the hot head.”
“You had to brag about your fight.”
“Was my first one, and we won.”
“If you call running inside the club with protection from the bouncers winning.”
“Doesn’t matter, man. ‘We are the champions, my friend.’ Let’s open with that tonight.”
‘We’ll be covered with beer.”
“Cool.’

No sign of the pimp and his Jesus whores when we get back to the pier. The storefront kids are there and glad to see us. We tell our wild stories about the Bar & Grill. They’re impressed that we found Jace’s mama.
“Is Jace Teen Jesus?” one of the boys asks.
“In a sense, he is. I have him in my heart with the Jesus of my confirmation. Have y’all been saved?”
All of them nod.
“When you open your heart to others, you are like Teen Jesus. Other kids will know you have a pure heart and be open to you.”
“Was Teen Jesus pure as the real Jesus?”
“Hell, no. He smoked pot, loved heavy metal, chased girls and all the things teenagers do. It’s his love that makes him like Jesus.”
Casper flies around and hugs each of them. Most can feel him. They smile at me in recognition.
“Some of you might not feel him yet, but if you open your hearts to those who do, you’ll begin to feel him, too.”
The kids with his spirit surround those who are blocking it, joining hands and praying for each other. Jace holds everyone who is being prayed over. You can see the acceptance in their faces. He looks a bit exhausted from the exercise.
“Anybody not feel it?”
They all smile. No one raises a hand.
‘We need to celebrate. How about we do a sock hop at the Church?”
The pastor has been quiet during all this spirit sharing. The kids go over and beg him to open the Church.
“No heavy metal or drug rock.” he sets his conditions.
“We call this the Out-Crowd show. We all feel alienation, so we’ll play 50s and 60s pop rock dance music.”
“Then, okay.”

We get our guitars and drums. The rest of the band is getting tired of my preaching and need to play to get over it. We play for an hour. The pastor sends the kids out to spread the gospel. They are full of energy. He walks us back to the car.
“Nice wheels,” he notes
“It’s more like a boat, but it has tons of room and the uncles are paying for the gas.”
I give him $100 from last night’s bar split.
“I wish we could do more. How about we do a sock hop after tomorrow’s Sunday service? You could collect a donation at the door.”
“Only if you come to the service.”
“He’ll take your job away from you, Pastor,” Jack quips.
“I could use the help. Service starts at 10 am.”
Everybody groans, knowing we’ll be up all night.

After pizza, we’re lethargic, so we go back to the motel and toke up. Jack feigns exhaustion. I’m glad we have a separate room. We leave for a ‘nap.’ No one is deceived. Jack is instantly on overdrive when we are alone. I get on my knees and tell him he needs head to take the edge off before real fucking. It has been a couple of days of communal sleeping arrangements, and it does not take him long to get off, fucking me good in the mouth. We turn to the main action. Just the thought of him fucking me makes my stomach and crotch turn to Jello. I lay back. He brought out a tube of Vaseline lotion. He had thought ahead. I was in for it. With no pretense of modesty, I lay on the bed and throw my legs up for easy entry. With his arms hooking my knees, he stretches me in two and kisses me deep and thorough. My ass is begging for it, as he lubes his dick and fingers the Vaseline into my crack. Instead of grabbing his butt and pulling his dick into me, I lay there waiting for him. He has me totally submissive. The tip of his long hose was rubbing back and forth, teasing me.

“Fuck me, for god’s sake. I need it. Stop teasing and just fuck me.”

“You really want it, then beg some more.”

“Please, you bitch. I want your dick.”

“A bitch, huh,” and he impaled me all the way in, his balls slapping my ass.

“Oh, fuck,” I gasp. After all the teasing, I relax and roll back so my ass is higher. I hold his shoulder blades as he pumps me. I come in 30 seconds, but Jack is just getting started. He ignores my spurting dick, keeping up a steady rhythm. until my orgasm slows. He stays deep within me and pumps me with rapid short thrusts. It feels so good, I started to moan at a higher and higher pitch.

Jack play slapped me, “Stop sounding like a little girl.”

I catch myself and start chanting, “Jack, Jack, Jack.”

He loves that and returns to the long strokes, pulling all the way out and going all the way to his balls on the downward stroke. My dick never deflates, sliding on the astroglide of Vaseline and cum that covers our lower bellies and pubes. He picks my ass up and keeps fucking me, as I move in jerks to the top of the bed. I am hitting the head board of the bed when he stands up and thrusts with quick strokes in and out my ass which is two feet off the bed.

“Take it, take it, take it,” He grunts.

“Inside, take me inside, deep inside,” I beg, my neck resting on the pillow as my head bangs into the head board. My feet slip upward and are crossed behind his head.

“Ah, ah ah ah,” was all he says as his dick is doing it wild whipping inside my belly. Suddenly the bed slats holding the mattress and box spring fall loose and everything including us drop a foot. Jack tenses and I feel the first splash of cum hit my insides. The bed now on the floor, Jack recovers his rhythm and pumps his orgasm to conclusion. I feel totally dominated. He falls across me. I give in completely.

“Fuck this shit,” I say, pushing him off me and rolling on top of him. Knelling between his legs, I pull his hips up and smear the cum and Vaseline across his asshole and push inside about an inch. Added to his ass sweat, it makes for easy access and I thrust further and further into him with each stroke.

“Yeah, ah, ah yes,” he grunts with each downward stroke.

“No, no, no,” each time I pulled back. He rubs his face in all the drool and mucus I left on the pillow, causing his ass to rock sideways while my dick makes it go up and down. We were on an amusement park ride, spinning and bobbing. I feel my dick head turn which causes him to scream in prostate ecstasy. I go rigid while his sideways motion peaks. At my first explosion, we tip over and fall on the floor, with Jack on top of my dick. Instead of just letting each spurt happen, I power through the orgasm, pushing him upwards as he clamps down on my dick. I count eleven thrusts and spurts until I slow to sporadic ejaculations, coming at longer and longer intervals.

We wake up later, lying naked in the remains of the collapsed bed, and surrounded by all the others.
“Hi guys,” Jack recovers his poise with a big smile.
“You didn’t lock your door,” Michael explains, laughing at the broken bed.
Hippie throws a sheet over us, after which he starts laughing. All of us join in.
Time to play rock n roll.

We roll up on the Bar & Grill. Nate meets us at the back door.
“Jake decided it was safer fer y’all to drink in the ‘green’ room like adult bands rather than cause a riot in the parkin’ lot. If’n there’s a police raid, y’all gots to git out this here door.”
He leads us to a closet that was empty with a single light bulb hanging from the ceiling. We store all the amps and guitars inside. We look for Candy, who is helping Nate stock the bar. I notice Casper hanging onto Candy. I never thought about where he was all afternoon. He waves, and I feel fully guilty. Jack hits me beside my head.
“Hey, he gave us a sex pact pass so he could be with his mama.” Jack knows me well. I’m over thinking again.
Casper comes over and starts sniffing us.
“I smell excessive sex pheromones,” he signs.
“Jealous?”
“I knew you couldn’t go two days of communal living.”
“We got a room. We practiced fucking you.”
“Wanna check out the ‘Green Room?”
“We already did. You’ll like the room at the motel better.”
“I don’t care where but the need is now.”
I guess hanging around his mama didn’t cool his sex drive.
We get off in the closet, while Jack takes another turn on me.
“What happened to my butt lust buddy?”
“Ever since the brawl last night, he thinks he’s Tarzan.”
“And you, Jane?”
“I’m anxious for your return.”
“How long can we stay in Daytona?”
“Tomorrow we’re going to the storefront church and do a fundraiser with the Out-Crowd set.”
“More Teen Jesus gig?”
“The kids seem to like the idea that Jesus was a normal teenager back in the day. I told them you were a pot smoking hell raiser, er, heck raiser, and girl chaser.”
“No silly abstinence pledges for Teen Jesus.”
“Don’t tell Hippie.”
“Anyway, tonight you’re going to sing Free Bird with Candy, as a way to say goodbye. At least it’s not forever.”
“It’s so cool to be with her. She never stopped loving me. Nate is so good to her, but she’s had it rough. He pretty much rescued her.”
“He’s a cool dude. Who do you want to possess tonight, Jack or me? You already did me once. Is Jack ready?”
“You mind? It’ll be easy to possess your ass. Jack’s a bit feisty today.”
“You’ll have to ignore the fact that he’s still the pain in my ass.”
“We should do this more often.”
“The Guardian warned me it was dangerous. You could take over. We’d be absorbed into the spirit world.”
“You believe that crap?”
“It got you back to me.”
“Consider this: I’m a schizoid illusion that keeps you from cracking up.”
“You asshole. I’m not over-thinking that story.”
“Come here, our poor little bottom is a bit whiny tonight.”
He and Jack laugh at me. Then we have a group hug.
Hippie bangs on the door.
“You finished in there. We gotta get our guitars and shit.”
I open the door.
“Smells like teen spirit in here,” he complains.
“More like teen sperm.” Robby comes in after him.
I take my axe and set up. After I tune up, I go to the bar and ask Nate for the Jack bottle for Jack.
“Candy up for this?’ I ask.
“She’s always up for it.”
“We’re gonna do a Doors set, dedicated to Morrison who’s recently gone. Before ‘Another Whiskey Bar,’ I’ll say we’re also dedicating the songs to Jace and ask Candy to come up. Jack will over-act the whole thing chugging the bottle of Jack, then sing the last verse about his Alabama Mama to Candy. Then I’ll challenge all the Skynyrd heads about last night’s duet and ask Candy to do the girl’s part in the duet. We’ll do the lyrics twice and then I’ll do the long guitar solo. Jace insisted we follow the original. I’ll be trying to channel Jace, if I seem to be acting weird. It’s a way for her to say goodbye. Free bird was a song we did the first night we played together. Then we’ll take a break, looking for some cold frosties. Thanks Nate.”
“Man, it ain’t Rock n Roll when ya havta to think so much.”
“No argument there. Who knows what will actually happen.”
“That’s Rock n Roll.”

I go back on stage and check the crowd. It’s double Friday night’s turnout. I’m not about to think they were there for our music. Probably they want another brawl. Maybe they’re all Max fans. Candy gives me a big wave. I get that sinking feeling in my gut just like when I let Jack dominate me. As soon as I give into it, I’m floating above myself. Casper is going to play the whole set. Why not? Jack’s looking in my direction, so I give him a thumbs up. He just shakes his head. He steps up to the mic.
“Good evening, Daytona (not the) Beach. We’re False Gods from Miami. You welcomed us last night with free beer and a parley in the parking lot. You asked us back, so it’s time you show a little respect.”
Jack turns and whistles. He yells ‘Max.’ who comes trotting out. He runs over to Casper, jumps up and tries to lick his face. He knows Casper.
“Max is our guardian, so watch out.”
Jack is going on too long. A few wise guys start talking back at him. The beer will be flying next.
“We’re all gonna show some respect to a dead rock hero. This set is dedicated to Jim Morrison, gone too soon but never forgotten.”
Casper launches into ‘Light My Fire,’

as Jack grabs the mic from its stand and starts strutting across the stage, tearing his shirt off and rolling his jeans down to show his pubes. He’s going commando tonight. Felix would be disappointed. Alternating between holding the mic and swigging from the Jack bottle, he proceeds to get drunk (in his mind). Lurching like he’s going into the crowd, the long guitar solo allows him to move everywhere. He grabs a younger lady and sings “LA Woman’ to her:

“Are you a lucky little lady in the city of light
Or just another lost angel, city of night
City of night, city of night, city of night, woo, c’mon…”

Songwriters
John Densmore; Jim Morrison; Robbie Kreiger; Ray Manzarek
Published by
DOORS MUSIC COMPANY

When her boyfriend grabs her back, Jack goes into ‘Love Her Madly,’ chasing them back into the crowd.

“Don’t you love her ways?
Tell me what you say?
Don’t you love her as she’s walkin’ out the door?
All your love
All your love
All your love
All your love
All your love is gone
So sing a lonely song
Of a deep blue dream
Seven horses seem to be on the mark”

Songwriters
John Densmore; Jim Morrison; Robbie Kreiger; Ray Manzarek
Published by
DOORS MUSIC COMPANY

At ‘mark’ Jack runs back and jumps on stage, finishing the song and taking a big swig of Jack. Then he starts staring weirdly out at the crowd and jumping down in front again. Picking out random people, he sings, ‘People are Strange.”

“People are strange when you’re a stranger
Faces look ugly when you’re alone
Women seem wicked when you’re unwanted
Streets are uneven when you’re down…”

Songwriters
John Densmore;Jim Morrison;Robbie Kreiger;Ray Manzarek
Published by
DOORS MUSIC COMPANY

Back on stage, Jack flops onto his back, taking another swig, and sings from a prone position ‘Riders in the Storm,’ bringing the energy down a notch.

It gets the ladies swaying and takes the guys’ attention away from us. I float around the room looking for Candy. I hear her telling everyone that we’re her son’s band who came to play for her.
Jack is up and swaying with the mic back in its stand, which he’s using to keep upright.
“Well, looks like you all might just like the Doors after all. Well, here’s their song for you,” and he starts ‘Roadhouse Blues’ to sustained cheers

“Well, I woke up this morning and I got myself a beer
The future’s uncertain and the end is always near
Let it roll, baby roll
Let it roll, baby roll
Let it roll, baby roll
Let it roll, all night long”

Songwriters
John Densmore;Jim Morrison;Robbie Kreiger;Ray Manzarek
Published by
DOORS MUSIC COMPANY

We win them over. Jack follows up with ‘Crystal Ship,’

and more jumping into the crowd again with ‘Hello, I Love You,’ zeroing on ladies around him.

As the crowd presses back, Jack jumps back up on the stage. He launches into ‘Love Me Two Times Babe,’ swiveling his hips and doing pelvic thrusts.

“You like that?” he mocks. How about a tribute to the King,” and we launch into ‘Teddy Bear.’

“That ones for all you old fucks,” he mocks. The bear roars back with cups of beer flying at us.
“Gimme a beer,” he taunts them.
A wave of suds pours down on the band.
“That’s right. You’re old.”
More beer comes down.

Standing with his hands on his hips, he dares them to continue, but everyone was backed up at the bar. I point to where Candy was standing in the back.
Jack waves and yells, “Come on up, Candy. We got a real surprise for everyone.”
Candy pushes her way through as Jack takes swig after swig from the Jack bottle.
“Y’all know Candy as Nate’s old lady, and a fine one she is.” A few cheers. “We came to see her because she’s our band’s founding guitarist’s real mama.” More cheers.
“Since we’re doing tributes to those who are gone, I wanna do one for your eldest, Candy. Jace was a musical genius. We came to thank you for the little time he had with us. It meant everything.” By this time, he is swaying and slurring his words.
He raises the Jack bottle toward me, “We miss you Jace and not only did you give us inspiration but now the band has a real hot mama.” He salutes Candy with another swig and we launch into ‘Alabama Song, aka Another Whiskey Bar’, singing the final verse as a tribute to Candy:

“Oh, moon of Alabama
We now must say goodbye
We’ve lost our good old Mama
And must have whiskey, oh, you know why.
Well, show me the way
To the next whiskey bar
Oh, don’t ask why
Oh, don’t ask why
Show me the way
To the next whiskey bar
Oh, don’t ask why
Oh, don’t ask why
For if we don’t find the next whiskey bar
Tell you we must die
Tell you we must die
Tell you, tell you, tell you we must die
Oh, moon of Alabama
We now must say goodbye
We’ve lost our dear old mama
And must have whiskey, oh, you know why”

Hippie decides to rescue Jack and struts across the stage, double picking the omp-pah omp-pah bass beat. He stands above Jack, kicking him to make him get up, Jack jumps up and lurches across the stage with the mic in his hand, falling on his back and singing the full song through, from the floor. He throws the mic down at the finish with a loud explosion through the PA. Casper/me holds out our hand to Candy and pulls her up on stage.
“Sing with me,” he asks.
She nods with that goofy grin I love.
“Y’all gave us a little trouble last night in the parking lot over Skynyrd’s ’Free Bird, calling us pussy boys for singing it to each other,” I taunt the crowd. “So we’ll give you a chance to hear us do it proper with Candy singing her part in the duet.”
Cheers rang out plus a few ‘Skynyrd rules, you suck.”
Max appears beside Jace and barks. Jace launches into the long intro with Candy moving over and hanging on his shoulder as he cranks out the leads.

When the verses come up, Jace sings:

“If I leave here tomorrow” (Jace sings to Candy)
“Would you still remember me?” (She sings back)
“For I must be traveling on, now,” (Jace returns.)
“’Cause there’s too many places,” (She replies)
“I’ve got to see.” (We both sing)
“But, if I stayed here with you, girl” (Jace)
“Things just couldn’t be the same” (Candy)
“’Cause I’m as free as a bird now” (Jace)
“And this bird, you can not change.” (She finishes.)”

… and together they sing the long chorus with Jack and Hippie doing backups:

“Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh
And the bird you cannot change
And this bird you cannot change
Lord knows, I can’t change
Lord help me, I can’t change
Lord I can’t change
Won’t you fly high, free bird, yeah?”

The two sing the verses again. Jace plays out the long finishing solo. Everyone in the band knows it’s Jace playing, not me. I’ll tell them later that I let Jace take over. I’m the free bird floating above the room, watching my first true love sing to the mother he never knew. It’s my blue wispy tears that cascade down on them, hovering around Jace/me, as he plays for exactly seven minutes. At the finish, people are yelling Skynyrd,’ not to put us down but in recognition of the greatest Southern Rock song of all time. Sorry Allman Brothers, you stayed around too long.

Finally, the cheers erupt. We try to get off stage, but they insist on an encore, even though we have promised a second set. We come back on before I realize Casper has returned me to my body.
“How about “Simple Man?” I ask Candy. She nods and we have her stay on stage and sing with us. She comes in on the second verse:

“Mama told me when I was young
Come sit beside me, my only son
And listen closely to what I say
And if you do this it’ll help you some sunny day
Oh, take your time don’t live too fast
Troubles will come and they will pass
Go find a woman you’ll find love
And don’t forget son there is someone up above

And be a simple kind of man
oh, Be something you love and understand
Baby be a simple kind of man
Oh, won’t you do this for me son if you can?
Forget your lust for the rich man’s gold
All that you need is in your soul
And you can do this, oh baby, if you try
All that I want for you my son is to be satisfied
And be a simple kind of man
Oh, be something you love and understand…”

Having the local girl on stage turns the crowd. We finally get real applause and cheers, even some whistles.
“Y’all like that better than last night. Well, after our little set-to in the parking lot, all we gots to say is this:

“We are the champions – my friends
And we’ll keep on fighting
Till the end
We are the champions
We are the champions
No time for losers
‘Cause we are the champions of the World”

“We’ll be back,” I promise, and we run outside. Hippie helps the drunken Jack make it off stage. When out of sight, he quickly straightens up.
“You ain’t drunk,” Hippie observes.
“Here, take a swig,” Jack offers him the bottle, now mostly spit.
He smelled it. “Ice tea. Why am I the only one who doesn’t know what’s happening.”
“What’s happening, Hippie?” we mock him.
“Sock it to ‘em, Hippie,” Robby teases.
“Fuck you guys,” as he tips back a cold one.
Robby takes out a doobie, showing Candy how to draw it by covering the pinhole. I luxuriate in seeing the real goofy grin in it’s original form. Jack is desperate for a review of his stage antics. I’m oblivious. Michael and Robby are into some argument about who missed a beat. Finally, I look at him.
“Yes?”
“Was that the best show ever,” he insists.
I pull him into the ‘Green Room’ and let him fuck me for the umpteenth time that day. My ass is squeaking before he’s done.
“You killed it, man,” I tell him.
“Your ass hurt that much?” He’s distressed.
“No, man. The show. Your Morrison was incredible. Even Hippie thought you were blind drunk.”
“Let’s really do it, next time. Real Jack for Jack.”
“Have you ever really been drunk?”
“Well, I had two glasses of champagne one Christmas and threw up.”
“Parents allow you to drink enough to not get drunk.”
“I suppose you get really drunk as you call it.”
“I’m the jock, remember. But once in Alaska, we camped out and all of us got drunk on vodka. My friend was sleeping in my tent and threw up all over it. It was gross but I cleaned him up. He hugged me all night long. I didn’t know what I was supposed to do. I was 14.”
“And now you know everything at 16.”
“Just about. Hey, did you see me flying around? I was really Free Bird.”
“More like Big Bird. But, yeah, you guys switched right at the start of the set. You should tell me.”
“I didn’t know it was coming. Casper and I talked about it but we couldn’t decide who should switch, you or me.”
“He can do that to me?”
“We weren’t sure. We’d only done it once before.”
“Ew, I’m glad he didn’t try,” he shivers.
“Not ready for a little out-of-body experience.”
“No. What if I get stuck up there? Stranded at the Daytona Bar & Grill for eternity.”
“Ew, redneck hell.”

Next: https://timatswim.com/3-blog-a17-bangladesh-by-the-beach/

Tim at Swim

Rock n Roll in the Seventies

3 – Blog a16 – Roadhouse Whiskey Bar

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