So intense is their discussion that they don’t notice the return of the Californian sun nor the exodus of patrons for the patio. Spin continues, “… then there’s problem three. I once read a Bob Marley quote, him saying, ‘The biggest coward of a man is to awaken the love of a woman without the intention of loving her.’ Tell me you know what that means.”
Both of her feet, donned in worn and weathered L.A. Gear whites, shake from adrenaline, matching the action of a drummer riding double bass pedals.
“I mean… Well, I suppose… I mean, I guess…” He flounders on, then falls silent, gulping like a fish pulled from the safety of its water. Even his eyes go all spacey, with no focus.
Spin knows the look from her babysitting gigs in her hometown. Like a lie is brewing. Yet, again, she checks herself and gives the kid behind him a hello wave. The kid doesn’t wave back but doesn’t leave her lecture either.
“Hi, my name is Spin. What’s your name?”
“My name is Joey,” from the little boy. This snaps Doug back as if he had this talking parrot on his shoulder all the while and did not know it.
“Pleased to meet you, Joey. That’s your mommy, yeah? You’re out protecting her?”
“Yes. And, yes.”
“This here is Doug. Say ‘Hi,’ Doug.”
Doug welcomes the distraction and turns to the crasher. He puts out his hand for a high-five, saying, “Hey, little man.” Joey stares long at both Doug and his waiting hand but does not budge. It is the hardest thug hint Doug has ever received. He drops his hand from embarrassment.
Spin sits further back, giving her enough room to cross arms and legs. “Joey, do you think Doug would protect his mommy?”
Joey looks at Spin. Then looks at Doug. Then, he looks over at his mom. Then, he looks back at Spin and says, “I do not know Doug. I hope he does.”
“Honey, leave them alone and finish your lunch,” from Joey’s mom, who, without looking up from her smartphone, rattles his kiddie plate. Joey disappears by sinking down.
When alone again, Spin picks up where they left off. “You haven’t answered me.”
“Yeah.”
“Which means…”
Spin waits longer than she should for some sort of anything from Doug. Mindful of the time, she stands up and puts her jacket on. “I’m thanking you since I’m nailing this audition with anger. When you figure it out, you know where I am.” Once redressed with guitar in hand, she gives a goodbye wave to Joey, then exits.
Not long after, a powerful blast of sunlight shines right into Doug’s eyes. He squints through it, catching briefly the tail end of an amazing rainbow, linking the restaurant to the storm heading south.
“Spin!” Doug runs out in his weathered, sockless Hush Puppies, mindful of deep puddles everywhere. He sees Spin talking into an open car window. When she uses a quick head motion to throw free and unbridled hair out of her face, Doug finally gets her and smiles. He watches Spin in her ride-share merge into Route 1 traffic.
