Stelly balanced the two pitchers on the tray as she glided back to the pool table area, dodging the groping hands, but taking the laser eyes shots with a sigh. Like she would be interested in any of these drunken losers. Most all of them were just like J.J. or Harvey or even worse. As she placed the pitchers down, Tommy Joe leaned back up from his sure thing corner eight ball shot and made his pitch.
“You sure that you’re busy later on, the boss hoss is itching for some action, ‘ya know?”
“I’m busy for the next ten years, Tommy. You know that.”
“I’m just saying…a girl can’t just shrivel up and die now, just because her man’s away for a good while.”
Stelly whirled away and headed back to the bar while fifteen guys stopped whatever they were doing to admire the view. Tommy Joe sank the eight ball loudly and gave up a long, loud catcall before going over to the table to pour another brew.
Stelly was thankful that she hadn’t of fallen for him ten years ago like every other girl in the county. Ten years and 100 pounds ago, Tommy Joe had led the local high school team to the state title. He had then proceeded to attempt to screw every available girl on this side of the state and he seemed to take every failure personally.
It would have been better however, if she had found any man worth a damn. She had fell hard for J.J. after the fortunate death of her first husband Harvey Miller. Harvey’s days of drinking, abusing, and controlling were ended right here in Bob’s Diner one night by a drifter in the night who took offense to something he said. All his rowdy friends from that same championship football team, chased the stranger down and gave him some “down home” justice. They certainly haven’t welcomed strangers to the county much since then.
Bob’s Diner; owned and operated by Fred Miller, brother of Harvey and son-in-law of Bob, is located off the edge of Faith, Nebraska, a town of 487 people founded in 1878 by religious fundamentalists. The principle occupation was farmer, while the secondary occupation was lay around and figure out how to get by with as little work as possible. Bob’s Diner was filled every night with practitioners of that second profession. Stelly knew from J.J.’s problems with the law, that the area was alive with “cash” crops.
Stelly watched Fred frying the giant hamburgers that were the specialty of the house and wondered why more weren’t made like him. Even within the same family, that doesn’t seem to happen, especially around these parts. He had done everything he could to keep her safe during the “Harvey” years and the mad period that followed, but he had married his soul mate in Barbara Jean right after high school and they had been doing the 2.5 kids and picket fence dream for years. Stelly groaned as she watched the bus slow down and turn into the parking lot. “What now?” she said to no one in particular. She couldn’t believe what she was seeing as the five scruffy extremely long-haired guys climbed out of the bus and made their way over to the diner along with the driver. To avoid any trouble; she met “tall, dark and handsome”, the obvious leader of the group, at the door.
“Welcome to Bob’s, I’m Stelly”, Stelly said warmly.
Tall, dark and handsome flashed a thousand watt smile and nodded to her as he said, “Thanks! I just happen to be Bob, too! We’re lost, tired and hungry…figured we would take care of hungry and worry about the rest later.”
Stelly guided them over to the bar and got them six specials ordered and started to hear the grumblings from the back of the bar. She heard the barroom wit, Tommy Joe wondering aloud about their particular gender and preferred sexual partners. The guys pretended not to notice, but she knew that if it continued much longer, things at Bob’s would get out of control. She also knew that it would not do much good to call the Sheriff’s office since half of the deputies were already in the back of the bar drinking their way to oblivion. Stelly walked over to the jukebox and loaded up about 15 songs and leaned under the bar to hit the volume button. When Bad Company began playing “Bad Company”, everything began to settle down. That bunch in the back really put Fred in a bad place every time they get rowdy like that. Stelly had used the jukebox to her favor on many a night, with the sudden silence of the thing signaling “party over”.
As she put the plate in front of Bob, he said, “Thanks Stelly. You may not believe this, but one the buses we lost had those guys in it. We’re a little rock band from Detroit and after getting our first album finished, we were signed on to be the back up band to the back up band for Bad Company’s first tour. We only play the big shows and fill in if someone gets sick, but it’s pretty wild. Those guys are signed up with Led Zeppelin’s label, did you know that?”
“Yes…I love music, and love those guys. Do you have anything on the radio yet? I would love to hear it.”
“Only a couple of good songs that were local hits…hopefully we will be on that jukebox before you know it…I’ve been writing some new songs, trying out a new sound, just making it real. I think that’s the best way to go, if songs from your life aren’t good enough, then so be it.”
“I hear you…I guess I got a few stories to tell, don’t we all?”
“They’re just waiting on the proper time, don’t you think.”
“Yes, and speaking of time…I am not sure how long I can keep that bunch back there in control. They’re not so bright sober…they are downright morons on Friday night, and there is some history here of trouble with strangers.”
“Well, about that…I was going to ask how it would be if we snuck the bus out back and camped out until morning. We are all beat and we can find the rest of those guys tomorrow.”
Stelly walked back to the grill and whispered something in Fred’s ear. Fred looked up at the bar and nodded his head yes. Stelly came back to the bar and told Bob yes, but to make sure that the boys in the back didn’t see them pull back there. “I’ll go check on you guys before I leave to make sure you’re ok.”
“If that’s what you want,” replied Bob sincerely.
Stelly placed her hand over his and looked into his deep blue eyes as she said, “I am not sure that I ever wanted anything quite this badly before.”
Bob smiled, kissed her hand and told her not to worry, that he felt it every bit as much as she. All the rest of the night, Stelly kept the beer flowing as fast as possible, knowing that the deputies would be forced to break it up early after the limits were reached. CYA is the golden rule everywhere and even the “Good Ole Boy Network” had its limitations. She had the bar emptied and closed a full hour early and stood nervously at the door of the bus. Bob met her at the door and took her by the hand and guided her towards the bedroom in the back. [insert obligatory Hollywood fadeout]
They lay in each other’s arms and gazed into each other’s eyes as Bob caressed Stelly’s hair. “It can’t be Stelly, can it?”
“No,” she laughed. “It’s Estella…Estella Louise.”
“Very pretty name, Estella. I think that you are both, Stelly and Estella.”
“You’ll be miles away by tomorrow night and I’ll be forgotten.”
“I may be miles away, but your memory will remain forever girl.”
And looking into his eyes, she knew this was true. She knew also that somewhere down the road…she would be remembered and incorporated into a song. Maybe it would get on the radio and she could play her song on the jukebox and smile. At that moment she knew…it was enough.
“You know, you could come with me.”
Stelly thought of Suzy; her five year old angel, the only good thing Harvey had ever done his life. She thought of her sweet, miss-guided fool of a husband J.J. sitting in his prison cell wanting nothing but to get back to her. She thought of Fred and Barbara Jean and her sister at home watching the angel, and all the other people she took care of in the course of her days and nights.
“As much as I would love to roll away with you down that highway, I think I have been Stelly too long to ever be Estella again.”
As they said their goodbyes, they heard a commotion outside and rushed out investigate. There stood a very drunk Tommy Joe and most of his entourage with weapons of destruction in each hand. If not for the weapons, she would have laughed out loud at the way they swayed to and fro. She had really socked the beer to them and they were still showing the results of those 2 hours later. Someone must have seen the bus and they must have fumed for a few hours getting their courage up. And stumbling around quite a bit in the process and that was the thought that did it…not able to hold it in any longer, she busted out with uncontrollable laughter. She walked over to Tommy Joe and whispered something in his ear and he grinned and turned to the guys and told them to go on home. As it was breaking up, Stelly went over to tell Bob goodbye.
“What did you say to him?”
“I just promised to give him what he always wanted,” she said with a grin. “The fool will pass out before we ever get that far and he won’t remember any of it anyway. That’s the difference between a boy and a man, knowing what’s really important and not forgetting it. Life is like a book that’s not written yet and every day we turn a new page. I’m glad we were a page in each other’s book, Bob. Go on now, roll on before I decide to let you roll me away.”
Stelly smiled as she watched the bus drive off. She smiled even bigger when she turned and saw that Tommy Joe had indeed passed out in the back of his pickup truck. She had plans for Tommy Joe. It was very possible that the “boss hoss” was going to suffer a major blow to his reputation…could be people might question Tommy Joe’s orientation by the time she was through. She got into the pickup truck humming “Bad Company”.
“You sure that you’re busy later on, the boss hoss is itching for some action, ‘ya know?”
“I’m busy for the next ten years, Tommy. You know that.”
“I’m just saying…a girl can’t just shrivel up and die now, just because her man’s away for a good while.”
Stelly whirled away and headed back to the bar while fifteen guys stopped whatever they were doing to admire the view. Tommy Joe sank the eight ball loudly and gave up a long, loud catcall before going over to the table to pour another brew.
Stelly was thankful that she hadn’t of fallen for him ten years ago like every other girl in the county. Ten years and 100 pounds ago, Tommy Joe had led the local high school team to the state title. He had then proceeded to attempt to screw every available girl on this side of the state and he seemed to take every failure personally.
It would have been better however, if she had found any man worth a damn. She had fell hard for J.J. after the fortunate death of her first husband Harvey Miller. Harvey’s days of drinking, abusing, and controlling were ended right here in Bob’s Diner one night by a drifter in the night who took offense to something he said. All his rowdy friends from that same championship football team, chased the stranger down and gave him some “down home” justice. They certainly haven’t welcomed strangers to the county much since then.
Bob’s Diner; owned and operated by Fred Miller, brother of Harvey and son-in-law of Bob, is located off the edge of Faith, Nebraska, a town of 487 people founded in 1878 by religious fundamentalists. The principle occupation was farmer, while the secondary occupation was lay around and figure out how to get by with as little work as possible. Bob’s Diner was filled every night with practitioners of that second profession. Stelly knew from J.J.’s problems with the law, that the area was alive with “cash” crops.
Stelly watched Fred frying the giant hamburgers that were the specialty of the house and wondered why more weren’t made like him. Even within the same family, that doesn’t seem to happen, especially around these parts. He had done everything he could to keep her safe during the “Harvey” years and the mad period that followed, but he had married his soul mate in Barbara Jean right after high school and they had been doing the 2.5 kids and picket fence dream for years. Stelly groaned as she watched the bus slow down and turn into the parking lot. “What now?” she said to no one in particular. She couldn’t believe what she was seeing as the five scruffy extremely long-haired guys climbed out of the bus and made their way over to the diner along with the driver. To avoid any trouble; she met “tall, dark and handsome”, the obvious leader of the group, at the door.
“Welcome to Bob’s, I’m Stelly”, Stelly said warmly.
Tall, dark and handsome flashed a thousand watt smile and nodded to her as he said, “Thanks! I just happen to be Bob, too! We’re lost, tired and hungry…figured we would take care of hungry and worry about the rest later.”
Stelly guided them over to the bar and got them six specials ordered and started to hear the grumblings from the back of the bar. She heard the barroom wit, Tommy Joe wondering aloud about their particular gender and preferred sexual partners. The guys pretended not to notice, but she knew that if it continued much longer, things at Bob’s would get out of control. She also knew that it would not do much good to call the Sheriff’s office since half of the deputies were already in the back of the bar drinking their way to oblivion. Stelly walked over to the jukebox and loaded up about 15 songs and leaned under the bar to hit the volume button. When Bad Company began playing “Bad Company”, everything began to settle down. That bunch in the back really put Fred in a bad place every time they get rowdy like that. Stelly had used the jukebox to her favor on many a night, with the sudden silence of the thing signaling “party over”.
As she put the plate in front of Bob, he said, “Thanks Stelly. You may not believe this, but one the buses we lost had those guys in it. We’re a little rock band from Detroit and after getting our first album finished, we were signed on to be the back up band to the back up band for Bad Company’s first tour. We only play the big shows and fill in if someone gets sick, but it’s pretty wild. Those guys are signed up with Led Zeppelin’s label, did you know that?”
“Yes…I love music, and love those guys. Do you have anything on the radio yet? I would love to hear it.”
“Only a couple of good songs that were local hits…hopefully we will be on that jukebox before you know it…I’ve been writing some new songs, trying out a new sound, just making it real. I think that’s the best way to go, if songs from your life aren’t good enough, then so be it.”
“I hear you…I guess I got a few stories to tell, don’t we all?”
“They’re just waiting on the proper time, don’t you think.”
“Yes, and speaking of time…I am not sure how long I can keep that bunch back there in control. They’re not so bright sober…they are downright morons on Friday night, and there is some history here of trouble with strangers.”
“Well, about that…I was going to ask how it would be if we snuck the bus out back and camped out until morning. We are all beat and we can find the rest of those guys tomorrow.”
Stelly walked back to the grill and whispered something in Fred’s ear. Fred looked up at the bar and nodded his head yes. Stelly came back to the bar and told Bob yes, but to make sure that the boys in the back didn’t see them pull back there. “I’ll go check on you guys before I leave to make sure you’re ok.”
“If that’s what you want,” replied Bob sincerely.
Stelly placed her hand over his and looked into his deep blue eyes as she said, “I am not sure that I ever wanted anything quite this badly before.”
Bob smiled, kissed her hand and told her not to worry, that he felt it every bit as much as she. All the rest of the night, Stelly kept the beer flowing as fast as possible, knowing that the deputies would be forced to break it up early after the limits were reached. CYA is the golden rule everywhere and even the “Good Ole Boy Network” had its limitations. She had the bar emptied and closed a full hour early and stood nervously at the door of the bus. Bob met her at the door and took her by the hand and guided her towards the bedroom in the back. [insert obligatory Hollywood fadeout]
They lay in each other’s arms and gazed into each other’s eyes as Bob caressed Stelly’s hair. “It can’t be Stelly, can it?”
“No,” she laughed. “It’s Estella…Estella Louise.”
“Very pretty name, Estella. I think that you are both, Stelly and Estella.”
“You’ll be miles away by tomorrow night and I’ll be forgotten.”
“I may be miles away, but your memory will remain forever girl.”
And looking into his eyes, she knew this was true. She knew also that somewhere down the road…she would be remembered and incorporated into a song. Maybe it would get on the radio and she could play her song on the jukebox and smile. At that moment she knew…it was enough.
“You know, you could come with me.”
Stelly thought of Suzy; her five year old angel, the only good thing Harvey had ever done his life. She thought of her sweet, miss-guided fool of a husband J.J. sitting in his prison cell wanting nothing but to get back to her. She thought of Fred and Barbara Jean and her sister at home watching the angel, and all the other people she took care of in the course of her days and nights.
“As much as I would love to roll away with you down that highway, I think I have been Stelly too long to ever be Estella again.”
As they said their goodbyes, they heard a commotion outside and rushed out investigate. There stood a very drunk Tommy Joe and most of his entourage with weapons of destruction in each hand. If not for the weapons, she would have laughed out loud at the way they swayed to and fro. She had really socked the beer to them and they were still showing the results of those 2 hours later. Someone must have seen the bus and they must have fumed for a few hours getting their courage up. And stumbling around quite a bit in the process and that was the thought that did it…not able to hold it in any longer, she busted out with uncontrollable laughter. She walked over to Tommy Joe and whispered something in his ear and he grinned and turned to the guys and told them to go on home. As it was breaking up, Stelly went over to tell Bob goodbye.
“What did you say to him?”
“I just promised to give him what he always wanted,” she said with a grin. “The fool will pass out before we ever get that far and he won’t remember any of it anyway. That’s the difference between a boy and a man, knowing what’s really important and not forgetting it. Life is like a book that’s not written yet and every day we turn a new page. I’m glad we were a page in each other’s book, Bob. Go on now, roll on before I decide to let you roll me away.”
Stelly smiled as she watched the bus drive off. She smiled even bigger when she turned and saw that Tommy Joe had indeed passed out in the back of his pickup truck. She had plans for Tommy Joe. It was very possible that the “boss hoss” was going to suffer a major blow to his reputation…could be people might question Tommy Joe’s orientation by the time she was through. She got into the pickup truck humming “Bad Company”.
