The Tickets

Last Monday in August.  Wow.  Next week, we here on this side of the pond, celebrate Labor Day - often considered the last of summer, even though it doesn't officially end until around the twenty something.  It has cooled down some - not so much so you'd notice but enough to let you know that there is an end in sight. Yeah...We've even finally got some much needed moisture.  It's the monsoon season here but until last week, we hadn't seen any rain.  I've enjoyed listening to it - it never lasts long maybe five or ten minutes - but it makes me happy.  

This is a new story.  Not sure if they'll be another new one next week.  It's one week at a time, but today it's a newbie.  Just realized I used the name Jared again.  I think I like that name, I recall using it before.  Oh well.  

Later,

The Tickets

Jared walked into the house, and it looked as if a bomb had gone off. Stuff was strewn everywhere. He called for his wife but didn’t get an answer.  He called again, nothing. Now he was concerned.  Had there been a home invasion? Looking over, he saw the big screen TV was still in its place.  Was there anything else missing?  He took a quick scan of the premises; it was hard to tell amidst the clutter, but he didn’t see any significant items missing. He moved through the rest of the house, encountering clutter as he moved.

He pulled his cell phone out of his pocket and called 911.  He made the report and was told to go outside to wait for the police.  He backed out the front door and sat on the fence waiting for their arrival.

“Hey Jared,” his neighbor called to him.  “Is anything wrong?”

“I think we had a break-in today.  There is stuff everywhere.  I called 911, and was told me to wait outside until the police came.”

“Was Jan home?” 

“I don’t know where Jan is.  I called to her and got nothing.  I called her cell phone, and it went straight to voicemail.”  The police pulled up then – two police officers – they entered the house with guns drawn.  They were in there for several minutes when Jared and his neighbor heard screams.

“What the hell do you think you’re doing?” came a voice that Jared recognized so well.

Sure enough, out came Jan, a police officer on each side.  “This lady is claiming to be the homeowner. Can you verify her identity?”

Jared chagrined, admitted that Jan was his wife.

After a few more minutes of conversation, the police left.  Both Jan and Jared could hear their laughter as they returned to their cruiser.  The neighbor had discreetly left the moment he saw Jan escorted out between the law-enforcement officers.

“Why the hell did you call the police?”

“Why the hell didn’t you answer me or your phone?  I called out to you the minute I came in the door.  The house looks ransacked.  What the hell is going on?”

“I’m looking for something.”

“Where the hell were you anyway?”

“I was in the bedroom closet, rifling through my boxes.  I must have looked a sight.  I had my ass in the air, bending over the last box when the officers found me.”

“I’m sure there is going to be lots of laughter down at the police station when those officers file their report,” Jared said.

“Did you find what you were after?  What was it, by the way.”

“No, I didn’t find it.”

“Tell me what it is and maybe I know where I put it.  You know I keep track of everything, unlike you.  Your secret places contain tons of stuff you’ll never find again,” he chuckled.

“Don’t be so smug, Mr. Organization.  You know when you say things like that I could really learn to hate you.”

“But you don’t.  Let’s go get some dinner; I’m starving, and I think it’s safe to assume there isn’t anything happening in our kitchen tonight.”

“Okay, give me a second to freshen up and I’ll be with you.”

While he was waiting for Jan, Jared began picking up some of the mess in the living room.  What the hell was she looking for that she had to rifle through everything?  It mustn’t be very big.”

They went to their favorite neighborhood Italian restaurant for dinner.  They met another couple there and shared several bottles of wine before heading home.

He turned on the lights in the bedroom, and it too was torn apart. The floor was littered with storage boxes and piles of clothes; they wouldn’t even be able to get into bed until they cleared if off.  Jared was a little more annoyed now, but when he went into the bathroom and couldn’t even get to his toothbrush, he was pissed.

“What the hell are you looking for Jan?”

“I guess I have to tell you; it was supposed to be a surprise, but I can’t find them.”

“Find what?”

“Well, your Broncos will be in town to play the Cardinals, and I bought tickets. I printed them out and put them somewhere so you wouldn’t find them.  The game is next week, and I can’t find the tickets anywhere.”

“Guess what; I didn’t find them.”

“Yeah, but I can’t find them either.”

“Let’s remove this stuff off the bed and I’ll help you look for them tomorrow.  But first, we’ve got to organize some of these things.  I’m quite sure you don’t need everything here.”

“That’s why there're piles on the floor.  It’s all stuff I’m going to donate.”

He saw his favorite sweatshirt sticking out of the bag.  He yanked it out, and a pair of his comfy sweatpants came with it.  He kept digging in the bag and all of the stuff was his.

“How come there is none of your stuff in the ‘donate’ bag?’ 

“Because all my stuff is good.  I’m sick of always looking at you in the same ole’ things.”

“You take care of your own, and I’ ll handle mine, deal?”

She stuck her tongue out at him. “Come to bed, we’ll deal with this tomorrow,” he said and slapped her on her bare bottom.

“Ooh,” she said and wiggled her butt at him.  He smacked her again, “feeling cheeky, are we?  I can take care of that.”  He pulled her over his lap and spanked her bottom. She squirmed and complained, but he could tell she was enjoying every little spank.

“Why don’t we do this anymore?” he asked.

“I don’t know.  We stopped when the kids were around and never went back to it, I guess.”

“I think we have to start doing it again.  I think tomorrow while we’re looking for those tickets, we have to look for our little box of toys. What do you think?”

“Hmm,” was what he heard as he worked his fingers into her honeypot.  After some hot monkey sex, they hadn’t had in a while, they fell asleep. When the sun hit them in the eyes in the morning, they were surprised to find themselves still wrapped around each other. 

“I don’t know about you honey, but that was great. We definitely have to look for our little bag of toys.”

She laughed but agreed wholeheartedly.  They hadn’t had such wonderful sex in years.  Not only was it great sex, but she hadn’t slept that well in years.

                              __________________________________________

True to his word, Jared help Jan put everything back where it belonged.  He even agreed to relinquish some of his favorite clothing items if she would do the same.  A comfortable old robe that he wanted to burn for years topped the list.

The walk-in bedroom closet was emptied.  The last box to be pulled out contained their toys. They spent the better part of an hour going through the implements of ‘ass destruction including both a leather and wooden paddle, a suede flogger, a riding crop, a leather slapper.  They also found plugs and clamps of assorted sizes, feathers, furry hand and wrist cuffs.  It was like Christmas morning as they remembered stories of each and every one. 

“Let’s try some of them out,” Jan said.

“No, let's get the rest of this sorted out first,” Jared answered.

Jan pouted, and Jared picked up one of the paddles, “I’m in charge, right.”

“If you are, I want to see you demonstrate your authority, big man.”

He picked up the leather paddle and confirmed his power on her lily white bum.  When it was the prettiest shade of pink, he demonstrated his sexual prowess too.

                                   __________________________________

The hiding place for the tickets remained illusive until Jan cleaned out her purse.  Knowing that Jared never went into her purse, she figured it was the safest place.  She handed them to him and told him to put them somewhere where he could find them.

“I think I’ll put them in the toy bag,” he told her with the most wicked grin on his face.

Some of this story might contain a kernal of truth.  You never know.  See you later for more Aimless Ramblings.

Behind the Scenes - Part Three

This is the last part of the story.  If my sabbatical worked, I'll be back next Monday with a new story.  If not, there may be another repeat. 

How was your week?  Hard to believe summer is winding down.  I am looking forward to cooler temps but I've been told not to expect anything until the end of next month. I hate wishing my life away so I guess I will just grin and bear it.

Part One - Part Two

Behind The Scenes - Conclusion

The weekend gig in Dallas was a mistake. When he rejoined the group, he realized what he had and what he was giving up. Unfortunately, fate stepped in and changed the course of his life.

It was true what was written and heard about roadies.  They were a determined group, and although it was fun at first to have such rabid fans; it soon lost its luster. Some of them would maneuver a band member into a compromising situation and then had a friend take a picture and sell it to one of the “celebrity” publications. Rumors of affairs and one-night stands that never happened were often the cause of many a marriage break up.

Wives and girlfriends had to have thick skins, and lots of trust in their guy and Cindy had that for years.  However, now she was older, and Cindy worried about the constant barrage of young, sexy girls throwing themselves at him.  Lonely guys often fell prey to temptation. Even though Cindy should have known better, when the story made the front pages of the “celebrity rags” that Randy Rivers of River's Rangers was back on the market, she still fell victim to believing the rumors.

When Rowdy explained it was all untrue, Cindy was too hurt to listen and told him she wanted a break. She said she would take the kids and move into town.  He didn’t want to uproot Cindy and the kids; so he moved into the foreman’s quarters on the ranch.  This arrangement allowed Rowdy access to his kids when he was home.  Cindy agreed that as long as he honored her wishes to stay away from the house, the children could stay with him when he was in town.  As hard as it was on him, and hoping she would eventually come to her senses, he had honored this agreement and hadn’t set foot in the main house since the split.

Buck and Ashley were devastated by their parents split. They got to spend time with their dad because he still lived at the ranch between road trips, but it wasn't enough.  Even after five years, they still wished their parents would get back together.  It's what Rowdy wanted too. Cindy still held his heart in her hands.

PRESENT DAY

Rowdy couldn’t wait until their set was finished.  He wondered if she would come backstage or just wait until the concert was over and waited by the bus.  When the audience called for an encore, he groaned.  The band played three more numbers and Rowdy practically ran off the stage.

Cindy wasn’t backstage.  He asked a couple of people if they had seen her, and everybody told him there hadn’t been anybody backstage asking for him.  He began to think that maybe his imagination had played tricks on him.  He had an hour before they were due back on stage, and he went out for some air.

Standing away from the crowd, he saw her.  He smiled, and she smiled back at him as he walked toward her. It was a little awkward; he had all he could do to keep from enveloping her in his arms. 

“Hello Rowdy,” she said in the sweet, sultry voice he loved so well.

“Hello, Cindy.  You look great, but then you always did, even with a dirty face and hair all askew from working at the ranch.”

“Thank you for that.”

“What are you doing here Cindy?  Everything’s all right, isn’t it.  Jeb would have let me know if anything was wrong.”

“I need to talk to you,” she told him.  “I didn’t want to do it over the phone.”

Suddenly, he had a bad feeling in the pit of his stomach, and it felt as if the ground had just dropped beneath his feet.

“Sure, do you want to do it now or meet me later?”

“I’d like to meet you later.  I’m staying at a hotel in town, The Carlisle.  Why don’t you meet me afterward?  I’m in Room 420.”

“Sure, are you going to give me any clues?”

“We need to talk,” was all she told him.

The next two hours and forty-five minutes lasted for days.  He kept messing up the chords and getting dirty looks from his brother. 

“What the hell is the matter with you?  You keep fucking up.” Wes asked his brother during a break between songs.

“Cindy’s here.”

Wes nodded his understanding and told Joe and Jack to be aware and ready to take over at any time.  He knew how his brother still felt about Cindy and her showing up at a venue didn’t bode well for Rowdy.

The minute the show ended he bolted. Through his manager, he arranged for a bag, a cab, and a room when he returned from meeting Cindy earlier.  He grabbed a quick shower, changed clothes and hopped on the elevator. He rapped on the door and heard her voice.

“It’s me, Cindy.”   He heard the slip lock slide back, and the door opened.

Once again, he had all he could do not to take her in his arms.  He loved her as much now as the day he took her as his wife, and it was killing him that he couldn’t act on it.

“How was the show?” she asked.

“Like all the rest, over,” he answered.  “How are the kids?  I Skyped with Buck the other day.”

“He mentioned it.  Ashley is busy with her school project.  Difficult to believe next year she will be entering high school.”

“Okay, Cindy.  My stomach is in knots, and although I’m not sure I want to hear what you have to say, it needs to be said eventually.”

“This isn’t easy for me either, you know,” she told him.

“I know that.  What’s up?”

“I’m seeing someone.  It’s starting to get serious, and I want to file for divorce,” she told him.

“FUCK, FUCK, FUCK” was all he could think to say for a minute.

“Who is he?  Have the kids met him?  Do they know what you’re doing here?”

“His name is John Sanderson.  He’s the pharmacist at the local drug store.  I met him when Buck had that infection a while back.  The kids met him, and they like him, and no, they don’t know why I am here, or that I am here.  I wanted to tell you in person.  I don’t expect things to move quickly, but I didn’t want it to come as a shock when you are served with the papers.”

“Do you love him?”

“I like him well enough.”

“That’s not what I asked.  Do you love him?”  She didn’t answer him and looked away.

“So you don’t love him.”

“He’s a decent man; he likes the kids, and he is good to me, and I’m tired of being alone.”

“Have you slept with him?”

“I don’t think that is any of your concern, Rowdy?”

“You’re right, and I really don’t want an answer because I don’t want a picture of you and some other guy in my head. Is lonely an excuse to hook up with some guy you don’t love?”

“Rowdy, I’ve been waiting for five years for you to decide that I’m more important to you than the damn music.  I’m not getting any younger and John is a good man and loves me.”

“I love you too, and I’m a good man.”

“Yes, you are.  I can’t deny that.  However, John Sanderson will be in my bed every single night of my life.  Can you say that?”

“Yes,” he answered so quickly he shocked her.

“Yes, then why haven’t you done it?”

“Why didn’t you tell me you wanted to give us another chance?  You know how I feel about you; I've never held back.  I have just been honoring that damn agreement you made me sign when we separated.  I didn’t want to jeopardize not being present in my kid's lives by pressuring you into something I didn’t think you wanted.”

“I always wanted you; I didn’t want the lifestyle.”

“Well, it seems we’ve been at cross purposes,” he told her.  “What will it take for you to forget about this and take me back?”

“You know the answer to that, Rowdy.”

“Okay.”  She watched him take his phone out of his pocket and dial a number. 

“It’s me.  I’m through, do whatever you have to do.  I’ll tell the guys.”  He dialed another number.

“Wes, are Joe and Jack with you?”

Wes replied, “Yeah; we're just winding down here in the bus. Are you with Cindy?”

“Yeah.  I wanted you to know I’m quitting as of right now.  I just called Jeb and told him to do whatever is necessary.  I won’t be back this time so don’t hold my spot.  I know what’s important now,” and he ended the call.

This time, he did what he wanted to do earlier, he went over to Cindy and took her in his arms.  They melded together like hot glue.

 The following morning, Cindy and Rowdy boarded a plane headed to the Midland Airport. He called Jeb to have a car waiting for him.

“I’ll do it this time bro, but don’t forget I don’t work for you anymore,” and laughed.

“Yeah, that’s going to take some getting used to,” Rowdy said.

Cindy told him “Welcome to the real world.” He laughed and his hand found her bottom, giving her a gentle pat.

                                  *******************************

Rowdy decided to throw a big bash for friends, family, and neighbors to celebrate their being back together.  He hired a party planner and told them what he wanted; barbecue,  beer, soft drinks, and a band that did covers of Rivers Rangers.  Wes, Jack, and Joe flew in for the event, so did Jeb, who commented that he’d done a good job organizing everything without help.  Cindy piped in that he hired a party planner but he did need lots of help and laughed.  Rowdy popped her bottom when no one was looking.

During the party, Rowdy tried getting around to greet everyone.  He went up to this one older couple and introduced himself.

“Hi, I’m Rowdy Rivers.  Welcome to the party.  I’m not sure I know you.  Are you new around here?”

“Fairly new.  I’m John Sanderson, and this is my wife, Emily.”

“John Sanderson,” he repeated. “John Sanderson, the pharmacist.”

“Yes, I met your wife when she was picking up a prescription for your son Buck.”

“I see, well welcome to the area.  Hope you’re enjoying yourself.  Be sure to stick around for the fireworks.”

“We plan to,” they told him.

Rowdy went off to find Cindy.  He found her in the kitchen mixing up a batch of margaritas.

“I just met the nicest older couple,” he told her.

“Oh really, who?”  

"John Sanderson and his wife, Emily.”

The color drained from her face.  He watched her start to squirm.

“Yeah, you better squirm.  You made up that whole damn story.”

“Well, it worked, didn’t it?” 

He laughed.  “Yeah, it did.  It doesn't mean you are not going to pay the piper for that little charade. You put me through hell. Tonite, when everyone’s gone, and the kids are off doing their thing; you are going to get a spanking that’s going to light you up good. 

“Fireworks after the fireworks,” she said.

“You bet,” he told her.

“I can’t wait.”

See you later for more Aimless Ramblings.

Behind The Scenes - Part Two

Not having to come up with a new story makes Sunday's sweeter for me.  Unless, I've been inspired during the week, Sunday's can be stressful trying to come up with a story. This has been a nice break for me.  Hope you're enjoying this repeat, I know I am.  

First Installment Here

Behind the Scenes - Part Two

FAST FORWARD TO PRESENT

He heard the chants and the foot stomping from the audience that brought him back to the present. He started to play and go through the motions, but she was the only thing he thought about. His mind continued to wander back to the beginning of their relationship again.

Cindy and Rowdy had made it ten years before they split. During that time, Rivers Rangers popularity continued to grow and every year it seemed Rowdy was home less and less.  Once in a while, she would travel with him, or meet him on the road for a couple of days until she couldn’t take it anymore and would retreat to Rivers Roost.  She hated he traveled so much and while she understood it, she didn’t like it. The first time he took her over his knee for a spanking came as a result of a fit she threw after one of the band’s concerts. Until then, he swatted her bottom frequently, mostly in fun.  She had the cutest little butt, and he had a hard time keeping his hands to himself around her. That changed that night in Little Rock.  The band had a three-day gig and instead of staying on the bus, Rowdy rented a hotel room so they could have some alone time. Everything was fine the first night, but the second night Cindy decided she didn’t want to attend the concert. She planned a sexy interlude with her husband and wanted to primp and be ready when he returned.  Unfortunately, that night Rowdy didn’t get back to the hotel room until the wee hours. Unbeknownst to him, the band manager arranged a photo shoot and an interview for a magazine after the concert.  When he finally arrived, Cindy didn’t hesitate to make her displeasure known.  Flying objects greeted him as he opened the door, while she ranted and raved accusing him of cavorting with the groupies that were always present.  He tried to get her to listen to reason and explain about the interview, but Cindy wasn’t interested and continued to carry on.  Once she ran out of objects to throw at him, she began pummeling him with her fists.  He walked away from her, but she followed and slapped him across the face accusing him of being a lying, no-good for nothing cheater. That was the last straw; he had it!  She needed a spanking and by damn she was going to get what she deserved!  Reaching for her and hauling her over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes, he took her over to the bed, sat down and arranged her over his knee. Still clad in her sexy underwear, he wedged the black lace thong into her crack and let loose.  He peppered her bottom with spanks until he achieved a nice pink glow.  Cindy, hollering and kicking the whole time, didn’t deter him. The longer she carried on, the harder he spanked. His hand began to hurt, and he looked around for something to use other than his hand.  Nothing was handy.  Her whole bottom and upper thighs were red from his punishment, and he wondered how much longer she could withstand this assault on her fanny.  Finally, she stopped yelling, and he sensed she had enough. He gradually slowed the pace and ferocity of the spanks.

“Have you had enough?” 

“Yes,” Cindy answered in a voice so low, he barely heard.

“If I stop spanking and let you up, are you going to listen to reason?”

Again in a whisper, she answered “yes.”   Instead of spanking and letting her up, the hands that had just punished her bottom started rubbing out the sting and before long other bodily parts were receiving his attention. This was how most of their arguments were resolved.

                    *****************************************

In the final stages of pregnancy with Buck, she stayed behind and never toured with them again.  Instead, she waited for Rowdy to come home. When their daughter Ashley came along two years later, Rowdy surprised her by bowing out of the tour for the following year. 

Rowdy was glad to be off the road and settled into family life and ranching.  The first couple of months were bliss to Cindy. The kids loved having their daddy around, and Cindy loved having her husband in her bed every night. They fought like any other couple, mostly about Rowdy spoiling the kids and Cindy being so frugal, but the make-ups were fun. He would threaten to take her over his knee; she would act all indignant and fight him every step of the way, but she loved it, and those trips over his knee always ended with the most mind-blowing orgasms.

After about a year at home, Cindy began to notice Rowdy’s restlessness.  He dusted off his guitar, and he began playing occasionally.  He would hole himself up in the studio for hours. The other guys stopped by during a break in the tour and when they left he became really moody.  He was finding fault with everything and everybody.

“Stay away from Daddy.  He’s grumpy again.” He heard Buck say to Ashley.

He felt bad about his behavior. He loved his wife and kids, but it wasn’t enough, he missed making music.  He had spent a good portion of his life on the road, and he missed the music and the camaraderie with the guys.  Truth be told, he was jealous when the guys related stories of events that occurred on the road. The other guys didn’t have wives anymore; they were free to come and go without any familial responsibility.  Their spouses decided they didn’t like being married to someone who was never home, and even when they were home, road life often interfered with their family life.  There were still promotional spots, rehearsals, wardrobe fittings, and photo shoots to get in before they took to the road again. The ever-present groupies and the fear that one day their loved one would give into the temptations constantly being offered didn’t help either.  None of them, except for Rowdy and Cindy, ever made it more than two or three years.

He tried talking to Cindy about his restlessness, but she didn’t want to hear it.  She didn’t understand why being with her, and the kids weren't enough to keep him happy. They started bickering at each other until finally, Rowdy made a decision he hoped would solve the problem.

 “I’m doing a weekend gig with the guys when they come through Dallas next weekend.” he told her.

“But next weekend is my Daddy’s birthday party,” she told him.

“Tell him I said Happy Birthday,” and he went out and slammed the door behind him.

She followed him out of the door, still hollering at him. He knew he was acting like a bastard, but he needed this.  It was only for a weekend and maybe he would see that it wasn’t what he wanted.

“That’s enough, Cindy.  I don’t want to hear any more.  I need a break.”

“What about me, when do I get a break?” she asked him.

“If you want a break, go now. I’m not leaving until Friday, so you have until Thursday.”

“Oh, you’d like that wouldn’t you, it takes away your guilt for going next weekend.”

                                                         

“Either go or don’t go, it’s your choice.  I’ll be here until Thursday.”

Cindy ran up to him, hauled off and gave him a hard kick in the shins.  He took hold of her and guided her over to the tack room.  He grabbed a set of leather reins, yanked her over a hay bale and started wailing on her behind.  She was kicking and yelling at him to stop.  Suddenly, he heard Buck’s voice.

“Daddy, stop, stop.  Don’t spank Mommy anymore.”  He stopped and threw down the reins.  Cindy stood up and went over to Buck and said it was alright that she and Daddy were just playing a game.  She hugged him tight.

“Where’s your sister? Let’s go inside and get some lemonade and cookies.” Cindy told him.

She and Buck walked out of the barn and toward the house, passing Rowdy on the way.  He was leaning against the fence, staring off into space. She stopped.

“Next week when you go to Dallas, don’t come back here until you have made up your mind what you want.”  Rowdy couldn’t believe what he just did.  He never spanked in anger, and he was angry.  Granted, her kicking him in the shins didn’t help, but still, he should have controlled his temper.  He never even gave thought to anyone being around and seeing him whipping his wife, much less his son.  He needed to talk to Buck about what he saw and apologize to them both.

He tried talking to Cindy, but she was too upset.  Luckily, things went better with Buck.

“Mommy and I were playing a game.  You know how sometimes when you’re playing with Ashley, and she’s asking you to stop, and you ignore her.  She doesn’t really mean it, just like Mommy didn’t mean it when she was yelling at me to stop.”

“That’s okay Daddy.  I know you wouldn’t hurt mommy.  You’re always huggin’ and kissin’ on each other.” With that, he ran off to play. It assuaged Rowdy's conscious. He needed this time away, and he hoped to get his head on straight before he returned home.

Come back next week for the conclusion of Behind the Scenes.  See you later for more Aimless Ramblings.

Questions and Answers

This has been going around blogland for days and I have no idea who gets the credit - but thank you anyway.

1.      Do you like blue cheese?  Yes

2.      Have you ever smoked?  Yes

3.      Do you own a gun? No but Ray does

4.      What’s my favorite ice cream?  All of it

5.      Do you get nervous before doctor visits?  Yes, I don’t want hear a lecture.

6.      What do you think of hot dogs?  I can take them or leave them.

7.      Favorite move?  Wow, hard one.  Notting Hill, The Holiday, Seabiscuit come to mind.

8.      Do you do push up?  You’re kidding, right.

9.      Favorite piece of jewelry?  I love rings, bracelets and earrings, don’t know that I have a favorite.

10.  Favorite hobby – reading, wrting and ‘rithmetic taught to the tune of a hickory stick.

11.  Do I have ADD?  No but I do have CRS because I have to keep going back to remember the next questions.

12.  What’s the one thing I dislike about myself?  I have crappy fingernails.

13.  What’s my middle name?  Smith

14.  What do I prefer to drink in the morning?  Coffee

15.  Name three things you’re thinking right now.  I wish I was finished with this, I have to get ready to go out, I’m thirsty.

16.  Name three drinks you drink regularly?  Water, water and coffee

17.  Current worry? That Donald Trump will get elected

18.  Current annoyance? Donald Trump all over the news

19.  Favorite place to be? The ocean/gulf

20.  How do we ring in the new year?  Together

21.  Where would you like to go right now?  The ocean/gulf

22.  Name three people who will complete this?  3 people that haven't already responded.

23.  Do you own slippers?  Yes, but I rarely wear them.

24.  What color shirt are you wearing right now?  None - a dress.

25.  Do you like sleeping on satin sheets?  No, you slide all over the place.

26.  Can you whistle?  No

27.  What is my favorite color?  Yellow, no green, no blue, no purple, no red, no black

28.  Would you be a pirate?  Only a romantic one – not the dirty, smelly part.

29.  Favorite girl’s name?  Erica

30.  Favorite boy’s name?  Jared

31.  What’s in my pocket right now?  Nothing

32.  Last thing that made you laugh?  My friend's cat, Lightning

33.  What songs do you sing in the shower:  I can’t remember ever singing in the shower.

34.  Best toy as a child? Did we have toys way back then.? 

35.  Where would you love to live?  On a cottage over the water in Tahiti.

36.  How many TV’s do you have?  3

37.  Who is my loudest friend?  Jo-Anne, her voice carries.

38.  How many dogs do you have?  None at the current moment.

39.  Does someone trust you?  I hope so

40.  What book are you reading at the moment?  Waiting for Paint to Dry 

41.  What’s my favorite candy?  Dark Chocolate anything.  Spearmint leaves

42.  Worst injury I’ve ever had?  I was hit between the eyes with a hardball once.  It hurt like hell and looked awful for weeks.

43.  What’s my favorite sports team?  Denver Broncos

44.  Favorite month?  The only month that’s not my favorite is February, followed closely by January.

Behind The Scenes

Happy August - I'm more than halfway through my first Arizona summer and I've survived.  I wouldn't have believed it but I can tell the difference between under 110 and over 110.  We're in the monsoon season now, so there is some coolness but with it comes the humidity.  A nice change.  

We've had some rain, and even a thunderstorm or two.  I never thought I would get so excited about rain, but I am and always make it a point to go sit in the screen room to hear it hitting the roof and breathe in the smell of the freshly watered earth.  I love it. There's a word for that -  petrichor. Han mentioned it on his blog once, until then I didn't know it had a name.

This story is a redo.  I'm taking a sabbatical from writing for a few weeks, I'm burnt out.  This is a particular favorite of mine and it's long so it will play out over three weeks.  It's been revised since it's original posting date, but the crux of the story is the same.  For those of you who haven't read, I think you'll enjoy and for those of you who have, oh well - after all, it is summer and reruns are everywhere.

Behind The Scenes

Today was the last day of a tour that took them through 42 states during the past eleven months. Both band and crew members were exhausted. It was grueling work – the crew had to put up and take down the equipment and stage effects every single  day at each venue, and for the band being on stage playing for two/three hours, a night under those blazing hot lights when temperatures often reached over 100+ degrees was anything but glamorous. Outsiders thought the life of performers was all glitz and glamor. That’s because they were looking at it from the outside in, not the other way around. Being on the road and away from home was not easy. The money was phenomenal, but it meant little sleep, lousy food and cramped quarters; and it was hell on relationships.

He looked out over the audience and even with the lights shining in his eyes, he saw her; he always played to one girl only.  However, this time, she was real, not the imaginary version he had pictured over the last couple of years.  Right now, he was not 44 years old but 26 and remembering.

SIXTEEN YEARS EARLIER

Rowdy bought a ranch, Rivers’ Roost, in the hill country of Texas. He planned to retire there once his musical career was over.   It was his place to unwind and forget about being a “country rock” star. During one of his extended stays between road trips, he met Cindy Travers.  Cindy was working behind the counter in Johnson’s Feed and Supply.   Born and raised in Odessa, she was a cowgirl in the real sense of the word, not the Hollywood version.  She was sweet and down to earth and had no idea that he was part of Rivers Rangers, a famous country rock group, which suited him just fine.  One of the things he loved about this part of Texas was that no one cared about his fame, 95% of them never made the connection, so he could live as normal folks did while he was there.  His dates with Cindy consisted of going on picnics, horseback rides, evenings at the drive-in theater, an occasional visit to one of the local bars if there was a live band, stuff he hadn’t done since he was a teenager.

On one of their nights out, a Rivers Rangers song was playing on the radio, and Cindy was singing along.  The DJ announced that the group, along with several other bands, were giving a concert for The Children’s Network at the Fort Worth Convention Center and that tickets were available.

“I sure would love to see those guys in concert.  I listen to them all the time. They are one of the few groups I would travel to Fort Worth to see."

“Really, do you know anything about them?” Rowdy asked.

“Other than they’ve been around a while and play great music, not much.  I know there're four of them, but I don’t even know what they look like.”

He loved her innocence and hoped that what he told her would not change anything between them.

“You’re right, Cindy, there are four of them.  Two of them are brothers and the other two childhood friends.”

“So you must like them too if you know about them.” Rowdy was still in awe of her naivete.

“Oh yeah, I know all about them.  If you want to go to the concert, I can get you a front-row seat and a backstage pass?”

“I would love it, but it would be too expensive.”          

“On the contrary, it won’t cost me a dime.”

“How can that be?” she asked.

“I’m Randy Rivers of Rivers Rangers.”

“No, you are not; your name is Rowdy.” Rowdy laughed.

“Yes, Rowdy Rivers but my real name is Randy.  Rowdy is just a nickname my mom gave me as a kid, and it stuck.  My longtime friends and all of my family call me Rowdy, but my given name is Randy. Think about it for just a minute. The name of my ranch is Rivers’ Roost, and my last name is Rivers.”

“But you’re so normal,” she told him.

“When I’m here with you, I’m normal.  My other life is anything but normal.  We’ll go to the concert, and you will see what I mean.”

She came to the concert and couldn’t believe how different everything was from home.  There were what seemed like thousands of people clamoring for his time and attention. Girls of every make and model were all throwing bras, and undies, trying to stuff things in his pocket, people pulling him this way and that for a picture.  She was overwhelmed and couldn’t wait to get out of there.  He saw the panic on her face and quickly had his manager remove her from the havoc and take her to a quiet place.

“How do you cope with this turmoil? This is craziness. She asked him when he finally joined her.”

“Yes, it is, but I wanted you to see what my life was like when I’m not with you.”

What Cindy saw was just a fraction of what usually occurred backstage.  Appalled didn’t even begin to describe the way she felt seeing the way grown men and women behaved. People were sniffing cocaine, smoking marijuana, drinking booze straight out of the bottle like a soft drink, lying on couches and chairs, in various stages of undress doing things that shouldn’t be done in public.  If she dressed or acted like some of those young girls, her daddy would have taken a strap to her backside and wouldn’t have cared that she was an adult woman.  So embarrassed, she couldn’t wait to get away from there.

On their way home after the concert, Rowdy asked what she thought.

“I loved the concert itself.  The music was fabulous, but I couldn’t believe some of the things that went on backstage and in the dressing rooms. I can’t believe people act like that in public. Thank Goodness, Rivers Rangers behave themselves."

“I don’t want you to think we are angels. Back when we started out, we were pretty raucous too.  We’ve just mellowed in the last five or six years,” he told her.

“I like the way you are now.  I could never be like those girls, and if that’s what you want or expect, I don’t think we should be together,” she told him.

“Believe me; that is not what I want anymore. As I said, I used to indulge when I was young, not because I necessarily wanted to, but because I could.  Now, the thought alone turns my stomach.  I can’t wait to get out of that scene after we’ve finished playing.  Trust me; it’s not what I want.  As a matter of fact, if you ever tried acting like any of those girls, or doing any of those things in public like that, I would bare your bottom and spank the devil out of you, right then and there.”

She giggled.  “You think I’m kidding?” he asked her.

“No, I giggled because earlier when I saw how those girls were carrying on, I said to myself that my daddy would strap my bottom if he ever found out.  I’m not sure he wouldn’t strap my bottom for being present while those things are happening.”

“He might do it, but he would have to stand in line behind me.”

Part Two will be up next Monday - until then, or maybe before, see you later for More Aimless Ramblings.