"Dude Looks Like a Lady"

Chapter 3 Sailor (Ray POV)

(Writer's note: Hiya! Thanks for all your lovely comments so far and I hope you enjoy this chapter :3) 

Chapter 3

Sailor

~Ray (2004)

‘Happy birthday dear Ray!’ Sang Strings who was taken this a little to far, using his vocals as a whammy bar and making my name last forever- or at least enough time for me, Red and Drummer to exchange awkward glances. ‘Happy birthday to you!’

‘Can I blow them out now?’

‘Certainly.’ I blew out all thirteen candles in a oner and they all clapped enthusiastically. I wished for something then, but I wouldn’t tell anyone until it came true.

‘Open my last.’ Red demanded, ‘It’s the best one, so save it until last!’ We both laughed. It was odd- me and Red were often the same maturity, but he seemed like a little kid now. I suppose a month and a half makes a world of different.

I loved autumn, mostly because of Halloween and free grub meant more money to spend on albums. But I also loved the scenery. The falling leaves made it as though it was raining flat solid flames and although it was girly, I liked to dance in them and raise my palms to catch the receding heat of the sun that would soon just become a memory until winter had faded.

Winter in Scotland sucked. I wasn’t looking forward to it because our home was built for summer memories and making music- not for the harsh weather Scotland likes to hoard in. When I still went to school, the heaters could be broken; the teachers could be stranded in far away places; there could be food shortage; you could be dying of frost bite- it wouldn’t matter- you still had to go to school. Sullaby Primary and Sullaby high were the only schools to have never, ever, to be shut down on a snow day. It sucked.

I suppose I didn’t have to worry about that anymore, Strings was my teacher and not only for music. He taught me everything that I would ever need to know… Which is probably why I don’t know much.

Me and Red were walking through the gypsy trail, all the raspberries were gone and mushrooms cushioned every step we took. The sunlight couldn’t heat us through the frosty wind but the only thing that was making me cold was watching Red shivered.

‘Here.’ I said and placed my jacket over his shoulders.

‘Thanks.’ He smiled.

We began talking about how the band was going- which was not very well. The Family Jewels as we called ourselves kinda… well- actually- definitely sucked. Strings timing for the guitar solos were always off, drummer always got confused by it, I don’t think Red even knew what he was doing half the time and the chords I had to play did not harmonise with any of them. Strings was becoming depressed by it. It was kinda odd- he always motivated me to go for mine and his dream, but now he was giving up… I was really pissed off at him for that.

‘BLOODY COWS!’ Me and Red quickly whipped our heads around to face field full of cows. In the middle was wooden fishing boat and in that boat was a guy trying to push the cows away with a paddle, ‘GET AWAY FROM MY GRUB!’

‘You alright?’ I called out.

He glared at me through his thick greasy fringe; ‘Do I look bloody alright?’

‘…No, you look kinda senile, actually.’ He shot me a bitter narrow look and stopped paddling the herd away. One cow trotted up from behind and grabbed what looked to be a bunch of mushrooms into its gob. ‘Oy!’ He screamed at it, ‘That was my last ones!’

Red and me giggled as we watched the guy run after the leaping cow with a paddle, trying to paddle its butt.

‘Stupid cows!’ He yelled after it, ‘Stupid cows!’