ENC 1101-B3 & B4: Writing for Discovery

“Why aren’t you ever looking for a band to play in James?” Lara asked me with a disappointed drone. “You are so good at guitar I can’t understand why you don’t start a band.” As I sat in my recliner I pondered that very same question. “Why wasn’t I in a band?!”

As I thought about it I wished I hadn’t turned down my chance to be in mikes band. “Damn that Leroy!” I thought. Leroy and mike are my best friends but Leroy is taking what should be mine. I’m still happy for him, but if he ever quit I am definitely in that band. My chance had been blown by my bad decisions. I chose what I loved at the time over what I love in life. I chose drugs over music, the very thing that makes me be. I will always regret my decision but I have accepted it because I will eventually have a band to call my own.

Once I move to New Mexico I'm sure I’ll meet some cool dudes there. “It’s all a matter of time, no big deal.” I thought. “I’m still young.” I moved in on a Saturday and still had a lot of stuff to get done. I got a call later that evening. “It’s mike!” I said. “Thank god he called me I'm so bored!” “Dude we are having a party on the 13th that you need to come to.” Seeing how it was the 11th and I was going back on the 13th to get more stuff I agreed to go.

I left for Florida the next day and drove the whole way there. In less than two days I arrived in Jacksonville Florida. I had to drive the whole way there by myself which gave me tons of time to self reflect. I’ve been driving for about 7 hours when the car starts to break down. I’m sitting in the car with no air conditioning and no one to walk with. I walked 5 miles in the dry heat of summer. “It’s only going to take a minute to fix but we are going to have to tow in your car.” Willie the mechanic solemnly said.

We talked the whole way back about music and other things related to the life of a professional rocker. He kept telling me about his life as a motley crue roadie. I really didn’t care much seeing as how they are an 80’s band, this is two thousand and three, and hair metal is dead (at least in the United States). I tipped him well and rode out in my rental car. It was a nineteen seventy three pinto. It was awesome if you like no air conditioning and an eight track player.

I arrived in Jacksonville at six thirty. “I am only a half hour early and I still have to get showered!” I cried. “I guess I will just go the way I am.” Little did I know it was a surprise party for my going away and all of my best friends were going to be there. I showed up at seven thirty, fashionably late as usual. “Surprise!” thirty people screamed as loud as they could. Seeing as how caught of guard I looked, it only amplified my feelings of astonishment. “I can’t believe you all came to hang out with me one last time before I leave. You guys are definitely the best friends I could ask for.”

Everyone gathered around me and the music turned on. We drank and danced for eight hours straight but it felt like a mere second. Human pollution, mike and Leroy’s band played all of their songs and tons of people showed up to watch them play. The night was incredible. I knew my limit though, and left the party early. I left early enough to beat the sun rising over Jacksonville Beach. I must have blacked out because I can’t remember what happened until I woke up.

When I awoke I stretched and walked to go get something out of my car when I saw the huge dent on my rental car’s hood. It was gaping and had blood all over it. I quickly washed it off not thinking that I could use this as evidence in my case that I hit something, and not some one. I immediately got a phone call from mike. “James, you have to get to the hospital quick. It’s Leroy he’s been in an accident. I could not believe what I was hearing. . “Could this be really happening to me?” I asked myself. “Who would do such a thing, especially to one of my friends?!” I screamed at the mirror my feelings of regret and confusion. I could not remember for the life of me what had happened the night before after I left the party.

As I rushed to the hospital in my battered car I cried to myself. I knew with out me their band was finished but I couldn’t take Leroy’s spot if something bad had happened to him and it was my fault. I would rather die than hurt on of my friends. Arriving at the hospital was the first time I had ever had to lie to mike. He looked at my car hood and asked “what the hell happened to your car?! What did you hit?!” he belted out. I was forced to think of something quick. I hadn’t thought of whether I was going to tell him I blacked out and I didn’t know, or that I hit a dog. In a rush I told him I had hit a dog and not to worry about it.

Looking at Leroy was the worst thing I had ever done. He was missing an arm and was still in a coma. I cried in mike’s arms. Mike assured me that he would live but I couldn’t live with that. If I had done it I would die. Lara came and saw the aftermath and couldn’t believe her eyes. I told her the same thing I told mike. I’m glad they were so close to me and believed me, but I wish they hadn’t because I couldn’t stand lying to them.

Leroy awoke five days later, and when he did I spilled my guts. Everyone was there too. I told them I had blacked out somewhere on the way home and that I don’t know what the dent in my car was from. No one could believe what I was telling them. Everyone was confused. No one could grasp the fact that it may be my fault. I just sat there and took the verbal abuse.

“So you’re saying you washed the blood off your car? The only evidence that could have helped you, you washed off in a rush? I don’t know how strong your case is son.” Jeremy, my attorney, said with a low dismal sound to his voice. “You may have to plead vehicular manslaughter if you want any leniency in this case. Other wise you are looking at 25 year in jail if not more.” “This can’t happen to me. I wont let it.” I thought.
“Just keep looking for evidence and get back to me. I can’t stand living in jail.”

The case seemed like it would never end and it was only a week into the case. Without any notice Dr. Duno burst in the court room and yelped “I have evidence that can save this man’s life.” Not only my life would be spared but my relationship with my friend would be saved. The doctor had saved some paint off of Leroy’s wounds and tested it. I tested negative in my case and my life was spared.
Leroy still does have an arm but he is living off of the royalty checks he gets in the mail from the record label that our band signed on to. I filled in for Leroy and we went double platinum or better on every album we put out. It had turned out I had hit a dog but it hadn’t died. I unfortunately had my license revoked but it was ok because I won’t ever have to drive myself ever again. I never moved to New Mexico and live with my wife now in Hawaii.