Davy's On The Road Again Ch. 11

I could hardly respond. I was crumpling into the couch. Shock and comprehension had exhausted me. Forty years worth. Within minutes I was asleep and, as I found out later, snoring. They woke me a couple of hours later and it took a lot of shaking. I was really out cold.

"Come on, sleepyhead. We're going out to eat. Your choice."

"My choice, huh? Okay, pizza or In 'n Out or Chinese."

"Boo. No way, Jose."

"Hmm. Alright then, what's close, nearby and easy?"

"How about Louise's Trattoria on Pico, that's real good Italian," suggested Deb.

"Okay by me."

Her question was a ruse as Mark had already made reservations and set the DVR to record Craig's show. He was on the phone for a while. While we were getting dressed, Danny and Kathy pulled up. They were still bonkers. We all met in the kitchen and the atmosphere was electric. We lit a couple of joints (Mark's Special Blend) and were soon bopping around. I tossed Mark the keys to the Bentley and we took off for West Hollywood.

As we entered Louise's, we were greeted by applause and cheers. I was set up! the Begleys were there, as were the Hillmans, the Gadds, The Parks, Linda and Lloyd, the Buffetts and Sebastian, who brought along his friend, Bob Dylan, who immediately ran to Danny and hugged him. They were already drinking wine and a round of "For He's A Jolly Good Fellow" went up. I shook my head in amazement. Mark apologized for not having enough notice to fill the place and was certain he'd take some heat tomorrow but told me that Flaco was still ill, Cooder was out of town and Porter had flown back to New Orleans. Still, we filled up at least half the room. Mark had told them to just serve us and so plates began to arrive from the kitchen. It was an eclectic mix of people and food: pastas and meats and salads and fish and even some cajun dishes. And what food! It was about as delicious as it gets. Halfway through the meal The Fergusons showed up, too, and joined in the festivities. Elon arrived a few minutes later. Steve Martin called to congratulate me. Everybody wanted to hear the story of the meeting at Warner's over and over again. The musicians were particularly thrilled and Dylan commented on how when he had his battle with Columbia, it went exactly as Danny said it would. Someone, I can't remember who, passed their iPhone around with the TMZ story. It was truly dizzying. The question I was asked the most was "What are you going to do now?" and my response was that I wasn't sure except that Amy and I were going to travel around the country, write more tunes and just be happy.

Jimmy and Bob huddled with Danny for a few minutes until Danny waved me over. "These jamokes say you should get your web site started immediately. I have a few names of the best web designers and I get that going. Maybe you should write a blog or start tweeting, too."

"Seriously, Davy, you've got to recut your old stuff and put it all out again...like Prine and Newman did," Jimmy suggested.

"I know. I've been thinking about that for a few months now and I really didn't know how to approach it. But now, I have an idea working. What if I recut my old tunes with my friends. For example, I'm thinking "Sally Take A Ride" with Los Lobos, you see what I'm saying? I can cut tracks as we move around the country. I mean, shit, I already have three in the can."

Dylan said the Van Dyke had played the cuts for him and they sounded great. He called them 'very authentic.'

"I love it."

"Yeah, great idea. You sell it through the web site and through iTunes...and fucking keep all the do-re-mi, you dig?"

Just then a patron interrupted us and asked if we would sign her menu. Her tits were popping out of her dress and far be it from us to refuse. She then moved around the table collecting autographs. The other patrons picked up the idea, as did all our friends and soon we were all signing menus. The hostess even tacked one to the wall. I whispered to the hostess that I would pick up the tab for everyone in the place. She informed me that it was already covered, even including all the other diners. Soon strangers were friends and it was a big, loud, wild blast.

It was getting on and deep into the evening when the bartender turned on Craig's show. "Hey, I look pretty damn good, you know. Nice suit!" yelled Craig.

I sat down between Amy and Deb to drink some more wine and munch on some Fusilli and Sweet Sausage. While attention was turned toward the TV, they took my hands and surreptitiously ran them up their skirts. They were wearing their crotchless panties. I made a big show of licking my fingers.

Everything got real quiet when the band came on. We sounded excellent and a big roar went up when it ended. Mark gave me the hi-sign. I stood with the rest of the guys as pictures were snapped. Then we watched the interview part and that too was fine although the John Lennon pun got booed. Craig is a very witty and smart guy and the segment was funny, especially when he pulled out the puppets.

My phone vibrated. It was George congratulating me on the show. He was effusive in his praise for both the music and the sit-down. He also heard about the TMZ report and congratulated me on that. I invited him to come by Mark's place tomorrow when the bus was delivered around noon as I remembered that he wanted a tour. He said that he would be there.

The party ran for another hour when people began to leave. To each friend, I made sure I had their contact info and assured them that not only would we be in touch but that we'd be recording again real soon.

Ed pulled me aside and asked if I would join him at a green symposium in Berkeley next week. "I'd love to show off the bus."

"Email me the details, Ed, and I will be there."

As Zimmy was leaving, he pulled me aside and slipped me his contacts. "Y'know, I heard what you recorded yesterday and it knocked me out. How's about you and me hook up and write some stuff together...waddya say?"

"Gee, I don't know, Bob. You good with lyrics?"

"Some people think so, you shmuck. Call me. Maybe we can hook up in Aspen. I got a place not too far from there."

"You know, Bob. I know a secret spot where we can be alone. I'll email you my progress on the road. We should be there in a few weeks."

"Good. Me, too. We'll talk. We can do anything we want to now, can't we? It's a liberating feeling, isn't it? Yo drive carefully and have a good trip." He slipped into the night and was gone like a cool breeze.

We left a little while later and I kissed and hugged so many people, my face was sore. Amy and Deb held their autographed menus. On the ride back, I asked Danny when he was heading back to New York.

"We have a flight back on Sunday. But don't worry, I made a copy of the check and already deposited it." He jabbed me in the ribs. "I also called Charlie and that was easy. It won't even cost much - just a few month's nut on his place in the Dominican Republic. We got off cheap."

"Cool. What are you doing tomorrow?"

"Tomorrow, I'm playing golf at The Riviera Club with some old friends."

"Uh-oh, it could be an expensive round!"

"For them, maybe. Not for me. I'm playing great these days. And tomorrow night, I'm having dinner with Geffen and Simel. That could be interesting."

"Oh, to be a fly on the wall."

I told everyone about my conversation with His Bobness and that news brought gasps. Mark suggested that this was bigger than the big time. Danny thought it would make my career explode. Amy was just silent and I asked her why. She said she was simply in awe and I understood because that is just how I felt. I also suggested to her that we create a calendar to keep track of appearances and all the rest of our obligations as things seemed to be getting out of hand. We pulled up in front of the house and Mark tossed the keys back to me. I kissed and hugged Danny like it was the last time I would see him and they drove off back to their hotel. "Keep in touch!"

In the house, Mark checked the DVR and the show had recorded fine. He said he'd burn a DVD for me in the morning. We were all very exhausted and went off to bed. Amy and I snuggled and talked about the details of the day. Neither of us knew how we would ever fall asleep that night since there were so many bees flying inside our heads.

"Davy, will you promise me something?"

"Amy, I will promise you anything...and I will deliver. What is it?"

"Promise me that you won't leave me in the dust? Promise me that we will see this together. Can you do that?"

"Amy, my darling...lover...partner...do not fear. Don't you realize that all the success of the past few days, hell, of the past month, is all because you are in my life? If the creator has a master plan, it is that you and I should be together. I've waited all my life to be in this bed with you right now. I will never, ever be anywhere else. I need you Amy. I need you to breathe. I am just a shadow without you and I love you more than my music, my success, my life. I can never leave you in the dust until I am dust myself. Tomorrow, we begin a new chapter and as new chapters go, I have never welcomed them as much as I welcome this. Everyday I am with you is the best day of my life. So, I say to you, Amy Bieler, you better not go running off with George Clooney!"

"I love you, you silly Davy Harper. You make me whole. Hold me tighter." We did fall asleep but it was not an easy sleep. Throughout the night, one of us would awaken for one reason or another - a dream, a trip to the bathroom, a jerky movement, whatever. Each time, we would return to each other's arms and fall back to sleep, secure and restful, at least until the next awakening. When the morning came, we did not rise with the sun but lay sleeping entwined. It was Mark and Deb who finally woke us. They crept into our room with a tray of coffee and croissants. Crawling into bed with us, they snuggled up with us and held us, gently caressing us. We both awoke feeling their bodies against us.

"We know that you have to leave today but we will miss you and we both wish you could stay," Deb's soft voice murmured. "We both want you to know how much you mean to us and how much we love you."

Mark continued, "I haven't spoken about this before but it's something you should know, Davy. In the past year, I started to become bored with my music and with the music business. For a while there I had run out of ideas and I just going through the motions, something I had never done in my career. I've been thinking about retiring. We considered taking a trip around the world just to renew our lives and our spirits. That's one of the reasons we go to the spa. But then, at the spa, when we played together, something unexpected happened to me. Maybe it was the ease with which we blended, I don't know but I felt the joy of the music again. You made me remember all that I loved about this gift and you inspired me to hear the beauty again. This was the second time that this happened to me. Way back when, when you had your first go 'round, I used to play my violin along to your records, it was part of my practice regimen - I'd riff all over your songs. I realized at the spa that night that it was happening to me all over again and that you were my catalyst. What do you say to a 'Harper-O'Flannery' band?"

"I'm in. Where do I sign. Mark?"

We all made mad love that morning. Amy asked that we be gentle with her breasts because they hurt from using the nipple clamps and although they were stimulating at the time, she doubted whether she would ever use nipple clamps again. So our lovemaking was extra gentle, slow and sensuous, deeply erotic and deeply meaningful as well. As I came in Deb's juicy warmth, I held Amy's hand. We were like a collective, melding our spirits into one goal, a goal of shared love. We felt each other's essence flow through each other and any fears or apprehensions we might have felt through the night dissipated in a flood of mutual bliss. This is sort of how Mark and I played music together, if that can be equated. As we lay reveling, a thought ran through me.

"Lillian should see us now. She would be so proud." The thought was met by approval.

"Next week in San Francisco, I want to do this again," said Amy. "I love my Davy like I've never loved anyone before. This is different. But I love you two guys. It's different and it's mind-blowing. It's comforting. It all works - like when we play music. I'm so glad you are all in my life."

We made love again and this time it was just as sweet. We had tumbled into a mass of arms, legs, tongues and minds. Feeling hands caress my body transcended any sort of group experience I'd ever known. It mattered not which orifice accepted my orgasm, it was all good and it was right. We were a force of love - a band, if you will.

Amy and I never really unpacked so it was easy to set up our stuff outside. Elon and Ed arrived at noon and they couldn't wait to take us on a tour of our refurbished traveling home. George pulled up right behind them saying that he saw Big Chocolate and merely followed behind.

First, we walked around the outside. "We've increased your range by nearly two hundred miles. You can now travel about four hundred miles, maybe four hundred and fifty miles before you gas up - maybe even more. Also, your efficient cruising speed is now about sixty-five miles an hour. We improved the solar units as well as the size of your converter. The tanks are larger, too. I added a sundeck on the roof that won't hinder the work of the solar panels. You know the solar panels will also heat the floor of the interior if the outside temperature drops before 40 degrees. I also replaced the generator with a new, more efficient and greener unit. If you are on generator power, you're good for about twelve hours before you need to refuel it with tri-fuel. Anyway, the upper deck is large enough four two people to stretch out or to even set up a telescope, which is stored below, or even dine out. There is also an automated bimini as well as several outlets. There is even a pass through if you want to get stuff there from the inside. I added a Fender amp that stores sideways and drops down. There is a four input mixer above it and a pair of Shure mics stowed along side - that's if you want to do any entertaining. The whole package is stored in this bin by the new longer awning, which now includes a screened tent. There is also an inflatable hot tub stored in an aft bin. Also, and you'll like this, we added extra length to the flat-floor slide outs so the interior is much roomier and the outside footprint is now five feet wider. We've tweaked up all the digital modules and upgraded the displays so you have even more information at hand from the cockpit. Ed has altered the compactor and the composter, too. The composter now recycles in half the time and it can be emptied alongside the road to improve the soil nutrients. Let's go inside now."

"Wait a minute, Elon," said Ed, "We added an area to one lower bin and gave you a trap door by the appliance room. The bin is filled with all sorts of green cleaning products including a big supply of 'Ed's Best!'"

"Yes, Ed, and thank you for getting in that plug. This commercial has been brought to you by Ed Begley, Jr." He ushered us in and the first thing I noticed was that the steps dropped down lower than before. Inside, the bus looked much different. The colors were more subdued and earthy with woody tones and deep green carpeting. It looked almost as though we were outside and it was beautiful and lush. The couches were softer and more plush. Built into the walls were collapsible screens which could be used to separate areas for privacy or to hide the galley. With the slideouts, it made the bus seem more expansive. Elon pressed a button and one couch folded out into a queen-sized bed. He pressed another button and a 60" screen slid up opposite the bed. Under it was a digital entertainment center.

"There's another system like this in the Master suite. And check this out." He pressed another button and a screen slid out and closed off the cockpit area making this a separate room. "Neat, huh?" He pressed a button and the couch folded back up. Turning to the entertainment center, he pressed another button and a desktop slid out. "There are lots of inputs. You can easily plug your computer into the HD screen from any connection. Oh and this is neat!" He sat down on the recliner and flipped a panel up along the arm to create a tiltable desktop. "Outlets are all in the arm which pops open. See?" I let out an amazed snicker. "Ok, now to the galley. We've improved the appliances with the latest models which offer more cooking and refrigerating power with less wasted energy...all Ed's good ideas. We've also added eight inches of counter space. Under the sink are water taps and a central vac outlet. Let's keep going." He closed the curved sliding door around the galley and opened the doors opposite the head exposing the new washer and dryer. "I added storage more storage space here for your cleaning supplies and over here is the lower bin pass-through. The washing machine can be used for steam-cleaning as well as water." He closed it and turned around to open the head. Wow! It appeared much more spacious. "We've added full length mirrors as per Amy's instructions. And here is the new enviro-bath/shower. You can set it to different types of sensations from a steam room to a sauna to a warm rain, It's big enough for two and it has a fold-up bench. There are six shower heads and it uses the same amount of water as the old one that was in here. If you seal the bottom of the door with this latch, it becomes a jacuzzi bath. The toilet is a modification of the latest marine heads with a powerful auto-flush that uses less water through dual pumps, a macerator and a grinding scavenger pump that, like the kitchen drain, feeds the composter. Because this toilet has a smaller stem footprint, we were able to expand the storage areas by six inches. Nice, right?" He steered us to the bedroom. Pressing buttons, the slideouts opened the room into a large living suite. There was even a walk in closet. "This is a new bed. Like the other, it tilts but it has a modified Dux mattress and it is a foot wider and a foot longer. There is more bedside lighting as well as LED mood lighting. There are more outlets including a central vac outlet in front and on the forward side of the bed. We also added this slide out storage bin under the bed. There is also a lower bin pass-through located near the bathroom door." He slid the wall back to reveal a new entrance into the bathroom making the bedroom seem even larger and more like a true suite.

"I haven't forgotten Santo. Over here, by the rear side of the appliance area, you press this button and an self-contained feeder and water bowl slides out at floor level. You'll notice that none of this area is carpeted but slightly sunken and tiled. Instead, we installed a self-cleaning mechanism that sprays the area and drains into the bathroom's forward well. It's a nice touch I think and an idea I came up with when I considered how I would travel with my own dog." He steered us toward the cockpit and opened the forward wall. "I couldn't do much to improve the seats as they were state-of-the-art to begin with but we did improve the control layout, the side and rear cameras and the displays which are controlled by the GPS domes on the roof. Like a nautical system, it progresses along the screen as you progress giving you a 3D terrain layout with complete road information, times, speed and fuel consumption. At night, it projects this information onto the base of the windshield. We also added a night-vision cameras on each side, front and back - you can flip from one to the other on the fly or you can blend them together but it will cut visibility at night. And, as per Amy's instructions, more cup and food holders. Also, and this was a great idea, Amy, there is an automatic slideout that covers the steps so it's more comfortable to sit, stretch and move about. All of the outlets are now both PC and Mac compatible. And finally, the entertainment system slides forward for less range of movement while you're behind the wheel. Have I forgotten anything, Ed?"