Ronny Stance has dreamed of being a rock star all his life. At twenty-one years old, he finally gets his chance. In typical Ron fashion, he grabs the bull by the horns. But he soon realizes that life in the fast lane isn't all he thought it would be. Visions of giving it all up and going home dance inside his head. But the double lures of money and fame tug at him relentlessly, pleading for him to stay, insisting that he can grow his star even brighter. But Ron knows himself better than anyone else does. He knows if he doesn't give it all up, he'll join Kurt Cobain and Jim Morrison in the great gig in the sky. Clouding his ability to make the right choice is a porn-loving girlfriend who keeps him pumped full of every mind-altering substance known to man. He prays he'll make the right decision. But sometimes prayer isn't enough to avoid becoming dust in the wind...
EXCERPT:
Deb and Jerry had already accomplished what they came for: buying gifts for upcoming birthdays – family, friends, even Deb’s Sunday school teacher. But they continued roaming the mall anyway, enjoying each other’s company, strolling hand in hand leisurely with no apparent direction. After getting all A’s and the usual compliments from her parents, Deb was ready to rest her brain and enjoy every minute of her summer. She swore there was no way she’d repeat last year’s lifealtering mistake – give away all her time, love, and devotion to one man, only to have her heart ripped from her chest and slammed to the ground, shattered into a thousand tiny pieces – bloody pieces. While she still often thought about Ron, Jerry was quickly becoming somebody she wanted to spend more time with. He was funny, sweet and smart. Deb was pretty sure there were no delusions of grandeur swirling inside his level head. And he wouldn’t be leaving for California after the summer.
They stopped for ice cream at Baskin Robbins. Deb ordered a chocolate-chip ice cream cone while Jerry, after several lip-licking minutes, finally settled for plain old vanilla. They sat at a table near the back just long enough to trade bites and a few pecks on the lips. Finally, cones still in hand, they headed for the exit, ready for another useless store to browse.
“Let’s stop in the record shop for a minute,” Jerry suggested, leading Deb by the hand.
The brightly lit music store bristled with vitality, just like the high-energy dance tunes blaring from the speakers inside. Deb stopped abruptly just outside the entrance, dropped Jerry’s hand, and stared blankly. Jerry took several more steps and glanced back at her, wondering why she hadn’t followed him inside. He called her name but she stood motionless, unable to hear his voice, only able to sense the violent pounding of her heart underneath her shirt. Every nerve in Deb’s body screamed. Her mouth wanted to scream too, but couldn’t.
“Oh, yeah,” Jerry said, “we can’t go inside with our ice cream. I’ll help you finish yours.”
Deb still hadn’t moved – except for the hand holding her cone. It began to tremble. She tried to compose herself but failed and her cone fell to the floor, splattering, covering her shins and shoes in chocolatechip ice cream.
“Oh my God!” Deb muttered quietly, almost inaudible. Her eyes were saucers, her face flushed. She began to wobble.
Afraid she was about to faint, Jerry rushed behind her. “Are you alright? Are you gonna be sick?” he asked.
Deb shook her head to get the blood flowing again and floated slowly into the store, never removing her fixed gaze from the source of her disorientation. Jerry followed, at the ready should Deb still feel faint. Stopping two feet from a life-sized, erect cardboard ad of BALLS, Deb stared directly into Ron’s eyes. The band stood tall and confident – Jimmy on the left, Mike trying to look mean next to him, then Ron, and finally Jason on the far right. At the top in big, bold print, the ad declared BALLS “the next rock super power”. “USE IT OR LOSE IT” was splashed across the boys’ knees toward the bottom of the poster, and underneath that, the words “Don’t miss this debut album - your ears will thank you!” It was a costly and professional presentation – one designed to grab the attention of everybody within twenty feet. And it worked.
Ron’s blue eyes pierced Deb’s like a dagger through her heart. She couldn’t believe what she was seeing. She studied Ron from head to toe, even took a few steps to her left to see if his eyes would follow hers. They didn’t. Just like when he left almost a year earlier, Ron’s hair was closely cropped on the top and sides, except for that long strand in the front. But now, rather than falling to his thick, dark eye brows, the lock almost covered his big, blue eyes. He stood proudly with his muscular arms crossed, shirtless and wearing nothing but his trademark long, colorful shorts and white high-tops.
“Oh yeah!” Jerry exclaimed. He plucked a BALLS disc from the vibrant display. “I heard about these guys. They rock. Haven’t you heard that song on the radio?”
“On the radio?” asked Deb, still in a daze. “What do you mean on the radio?”
“You mean you haven’t heard 'Twister'? It’s bad ass! Deb, you really should stop listening to that country bullshit and listen to some real music.” Jerry peered inside his wallet, making sure he had enough for the purchase. “My buddy says this CD kicks major ass. I think I’ll get it.”
Deb continued to analyze the massive display. She squinted and took a step closer to get a better look at the unfamiliar art on Ron’s left shoulder. Where her name used to reside a strange woman now lived – a perfect face with blonde hair and deep, blue eyes. The full, ruby lips smirked at Deb, taunted her, abused her, humiliated her. She unknowingly ran her fingertips over Ron’s cardboard shoulder, hoping the strange portrait would miraculously rub off and her name would reappear where it belonged – forever.
“What are you doing, Deb?” asked Jerry, walking up behind her after his purchase.
Deb jumped. “What?” She caught her snap and quickly jerked her hand from the exhibit.
“These guys are supposed to be pretty damn awesome,” Jerry remarked. “I’ve seen their videos on MTV and that du…”
“Videos?” interrupted Deb, still staring at Ron’s shoulder. “They have videos?”
“Yeah. Two of ‘em.” Jerry pointed to Ron. “And that dude dives head first from the ceiling during every concert. What a frigging nut, huh?”
“Yeah,” muttered Deb under her breath. “What a nut.”
About Jason Babin
Jason Babin is a devoted husband and father of four boys. From Houston, Texas, Jason graduated from Texas A&M in 1990. He has worked in many fields, from gas trading for a major corporation to entrepreneur of one of the fastest growing companies in the country (#176 in 2003 Inc. 500). His passions are music and writing.
Ronny Stance has dreamed of being a rock star all his life. At twenty-one years old, he finally gets his chance. In typical Ron fashion, he grabs the bull by the horns. But he soon realizes that life in the fast lane isn't all he thought it would be. Visions of giving it all up and going home dance inside his head. But the double lures of money and fame tug at him relentlessly, pleading for him to stay, insisting that he can grow his star even brighter. But Ron knows himself better than anyone else does. He knows if he doesn't give it all up, he'll join Kurt Cobain and Jim Morrison in the great gig in the sky. Clouding his ability to make the right choice is a porn-loving girlfriend who keeps him pumped full of every mind-altering substance known to man. He prays he'll make the right decision. But sometimes prayer isn't enough to avoid becoming dust in the wind...
Jason Babin is a devoted husband and father of four boys. From Houston, Texas, Jason graduated from Texas A&M in 1990. He has worked in many fields, from gas trading for a major corporation to entrepreneur of one of the fastest growing companies in the country (#176 in 2003 Inc. 500). His passions are music and writing.