Read Online Hitchers by Will McIntosh - Free Book Online Page B

thanks,” I laughed.
    Every time he spoke my suspicion grew that it really was Mercury. He wasn’t super-famous any more, so it wasn’t totally inconceivable. For a while in the 1980s, though, he’d been bigger than Springsteen, bigger than U2.
    I wondered if he was waiting for me to say something. What could I say? I’m a fan? Truth was, I was a fan. I had all five of his CDs. Actually, he’d probably recorded more than five, but I had the important ones he cut back in the early ’80s when he was the Bob Marley of punk/new wave.
    â€œThat’s not really why I’m calling, though,” Mercury said.
    â€œSure,” I said, trying to anticipate the real reason. Did he want to do a song that involved Toy Shop ? I didn’t think he needed my permission for something like that.
    â€œI’m going to tell you something that’s for your ears only, yeah?” Mick asked.

    â€œOf course.” We celebrities have a code of silence, after all. It really was him. This was beyond surreal.
    â€œBrilliant,” Mick said. “So I’ll just say it.” He took a big breath. “I had a heart attack on the night of the anthrax attack. I was at my flat in Buckhead.”
    â€œOh, wow.” I was amazed that he’d managed to keep something like that secret. “Very sorry to hear it,” I added.
    â€œI was dead for five, six minutes before a doctor who lives down the hall resuscitated me. Just luck I had a doctor for a neighbor.”
    â€œJeez.”
    â€œYeah, well, I lived too well in my younger years. My middle-aged years as well. Right into my late middle-years, actually.”
    I chuckled. Mick Mercury’s struggles with alcohol and pills were well known to anyone who glanced at the tabloid headlines while waiting in line at the grocery store.
    â€œ They’re my friends, too .” Mick croaked.
    I yelped in surprise. There was no mistaking that zombie baritone.
    â€œâ€˜Scuse me,” Mick said, as if he’d just burped. He cleared his throat. “Maybe you can guess why I’m calling? Can’t help saying things I didn’t say. If you know what I mean.”
    My hand was shaking so badly I could barely grip the phone. It wasn’t only me. My mind raced with the implications. It had to be a side effect of exposure to anthrax. The hell with the doctor’s opinion, and the shrink’s. They were wrong.
    â€œHow did you know to call me?” I asked, trying not to sound paranoid.
    â€œFunny thing: we’ve got the same neurologist. He didn’t tell me, though—it was one of the birds that works in the office.”
    I could picture one of the cute young receptionists telling the rock star about me, basking in his gratitude, leaning into the pat on the shoulder he gave her.
    â€œIs yours the same?” Mick asked. “I mean, does your voice sound like mine?”

    â€œYes,” I said. “I nearly dropped the phone when I heard it.”
    When Mercury finally spoke, he sounded close to tears. “Don’t take this the wrong way, but I’m so fucking relieved to hear that.”
    â€œNo, believe me, I understand.” It occurred to me that I should invite him over, to share what we knew. Why not? I opened my mouth feeling like I had when I first asked Lorena on a date. “Maybe we should get together, exchange notes? It might help us figure out what’s going on.”
    â€œYeah, brilliant. That’s just what I was thinking. You free right now?”
    â€œSure,” I said, flushing with pleasure.
    Mick laughed. “Hell, what else would you be doing, yeah? You can’t go to a bloody movie without scaring the popcorn out of the rest of the audience. You know anywhere we could get good pancakes and a scotch?”
    â€œI have three good days, then the chemo takes three, ” I croaked.

CHAPTER 11
    M y palms were sweating. I wiped them on my napkin, adjusted my