Read Online Painted Black by Greg Kihn - Free Book Online

aftereffect of the LSD made him clumsy.
    The transatlantic telephone connection was horrible. There seemed to be a half second delay, and at times the static overwhelmed the signal.
    â€œHello? Hello?”
    â€œBobby? Is that you?”
    â€œCricket? Honey?”
    â€œDon’t ‘honey’ me! It’s three o’clock in the morning here. You probably woke up Winston. I guess you didn’t think about that.”
    â€œHoney, look, I’m sorry. I can explain—”
    Cricket cut him off.
    â€œI don’t want to hear it! Call back at a decent hour if you want to discuss it!”
    She hung up.
    Bobby tried to call back but got a busy tone. She’d obviously taken the receiver off the cradle.
    It’s off the hook , he thought. I’ve been taken off the hook.
    Guilt swept over Bobby like a sheen of perspiration.
    He had to go to Baltimore. He had to be with Cricket. Even though he still felt woozy from the purple haze, he reached for the telephone to call the airlines. He made up his mind that he would make arrangements to travel to Baltimore as soon as possible.
    But unbeknownst to Bobby, all the airline companies were on strike. In fact, the entire country seemed to be hobbled by a general strike. Bobby wasn’t sure why, but the airline workers, baggage handlers, food handlers, ticketing agents, and maintenance workers were all out. It would be impossible to leave the country for at least the length of the work stoppage.
    â€œShit!” shouted Bobby at the telephone.
    There was nothing he could do. He considered calling Cricket back and telling her, but that would only make matters worse. He’d tell her on the next call. Maybe the strike would be over by then.
    Bobby wasn’t going anywhere soon.
    â€œAre you crazy?” Clovis Hicks asked Bobby.
    He was standing in the doorway of Bobby’s apartment.
    â€œAfter the shit that guy pulled? You wanna help him?”
    Bobby nodded.
    Clovis said, “So, let me get this straight. You totally fucked up with Cricket and when you tried to call her and explain, she hung up on you?”
    Bobby nodded.
    â€œAw, man, you are in for the shits. She ain’t coming back anytime soon, I can tell you that. You’re gonna have to go over there and beg her to come back. You made a promise to your woman and you broke it? There’s gonna be hell to pay.”
    â€œI was avoiding all fluids all night long, but he got me with the ice cream.”
    â€œWho’da thunk it? He’s a devious little motherfucker, I’ll give him that.”
    â€œHe was actually proud that he’d managed to dose us.”
    â€œYeah, these fuckin’ rock stars! Ain’t they a bunch?”
    â€œMaybe Erlene could call Cricket and explain my side of the story.”
    Clovis let out a long and suffering sigh. “Let’s let a little water pass under the bridge first, pardner. Give it some time. Erlene’s still pissed-off, too.”
    They stood in silence for a minute or two.
    â€œCould you drive me to Brian’s?”
    â€œAre you sure?”
    â€œYes, I don’t know what else to do. Maybe if I help find Anita, Brian’s karma will help me get Cricket back. Who knows?”
    Clovis chuckled. “Jonesy can barely tie his own shoes, man. He’s a mess. His karma stinks.”
    Bobby put a hand on Clovis’s shoulder.
    â€œYou want to know the truth? I don’t know why I should go over there. It just seems like something I should do. I got this feeling of inevitability, like it’s part of my fate.”
    â€œThat’s the acid talkin’, pardner. All that fate and inevitability shit. Sounds pretty trippy to me. Look, I’m your friend. I’ll take you. That’s that. No magical mystery tour, okay?”
    â€œYou’re a good man, Clovis Hicks.”
    â€œI know. Erlene tells me all the time.”
    Bobby snapped his fingers.
    â€œIt’s hard to believe