Blissful Birdsong

Fragglemuppet

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Ooh, I love this so far! This is I believe the 3rd story I've read from you, and I and I love your writing! The only thing I'd suggest is a careful read through, as there were some spelling errors, miswordings and such. Not too many, but it was kind of noticeable. Then again, I do always say that I think everyone should have access to a screen-reading program like me, if only just for one day, so they could hear what their work sounds like. I usually say that though when I come across really horrible writing, which yours isn't, so I'm just sort of rambling now, lol.
:embarrassed:
Anyway, poor Zoot losing his hat! Wonder how much money he had? I wish I were talented enough to do that! I guess I could sing...
:sing:
 

AlittleMayhem

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Thank you for your compliments and concern! I do have Microsoft word on my computer and I always do a read through before posting, not to mention that I use Thesaurus.com. But for some reason, I always end up with typing errors, not matter how hard I try to avoid them. :sigh:
 

AlittleMayhem

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Chapter 3 will most likely be late or postponed until further notice due to college work taking over my life this past week. Apologies for any inconvenience.
 

AlittleMayhem

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Chapter 3

She was the same species as him, blonde, skinny with fair orange skin and lips to rival Mick Jagger’s. Her eyes were hidden behind a mess of thick lashes and make-up.

Zoot titled his head, confused at her statement. “What?”

She looked to the ground and played with her hair. “Well, of course it’s you! I mean, that would be totally stupid if it wasn’t you, fer sure.” She paused to cough nervously. “It’s just, I remember you from that restaurant at the bus terminal-thing when that Francis dude was totally being a total downer and the park where you were busking-”

“What?!”

She glanced up and panicked when she saw him shocked. “Oh, no! Not like I was stalking you or anything!” she said, hurriedly. “I would totally never do that, y’know! I was just, like, walking in the park that you so happened to be playing your saxophone and my friends happened to be there too- I mean, no I was, sitting by the tree behind you…totally coincidently, I, like, swear, and you were just sitting with your folks-no-I-er…”

Her cheeks flushed in the uncomfortable silence that followed, matching the colour of her patterned trench coat.

Zoot frowned behind his shades in disinterest. “Whatever,” he muttered, shaking his head and rudely turning his heel to the opposite direction.

“Oh, no, wait!” she cried, grabbing his arm. “I’m, like, rully sorry! I didn’t mean to- Oh!” She gasped a little when she saw her palms wet from his sleeve.

“Yeah, it was raining,” Zoot said, in dry sarcasm. “I don’t know if you noticed.”

“I’m rully, rully sorry!” she exclaimed, apologetically. “You’re, like, sooo wet! I can’t believe I could be sooo selfish! You must think I’m totally pathetic!” The blonde-haired woman sighed loudly and held her chin thoughtfully. “Oh, bummer! If I could only make it up to you! Y’know, kinda like Karma!”

Slowly, Zoot tried at another attempt of walking away while she distracted herself with her own constant verbal thoughts. He really didn’t need any of this now, especially since…well, of something or other. He forgot.

He was barely two steps away when he was yanked back forcefully.

“Oh, my gosh! I know what I can do!” she said, now grinning. “Like, come with me! I have something to give you!”

“What?!” he sputtered, alarmed by her suddenly positive mood.

“Yeah! Oo, and while were, like, at it, don’t worry about a place to stay! You can stay at mine if you want! I know you’re totally not from around here, well otherwise I would’ve known, duh! It’s cheaper than the hotel, fer sure!”

Zoot was feeling more and more intimidated by this person with every passing second. They just met and she was already pushing him to live with her. Literally. She was shoving him across the sidewalk to get him moving.

“No, you don’t have to,” he stammered, dragging his feet in an attempt to make her stop.

“Sure I do!” she replied, happily. “It’s only, like, okay, y’know, temporary. Oh! I’m being sooo rude today, I never introduced myself!” she stopped pushing him and offered her hand. “My name is Janice! Fer sure!”



Zoot wasn’t too thrilled by the idea of staying at this dizzy blonde’s place, especially since she supposedly stalked him and had an oblivious pushy attitude. On the other hand, it meant a roof over his head until he figured out what he was doing outside the phone booth to begin with, so he decided not complain any further.

Janice dragged him about two blocks away, where the town was less dire and more sophisticated looking. He let her carry his bag, but kept the sax case, not trustworthy with her quite yet. She never stopped talking throughout the whole trip.

“And then she was like, ‘But you’re throwing your life, sweetie! Give Peter another chance! I hear he’s after your hand.’ And I’m like, ‘Eww, no way! He’s not getting my hand! I like need it for stuff! I don’t need a blood-y stump!’ Then she was all, ‘It’s not a professional career for a lady! At your age you should be settled down, not going to crazy, hippy, nudity parties!’ So I was like, ‘Look mother it’s my life, okay? So if I wanna live on the beach and walk around naked-’ Ah, here we are!”

Zoot said a silent thank you to the heavens as she pulled him inside a yellow, seven-story building of apartments. As the rode the elevator, she turned to him.

“Oh, I didn’t, like, catch your name!”

Zoot suppressed a snort. “I didn’t throw it in the first place.”

Janice look at him, confused. “I don’t get it.”

“Forget it. Just call me Zoot.”

The doors opened with a ping. “Ooo, that sooo cool!” she smiled, leading the way to door 209 and fishing out her keys. “Are you, like, a professional musician or something? You sounded sooo good at the park the other day! I rully like Billie Holiday! She was such a groovy singer in her day, y’know?” She sighed, turning the key through the keyhole. “But the way you played that song…wow! It was almost like the Bird from those old records!”

Zoot looked at her, startled. “What did you say?!”

Click!

“Well, here we are! Home sweet home! Sorry about the mess. I only just moved in!” she said walking in and making her way to the kitchen. “Are you, like, hungry or anything? I’m not much of a cook but I can totally make a mean organic tomato soup. Oh. No tomatoes. Never mind! How about a fruit smoothie instead?”

Zoot wasn’t listening, utterly in awe. The interior of the living room burst with colour, the opposite of the plain building exterior, complete with lava lamps, patterned furniture with tie-dye pillows and shelves holding records made from planks of wood and cement blocks. Posters of rock concerts and musicians plastered the walls, the smell of burning incense filling his nostrils. Despite the few boxes lying around, it was a perfectly good room. It even had a plant in the corner, right next to his hat sitting upside-down on the side table.

Surprised, Zoot picked it up. It was heavy from the many coins nesting in the crown. He must have played well that day. He glanced at Janice, who was now chatting absentmindedly about natural goods while a blender buzzed. So this is what she meant when she said she had something to give him. He could only guess how she acquired it.

He placed it back down, just as something caught the corner of his eyes. Sitting on a stand was a beautifully polished electric guitar. It wasn’t anything spectacular, just very plain and white. He arched an eyebrow. Janice played too? Cool. If Floyd were here, he’d would have asked her out on the spot.

Floyd? Man, is there something I’m-

“Beautiful, isn't it,” Janice said from behind him. “It was my first guitar. I have a few already but I like to keep this one. My daddy brought it for me when I was a rully small.” She appeared at his side and fingered the head. “That was before he left.”

He looked at her. She carried a smoothie in the other hand, her expression distant. “I practiced, like, every day since. After a while, I did a few small gigs and street performing, but I’d rully love to do some professional stuff. My mom and my friends don’t understand why I want to. Erm, among other things.” She paused, blushing, and then looked sad. “I hate that. It sometimes makes me feel like the music is my only friend. Y’know what I mean?”

Zoot didn’t say anything, lightly touching the saxophone case strapped on his back with his fingertips. He understood exactly what she meant.

“Oh, listen to me!” she said, shaking her head. “I only just learned your name and I’m already giving you my life story! Rully!” She offered him the glass. “Thirsty?”

He accepted with a small smile. Perhaps the blonde wasn’t so bad after all.
 

charlietheowl

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I love Janice's reaction to her mother saying "Peter's after your hand"! Hahaha!

Thanks for posting.
 

AlittleMayhem

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LOL! Nah, it's okay. It just amused me that you got it just now, though it was pretty obvious in the last bit of the prologue. XD But what am I to say?

Thank you!
 
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