Catching up

     It was too bad the team didn't rock the joint as well as the lads had. "Groping in the Dark" opened their set with 'I Ran' by flock of Seagulls. The line "I couldn't get away" reminded me too much of Ameer Abdullah. Hey, Beck. Give the kid a breather so he still has a fifth gear in the fourth quarter, all right?
     The hairspray was making my eyes water, and the layers upon layers of headbands, leg warmers and gel shoes was making me feel distinctly out of place.
     Wearing a fedora indoors will do that in a lot of places.
     Unless you're Keef.
     I had just finished explaining the rudiments of making an 'Old Fashioned' when a woman insinuated herself between me and the bar.
     Not one to back down from an insinuation, I asked if I could be of assistance.
     "I hear you've been looking for someone," she said.
     She looked like she was auditioning for a Go-Go's cover band. Blond hair piled on top of her head like silly string in need of the bomb squad. Her tops were orange, and aqua. Velvet or velour, I can never tell without touching. Her skirt looked like a black tutu providing coverage for black and white zebra leggings.
     The Converses were a nice touch, though.
     "I'm not sure where you heard that," I said. "I've just been sitting here, trying to get Simon Le Bon, here to mix a decent drink. Haven't even been scoping the action."
     "Eww," she said, wrinkling up her nose. "Like I'd do that. Gross. I meant I've heard that you are looking for someone named Susan."
     The band had launched into 'Shout" by tears for fears.
     "Maybe," I said. "What have you heard?"
     "I don't know if it's the same Susan you're looking for, but a Susan got into a little scrape with a local dude named Mickey a while back."
     "What did this Mickey have to do with Susan?"
     "He's a booking agent for a lot of the local up and coming acts. Best advice is to stay away from him though. His percentage is a little steep, if you know what I mean."
     I nodded. He was connected with the mob. Not a good situation for Susan. She probably had no idea who she was dealing with. I wasn't to sure I wanted to go nosing around, but I now had my best, and only lead.
     'Hungry Like a Wolf' started up. "If I wanted to find this Mickey, where would I go?"
     "There's a bar over on Redondo called Exxxplicit. He usually hangs out there in the VIP room."
     "There's no way I'd get in," I said.
     "No prob, bro. I'll get you in. I know people."
     I thought for a minute. Was I willing to go to on to a local heavy's turf, with some girl whose name I didn't even know to start asking questions? I had no local cred, no connections and nothing to offer in exchange. I finished the Old Fashioned and made up my mind.
     "What's your name?" I asked.
     "Trixie," she said.
     Now that I had something, I felt much better about the situation.
     I told Lloyd to keep an eye on the lads as we left.
     We made our way through the circus freak-show that is L.A., past houses with gates over the windows. Past dealers selling dime bags to arms hanging out of limos. Past rent-boys who had gone from fresh-faced idealists seeking fame and fortune to jaded street hustlers in a few months.
     Oh, yeah, I love L.A.
     We made our way to Exxxplicit where two very large, very black, very scowling doormen protected the entrance like roided-out praetorian guards.
     Trixie bounced up to them, "Eric," she nodded to one of the bouncers. "Eric," she glanced at the other. "Mickey has invited Mr. Hammett, here, in for a little chat."
     "He in trouble?" asked left Eric.
     "Oh, no. He's looking for someone."
     "Ain't we all?" asked right Eric.
     "There's someone out there for all of us, Eric. You just need to keep trying. Come on, now, let us in."
     "Arms, up," said left Eric.
     I put my arms in the air as he passed a metal detector around the usual places where one tries to hide metal things. No beeps for me.
     Right Eric undid the hook and held up the velvet rope.
     Trixie and I passed through a passageway. The thump of the music got progressively louder like we were descending into the chest cavity of an enormous beast. Lights and shadows contested with each other for dominance. Bodies on the dance floor flowed into one another, congealed and separated again and again. Huge video screens displayed a variety of images. One looped a woman's mouth eating a mango. One showed a single eye appearing to watch the dance floor, and would, from time to time focus on the entrance to monitor new arrivals. Several screens depicted scenes from the kind of videos you can only find in the curtained-off back rooms of  locally owned rental places.
     This was the big time. This place made "Our Lady" look like a poorly attended church social where the only things to eat were green bean casserole and jello with carrots in it.
     Trixie guided us back to the VIP booth. Mickey was easy to spot. He lounged against the booth trying his best to look like Al Pacino in 'Scarface'. I made a bet with myself that at some point during our chat he would say, 'Say hello to my little friend'.
     Trixie introduced us. She said my name and Mickey just kind of nodded at me. We slid into the booth, I was glad Trixie put herself between Mickey and I. I was a little concerned that if I came into contact with him, I might stick.
     "So, I hear you're looking for this Susan, chick," he said, looking out at the crowd.
     "Yeah. She came west looking to make some deals for her band and then, poof. Smoke, baby."
     He nodded to the beat, rocking slightly in the booth. Drinks were set in front of us. Trixie drank. I didn't. "She might have taken some things I said the wrong way," Mickey said. "I was just trying to give her some friendly advice about how we do things around here. She kind of flipped out on me. Eric had to slap some sense into her before she really got hurt."
     "Then what?"
     "The last I heard she was on a plane back to one of the Flyover States. No way is she going to go big time with that act."
     I left. Trixie stayed. I needed to get Lloyd and the band together for the long drive back. I felt like most of the trip was wasted. What had started out as a promising lead had run into a brick wall. I knew there was something about Mickey's story that didn't add up. Too much information and contradictions were messing with my head.
     I knew exactly how the Husker defense felt. I hoped that with a trip back home and some time to adjust would help all of us.
     Husk-husk and on the qb.