Here, In This Place: An Origin Tale

F  I  V  E

AT

THE

GREY NOTE

“But if you’re rich, every system works.”

-Logan Long

---

David felt strangely protective of this Sunny who had come across the country to find his friend, and who wasn’t remotely bothered by the mention of vampires. If vampires were at the bottom of his friend being killed, he was going to find them, and that was ridiculous, but it was also admirable in a fucked up way, and David wanted to be here for him

Also, even in his maddest moments, David had wondered if what he had seen was true. He believed it was, but he also knew that seeing Dan was the tip of the iceberg. It was the last straw in a long series of straws. It alone would not have sent him raving and into a psych ward. On his own he would never have had the courage to seek Dan Rawlinson out. With Sunny, in his capacity as a detective protecting a citizen, anything was possible.

Sunny Kominsky had taken a room in a motel by the highway, and when David swung by, the young man was already in the parking lot in flip flops, faded jeans and a fitted tee shirt. Despite how ready he was to go, there was nothing gung ho about him as he stepped into the car. He was all business, eagle eyed, eagle faced. He strapped on his seatbelt and nodded for David to drive.

The highway became Mitchell Street in town, but here it shot straight across the miles of farm fields, reservoirs and country houses until it became South Buren Avenue and was absorbed into Lassador. Even before they approached that, as David looked to his right and saw the cloverleaf of the expressway, he said, “You wanna go through town or avoid it?”

“I don’t think I’ve ever hated a town as much as I hate Lassador,” Sunny said, frankly.

“Expressway it is,” David said.

The route they took circumvented Lassador to the east, and the medians were so high it was hard to see over them, Behind them the sun became more and more golden, orange, as it began to set, and as David followed the road signs and they began to turn north, like a sky yolk, the bright light melted over the expressway and the gleaming hoods of speeding cars until they came off on Taylor Road, somewhere on the East Side of the town of Rawlston.

“Now this,” Sunny was saying, as sunset began in earnest, gilding the copper and tile roves of houses, the red brick facades of the shops that lined the street, “is something I could get used to.”

“There’s so much beauty around Lassador,” David said, “as long as you stay out of Lassador.”

As Sunny chuckled, David noted, “That wasn’t fair.”

“I come from a place like that too,” Sunny said.

“In California?”

“There’s plenty of ugly in California. It’s not huge like Lassador or anything. It’s just…”

“Depressed?”

“Depressed as fuck.”

“Whaddo you think it is?” David asked.

Sunny shook his head. “I don’t really know.”

Willmington College, red bricked and tree filled, was in the center of town, and three blocks from it, in an area full of students, was  the line of bars and clubs and coffee shops and right before them, looking very harmless, was their moment of destiny.

“The Grey Note.”

The Grey Note was once a two story ordinary brick shop with an apartment over it, but its front had been given a rooved glass extension and through the glass Sunny and David saw people eating and drinking, some coming out to sit at the little tables and chairs on the sidewalk. There was a semi crowded parking lot beside The Grey Note, and David and Sunny parked there, walking toward the club.

The first thing they noticed was the music came from the radio, audible, but not overhwhelming, and a modest crowd had gathered.

“Where’s the band?” Sunny hissed.

“Chill out,” David tried to laugh. “They don’t start till around eight.”

“Isn’t it around eight now?”

“For real,” David said, but not harshly, “chill out.”

“Welcome,” a lanky forty something in a tee shirt with grey in his small beard, waved at them, “it’s seat yourself, and I’ll be with you in a minute.”

“Well, there you go,” David said. As they moved toward a table in the center of the room, he added, “I feel overdressed.”

“You’re wearing your work clothes.”

“These are my only clothes.”

“Really?”

“It was this or joggers and a sweat shirt.”

“That’s sad, man.”

“It’s not like I’m wearing a tie and a blazer. We’ll sit right here.”

“We’re too close.”

“No, we’re close enough to see what you want to see.”

“And what you wanna see too.”

“That’s right.”

They pulled out chairs and when they sat, Sunny said, “Please untuck that shirt and undo two buttons.”

David nodded, and then Sunny leaned over and David said, “What are you doing?”

“Undoing your hair.”

“It’s fine. My hair its fine.”

“Youre hair is neat as fuck, and…. I’m going to un neat it. David or Dave?”

“It’s sort of whatever.”

“Now you look like Dave for sure. Davey—”

David Lawry lifted a finger.

“I have never been a Davey.”

“If we continue to know each other, I’m going to help you out fashionwise.”

“Hey, guys,” the tall man came to the table, and Sunny wondered briefly if his dad looked like that. Did this mean he had Daddy issues? He’d never been with an older guy, but ever since this man with the dark green eyes had waved at them while striding through what Sunny was pretty sure was his place, Sunny had been looking at him.

 “Welcome to Grey Note,” the man said, smiling. “You’re looking new.”

“It’s definitely my first time here,” David—trying to be Dave—said. “And my friend is here from out of town.”

“Well that’s great,” Sunny felt the man’s broad hand on his back

“I’m Logan and this is me and my partner’s place. Two and the Band’ll be playing in a sec, and the Ravens later on. We hope you enjoy the show. Can I start you on some drinks.”

Sunny was conscious of being sad that the man’s hand was no longer on his back, and David ordered some type of beer and Sunny said he’d have the same.

“That’s great. I’ll be right back with those,” Logan said, “and bring you the food menu.”

Sunny watched Logan, admiring the way he looked walking away in a pair of jeans. He wasn’t old at all. Sunny imagined him to be forty.

“Earth to Sunny, Earth to Sunny,” David said.

“Oh,” Sunny shook his head.

“What distracted you?”

“Logan,” Sunny said frankly. “I just recently came out of the closet, but I’m totally gay. It’s weird how I didn’t realize it until just now.”

David blinked and then burst out laughing.

“What?”

David just kept laughing.

“I have no idea what’s so fucking funny,” Sunny said, pushing a hand through his hair.

“You don’t give a fuck,” David said. “You don’t give a fuck about anything. It’s great. You’re fucking great, Sunny.”

A very good looking guy in well fitted jeans—God Sunny was feeling gay tonight—came onto the stage and began talking. He was bronzy brown, flawless skin, that short tight beautiful black hair that reminded him of Maurice, and how, one night he’d offered to massage his scalp and run his hands through the soft wool of it. Lovely hazel eyes. The Black guy shouted: “TWO AND THE BAND!”

As he left the stage and the band came up, Sunny nearly forgot why he’d come. He watched the Black guy go through the crowd toward Logan, who had a drinks tray and kisse him quickly, and a spark went through Sunny.

My partner…. Not business partner…. Well, apparently business partner, but…

Logan returned with their drinks, and winked at Sunny, which he probably always did to customers, but the twinkle in his eye and glimmer of his earring, the way he’d kissed that other man, went through Sunny Kominsky like he was a guitar being strung and on stage a goodlooking man was strumming his guitar and singing:

 

So this is the way it should be

You said you would always meet me here

And I’m here

But you’re gone!

 

And whatever Sunny was thinking, as he turned to David he saw his new friend’s eyes were wide open, and his mouth was partially open as well.

As Logan returned with menus, Sunny whispered, “Is that him after all?”

“I’ll be back in a moment to check with you,” Logan was saying. “Can I interest you in any appetizers.”

David seemed momentarily out of it, and Sunny wanted to look at Logan, so he ordered jalapeno poppers, and when Logan was gone, David looked at Sunny  and said: “The guy singing…”

 

“This is the way it could be

We could always be here

And in love

In love

In looooove!

This is the way it should be

You are the one I’m thinking of

Thinking of

Thinking offff—”

 

“Yeah,” David murmured, “That’s Dan Rawlinson.”

Sunny blinked at the chocolate haired, chocolate eyes, tallish handsome twenty something who looked like he’d make a good drinking buddy and get high with you on the beach, who could use a hair cut, and then he said:

“So that’s what a vampire looks like.”

“Hello. Hello, excuse me.”

The three of them, the hot Logan, his hot partner, and Dan Rawlinson turned to him.

The show had ended, or at least Two and the Band’s part, and it was apparent that David was not going to pursue Dan Rawlinson. It was also apparent that Sunny could not make a scene of doing it himself. So he excused himself for a piss break, and went the long way around to stand before the three of them at the bar.

“Hey,” Logan waved, exchaling smoke from his nostrils and taking a suck on his cigarette, “Sunny, right?”

“Right. I just wanted to say you were great up there.”

“Thanks a lot,” Dan said, shaking his hand. His face full of that same brightness Logan’s had. “Not often I get a male admirer…. Which makes me doubt my talent, if not my looks.”

“Well, you look great too.”

“That’s what they tell me,” Dan pointed to Logan and his partner.

“This is my husband, Burt,” Logan gestured,

Well, now he had a name, which was better than The Black Guy.

“Burt Alexander,”

“I’m an Alexander,” Sunny said. “That’s my real name. Alexander Kominsky. But that’s not my point. My point is I’m with a friend and he wants to talk to Dan. He wants to talk to you,” Sunny pointed at him, “You all went to school together. And he didn’t want to disturb you, But he’s right over there.”

As Sunny pointed, he now saw David seeing him, and looking flustered.

“That’s Dave Lawry!” Dan laughed, and Sunny noticed he was still holding his guitar.

“Yes it is.”

“The last time I saw him he was… well, he was busy not giving me a parking ticket.”

“Oddly enough,” Sunny said, “That was not the last time he saw you.”

“What’s that?”

Until now, Sunny had forgotten Dan was supposed to be a vampire.

“Go over and give him a holler.”

Dan nodded.

“Is that a Stratacaster 326?”

“If you know what this is,” Dan said, “then you can hold onto it while I go talk to my old schoolmate.”

Dan shoved the guitar into Sunny’s hands and poked him in the arm.

“Well, look at you,” Burt said to Sunny, “bringing old friends together.”

Logan said, “You wanna show us what you got?”

“On this guitar?”

Logan grinned at him and shrugging, said,  “Or anywhere else.”