Suzie’s House 432 : Malaprop Internal Affairs

Gene itched to get practice over with. In a way, it kind of felt like a total waste. He should have said something before they started instead of wanting to do it afterward. As soon as the band started putting their instruments away, he went over to Tracy.

“There’s something we need to talk about.”

“Yeah, sure. What is it?” She zipped her bass into its soft side case.

“I don’t want to play guitar anymore.”

“Hey, Tracy, why did you say… oh. Sorry.” Bruce came running up right behind Gene. “Wait. What did you just say?” Bruce turned narrowed eyes on Gene.

Tracy looked all shocked. If Gene didn’t say anything now everything would get all jumbled.

“I don’t want to quit the band,” he said real fast. “I just don’t think I should be lead guitar.”

“Oh.” With a whoosh, they both started breathing again.

“I think Tracy should be lead guitar. I should be bass.”

Tracy looked like he’d hit her on the back of the head with a stealth attack Nerf sword.

Bruce just nodded and said, “Yeah. That’s about right.”

“Only, I don’t have a bass.”

“And I don’t have a guitar. So we’ll just trade.”

Gene shook his head. “Not that one. I’ll get another and then trade with you. All right?” She was there when they found out his second hand guitar had originally belonged to Kurt Cobane. She had to know why he was never ever letting it go.

“Yeah. Fine.” She rolled her eyes up in exasperation, but she kind of smiled, too.

It was Gene’s turn to sigh in relief.

“Well good. I’m glad we got that squared away. Bruce turned toward Tracy. “What I want to know is why you’re in such a hurry about this band business. Not that I don’t feel the same.” Bruce held up both hands like he didn’t want to argue. “I don’t care if I graduate high school first. No matter what, I’m going to be a pro. But it’s not like you have to be a pro before your get out of high school or it won’t happen. So… what are you thinking?”

Tracy was thinking something about Malaprop? And Bruce picked up on it when Gene didn’t? But Tracy didn’t do any of those habitual things that said she was lying. Except now she was looking at Bruce like he was a bug, which meant he was on to something.

“My Mom said she might come back to get me.”

“Yeah? Is that a bad thing?” Bruce’s forehead wrinkled all puzzled like.

Gene got stiff. He already knew that having a parent come back for you wasn’t always everything it was cracked up to be.

“Yeah. If she comes for me, then I don’t know where we’ll go. I mean, there’s no way to know where her illustrious career will take her. I mean, we could end up in Australia or something. So I might not be able to stay in the band because we’ll move. But if I’m a pro, then she’ll leave me alone. She’ll use it as an excuse to leave me with my aunt and Lisa. So, like a record deal would do it. But a gig wouldn’t. And I have no way of knowing when she’ll come. It could be any minute now.”

Tracy could be leaving?! Gene’s chest hurt. His heart raced and he broke out in a sweat, but he felt like he couldn’t move.

Bruce stared at the floor for a moment with his hand to his chin. Then he said, “We’re going to need a better manager than Uncle John.”

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