this?” he pleaded. “At least today? I mean it. You’ve already proven what a great hole-digger you are. We’ll get some things in the ground, okay?”
“Okay. Thank you. That’s what we can do this morning.”
“Now, about tonight. Do you like to dance? Ever hear of the 1896 Club?”
“I love the 1896. We were just there, in March - for my birthday. All the girls.”
“The girls? Emily and Megan?”
“No. Sue and Sharon and Carol and Clair and Ginny. The girls.”
“Oh,” he chuckled. “Well, how about tonight with the boys? Seth wants to take David there. Some people we know are playing. Great music. Even some Motown.”
“I’d love to go.”
“Good. So what’s for breakfast?”
“Blueberry pancakes, sausage, coffee, juice. How does that sound?”
“That sounds good.”
“But I thought,” she said slowly, sliding her hands under his shirt, “we could do something else first.”
He smiled. “Something else sounds good too.”
She heard his truck drive up, and came out the door to meet him. He was wearing a cowboy hat made of finely braided straw, with a thin band and a small blue feather. She met him in the middle of her walk and kissed him warmly.
“Are you in disguise?” She asked politely.
“Yes, as a matter of fact,” he explained as they walked to the truck. “The 1896 is the kind of place where I’ll get recognized. I’m not in the mood. I figure in a club famous for R&B, they’ll leave the jerk in the cowboy hat alone.” He started the truck. “What do you think?”
She was looking at his feet. “Boots too?”
“Hell, yeah. Hand made by a guy outside Austin. They’re beautiful, really. And they add an extra two inches.”
“Michael,” she said wickedly, “you don’t need an extra two inches.”
He turned bright red. “Thanks. But I was actually referring to adding two inches to my height.”
“Oh. Well. My mistake.” She was grinning at him. “Couldn’t you find a big silver belt buckle? Maybe in the shape of a cow’s head?’
“Ha. Ha. Keep it up. I’m tough.”
“Isn’t this a little early for the 1896?”
“Yes, but I figured we’d eat first. Are you hungry?”
“Of course. Are you going to wear the hat in the restaurant too?”
“I can’t believe you don’t like my hat. I’m crushed. Really. The girl who sold it to me told me it made me look sexy.’
“Michael, if you looked any sexier, we’d never get out of bed.”
He reached for her hand and squeezed it. “You look great, by the way.”
She smiled. She was wearing a denim skirt and a red sleeveless tee shirt, with an oversized black linen shirt as a jacket. “Thank you. If I had known we were playing dress-up, I’d have worn my fringed leather jacket.”
“You have a fringed leather jacket?”
“Since high school. It’s older than you are.”
“Oh.”
The 1896 Club was an old mansion that had been built in the twenties. The address was 1896 Main Street, and since the mid-seventies it had been a known primarily for the blues bands that came through on their way to the Big Apple. The owner, Bobby St. John, was an aging hippie who was on a first name basis with some world class musicians. NinetySeven had played there often, before they made it big.
It was almost nine by the time Michael and Diane got there, and there was already a small crowd gathered on the front porch. Michael was ignored as he made his way to the front table, and as he paid their way in he asked if Bobby was around. The bouncer had been leaning up against the wall. He was big, over six feet tall, heavy and brutish. At Michael’s question, he walked over and stood beside him, looming. He glared at Michael.
“Bobby who?”
Michael looked up at him. “Bobby who signs your paycheck,” he said patiently.
“How the fuck do you know Bobby?”
Michael looked at Diane. Her eyes were big and dark. He carefully put his wallet into his back pocket. He looked back up.
“I know Bobby,” he said calmly. “I’ve played here before. Is he upstairs?”
The bouncer shrugged and took another step toward Michael. The people in line behind them were watching. Michael took Diane’s arm.
“Excuse me,” he said quietly. The bouncer glared, looked around at everyone, and stepped aside. Michael and Diane went inside.
The place was crowded, but most of the people were milling around. Michael made for a table off in a corner. As they sat down, he looked around.
“This is a good spot. Too close to the speakers and you’ll loose your hearing for a