An Easy Friend

Chapter 28

"Remind me again how you got sick?"

"I took Monti out for a walk in the rain."

"Since when does our cat take walks and likes the rain?"

"He's a dog in spirit."

I handed Kurt a spoonful of medicine. He made a face but took it anyway. He's been sick for the past 3 days.

"Do you think you'll be better by Friday?" I asked him. "I kinda already bought tickets for a concert in Olympia."

"Gee, I don't know. Lemme ask my immune system system and white blood cells." He bent down to his stomach. "Yep, all systems go for this Friday."

I rolled my eyes. His sarcasm levels get especially high when he's ill.

"Okay well keep those systems moving. I gotta go to work." I kissed his forehead. "See ya."

---

Business was slow at the music shop today. When I went to Europe with Nirvana, the owner threatened to not give me my job back. But when I returned, they were so busy they let me come back. Now, here I stand behind the counter in an empty shop practically getting paid for not doing anything.

I put on a new Alice in Chains record when I heard the bell ring. I looked up to see a blond haired girl walk in. She looked familiar.

She spotted me and walked over to me. "Hey, where can I find the Butthole Surfers?"

"Second aisle, under 'B'." She walked away and that's when I remembered where I saw her.

"Hey," I yelled, "are you in that band that's performing in Olympia? Hole?" I've seen their posters around town.

Her head poked around the corner of the aisle. "As a matter of fact, I am." she said in her raspy voice.

"Cool. I'm going to your show on Friday."

She emerged from the aisle with two CDs in hand. "Awesome. I'm Courtney." She held out her hand.

I took her hand. Was she always this formal? "I'm Allison."

"You're cute Allison." She laughed and tossed her hair. I scanned the CDs and she paid.

"What are you doing all the way out here in Middle of Nowhere Aberdeen?" I asked her. Small talk is good talk.

"Trying to get away from my bandmates. They'll never find me here." She laughed. "They're riding my ass about my drugs but fuck them, it's my life." She took the CDs and shoved them in her bag. "See ya later Allison." Courtney walked out quickly.

---

By Friday, Kurt was well enough to go to the concert. As we pulled up to the parking lot, Kurt noticed an ad for the concert on a nearby lamp post.

"Oh I've seen that one." He pointed to Courtney. "She was at the Dharma Bums show we went to awhile ago. She did spoken word. It was cool."

"I don't remember seeing her." I was confused.

"I think you went to the bathroom or something. But I definitely remember."

"Well I actually met her the other day. I win." I smiled mischievously.

We made our way into the venue and picked a spot in the crowd near the front. A few minutes later, the band filed out. They began playing and the first thing I noticed was Courtney. Her persona changed completely. She wasn't the clean, flirtatious girl I met. She was mean, loud, disheveled looking Courtney.

I happened to glance at Kurt while they were playing. His expression made my heart drop. He was staring at Courtney with twinkling eyes and an unbreaking gaze. With any more concentration he probably would have been drooling.

I couldn't enjoy the rest of the show anymore. Kurt wasn't staring as intently as before but he still didn't tear his eyes off her.

At the end of the show, we clapped and made our way back out to the car. I pulled out a pack of cigarettes just as two people came running towards us. It was Courtney and her guitar player who's name I didn't know.

"Allison! Wait!" They caught up to us. "I wanted to thank you for settling a dispute between us." Courtney motioned between her and the guy. "Eric didn't believe the 'Butthole Surfers' is an actual name of an actual band." Eric laughed.

Then Courtney turned her attention Kurt. "Hey. I saw you looking at me. I'm Courtney. You must be her boyfriend. I can tell, you're both too good-looking not to be with each other." She held out her hand, just like she did with me.

"Kurt Cobain." He introduced himself as he took her hand.

Eric noticed my utter distress at their touch and decided to speak up. "You're in Nirvana, aren't you? I went to one of your shows in Los Angeles. You guys are great."

"Thanks." Kurt smiled warmly at Eric.

"Well, we've got to go. We left our cat all alone." I can't believe I just said that.

"Right." Kurt agreed. "It was nice meeting you guys. Great show."

"Thanks!" said Courtney as she flipped her hair.

Kurt walked back to the car as Courtney walked back to the building. I hung back to speak with Eric.

"Thanks. You now, for..."

"No problem." He understood what I couldn't say. "She's real flirtatious. She'll flirt with a chair. Don't worry."

I eased up a bit. "If you say so."

---

The drive home was normal. I was in my 'angry' mood. Being a pacifist, that only meant listening to metal, smoking, and staring menacingly at non-living things.

Kurt didn't seem to notice. He just drove in his usual elderly-like pace and nodded his head to the music.

I knew I'd be fine again in like an hour. These moods don't last very long. After all, I knew we wouldn't run into Hole again. What are the odds?