D Strings
Accident and Intent
The D string is broken…who breaks a D string before an E or a G?… and the heel of Justin Meyers’ hand slams his pick up. He turned, stumbled to fling his old SG into his Marshall…and that’s the sound Rhodes chose for the repeating groove at the end of the vinyl.
Justin Meyers checks out of rehab early, so drunk in the studio, so drunk at Justine’s wedding the next day, like still drunk, one drunk, two days…who names their son Justin and their daughter Justine, they’re not even twins…fuck he was drunk, his speech so embarrassing… checked himself in.
But Justin is good now, got what he needed from two months and two weeks at Transcend, he’s good, has shit to do, never gonna drink again, trust me, gonna go home…gonna tour…promote the record…
There’s this fan letter at home, he’s gonna answer this fan letter, gonna frame the fucking fan letter, and answer the guy who asked the three most interesting questions Justin ever heard from a fan in his life.
The questions, man… he referenced them in his speech at his sister’s wedding, he was rambling, trying to catch the ramble, before the tequila and a little blow took him around a verbal corner he couldn’t find his way back from and… so fucking embarrassing, man.
That repeating groove is happening now, Eric Frautem on his bed, his favorite band on the turntable, in his favorite color fire orange vinyl.
He wrote Justin Meyers a fan letter, but not some basic, cringey, you’re-my-hero shit.
Eric Frautem was proud of the letter when it left his hands. Not an email. Those get lost, ignored, answered by a staff member.
A real letter.
Justin hadn’t answered back yet.
Eric put the record on, stared at the ceiling, started second guessing his questions.
The third song on side two, Reaction Figure, that was the all time banger.
As soon as the song Velvet at the end of side two started to fade Eric would jump up and replay Reaction Figure. Did it dozens of times, since the record came home with him.
Justin is gonna answer the letter, swears he’s gonna, gonna get a sponsor this time, gonna…
The repeating groove on the record, Justin’s broken string cacophony, that’s playing for the first time in Eric’s bedroom.
On Eric’s phone, Devin Lorrison has sent him a video, just leaked video of Justin Meyers drunk at a wedding.
Devin swears he mentions one of the questions Eric told him about. Justin is slurring so bad, but it’s Eric’s question, Devin’s sure of it. Eric is gonna turn snot into puppies when he sees it.
Devin is seeing the wedding video on all the socials, can’t believe Eric hasn’t hit him back.
Justin is home, gonna respond to the letter.
He’s pacing now, pacing. Letter is in his hand, puts it down, doesn’t want it to get sweaty.
Gets an email, polite but firm, saying Transcend thinks he should finish the program.
Goes for a walk, thinks, pets a woman’s dog, goes to Ernie’s, gets a carry out burger, poses for a picture with a fan.
Eating his burger, walking, gonna cut back toward home before he’s anywhere near 17th Street, Locust Valley, just gonna cut back the next block…
Seth Frautem gets home, cat dead in the foyer.
Calls for Eric. Feels lightheaded.
Carbon Monoxide.
Runs to his son’s room, where a noise is coming from the speakers. A strange, discordant noise.
Justin is back home, pacing, manic that he’s going to answer the letter.
Thought that guy on 16th was gonna rob him. Is that why he bought the powder?
If the guy’s selling product, he ain’t gonna rob you.
One blast. It’s not booze. Booze is the problem.
He didn’t go to Locust Valley. He was eating a burger, gonna turn back.
Question two, guy wants to know what’s the difference between a coincidence and a miracle.
What a trippy question.
Be a good topic for a song.
Justin is responding on Schacter Management stationery.
Looks businesslike. Impersonal.
Goes to the basement and pulls some early set lists from the cork board next to the wet bar.
Gonna answer the fan letter on set lists. The guy will love it.
Dear Eric…Thanks for…
Justin Meyers tries to corral the words in his head. Does another small bump, gets a drain, back of his throat tastes like shit.
***
Seth Frautem is reading to his brain damaged son at Golson Terrace Long Term Care.
He’s reading Skinny Legs and All and making editorial comments as though the patient in 413 is awake and alert. He’s not.
Pamela, Eric’s mom, Seth’s ex-wife pings his phone.
Guess who’s coming to Golson Terrace?
Justin Meyers.
Seth types back:
You think he might be willing to play some songs for Eric? I mean I’m not one to believe in miracles but wow!
Pamela types back: He’s not coming for a visit, Seth. He’s coming to stay.
***
Getting closer to 1900 shorts stories published on Substack.
Always grateful for some tips at Venmo during the holiday season: James-Graham-80.
Or if you’d like to do the traditional Substack route:
Man, James. You can certainly write an ending!
Played a Christmas concert at a mall today.
The seating arrangement was very unusual.
I, on French Horn, was seated directly in front of the trombones.
Sometimes we play in unison, generally not.
Five bars from the end of the final number we both hit the same wrong note.
Neither of us got upset.
But we did have a good laugh!
I actually got into a looong discussion with someone about the validity of coincidence v. fate. I was so conflicted by which one is true, I went on grok and asked for scientific proof. Now, I'm all sorts of fucked in the head, lol.