Free Apprehended by Jan Burke Page B

“They asked me if I wanted to go to dinner with them, but they’re just going to argue, so I’d rather go home after this last set. Is that okay?”
    â€œOf course,” I said, hoping my smile didn’t look as phony as it felt.
    Q:  Why did God give drummers 10% more brains than horses?
    A:  So they wouldn’t crap during the parade.
    â€œWhat was the name of the first song in the second set?” Frank asked Buzz as we drove him home. He was being uncharacteristically quiet, staring out the car window. But at Frank’s question, he smiled.
    â€œIt’s called ‘Draid Bhreá Fiacla.’ That’s Irish for ‘a fine set of teeth.’ ”
    â€œHow romantic,” I said.
    â€œIt is, really. Joleen rarely smiles, but once I said something that made her laugh, and she had this beautiful grin on her face after. When I saw it, I said, ‘Well, look there! You’ve a fine set of teeth. I wonder why you hide them?’
    â€œDid she have an answer?”
    He laughed. “In a way. She bit me. Not hard, just a playful little bite. So the next time I saw her, I gave her the song, and told her its name, and got to see the smile again.”
    â€œYou wrote that song?” Frank asked.
    â€œShe worked on it some after I gave it to her, made it better. It belongs to both of us now, I suppose.”
    â€œOf all the ones we heard tonight, that one’s easily my favorite,” I said.
    â€œMine, too,” Frank said.
    â€œJoleen says it’s too melodic,” he said. “But I don’t think she means it. She just doesn’t want me to think too highly of myself.”
    Q:  What’s the difference between a viola and an onion?
    A:  Nobody cries when you chop up a viola.
    â€œWell, thanks again for the ride,” he said when we pulled up in front of his apartment.
    â€œYou have a way over to the club tomorrow night?” Frank asked. “I could give you a ride if you need one.”
    â€œOh thanks, but the Chevette is supposed to be ready by late afternoon. I’m kind of glad it broke down. It was great to meet you, man.”
    â€œYou, too. Stay in touch.”
    â€œI will. You take care, too, Irene.”
    After Buzz closed the car door, Frank said, “Let’s wait until he’s inside the building.”
    Having noticed the three young toughs standing not far down the sidewalk, I had already planned to wait. But Buzz waved to them, they waved back, and he made his way to the door without harm.
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    It was about three in the morning when we got to bed. When Buzz called at ten o’clock, we figured we had managed to have almost a full-night’s sleep. Still, at first I was too drowsy to figure out what he was saying. Then again, fully awake I might not have understood the words that came between hard sobs. There were only a few of them.
    â€œShe’s dead, Irene. My God, she’s dead.”
    â€œBuzz? Who’s dead?” I asked. Frank sat up in bed. “Joleen.”
    â€œJoleen? Oh, Buzz . . .”
    â€œShe . . . she killed herself. Can you come over here? You and Frank?”
    â€œSure,” I said. “We’ll be right over.”
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    By the time we got there, he was a little calmer. Not much, but enough to be able to tell us that Gordon had found her that morning, that she had hanged herself.
    â€œIt’s his fault, the bastard!” He drew a hiccuping breath. “Last night, when they went out to dinner, he told Joleen he was quitting the band. Mack tried to talk him out of it, but I guess Gordon wouldn’t give in.”
    â€œGordon called you?”
    â€œNo, Mack. He told me she made some angry remark, said we’d just find a new drummer. Mack was upset, and said he didn’t want to try to break in a new drummer in three weeks’ time, that he was