Johnny and The USed Wonz

by DaNeo Duran

  The unit’s sale had been quick. She received the funds in her bank on Friday 11th May and gone out with Fiona and a number of her LA contacts and friends. But by that time she’d known and been dating Dwight almost a month and on the Sunday she took him out for a meal forgetting to set the video for The Dollmaker.

  Finishing the final page she closed the book and took in her surroundings. The veranda looked bare without her Rainier cherry tree and Japanese Boxwood framing the French window.

  Damn Earl, and damn Dwight for that matter. With Earl gone happy memories fogged. Thoughts of Earl only brought up images of his face, spewing with rage.

  After London she’d been determined to get out the apartment. If the office sold she knew she could afford her own apartment, a fresh start without a partner’s income. Up for sale the office went; selling at a decent price.

  But she didn’t buy an apartment. She’d barely looked at apartments. Dwight had appeared out of the blue and her plans went up in smoke.

  Though she wanted to see how things went she didn’t know him. She didn’t want to invite him into her life and very own apartment without trust. If she’d fallen for him she might have considered getting somewhere together.

  She knew the love boat had sailed.

  Off to her right the sun dipped. So close to midsummer’s day it would be ages before it sank completely.

  As much as she’d changed her plans for Dwight she couldn’t find it in her to be as happy about him as the elation she felt knowing she’d see Johnny the next day; the elation that would come with doubt.

  She’d not seen much of Johnny since London. When he came to her hotel room she’d not wanted to let him go. He’d clearly not wanted to go either but the fact they had different agendas had made things difficult for them both.

  The more time she spent with him the happier she became but knew the more time he spent with her the more unfulfilled he became. When the time to fly back to America arrived he could hardly stand to be in her presence.

  Only when Linda arrived back to the apartment did she begin to feel unfulfilled too. Fortunately Dwight had arrived soon after.

  Thursday 28th June 1984

  Linda noted as The USed Wonz travelled west, Johnny’s calls getting later with the changing time zones.

  She doubted he’d ring until they arrived in LA given the band faced another long drive; all the way from San Francisco.

  However, she’d only just stepped into her office when her phone rang.

  ‘You’d better get a move on if you’re to make those radio interviews,’ Linda said guessing they’d not begun the day’s journey.

  She looked across to Fiona’s still empty desk where Johnny’s Stetson, brought from her previous office along with her own stuff, lay next to a pile of unopened mail.

  ‘We should be pulling into LA around 1pm,’ Johnny said.

  ‘What? D’you fill the bus with rocket fuel?’

  ‘Nah, Quinn drove us part way after last night’s gig. We’re already a hundred miles south of San Jose.’

  ‘Well done.’ Outside she heard a sound. ‘Hold the line the postman’s here.’

  She ran to collect the mail and tore an envelope open. ‘Thought as much, I’ve got your plane tickets for tomorrow.’

  ‘Urgh, I’m trying not to think about that.’

  ‘You’ll be fine, the girls will look after you.’

  ‘We’ll see. Anyway, on the subject of post, did you get the stuff from your old office?’

  ‘Yeah, there’s a pile of stuff on Fiona’s desk. Seems the redirection I paid for failed.’

  ‘You’ve a case to complain,’ Johnny said. ‘Have you seen the guy’s wallet I sent?’

  ‘I’ve not had chance to sift through anything yet. I’ll get there soon.’

  Johnny rang off with Linda promising to bring the band’s plane tickets to the Whisky gig that night.’

  Linda got herself a water and tried starting the air conditioning unit. It had been noisy all week. It gurgled, rattled then blew warm air into the room.

  When banging a hand on it failed to change the unit’s mind she phoned Dwight catching him before he left for his first job.

  ‘I’m booked solid for the next two days,’ he said when she asked if he could fix it. ‘What about the management company, can’t they send someone?’

  ‘Not until Monday.’

  He sighed. ‘What make is it?’

  ‘Carrier, Weathermaker.’

  ‘Okay, how about I stay over with you tonight. First thing tomorrow give me the keys and I’ll have it fixed before you start at nine?’

  ‘That’d be brilliant.’

  After he rang off Linda pondered whether having him over might be a bad idea given the evening she’d planned with The USed Wonz.

  Friday 29th June 1984

  The next day, Dwight woke before the 6am alarm next to Linda.

  He didn’t want to be there. Aside from her breath stinking of wine and hair of cigarettes from the previous night, things had started getting tedious. He knew he could be gracious with Linda but the energy had become progressively more difficult to find.

  He touched her face wishing he could read her mind. Did she really want him there? She didn’t seem to want to deepen the relationship; thank heaven for small mercies. But didn’t that negate their relationship; being bored but not wanting to progress?

  After the initial excitement he’d come to know Linda and liked her as a person but inevitably the excitement had passed and he no longer felt being with her benefitted either of them.

  He recalled the first drink he’d bought her. He’d seen her in the supermarket; beautiful but in low spirits. Sidling up to her, he made sure she spied the biceps he’d been working so hard on before asking her opinion about the frozen veg in the section where they stood.

  He timed the rest of his shop such that they bumped into each other in every aisle until after checkout he met her in the car park.

  When he’d first arrived at the store he’d spotted, from his Dodge Ram’s high driving position, a burgundy Lotus. Interested, he’d parked next to it. When the woman he’d been in the store with turned up at the same car he persuaded her to join him for a drink promising to let her home before her frozen goods thawed.

  In a nearby pub she’d drank a glass of white wine and told him all about her bullying ex-boyfriend. He’d supped Bud knowing he couldn’t have picked a better time to approach her.

  Vulnerable and lonely, he felt he could have swept her off her feet there and then. He plied her with more wine then drove her home. After helping her put her shopping away he left, promising to come back the next morning and lift her to her car.

  That had only been twelve weeks earlier. He’d probably caught her on the rebound. But should rebounds last twelve weeks?

  The answer to that question would have to wait. Dwight got up, dressed in jeans and T-shirt for work and went to the kitchen area to get breakfast.

  Minutes later he returned to the stirring woman.

  ‘See you at the office,’ he said shaking the office keys to show he had them.

  ‘Thank you again Dwight.’

  At that early hour LA’s roads had yet to wake up. Dwight drove with haste to Linda’s office. When he arrived he let himself in. The alarm didn’t beep; it still hadn’t been fixed.

  In the main office he wondered what to do first. Locating the AC unit he put his toolbox down and pulled the unit’s case open. Everything inside had been poorly maintained. Checking the usual suspects he discovered a dirty condenser coil and blocked filter, plus the refrigerant pressure appeared to be down; not the quick job he’d hoped for. He wondered how the machine had managed this long.

  * * *

  Some miles away Johnny and Stu met Dane in their hotel’s lobby. The previous night had been a success. They’d performed well and the team had celebrated the end of their second US tour with Linda and Fiona.

  Unfortunately, Linda had forgotten to bring thei
r plane tickets from the office; an oversight that had caused her much embarrassment when The USed Wonz presented her with a hefty cheque towards what they owed her.

  Johnny explained they’d netted money from T-shirt and demo sales, but he didn’t mention Stu’s one-off competition fight and kept quiet his initial poker win and the subsequent secret games where he’d managed to gather a few extra dollars.

  Linda arranged to meet Johnny in her office before 9am to hand over the tickets. Perhaps not trusting Johnny to be left alone with Linda before an important flight, Stu decided he’d keep him company. Dane had a similarly early flight to New York so said he’d come along too.

  ‘Cab’s arriving,’ Dane said leading the way out.

  ‘The girls will be up shortly,’ Stu said grabbing a 7up before throwing his bag in the taxi’s trunk. ‘I trust them to check out on time but will Jack and Quinn?’

  ‘They’d better,’ Dane said.

  ‘They’re in no hurry,’ Johnny said.

  ‘Not so, they’re expected at Steve’s Truck Rental before noon to return the bus.’

  Once in the taxi the driver looked at Stu and pointed to sign forbidding food or drink.

  ‘I’m gasping.’

  ‘No drink,’ the cabbie said in a Mexican accent. ‘If it spray, I have to clean. Not good for customer or schedule.’

  * * *

  As the cab pulled into Linda’s office car park Johnny glanced at his watch. It hadn’t quite turned 8am. They stopped two spaces from an unoccupied Dodge Ram; the only other vehicle around at that time.

  ‘Damn, she’s not here yet,’ Dane said.

  ‘It’s okay, it’s not yet …’ Johnny started but stopped with the sound of the Lotus. ‘… She’s here.’

  Her car vanished the other side of the Ram.

  ‘You two waiting here?’ Johnny asked.

  ‘As long as we can trust you to be quick,’ Stu said.

  Outside Johnny approached Linda but, opening his arms she stopped him. ‘That’s Dwight’s truck. Sorry, I thought he’d be done fixing the air-con by now.’

  Johnny’s heart sank. He stifled his derision.

  You coming?’ she asked leading the way.

  Linda felt less bright than she’d sounded; her sixth sense nagging her to keep Johnny and Dwight separate.

  Unhappily the first thing she saw in the office turned out not to be Dwight knee-deep in air conditions parts but him leaning on Fiona’s desk, back to them, chuntering away on her phone.

  Johnny avoided looking at the big bastard.

  As Linda went to her filing cabinet for the tickets Johnny asked, ‘Where’s the mail from your old office?’

  She pointed.

  Johnny sneered.

  Next to a heap on Fiona’s desk he saw his Stetson now pulled low on Dwight’s thick head. Grabbing the letters he turned away.

  Behind him the man hung up saying, ‘Gotta dash love.’

  He made for the door.

  ‘No kiss?’ Linda asked.

  Johnny concentrated on the mail but heard Linda follow the man into the corridor where she asked why he’d taken the hat. The man grunted then said he’d fixed the air-con but had been phoning to order a new filter for it. Linda said it hadn’t sounded like that sort of phone call.

  Johnny found the package Zora the Kansas PI had sent. Ripping the envelope open he retrieved the wallet.

  Back in the room Linda held his hat in one hand and flight tickets in the other. Johnny didn’t want his hat.

  He took the tickets and showed her the wallet. ‘You know this guy?’

  Her eyes focused on the fake driving licence photo. She knew. At once Johnny saw her knees weaken.

  The cabinet supported her as she slid into a squatting position. ‘Dwight.’

  ‘What?’

  ‘The guy in the picture. It’s Dwight.’

  ‘That little sap just leaving?’ Johnny said shrilly.

  Linda almost laughed. How incredible anyone should describe such a slab of a man as, a little sap.

  She responded with a quavering voice.

  Caring for her feelings Johnny crouched before her. ‘Oh Linda, how do you find these guys?’

  She lifted her face to his but didn’t answer.

  He leapt to his feet. ‘I gotta stop him.’

  He disregarded Linda’s plea not to. Yanking the window open he saw Stu leaning against the taxi drinking his 7up.

  ‘Stu! Don’t let that truck move!’ he called jabbing a finger towards Dwight’s Ram. ‘Look out!’

  As Johnny sprinted for the door Linda pulled herself together and clambered to her feet.

  ‘Run,’ she screamed seeing through the window Dwight and another man advancing on Stu.

  She kicked her shoes off and ran after Johnny. Padding barefoot down the stairs she burst into the morning’s sunshine.

  Before her eyes adjusted she saw Dwight by the open back of his pickup truck. Something flew from his grip and the chaos.

  Johnny ducked and Linda darted in front of the downstairs office window as a wrench clattered where her feet had just been.

  She screamed, terrified as Johnny foolhardily ploughed towards Dwight, fists held high.

  Dwight pulled another wrench from his tool box and slung it.

  Again Johnny ducked.

  Again it hurtled towards Linda. She ducked too as it collided with the glass of the office inches behind her.

  The glass plate exploded. Huge shards fell like daggers inside and out. Instinctively curled into a ball, Linda felt with great fortune a piece of glass strike her back flatly so as not to cause harm.

  Johnny had seen enough. So it seemed had the taxi. Wheels screeched as it reversed pulling into a J-turn. More smoke and spinning wheels preceded a jerky halt as Dane jumped out, ran towards the action but stopped short clearly helpless.

  Linda watched as Dwight, with no tools left to throw, brought haymakers to Johnny. Heavyweight fists swung but Johnny parried and stepped dodging them.

  Stu too, incredibly looked to be playing with the other attacker.

  ‘What we doing? he called to Johnny. ‘Are we finishing this?’

  ‘Yeah,’ Johnny shouted back.

  As Dane danced on the spot Linda watched Stu drop two feet under his attacker’s deadly but pointless jabs and crosses. Stu re-emerged with a blaze of knee and elbow strikes.

  As his attacker spun Linda felt, in addition to her panic, nausea welling as she recognised the man facing her.

  He pitched sideways as Stu kicked, sideswiping his left kneecap.

  Stu’s foe’s eyes met Linda’s with unmistakable hatred.

  She gasped but before she turned, Stu crossed in front with a high spinning hook kick. The lightning action put his lights out.

  Like the aftermath of a thunderstorm, calm befell the area.

  Dwight too, lay sleeping by Johnny’s feet.

  ‘You alright mate?’ Johnny called to Stu.

  ‘Brilliant, you wanna tell me who these two nuggets are?’

  ‘In a minute,’ Johnny said. ‘Are you okay Linda?’

  ‘I can’t move. There’s glass everywhere.’

  ‘With you in a sec.’

  The taxi, which had driven to safety purred back.

  ‘You not paid me,’ the driver said.

  ‘Just as well,’ Dane said. ‘You’ve still got our luggage.’

  ‘Keep your meter running, we’ll pay you when you take us to the airport,’ said Stu. ‘We’ve just got a couple of things to sort out.’

  ‘Gaffer tape,’ Johnny said holding up a roll he’d pinched from the back of Dwight’s truck.

  Dane helped drag the two dozing men to the Ram where Stu taped them securely to the wheels.

  ‘Still okay?’ Johnny shouted over to Linda.

  ‘Not really, no.’

  Remembering how Linda abhorred violence, Johnny realised what he’d done.

  Approaching her palms forward he said, ‘It’s okay. Everyone’s calm. No anger h
ere, see?’

  ‘I’m not on about you,’ Linda said. ‘That’s Earl. What’s he doing here?’

  ‘He was hiding in the truck,’ Stu said. ‘He jumped out as soon as the action started.’

  Johnny said, ‘Those guys are the heavies that were with the silver-haired bloke in Kansas. I’m sorry Linda.’

  ‘No, I’m sorry. Whatever this is, it’s about me not you.’

  She tried looking but couldn’t see past Johnny who approached obscuring her view.

  Looking at him instead her anger drifted. His face showed compassion. His feet crunched over glass. When she opened her arms he stepped forwards and lifted her.

  He didn’t put her down until they reached the stairs. ‘You’re stronger than I realised.’

  ‘I know,’ he said. ‘You love to underestimate me.’

  ‘You’re tougher to.’

  ‘You’ve seen the pads and gloves that tour with us. You think we use them as pillows?’

  She laughed. ‘Surely they’ve been forgotten like everyone else’s exercise equipment.’

  ‘Hardly, how d’you think the girls keep such figures on cheeseburger diets?’

  ‘I’d assumed it was the benefit of youth.’

  He told her of his training history and how it’d started with karate as a means of controlling his temper.

  ‘Police?’ Johnny asked.

  Linda slipped her shoes on but stared at Fiona’s desk. ‘Hang on.’

  She studied a piece of paper then showed it to Johnny who said, ‘These are the notes from the meeting; when you told us about the video and the London video shoot.’

  ‘And, most importantly, that you’d be getting seven-thousand pounds advanced to you.’

  ‘What’s on your mind babe?’

  ‘God this really is my fault. I was using these notes as a bookmark but I lost them – the night Earl went to prison. I never gave it a thought. He must have taken them. He’s the one who knew about the money in your account.’

  Johnny rubbed his brow. ‘Why isn’t he in prison and who’s the other guy, Dwight?’

  ‘I don’t know anymore.’ Linda felt close to tears. ‘I guess he might be Dwight, if he’s not Benedict Beatty.’

  ‘Look at the time. I don’t mind missing the plane if you want.’

  ‘No Johnny. I’ve told you this isn’t your fault. God knows what else those two have been doing to scupper my business.’ Linda grabbed her phone and dialled 911.

  Since London, Johnny had been trying to act cool with Linda, romantically uninterested, hard to get. But when Linda got off the phone to the police he pulled her into his arms.