Murdoc, now happy he's found a singer/ keyboardist, in the not so bright his sights on finding a drummer for his new band. He makes his way up and down the streets of Essex, Stuart always in tow. Searching for that one person, he just knows has to be out there. That feeling he'd gotten when he first laid eyes on Stuart, as the young man stood up in front of Murdoc s car, at Tescos. Is what the Bassist is looking for. He just knows if he sees someone, who gives him that same feeling. Then he's found him. Eventually though, the Bassist comes to the conclusion the one he's looking for, just isn't out there. Which means he has to take his search, further a field. But to where? He stops looking and takes a few days to wind down and re-evaluate the situation. 'Where on Earth would I be, if I were someone with style and rhythm?' He thinks, as he watches Stuart sitting zoned out on the bench seat of the Winnie. With a glass of Scotch, dangling precariously his fingers. 'Sitting here asking where I'd be. That's where I'd be. Ahaw, haw, haw.' Murdoc chuckles quietly to himself and stands up. Approaching the young man and gently sliding the glass from his fingers. He sculls the contents and places the glass on a small table. Then turns back to the young man and sighs. Murdoc reaches his hand back behind him, and bringing it sharply around again. Slaps the dazed young man violently on the side of the head. Stuart falls sideways off the bench with the impact, and onto the floor. He quickly jumps up onto his feet again, and looks about himself rapidly with a mixture of pain and shock, etched in his face.
"Wha? Wha' happened?" Stuart squeaks, looking rapidly up one end of the Winnie, and back again towards the front windshield. Murdoc walks casually over to his bed and belly flops onto it. Bringing his hands up in front of him and resting his chin on them. He crosses his ankles and clicks his unnaturally long tongue. Ignoring the confused protests of the young man behind him, still trying desperately to work out why his ear hurts. Stuart stops searching after a while and calms down again. Sitting back down on the bench seat and looking down at his hands. He suddenly remembers he was holding a glass of Scotch and turns his hands over and back again. Trying to work out where it had disappeared to. He leans down and begins searching the floor. Just in case he'd dropped it, and it had rolled away somewhere.
"We need to go further than here Faceache. I have to find a drummer, and so far all I've found. Is that there just isn't one here." Murdoc mumbles into the bed clothes. Stuart looks up at the Bassist, still rubbing his ear, and tips his head slightly to his shoulder thinking.
"Why doncha go to America? That's where them hip hoppy people are? They'd be good drummers." Stuart smiles and looks back down at the floor, checking it one more time for the illusive glass. Murdoc lifts his head from his hands for a moment and blinks. Then slowly turns his head towards the young man. He looks about the Winnie, checking to make sure he and the dull minded youth are actually alone. 'He couldn't of just said that. Did he just say that?' Murdoc thinks, watching Stuart as he suddenly sees the glass on the small table and steps over to it. Picking it up and triumphantly holding it up to him with a smile. "I found it."
"America, hmm? That's actually not a bad idea. Glad I thought of that really. Now where would you be, without me hey?" Murdoc smiles and rolls onto his back, staring up at the ceiling and grinning broadly to himself. Stuart furrows his brow to think, placing the tip of his finger against his bottom lip. He was sure he was the one who mentioned it? But he finds himself suddenly distracted by the image of a dog in a clown costume, riding a bicycle. And is not able to really remember exactly what it was he'd been trying to think about. He shrugs instead and places the glass in the sink.
"Gee, I dunno Muds. Home wif me Mum and dad I s'pose." Murdoc looks over at the youth and raises an unseen eyebrow. 'Mum and Dad. Hmm? Gotta get them way out the picture. They're nuthin but a distraction to the moron. How to make the Dullard more my own?' Suddenly struck by and idea, he looks back up at the ceiling again.
"I should give you a new name. Stuart is just sooo... poofy. I know, coz of yer two dents, I'm gunna call you.... errm? 2D. Much better I think." Stuart looks up and over at the Bassist, sneering a little at the suggestion his name wasn't good enough.
"Hey! My Mum gave me that name. Ain' nuthin' poofy about it at all." The young man snaps angrily, clenching his fists and turning round to face Murdoc. The Bassist snaps his head back round to the boy quickly, and slowly slides from the bed. His eyes sparkling brightly in the dimly lit wagon. He rises from the bed and stands defiantly before the now cringing young man. His eyes blazing out at the him, from under his long thick fringe. Almost as if they are on fire. Stuart backs away, as his courage drains out and into the floor. Slowly sitting back down on the bench seat and curling up, almost into a ball. Covering the back of his head with his arms, to defend himself from the blows he's sure are about to follow.
"I don' recall askin' fer yer opinion." Murdoc growls through clenched teeth. "2D!" He adds for definition, and strides quickly over to the terrified young man, his fist pulled back and ready to strike.
Outside the Winnie. Sitting in a parking lot, under and old lamp post with it's dirty yellowish light shining down on the old mustard colored wagon. Cars can be heard in the distance. Making their way down the dark neon lit streets of what Essex offers in way of a night-life. A small group of people pile out of a night club, laughing and joking with one another. Unaware that in a lonely parking lot, in a wagon under a lamp post. A blue haired young man is being beaten into unconsciousness.
The next day 2D wakes up on the floor of the Winnie. His face and arms covered in dark purplish, greenish bruises. He licks at the corner of his mouth, where blood has dried. Wincing and wiping at it with his wrist. Slowly he struggles to his feet, holding his stomach. And limps over to the kitchen sink for a glass of water, and then begins searching the drawer for his painkillers. In the bed sleeping comfortably, Murdoc snores loudly. Grinning occasionally and giggling to himself in his sleep. 2D looks over and watches for a while. Till the pounding in his temples snaps him back to reality and reminds him of what he's doing. He swallows a hand full of pills, washing them down with water. Then heads back to the bench seat, opening it and grabbing his towel and toiletries. Quietly opening the Winnie s door and stepping outside. He slowly limps his way across the cold pavement. Murdoc had parked near a toilet block, because the Winnie s water tanks had enough for cooking and such. But no where near enough water, for 2D to shower every day. Murdoc not being one to bathe, had never done anything about it, nor seemed to really care for such details. But at the moment, 2D didn't mind. He didn't really want to be anywhere near Murdoc right now anyway.
Once clean, the young man slowly makes his way back to the wagon. Stopping for a moment to listen to the dawn chorus and watch the morning light change colors. He shudders a little with cold and steps back up into the Winnie, quietly closing the door again behind him. He puts away his toiletries and hangs up his towel on the drivers seat to dry. Then makes his way back into the kitchen to get himself some breakfast. He takes a box of cereal from the cupboard and stops, looking at the box. 'Muds don' eat breakfast. In a way, he really only bought this for me.' The young man thinks, looking over at the still loudly snoring Bassist. He sighs and comes to the conclusion that Murdoc does quite a lot of things for him really. And begins to feel bad about not having to want to have much to do with him that morning. 'I really should be much nicer ta him, after all, he did save me life.' 2D smiles and pours out the cereal into a bowl. Murdoc wakes up and yawns, stretching out his arms and cracking the bones in his neck loudly. He scratches the back of his head with his hand and looks over at 2D. Who is now sitting down at the small table, eating his breakfast.
"Mornin' Muds." 2D smiles, waving at the Bassist with his spoon. Murdoc grunts and slides from the bed, shaking the sleepy sensation from his legs and scratching his testicles. 2D raises an eyebrow and turns his attention away from him, back down to his bowl. Shovelling a large spoonful of the cereal into his mouth. He chews quietly and looks out the window beside him instead. Suddenly the young mans train of thought is interrupted by the loud splashing sound of Murdoc urinating into the toilet bowl. 2D stops mid-chew and stares ahead wide eyed. His face slowly contorting and twisting into a grimace of disgust. He sits at the table almost frozen. And waits for the sound to finish so he can continue eating his cereal. It almost seems to go on for hours, till finally it tinkles and splashes to a stop. Breathing a sigh of relief, he continues chewing. Thinking the older man has finished. But then Murdoc begins to hack and cough loudly, clearing his sinuses and spitting the foul colored fluid into the toilet bowl in front of him. The young man has had enough. His appetite ruined by Murdoc s morning ritual, he chokes down the mouthful of cereal and drops his spoon in the bowl. Putting it down on the table in front of him and pushing it away.
"Yer still in good witcha Mum and dad, ain' ya?" Murdoc calls from the toilet. 2D nods quietly without thinking that from where Murdoc is, he can't see him nodding. Murdoc sticks his head out from the small room and looks at the silent boy. "Yeah?" He repeats, not sure if it was him or the boy that hadn't heard. 2D looks up from the table and nods again.
"Yeah. Why?" He asks the Bassist, poking at the bowl of half eaten cereal in front of him and sighing loudly. Murdoc adjusts himself and walks to the cupboard over the sink. Opening it and taking out a bottle of Whiskey and a glass. He heads over to the table where the young man is sitting and pushes the bowl aside with the back of his arm, dropping the glass down and sitting opposite him. He opens the bottle and splashes a small amount of the golden fluid into the glass, nodding at the boy to take it while swigging from the bottle himself.
"It's like this ya see. You!" Murdoc replies, pointing at the boy with a finger and wiping his lips with the back of his other hand. "Are gunna ask 'em fer some money." Murdoc grins and swigs from the bottle again. 2D looks quizzically at the Bassist and picks up his glass.
"Why?" He repeats and takes a sip. Murdoc pauses and licks his lips, his eyes narrowing as he stares at the youth. Annoyed at always being questioned.
"Have we not yet learned about this shit? How many times have I gotta thump ya? Before ya get it into yer thick head ta just do as yer fuckin' told!" Murdoc snarls, raising his fist again and making the young man duck protectively under his arm.
"No, yeah. I understand Boss. But me Mum and Dad are gunna ask me wot I want the money for. Wot am I s'pose ta tell 'em?" Murdoc lowers his fist and grinds his teeth. Although still annoyed at being questioned, he can see the young man has a point. 2D relaxes again and stares at the glass on the table in front of him. He pokes at it with his finger and waits for Murdoc to explain. Making a game of what he's doing, by sliding the glass back and forth across the table between his hands. Murdoc looks down at the glass and becomes irritated by the sound it makes, as it moves back and forth across the tables laminated surface. He drops his hand down on it to stop it's momentum. Making the young man look back up again into his threatening features.
"Because it was yer idea, to go to America. And I'm sure yer parents wouldn't begrudge their precious little boy an overseas holiday... Would they?" Murdoc sneers. 2D furrows his brow and looks back down at the back of Murdoc s hand, still draped over his glass.
"I fought it woz your idea?" 2D points out, waiting for Murdoc to let go of his glass. The Bassist face drops a little and he thinks a moment. Letting go of the glass and taking another swig from the bottle. He smacks his lips loudly and swallows.
"Well yeah, it was. You was just speakin' out loud fer me is all. Stop arguin' and git out there and make the call, ya moron." Murdoc growls and pushes the young man sharply in the shoulder, waving him out of the chair. 2D stands up and walks from the Winnie. With Murdoc close behind still pulling on his jeans and doing up his fly. Making sure not to loose his charge, the Bassist shows the boy to a phone box and hands him some loose change. Then stands guard, waiting outside while the boy makes the call. A few moments later he hears the receiver being returned to it's cradle and the door opening. 2D steps out and smiles a little.
"They said they'd pay for the tickets Muds. But they can' afford ta give us no spendin' money or nufink." He explains, plunging his hands into his jacket pockets, and kicking the corner of the booth gently with the toe of his Converse sneakers. Murdoc rolls his eyes and sighs. Dropping his head back on his shoulders, as if appealing to the Heavens for strength.
"Do I haffta think of everythin'? Ring yer Grandparents then. I dunno, somebody. Anybody! Just git me some money. It's not like we can live out there a while on fresh air ya know. Ya pillock!" He shoves the boy in the back and into the booth again. The young man rings around and slowly builds up a nice amount of spending money for them both. Having it wired straight into Murdoc s account. As per the Bassists instructions. Murdoc smiles and rubs his hands together greedily. Not realising that for a moment, he was looking the perfect picture of his Father from quite a few years before. He's too busy concentrating on the thought that right now, he had his hands on a lovely little cash cow. So for a while, money would not be an issue for him.
A few days later, after checking the money has indeed been placed in his account. Murdoc makes his way down to the travel agents and books a flight for him and 2D. Scheduled to depart in a couple of months time. The Bassist still has a few things to tend to, before he leaves. One thing being a permanent place of residence. He wasn't just going to abandon the Winnie anywhere. And knew he couldn't possibly take it with him. He also couldn't leave it at his Dads. Knowing that if he did the old man would probably sell it on for cash, the moment Murdoc left the street, let alone the country.
That same afternoon Murdoc heads down to a internet cafe. And starts looking about for a place he feels worthy to set him and his new band up in. He stumbles onto a site called "giganticdisusedstudiosinthemiddleofnowhere. com" and looks about for somewhere there. Very quickly he finds what he is looking for, and emails the site owner. Setting up a date for them to go out and let him look around the place. He drops 2D off at his parents for a couple of days, and checks the studio out. It doesn't take him long to agree. And given the price is right, he spends the last of his own money to buy it and do the place up a little. Now with his own place and satisfied that at least this end was settled with. He gets back to thinking about the drummer. New York. He was sure that place had someone to offer him. The only worry would be in loosing 2D there. Maybe he should invest in a dog collar and drag 2D around by the neck? He chuckles at the idea and sets to work, making the studio a little more comfortable.