Out on the Open Sea

"I was so high I did not recognize, the fire burning in her eyes, the chaos that controlled my mind…. Whispered goodbye as she got on the plane, never to return again, but always in my heart…. Oh! This love has taken its toll on me, she said goodbye, too many times before! And her heart is breakin' in frooont of me, but I have no choice, 'cause I want say goodbye anymore!" Link sang.

"Please stop." The King said in an annoyed tone.

"I tried my best to feed her appetite, keep her coming every night, so hard to keep her satisfied…. Oh! Kept playin' love like it was just a game, pretending to feel the same, then turn around and leave again!"

"Ok, I've heard enough now!" The King of Red Lions growled.

"Oh! This love has taken its toll on me, she said goodbye, too many times before! And her heart is breakin' in frooont of me, but I have no choice, 'cause I won't say goodbye anymore! I'll fix these broken things! Repair your broken wings! And make sure everything's alright. My pressure on your hips, sinkin' my fingertips, into every inch of you, 'cause I know that's what you want me to do!"

"SHUT THE (BEEP) UP!"

"This love has taken its toll on me, she said goodbye, too many befoooooore! And her heart is breakin' in front of me, but I have no choice, 'cause I want say goodbye any-"

"DID YOU HEAR ME? I SAID STOP SINGING! THAT'S ENOUGH NOW, SO SHUT UP YOU SON OF A BITCH!"

Link stopped singing.

"Well, you don't have to be so mean about it…." He grumbled.

"I already told you to stop singing fifteen times! I barely made it through "She Will be Loved", "Pieces of Me", "Take My Breath Away", and "Story of a Girl". "This Love" is where I draw the line, ok?"

"I like those songs! And besides, what do you have against "This Love" anyway?" Link asked in a rather defensive tone.

"I just don't like it! Can't we just play the quiet game again? You still haven't won that yet!" The King insisted.

"That game sucks..." Link replied, rolling his eyes.

The boat did not reply.

Link looked up at the sky to see dark clouds rolling in.

"That can't be good," the boy murmured with a gulp.

"What?" The King asked impatiently.

"It looks like it's going to rain!" Link said.

"Are you afraid of thunder or something?"

"No, it's not that, it might mess up my hair!" Link groaned.

"Oh, get over yourself. It's just hair!" The boat said.

"But it's not just any hair. It's my hair!" Link said, running a hand through it.

There was a long moment of silence.

"Debbie just hit the wall, she never had it all. One Prozac a day, husband's a CPA. Her dreams went out the door...! When she turned twenty-four. Only been with one man. What happened to her plan? She was gonna be an actress! She was gonna be a star. She was gonna shake her ass! On the hood of White Snake's car. Her yellow SUVVVV...! Is now the enemy. Looks at her average life. And nothin' has been alright. SPRINGSTEIN, MADDONNA, WAY BEFORE NIRVANA! THERE WAS U2, AND BLONDIE, AND MUSIC STILL ON MTV! HER TWO KIDS, IN HIGHSCHOOL, TELL HER THAT SHE'S UNCOOL. BUT SHE'S STILL PREOCCUPIED... WITH NINETEEN, NINETEEN, NINETEEN EIGHTY-FIVE!"

The King of Red Lions groaned, "Don't you start again!"

It started to rain, and Link yelped and stopped singing.

"Thank goodness, that was even worse than "This Love"!"

A few hours later, Link was laying in the boat, almost dead with boredom.

"I'm not a perfect persoooonn! There's many things I wish I didn't doooo…. But I continue leeeeeaaaarnin'…. I never meant to do those things to yoooouuuu! And so I have to say before I goooooooooo…. That I just want you to knoooooow! I've found a reason for meeeeeeee! To change who I used to beeeeeee! A reason to start over neeeeeewwwww! And the reason is yoooouuu…. I'm sorry that I hurt yooouuu! It's something I must live with every day…. And all the pain I put yoooouuu throoouuugh…. I wish that I could take it all awaaay…. And be the one who catches all your teeeeaaaars…. THAT'S WHY I NEED YOU TO HEEEAAAAR! I've found a reason for meee! To change who I used to beeee! A reason to start over new…. AND THE REASON IS YOOOOOUUUUU! AND THE REASON IIIS YOOOUUU! AND THE REASON IS YOOUU! AND THE REASON IIIIIS YOOOUUU! I'm not a perfect person…. I never meant to do those things to you…. And so I have to say before I gooo…. THAT I JUST WANT YOU TO KNOOOWW! I'VE FOUND A REASON FOR MEEEE! TO CHANGE WHO I USED TO BEEEE! A reason to start over new…. And the reason is you…. I'VE FOUND A REASON TO SHOOOOW! A SIDE OF ME YOU DIDN'T KNOOOOW! A REASON FOR ALL THAT I DO…. AND THE REASON IS YOU…."

By that time the King of Red Lions didn't even bother to try to shut Link up.

"Are we there yet?" Link asked once the song was over.

"No." The King grumbled.

"How much longer is it then?"

"A long time."

"But how long?" Link asked desperately.

"Hmm…. Oh, I guess about two to three hours." The boat guessed.

Link moaned and rolled over onto his stomach, "This is so boring…."

There was another long pause.

"I have to go to the bathroom…." Link said.

"Well, you better hold it. And besides, you should have gone before we left!" The boat replied irritably.

"I can't hold, I can't hold it!" Link moaned.