The time has come to take my musical career elsewhere, to where I can gain some more fame. I knew I had to go to Chicago sooner or later, because I was looking forward to seeing U-1 (Gitaroo Man). So Chicago it was. This morning, the movers came to take the stuff. Me, Danny, Dani, and Teriyaki "Egg-yolk" Yoko were watching from outside.
"So, you're on your way to the Windy City, huh?" asked Danny.
"I figured I could gain more fame there. Besides they have a lot of TV stations, Local, and National," I said.
"You're going to be a big-time!" said Dani.
The movers were almost finished, but then I reminded them about the "Tommy" session tapes and the PlayStation.
"If I catch up with you, drop by and say hi sometime, Hon." said Egg-yolk.
"Good luck," I said, then turned to the ghost duo, "Keep up the good work on the band while I'm gone. Your style is almost as good as Booker T. and the MG's!"
"Write to me if my harmonica licks come on the radio," said Dani.
I chuckled.
As before, the bed came last, and I climbed in with guitar in hand. We took the quickest route to Chicago from Amity Park, supposedly on Interstate 40. I don't know. The trailer had no windows. A few hours passed, and the truck slowed down. We were finally in Chicago.
The trailer door opened, and I stepped out right outside my new building. It looked like a good 30 stories, with the CTA Loop running along one of the sides. I went inside to see numerous buzzers near the door, and the doorman at his desk.
"Thomas Fay?" he asked
"Yes,"
"Feels very good to have you here in this building. I was just preparing your name for the buzzer. Apartment 2319," he said, giving me the key, "If you want another key, you can always head up to the locksmith."
"Thank you."
I went back to the truck, and gathered the tapes, the guitar, and the PlayStation, and went back toward the elevator. Then I realized I forgot about Charles when the doors opened.
"I thought I seen the last of you, WIMP." he said with his Lorenzo Music sarcasm.
"I'm twenty-three flights upstairs. There's no way I'm gonna take the stairs."
"Don't EVER go in the service elevator," said Charles, closing the doors.
The elevator zoomed up to the top without me. I looked for another option. Was there a dumbwaiter around? Yes, there was. I put one over on him with a bit of Deux ex Machina. I gathered the tapes and guitar, and stuffed them all inside. I climbed in, pressed 23 on the wall, and shut the door. Despite being crowded with the stuff, I was comfortable.
The last of the stuff was in my room when I arrived, all unboxed and ready for use once again. The bedroom was a bit larger than last time, but was still big enough to be considered a bedroom.
The next morning, I went down the dumbwaiter and over to the front door, when the doorman stopped me.
"I was asked to give you this," he said, holding a scrap of paper.
I took it, and skimmed it.
Visit me.
Apartment 1334
No signature. Whoever it was, there wasn't a name on the outside buzzer yet. I put the note in my pocket and head outside.
The first thing on my list was a place that sold postcards of Chicago. I remembered seeing on YouTube that the Sears Tower had a gift shop of some sort. So I took the Chicago 'L' to the Quincy station and head over a couple of blocks. Somehow, I didn't get the memo that the Sears Tower changed its name to Willis Tower. How did I miss that? Sure enough, there was a gift shop with postcards on display. I went inside to pick up a handful, as I figured I was going to be in Chicago for quite a while. I put them on the cashier's table, but guess who I had to give the money to?
It was the teen who keeps saying "You want fries with that?". So I put the money on the counter and left with the cards.
I took the 'L' back to the den to drop the stuff off. The name of whoever it was who gave me that invitation was still not on its buzzer. I'll figure it out later. I went back on the 'L' to peruse Downtown on the Loop. I spotted a burrito place near one station, and a recording studio near another. Eventually, I had to transfer to another route to continue on the loop.
I took a rest at a random station, and pulled out my cell phone. U-1 gave me his number when I took a rest while on my journey to Rodneytown from New York.
"U-1? It's me, Tom!"
"Tom! Long time, no see!" he said, "How are you?"
"I just moved here last night, and touring the Loop."
"You're still friends with that bug?"
"Who? Egg-uh... Teriyaki Yoko? Yeah. You didn't see a bootleg of me at the music store, did you?"
"What bootleg?"
"Just checking. It's a long story."
"Listen, I'm out getting donuts for my dog, Puma, then I'm free. How 'bout we meet somewhere?"
"I bypassed a good Mexican place on the Loop. Wanna eat there? I think it's over by the CLARK station."
He agreed, then I took the 'L' in the opposite direction.
The grill was called Windy Tacos, and seemed appropriate, because we were in the Windy City. I got a good booth by the front door, and had a fajita on the table. Then I saw U-1 come in, and right away, slid onto the seat across from me. He had a guitar case, which I'm supposing has his gitaroo. He was short with a buret and a brown coat, but with his gitaroo in hand, he's looks like when I saw him in Chapter 4.
"Good to see you in Chicago, Tom," he said, "Puma couldn't make it."
"Puma's your dog, huh?"
"Actually, he's from outer space. He's only disguised as a dog. His real identity is more like a boom box with a dog's head, and inside is where he stores my gitaroo. But I always think that's unusual, so I saved up for a guitar case."
"Interesting," I said.
We made something out of the fajita, and talked about more stuff like that.
Then I said "So listen, I'm working on the rock opera 'Tommy', and I'm 3/4 done. Right now, I need a band that's gonna be suitable for the last few songs."
"I got some friends. You can come tomorrow and see if they're good enough."
We stood up to leave and headed up toward the 'L'. U-1 started bringing up some stuff about Chicago, but then something caught my ear.
"...I have a couple of friends over in Aurora who do a talk show in an abandoned doll factory."
"That's great. Think I can land a spot on their show?"
"You can come tonight before 10:30, and they can book you!"
"Giddyup!"
We got off our stop, where my building was around the corner. I withdrew the note from my pocket.
"I gotta see someone at Apartment 1334, and I've yet to know who it is," I explained to U-1.
I went over to the buzzer, which now had a label.
1334-Teriyaki Yoko
My jaw dropped, but I buzzed her anyway,
"It's me, Egg-Yolk."
"C'mon up, hon," she said.
Me and U-1 went in and toward the elevator. I would have a feeling Charles would let me in if I had an interplanetary superhero in tow.
"Are you seriously calling her Egg-Yolk?" he asked
"She's cool with it."
The doors opened to reveal Charles.
"What do you want now, WIMP?"
"This time, it's what HE wants," I said, pointing to U-1.
He unzipped his guitar case and withdrew his gitaroo. In a FLASH, he transformed into his Gitaroo Man form.
"Okay, this guy is in!," said Charles, shaking his hand.
He stepped in and I followed, but was pushed out.
"You, you're still a wimp."
"Whatever. Send him to the thirteenth floor."
"Anything for the robot guy."
"What about you?" asked U-1.
"I found a loophole, and I'm not telling in front of Charles."
The door closed, and I jumped into the dumbwaiter. U-1, still in his G.M. garb, was waiting when I opened the door on floor 13 behind him.
"Surprise!", I said, only for him to squeal, "WOW!"
I reminded him that's MY squeal.
Egg-yolk's pad was two doors down from the dumbwaiter. I rang the doorbell, and she opened up.
"It's good to see you, hon...Oh no!" she said, "It's that guy whose helmet bounces static electricity!"
"Relax," said U-1, "I'm not so familiar with this stuff myself."
We went in and spoke about Chicago and our musical careers. I pointed out we need to assemble a new band for "Tommy". U-1 reminded me of those two talk-show guys and that they're experienced musicians. Egg-yolk said she was open for any duets to make her records sound better. None of us found a record label.
It was nearing 10:20 central time, and we were ready to leave for the talk-show. The doorman hailed down the cab and it went east toward Aurora We came across the doll factory with Cable 10 trucks outside. So these guys must've bought the factory and turned it into their personal studio.
Then a guy dressed in black and a nerdy guy in glasses came out of an elevator to greet us. He right away knew U-1.
"U-1! Good to see you, man!" the black-dressed guy said.
"Wuh-oh! Major babe alert!" said the nerdy guy.
Egg-yolk blushed.
"Thomas Fay and Teriyaki Yoko," U-1 explained, "They wanna guest on your show."
"By all means, dude. We're gonna start in a few minutes! Come with us."
We took the elevator up the studio. The set looked just like a basement, with a couple of the old doll manufacturing machinery. The two guys went to their positions on the couch, while we waited on the side for our cue.
The camera guy said, "and... You're on." and I knew I was in for a fun night, because...
"It's WAYNE'S WORLD! WAYNE'S WORLD!
PARTY TIME! EXCELLENT!"
"It's Friday, it's 10:30, it's time to party! I'm your excellent host, Wayne Campbell, with him as always, is Garth!"
"Party on, Wayne!"
"Party on, Garth!"
I was already cracking up at the strange antics they did, including the EXTREME CLOSE-UP bit. The camera zoomed in out on both of them as they screamed. Finally, they were ready to introduce the guests.
"Okay. We have a couple of guests on tonight, our first one being an infamously bad singer..."
"What was THAT?!" yelled Yoko, zapping Wayne on the air.
"...I mean famously good singer. So, would you please welcome, a very green babe, Teriyaki Yoko."
Egg-yolk came toward the couch, trying to ignore the two guys chanting "WE'RE NOT WORTHY!", then when everybody calmed down, Wayne and Garth started asking her questions sent in by fans. Every once in a while they threw in a "Schwing!" and a "babe," usually making the bug blush. The next guest was me, and I got a spot on the couch next to Egg-yolk.
My questions were something like these:
1. Are you really thinking of marrying THIS bug?
A: Nope. If you happened to listen to that short-lived bootleg, don't worry. That was just an impromptu make-out session, which will probably never happen again.
2. Are we to expect any upcoming albums, or at least, a new band, from you during your stay in Chicago?
A: I haven't got a band together, but I've been working on covering the "Tommy" rock opera for the last few weeks. Expect that some time soon.
3. What do you do if you see an incredible woman, and you think you're gonna hurl?
A: No comment.
Anyway, we were sent back to the side and more antics happen, and the show ended, with the cameraman saying "We're clear."
"Okay so how bout we meet at Windy Tacos tomorrow and discuss the Tommy project?" I asked as the duo head for the elevator.
"Party!" said Wayne, which was metal talk for "Yes."
On the cab ride home with Egg-yolk and U-1, I wrote something quick on my first postcard.
Danny,
Chicago's going great. Egg-Yolk is my new neighbor, and I landed a spot on a local show called "Wayne's World". Anyway, we're going to talk tomorrow about "Tommy". If you or Dani wanna see me, drop by anytime. Give my regards to the rest of the Danny Phantom Band.
Tom
Me and Egg-yolk got out, and U-1 took out cab to his pad. I slipped the postcard on a nearby mailbox, and head inside. I noticed Egg-yolk having trouble with Charles, and the doors closed without her.
"You can use the dumbwaiter. It's small, but it's comfortable," I explained, pointing to the square door across from the elevator.
"I don't think we can fit, hon."
"Au, contraire. I'll get in first, ride up, then sent it back down for you," I opened the door and crawled in, "See you tomorrow."
At 23, I got out, then pressed the button for the ground floor. Egg-yolk can take it from there.