Wednesday, March 12, 1986 - 11:43 PM
MAX: Mike? Can you hear me?
MIKE: Max? I'm here, can you hear me?
MAX: Yeah, I can. Were you sleeping?
MIKE: Nah, I was trying to read this book for English Lit. Are you okay?
MAX: (sighs) Just couldn't sleep... and I have a headache again.
MIKE: Do you have music playing in the background?
MAX: Yeah, I got my first paycheck so I spent it on this shitty little stereo from the pawn shop.
MIKE: What are you listening to? One of Wayne's picks?
MAX: Nah, it's one of mine. Have you heard of Kate Bush?
MIKE: No, I haven't.
MAX: She's this British singer. I've been totally obsessed with her album. It's like… I don't even know how to describe it. It's dramatic and weird but also you can dance to it sometimes, and it just fills you with an overwhelming sense of like, yearning?
MIKE: Shit. That sounds intense.
MAX: (laughs) It is. It's cool though.
MIKE: So… did you want to talk about anything in particular?
MAX: Not really. I dunno... Um, tell me about your biggest fear.
MIKE: (chuckles) Is it cheating if I say the Mindflayer?
MAX: (snorts) Okay, your biggest normal fear. If there was no Upside Down.
MIKE: Hm… Probably… quicksand?
MAX: What? Why?
MIKE: I dunno, we learned about it one day in fourth grade and I haven't stopped thinking about it since. Like I will be ninety years old and on my deathbed and I'll remember that you're supposed to keep your body horizontal and try and grab onto a vine or something.
MAX: (laughing) Why does every school teach us that? Do we even have quicksand in the United States?
MIKE: I don't think we do! (laughs)... What about you, what's your biggest normal fear?
MAX: Oh, that's easy. When we were still in California, there was this teenager who lived across the street from us. One day he was surfing and he got caught in a rip current that pulled him out… and he was just gone.
MIKE: Shit.
MAX: Yeah.
MIKE: That is a legitimate fear, I'll give you that one.
(silence)
MIKE: Max? Are you still there?
MAX: Yeah, sorry. I was just thinking about how long it's been since I've seen the ocean…
MIKE: What was it like? Your hometown?
MAX: (breathy laugh) How long do you have?
MIKE: I don't have a bedtime. I want to hear about it. If you wanna tell me.
Friday, March 14, 1986 - 1:32 AM
MAX: So did you listen to that Dead Kennedys tape I gave you?
MIKE: Yeah, it was weird as hell. But kind of awesome at the same time? It makes me wanna like, skateboard and break shit.
MAX: I know right? Wayne's trying to get me into them. He was telling me they might get sued because of some album art controversy. Something about a collage of dicks corrupting a minor.
MIKE (laughs) Wow, I can't say I ever thought I'd hear you say the words "collage of dicks"
MAX: (laughs) Oh, when you're done with that one, remind me to give you the newest Talking Heads album.
MIKE: Sounds good…
MIKE: So um, I'm thinking of going to Hellfire again.
MAX: You should. I mean, I still think it's the dorkiest thing in the world, but you used to love it, right?
MIKE: Yeah... After the uh, breakup, the thought of interacting with those guys for hours and being enthusiastic felt impossible… But I dunno, maybe I'm ready to go back.
MAX: Tell me about your character.
MIKE: Seriously?
MAX: Yeah, it'll help lull me to sleep.
MIKE: Okay, fuck you. (chuckles) Well, I'm not a Zoomer.
MAX: (laughs) I totally forgot about that. For the record I still think there should be a Zoomer.
MIKE: Well I'm a Paladin. Which is a holy knight who upholds justice and righteousness and defends the world against the forces of darkness.
MIKE: …Max?
MAX: (fake snoring)
MIKE: You're a dick.
MAX: (laughs) I'm just fucking with you, Wheeler. Okay, so you're pretty much a classic hero… that makes sense.
MIKE: What do you mean?
MAX: I mean, you clearly have a saviour complex.
MIKE: A what?
MAX: A damsel-in-distress fetish.
MIKE: Oh my god. I do not!
MAX: Look at the evidence, Wheeler! Look at the past three years. I mean why did you start talking to me again?
MIKE: Uh, because I was pissed off at the world and it seemed like you were too?
MAX: And no part of you felt bad and wanted to save me from myself?
MIKE: Honestly, I don't think so? Not consciously, anyway. If you wanna be a depressed loner I fully support you… Do you want me to leave you alone?
MAX: …No.
Saturday, March 15, 1986 - 8:17 PM
MIKE: Max, do you copy?
MIKE: …Max?
MAX: Hey, sorry, I was in the kitchen. What's up?
MIKE: Psychocandy.
MAX: You listened to it? Did you like it?
MIKE: I fucking loved it, are you kidding? I listened to it like three times in a row.
MAX: It's awesome right?
MIKE: I'm totally buying a copy once I give you yours back. Definitely my favourite Wayne rec' so far.
MAX: What was your favourite track?
MIKE: Okay well, "Just Like Honey" is so like, mellow and chill and I really dig it. But my favourite's gotta be "Taste the Floor", I mean that distorted guitar? Insane. What about you?
MAX: "Taste the Floor" is definitely up there, but it doesn't top "The Hardest Walk" for me… Ugh wait, I forgot about "Never Understand" Fuck, I can't pick a favourite! (laughs) It's just too good. By the way, can we talk about the transition from "Cut Dead" to "In a Hole"?
MIKE: (laughs) Dude, it scared the shit outta me when I heard it the first time. Like who does that?
MAX: Wanna hear something kinda freaky?
MIKE: Duh.
MAX: Wayne told me their debut single was called "Upside Down".
MIKE: No way. That feels like it's a sign of… something.
MAX: I know right?
MIKE: You said it's their first album?
MAX: Yeah, it just came out last year.
MIKE: Damn. Okay, well can you please tell Wayne how much I love it so I can earn some points with him? 'Cause he definitely hates me.
MAX: (laughs) He doesn't hate you.
MIKE: Max. Did you see the way he glared at me when he saw me standing behind the counter with you on Thursday?
MAX: Okay, in my defence I was not expecting him to come in that day. I dunno, he's just protective of me. I think I remind him of his daughter or something. Who is twelve, by the way, so I'm not sure if I should feel insulted by that…
Tuesday, March 18, 1986 - 11:53 PM
MAX: Mike, are you there? Please pick up…
MAX: Mike?
MIKE: Max? (stifled yawn) Sorry, I was asleep, what's wrong?
MAX: It was a bad night. (sniffles)
MIKE: What happened, are you alright?
MAX: My mom decided to make a sandwich after drinking rum and cokes all night and sliced her hand open while cutting tomatoes… I just finished trying to wash the blood stains out of the linoleum.
MIKE: Shit, is-is she okay..?
MAX: She'll be fine. She's at the hospital waiting to get stitches. (deep sigh) God, she just makes me want to fucking scream.
MIKE: So scream.
MAX: What?
MIKE: Scream into your pillow. It helps, trust me.
(silence)
MAX: You're right, that did feel good. (sighs) Fuck, she's just such a mess. Why can't she just get her shit together for once?
MIKE: I'm sorry, dude. I… don't know what to say.
MAX: Just… tell me something funny? Like an embarrassing childhood memory.
MIKE: Oh jeez, let me think… Okay. So, when I was seven my dad was teaching me how to ride a bike, and I was so gangly and uncoordinated and I was just having an awful time, but my dad's kind of a hard ass so he just kept making me try again and again even though I kept falling over or running into a bush. So I was totally over it, and he was like, pushing me to get me started and this car was driving by, and I screamed at the top of my lungs that this man was kidnapping me.
MAX: (quietly laughing) You did not.
MIKE: Yup. So the car stops and this family gets out and starts accusing my dad of being some creep. He's insisting he's my father, I start crying, eventually, he somehow convinces them to wait while he gets my mom and a bunch of our family photos to prove I'm their son. The other family was ready to call the police… Oh god, it was such a mess.
MAX: (wheezing) Oh god I can't- I can't breathe. (laughing) How much trouble were you in?
MIKE: Grounded for a month, no TV for two weeks, no having friends over.
MAX: Poor baby Mike… I'm surprised you learned to ride a bike at all after that trauma…
Wednesday, March 19, 1986 - 10:16 PM
MAX: Were you in love with El?
MIKE: …Yeah. I was. I never told her though. Maybe if I had we'd still be together…
MIKE: Were um- were you in love with Lucas?
MAX: I don't think so. I think maybe I'm broken or something… What did it feel like when she broke up with you?
MIKE: Oh man. (deep breath) Um, at first it felt like I was numb, like it wasn't real? And then it felt like a part of me had just died, and like there was this crushing weight on my chest and I would never feel happy again. I dunno dude, I- I was a fucking wreck. It still feels a little like that. Not that I'll never be happy again but that I'm not sure if I'll ever feel that strongly about someone again…
MAX: Hm. That's not what it felt like when Lucas broke up with me.
MIKE: Oh.
MAX: For what it's worth, I really thought you guys were good together.
MIKE: Then why did you convince her to dump me last year?
MAX: Oh we're talking about this? Okay. (deep breath) You guys were too… clingy. I watched my mom tie her whole self-worth to these complete losers for years and I just- I'm sorry, but she deserved to have a life of her own, separate from you. I mean what the hell was her life before she met you? You were her whole world, Mike. And we were only what? Fifteen? She was fourteen. I mean come on, Wheeler. You were codependent, it wasn't healthy.
MAX: …Mike?
MIKE: (sighs) I guess when you put it like that it makes sense… Using her powers to spy on us was shitty though.
MAX: That's fair. (laughs) Oh god, when we spied on Billy I was so worried I was going to be responsible for inadvertently exposing El to pornography for the first time.
MIKE: (laughs) Jesus Christ, could you imagine?
MAX: It was fifty-fifty honestly…
MAX: Hey um, since we're laying our cards on the table…
MIKE: …Yeah?
MAX: Remember what a dick you were to me when we first met?
MIKE: (groans) Fuck, I really am sorry about that… But in my defence, I was completely obsessed with El and deep in the throes of puberty.
MAX: (laughs) Oh you're gonna blame it on the hormones, huh?
MIKE: Yes. Yes, I am.
Thursday, March 20, 1986 - 11:17 PM
MIKE: Also, what was up with that customer today? He was such a dick.
MAX: Oh god, he's been coming in every couple of days and making the most pretentious comments. Like how are you gonna look me in the eye and tell me The Rolling Stones are overrated? (laughs) Wayne is this close to banning his ass I swear.
MIKE: (laughs) He really should…
MAX: So um, Lucas cornered me after my counselling appointment today.
MIKE: Oh? Uh, what did he want?
MAX: (snorts) He tried to give me a ticket to the game tomorrow.
MIKE: Oh yeah, he asked me if I'm going to that. Do you- do you wanna go..?
MAX: Definitely not.
MIKE: Okay cool, me neither.
MAX: That wasn't all he said though… He started giving me this bullshit about how I don't care about anything. As if he has any fucking idea what's going on in my life anymore… And then he had the fucking audacity to tell me I'm like a ghost? Can you believe that shit?
MIKE: (sighs) He's just worried about you, Max. He's totally going about it the wrong way but he still… cares about you.
MAX: (groans) This is just the same shit from before. He always needed to fix me… But maybe I just like, need to be broken for a little bit, is that so wrong?
MIKE: No it's not. I completely get that… You are different though, Max. But that's not a bad thing. It's okay not to be okay for a little bit. Shit happens and it changes us but like, that's just life, isn't it?
MAX: (sighs) Sounds about right...