All The Young Punks Pt. 27

"Yes," he said, half hugging Claire.

"So, is that New York chick still a thing?"

Issac laughed audibly. Claire looked at him and then Joe.

Joe smiled, "Yes. Claire, this is Tina. Tina, this is Claire."

Claire made an 'oops' face at Joe then turned to Tina. "Hi. It's so nice to meet you."

"New York chick?" Tina said with a Brooklyn attitude.

"I heard he had a girl in New York. I was just asking how that was."

"It's great," Joe said. "She came up for a few days."

"So you met the sisters?" Claire smiled at Tina trying to recover from her social misstep.

"Yes," Tina said, wondering who this chick was. "This is my second time in town. I met them in October." She turned to Joe, then back to Claire. "Are you his ex or something?"

"Why do you think that?" Claire asked.

"Look at Issac's face," Tina nodded sideways.

Everyone turned to see Issac the gossip queen's happy gay face, delighted with the awkward scene. Issac couldn't turn the glee off, even with them staring at him.

"Yes," Joe said. "We had a thing."

"Yes," Claire smiled. "I'm his ex."

"Really? From when?"

"I was seeing Claire right before the band went to New York."

Tina's brow furrowed. "You had a girlfriend when we met?"

"He dumped me for you," Claire nudged Tina.

"Bullshit," Joe said. "We were not a couple."

"You sort of were," Issac said.

Joe pointed at him. "You can butt the fuck out."

"We were," Claire nodded.

"What did you do last summer?" Joe asked her sharply. "Did you have a boyfriend at camp? And how was your trip to France?"

"Okay," Claire said, turning to Tina. "We weren't exclusive."

"So no one got dumped," Joe steeled his eyes at Claire

Tina looked at Joe. "You never told me you had a girlfriend."

"Because I didn't. I had four girlfriends when I was with her." He turned to Tina. "Now I have one."

Claire and Isaac sensed it was time to leave Joe and Tina alone. They had made enough of a mess. They said awkward goodbyes. Joe ordered another beer from Randy who witnessed the whole scene from his side of the bar.

"I can't believe you didn't tell me you had a girl in Providence."

"Because I didn't. Claire and I were never exclusive. She dumped me once because I was seventeen and a junior in high school and she was in college. She loved my band and me but didn't know I was seventeen. She dumped me and it hurt. Then we got back together but it was never serious."

Tina stared at Joe without words. He turned towards the band, hoping this talk was over, knowing it wasn't. She waited for the end of the song before resuming her inquiry.

"So, you had Jada right before me, and now this chick, are there any others I need to know about?"

Joe made eye contact with Randy who was still eavesdropping as he slid Joe his pint of Guinness. "Nope. I have no secrets. Claire hurt me once and then I hurt her back, but it wasn't intentional."

"What do you mean you hurt her?"

"When I got back from New York I had to tell her I met someone. I did that right after she told me she had been thinking about me all summer. It wasn't easy."

Tina didn't reply. She processed every word Joe had spoken, looking for typical male bullshit, but she wasn't seeing evidence of it. Maybe Joe was being sincere and truthful. She turned to the band, watching Ruby sing a Blondie tune with Gary playing keys in her place. When that song ended, she turned to Joe who was doing a shot of Jameson's and chasing it with his Irish stout.

"So you liked Claire?"

"Yes. I did. We had fun along with the usual bullshit."

"Like what?"

"She has the jealousy gene, like you."

"I'm not jealous."

"Ha!" Randy involuntarily laughed. Then turned away pretending to do something else.

Joe scooted his bar stool nearer to Tina and pulled her close. "I'll tell you anything you want to know about Claire. Just ask."

"What about your rule of honor, never kissing and telling?"

"That's with the guys. I never tell the guys about girls. I tell you anything you want to know."

"Really?" Tina smiled.

"Yes."

"When we get back to your bedroom." Tina reached between his thighs. "I want to talk."

"Hey, Randy!" Joe raised his hand. "Can I settle up?"

--- EVERYTHING IS ON HOLD ---

Tina stayed to celebrate New Year's Eve playing board games with Joe's sisters and Jackie's best friend Wendy, who was sleeping over. Tina now had four young girl admirers. After Joe vanquished his female adversaries in a marathon game of Risk, conquering the world, he gloated.

"I don't know why girls even play this game," he smiled at Jackie who hated when her big brother bragged. "You never win."

"I wanted to play Candyland," Jeanie whined. "I'm always out first in Risk. Then I have to watch."

"That's why I enlist you as my lieutenant," Joe said. "To teach you, so you don't suck like our sisters."

"I don't suck at Risk," Jules protested.

"No, you don't, because you like maps and geography," Joe nodded. "and you have the seaky mind of a spy."

Jules smiled, taking that as a compliment.

Tina enjoyed witnessing the Theroux family dynamic, the big brother and sisters at each other, but also the obvious love and affection. She came to the conclusion that Joe would be a good father someday.

"Hey, why doesn't your dad play?" She asked.

"Dad always won," Jackie said. "He and Joe would pick us girls off one by one until it was them at the end, and Dad always won."

"Until he didn't!" Joe said triumphantly. "I beat him when I was sixteen, on my birthday. Then I beat him again, and again, and he quit."

"Not because you beat him," Jackie said sharply, "because you were a jerk about it, strutting like a peacock Napoleon."

"Peacock Napoleon," Tina laughed. "You're brother is peacock, no doubt about it."

The following morning, Joe accompanied Tina to the train station with Jackie. They spent a couple of hours downtown, grabbing breakfast, and then Tina gave Jackie lessons on how to use her new 35mm Nikon, framing shots and using her eye to find small interesting human shots admidst the bustle of the city. Jackie clicked an entire roll, of her brother and T, but also the city and people.

When Tina got on the train, Jackie leaned against her brother as they walked back to Kennedy Plaza to catch the Ten Bus. "I love her, Joe. She's so cool."

Joe promised T he'd be right behind her, joining her shortly, in NYC to celebrate his birthday. That did not go over well with his sisters. It was impossible to make all the women in his life happy.

Before he returned to New York he stopped at the garage. Joe had booked a few clubs Jada had hooked him up with for after the holidays, a short five-night run into New Jersey and eastern Pennsylvania to check these venues out. He had no intention of booking more dates until he saw Johnny. When he checked in at the garage, Johnny was not there. Sal pushed him about the next tour. Joe ignored him.

"When was the last time you saw Johnny?"

"Last week, just before Christmas."

"So you have no idea how he's doing?"

"He's fine, just hanging with his girlfriend."

"Have you met her yet?"

"No," Sal said. "What's going on with the next road trip?"

"We have those new venues next week. I haven't booked anything else."

"Why not?"

Joe shook his head in disbelief. "You're kidding, right?"

"Hey, Joe," Pops called across the garage. "My guy in East Providence has some options for your RV. We should drive over there and check them out."

"Not now," Joe said. "This is not the right time to make any big purchases."

"You said you wanted to upgrade our ride," Sal said.

"Everything is on hold. I'm not doing a damn thing until I see Johnny."

"He's fine and wants to play."

"I need to see him and speak to him before I book more dates. Do you know where he is?"

"No. I don't know where his girl lives."

"So you don't actually know that he's okay, do you?"

"Look," Sal said. "I have a shift to work at the store. I have to go. Do you want a ride home? We can talk."

"No. I can walk."

"Come back tomorrow," Sal said as he walked toward the door.

"Hey, kid," Pops called out. "Hang on a minute."

Sal walked out and Joe stayed behind. Pops wiped his hands with a shop rag and walked over from his car. He gestured to the kitchen table.

"Have a seat."

Joe sat down, wondering what pressure The Godfather was about to apply on him.

"I talked to Bats yesterday. He told me you had a sit-down."

"And I asked him to not tell anyone."

"Sal won't know a goddamn thing. Look," Pops pulled two beers from the fridge. "I respect that you're trying your best to do what's right for Johnny." He handed Joe a beer. "We all do, and I..."

"I don't think Sal is with you on that." Joe interrupted.

"He is. My son is worried about the band and that you might walk away over this."

"Well, he should be, because that's my plan if Johnny keeps using. I've said this too many times, Pops, but no one is listening. I won't watch Johnny kill himself."

"I know. If you walk, that's precisely what will happen. Johnny will have no reason to get clean. Bats is hoping you keep this together while he works on getting his son help. In the meantime, don't put everything on hold. Just keep doing your thing?"

"For how long? How long do you guys expect me to pretend everything is okay?"

Pops didn't have an answer.

"And if Bats gets Johnny into rehab, how long will that take? Will he ever be clean again?"

"I don't have those answers, Joe. We're just asking that you don't walk away."

Joe returned to New York without seeing Johnny. He phoned the garage two days later to inform Sal he booked another gig, a weeknight at Gravesend before they crossed the Hudson to play the new venues. Joe decided a gig in the city before they hit the road was a good way for him to evaluate Johnny. It also put pressure on Sal, which Joe was happy to apply.

"You'll need to be here on Wednesday, the ninth. Have you seen Johnny?"

"No, but I'll get him there."

"How will you do that if you don't know where he is?"

"Don't worry about it. That's my problem."

"Meet me at Gravesend, Sal. Get there early. Tina will drive me."

--- PERFETTO --

To celebrate Joe's nineteenth birthday, Tina made dinner reservations at her favorite Italian restaurant. First, she gave Joe her special treatment, anything he wanted all day. They didn't didn't leave 3C until dinner time. As they emerged from Canal Street Station on a blustery evening, she huddled against him.

"You brag so much about Italian food back home," she said, bracing from the cold. "I want you to try my place. This is where my Dad takes us when we come into the city. I've been coming here since I was six years old. It might get weird."

"How so?"

"You'll see," she smiled as they turned up Mulberry Street.

"It's not my first time in Little Italy," he said. "I tried Il Cortile last summer before we met."

"What did you think?"

"There it is," Joe pointed across the street. "It was excellent... for New York."

"Here's my place," she stopped in front of a restaurant. Joe reached for the door. Tina walked in ahead of him. The blast of heat was welcome, as was the scent of garlic, and basil.

"Oh my God, looka who's here," a dapper gentleman exclaimed as he walked swiftly across the small dining area to greet Tina with a hug. "My favorite girl from Brooklyn."

Tina smiled. "Vince, this is my boyfriend Joe." T looked to Joe. "This is Mr. Torrio."

Joe put his hand out: "Pleased to meet you Mr. Torrio."

The old man took Joe's hand. "Very nice to meet you, Joseph," he smiled. "Please call me Vince. You've stolen my girl have you?" He glanced at Tina with his palm on his chest. "You breaka my heart."

"Yes," Joe said, "and I intend on keeping her."

Vince frowned, "I don't know about this one Miss Tina."

"It's his birthday Vince, be nice," she said in a stern tone.

"Very well. Happy Birthday, Joseph. Today I will be nice." He laughed. "Tomorrow? I don't know."

Vince Torrio was a New York character who gave Joe an instant vibe of friendship. He was a slight man in a perfectly pressed suit, every detail exquisite. Joe guessed he was in his early 60s, with thinning hair, obviously dyed black, enough hair to slick back. He's probably had the same hairstyle for 40 years.

Joe witnessed him greet other patrons, interact with diners, and work the room. He knew everyone by name and showed affection to most of his customers. Vince was the face of the business. When Joe overheard him lightly scold a waiter who'd let them sit too long without a drink. Joe leaned closer to Tina.

"He reminds me of Remy at Camilles back home. Remy supervises everything. Nothing gets past him. Everything must be perfetto." Joe made an Italian hand gesture, one of many.

Like Remy, Vince was on top of every detail: food, drinks, plates, cutlery, and linens ... all under his watchful eye. After Joe and Tina ordered their drinks and appetizers, Vince picked up a broom, slipped outside, into the bitter cold, and swept his stoop. Everything was perfetto.

As they neared the end of their meal, Joe leaned back and threw his cloth napkin on the table.

Tina smiled. "So, what's your verdict?" She asked just as Vince walked up.

"Very good," Joe smiled. "For New York." He looked up at Vince. "Italian is my favorite cuisine. Seafood is too. When you combine them...." Joe did the chef's kiss.

"Joe is from Providence,' Tina said. "He grew up on Federal Hill. That's the Italian..."

"I know it well," Vince smiled. "My cousin Frank Torrio is the maitre d ' at The Blue Grotto. Have you dined there?"

"I have not."

"If you are finished, I'd like to buy you a drink at the bar, we can talk about your town. I was there for a short time after the war before I returned home to New York."

Joe smiled and nodded at Tina. After she settled the tab, they sat at Vince's very small bar, with only six stools. Vince personally mixed them perfetto dirty martinis as he flirted with Tina. Joe smiled, finding the old man charming. Vince talked of his summer in Providence after the war, working with his uncle and cousins.

As they were leaving, he hugged Tina and looked up at Joe. "Someday, Joe, Imma gonna steal her back from you."

---- MELTDOWN ---

Two days after his birthday, Tina drove Joe and Simon to the Brooklyn gig. Joe was anxious on the way over. His gut feeling was doom, but he said nothing of it. Tina and Simon were well aware of his band situation and he was sick of talking about it. As they crossed the Manhattan Bridge in the Chevy Nova, he made small talk to calm his nerves.

"It's over, Si." Joe turned to Simon in the back seat. "The Sex Pistols aren't in the same league as the The Clash. I told you their best was yet to come, and it's here."

Simon nodded, "I'm not gonna argue with you. London Calling is the balls."

"And it's a double album, all four sides are great."

"I know. I'm conceding the argument."

"Thank God," Tina said. "I'm so sick of this fucking debate."

Joe stared at him, "Say it, Si. I need you to say it."

Tina watched him in the rearview mirror. Simon exhaled. "The Clash is the greatest English punk band."

"Thank you," Joe smiled. "Now you two can duke out for second place, Ramones or the Sex Pistols?"

"Bullshit," Tina said. "It's not even close. The Ramones are alive and well. Sid, Nancy, and the Pistols are dead."

They arrived at Gravesend first. Tina and Simon went inside, Joe kept an eye open outdoors, in the bitter cold. The wind howled with the clanking of the New York transit yard. He wondered if Sal would keep his word. This felt like a moment of truth.

When the van pulled up, Nate and Sal were unusually quiet as they got out and began unloading gear. The moment Joe laid eyes on Johnny H, his heart dropped. They made several trips back and forth, then set up the stage in near silence. Once they were done, Nate pulled Joe aside... way aside, behind one of the retired subway cars in the back of the former transit authority warehouse.

"I promised Sal I wouldn't tell you this. There was a major meltdown before we left home."

"I know something's wrong. Johnny looks like fucking crap and no one's talking... so it must be bad."

Nate took a deep breath. "Right before Christmas Sal ripped into Johnny for getting high every day. So Johnny stayed with his girlfriend instead of the garage. Last week he missed his Mom's birthday dinner. His dad was livid. Bats came looking for him, but we didn't know where the girlfriend lived."

Joe listened without commenting.

"After he missed his Mom's birthday, everyone was looking for him. Sal and I went to his clinic and asked a few people if they knew Johnny or the girl he was with."

"What people?"

"Junkies. The place has a constant flow of pathetic characters. We stood outside having a smoke, blending in with the riff-raff."

"I can see you blending."

"A kid who knew Johnny told us her name was Beatriz, and she lived nearby."

"That's still no help."

"Right, so we parked across the street at McDonald's and staked out the clinic. That's when Sal told me we had to be here two days early and we needed to find Johnny. We sat there all day Sunday and a few hours on Monday. Finally, Johnny showed up yesterday with this skanky-looking chick." Nate paused. "You were right, Joe. She's a fucking mess."

Joe didn't react so Nate continued. He looked over Joe's shoulder, through the old train car, to see Sal on stage.

"We followed them back to her place. It's a nasty slum on Northup Street. Sal stopped them as they were going inside and told Johnny we had to leave for New York... in one day. He didn't look good, but Johnny said he'd be at the garage. Last night Sal convinced himself Johnny wasn't going to show. He was pacing all morning, getting himself worked up. So we went to the house and knocked on the door. Sal demanded Johnny come with us."

"Demands don't work with Johnny."

"It didn't, but it wasn't Johnny. Beatriz got in Sal's face. He pushed her away. When Johnny stepped in to defend her, Sal and I grabbed him and dragged him to the van with Beatriz beating on our backs."

"I'm so glad I didn't see this shit," Joe said. "I would have walked. This is insane!"

"I know! Sal slapped her hard and Beatriz went down. Johnny was livid, but what was he gonna do? He's a fucking wimp. He insisted he would've shown up on his own. He was pissed at Sal for not trusting him and for smacking her."

Joe stood speechless. What could he say?

"I suppose it's possible Sal was just paranoid," Nate said. "Maybe there was no problem."

Joe threw his arms up. "Of course, there's a problem! That's why Sal didn't trust Johnny."

"We took Johnny home so he could pack a bag. We already had his gear. The drive here was awful," Nate said, peering over Joe's shoulder again to see Sal on stage. Sal was looking over the crowd wondering where his bandmates were. "Johnny broke Sal's balls. He called him a mother hen. That was the nicest thing said. Sal lost his cool and called Johnny a junkie loser."

"Jesus Christ. It never should have come to this."

"Sal told Johnny he was throwing your hard work away, that you looked up to him and he was letting you down." Nate paused. "After that, Johnny went quiet. Then he said, 'You two can go fuck yourselves, but I don't want to let Joe down.' They haven't spoken since."

Leaning against a subway car, head down, Nate had a look of genuine regret. "I'm sorry. I really am. I should've listened to you. I got caught in the middle, and you know Sal."

Joe said nothing for a moment. Nate stared at him, waiting for words. Finally, Joe spoke. "You realize this is the end, right? I'm done playing with Johnny. He's a fucking mess."

"I know, Joe. And Sal knows. That's why he's been trying to..."