Crazy
Chapter 5: Crazy
* *
You've got your home of the brave and I've got my land of the free
You conform to what society says and I conform to me
Looking for light in the corners getting caught in the spider web
You look at me as if I'm giving a performance when I'm just feeding my head
* *
Chris stood impatiently in the VIP lounge, waiting for JC, Lance, Justin, and Taylor to arrive. Their plane was very delayed and Chris was dying for a cigarette. The weak coffee he was holding didn't do much to calm him up. Sitting down and relaxing seemed futile, as he was so restless, ready to tear his hair out if the plane didn't land within an hour. Fortunate for Chris, someone announced on the PA system that the plane from LA had just landed. Relief flooded Chris veins as he just had to wait out the next 30 minutes.
A little before the predicted waiting time, JC opened the door of the lounge, looking like something the cat dragged in, with an equally despondent Justin tugging behind, with Taylor bawling in his arms. Chris softened at the sight and stretched out his arms towards Justin. JC just went on to one of the chairs, not really paying attention to anything.
"Here let me carry her for a while. You could use the rest. Where's Lance?" asked Chris as Justin handed to him Taylor. Justin watched as Chris did some sort of elaborate movements that got the baby to quiet down. He then started to do weird noises that got Taylor to giggle, which left Justin perplexed.
"He went to get some coffee. The stuff they had on the flight sucked big time." Justin continued to watch Chris work his kid and he just had to ask, "How do you do that?"
"Do what?"
"That! I mean, I've done everything just to get her to calm down this past few weeks, but one minute with you and she's giggling. I don't get it." Justin threw up his arms in exasperation then sat beside JC with his trademark pout on his lips. Chris ignored his actions and focus himself on Taylor.
"Hey girl, you want to learn the Salsa. It's pretty easy. Just watch." He proceeded to do some salsa moves the moment Lance entered the lounge. His heavy, dark-circled eyed stared in confusion as Chris continued to sashay his way around the room in sporadic motions with Taylor in his arms, laughing. All the rest of the people, namely 5 nameless businessmen in the lounge simply gaped at Chris as if he were crazy. Lance just walked over to Justin's left side and continued to watch Chris as he entertained the baby. Justin leaned in and whispered something to Lance's ear. "You okay?"
Lance looked towards the young lead and nodded slightly. "I'm going to head out to Mississippi tomorrow. I need to think. The last week almost drove me crazy."
"Take your time in this." Justin looked to his right and saw that JC was asleep with his bucket hat pulled down over his eyes. "Look, I know I told you to tell him, but I take that back now. Regroup and rethink the situation. It was bad when your dinner was ruined because of Joey crashing in all of a sudden," Justin whispered.
"Damn right he ruined it! I wanted to beat his fat ass for making me back off. I can't believe that asshole. Just when I wanted to tell Josh about me, Joey comes in with his whole posse of friends and annoys the shit out of the both of us. Joey didn't even tell us that he was coming to California, and as quick as lightning, he's off with said posse on a road trip to Las Vegas. I still wondering where's a gun when I needed it," Lance groaned in frustration.
"Don't you worry," grinned Justin. "This is just a temporary setback. You'll get your man back. Just is patient." Justin saw Chris walk back to them. "Hey, Chris! When are we headed out? All of us are in dire need of sleep."
"Just now. Lonnie's here." As if on cue, a large black man poked his head through the lounge doors to indicate that their ride has arrived. Justin shook JC to wake up so they could get their luggage from the carousel. Grudgily, all of them filed out of the lounge. Chris just skipped his way out, with the whole airport bearing witness to his antics. The rest of them just rolled their eyes.
* *
And you know that I'm doing all right
And I won't explain myself to you just to avoid a right
How I'm living ain't correct but for me it's just right
* *
Chris lived very much like a bachelor. He smokes like nobody's business, and that includes the occasional pot. Whenever he's in Orlando, he organizes a weekly poker party, which sometimes, when his band mates are brave to join in, he makes it his personal mission to get them drunk as water. On weekends, he has this strange cooking spree in which his neighbors come to visit him and eat off his table. He doesn't usually mind because his neighbors were the usual music industry people. That and it was a good enough excuse to hang with AJ and Justin, who lived just down the street from him, and turn the party into some serious 'Hip-Hop Hooray' zone.
At the same time, Chris has neighbors complaining about the loud music that come from his house almost at all hours of the day when he's there. It never fails though; because the kids of the community come just to listen sometimes to the unusual stuff he had playing on his stereo. Official favorites were the usual R & B, and Rap, like what it said it that damn tour book in the early days, But his personal favorites were Britrock, Classic Rock, anything by the Red Hot Chili Peppers or Stone Temple Pilots, maybe some of the occasional '80's music, which makes Joey and JC cringe. But one thing that makes him cool is the despite not having been in front of a crowd as a DJ for the longest time, he still mixes and works on his turntables as if that were his real job instead of being in Nsync. Sometimes, if you're lucky, Chris will be up at 3 or 4 in the morning, playing some Drum & Bass, a little Techno, maybe a little British Two-step and some Trance, but never any of those remixes of Pop songs.
"It would be blasphemy," he commented to JC one time when he dragged JC to go shopping with him for some new records and dance cds. "Now self-respecting DJ would openly admit that he likes doing all the Pop stuff. It's all about the beat, rhythm, and the people dancing to something new and different." Chris would then proceed to procure some vinyls from obscure dance record labels from the UK.
* *
I'm not completely insane, I'm maybe just a little bit crazy
There's no one to blame, got no shame about game
Don't want nobody to save me
* *
"So, Chris! Don't you get tired of the fact that you are the eldest of the group? And don't you get to feel the age gap sometimes?" asked one morning radio DJ.
"No. Because I don't feel my age. Never did." Joey and Justin, who were with him, just nodded at that statement and mentally added their own deprecating two cents, while being blinded by Chris' silver shirt. Almost as if he read their minds, Chris flipped them off and laughed like a hyena.
* *
I've got a pair of ruby slippers that I don't wear much anymore
And if I had the nerve I'd click my heels and return
To the wonderland I knew before
I'm waiting to slow boat to China, want to sail away to the sun
I've been searching for myself and I know I'm gonna find her if I break away from everyone
* *
Chris usually had his introspective moods in the middle of things, thinking just how lucky he has been so far. To the people close to him, he'll forever be that kid who grew up poor in the cold streets of Pittsburgh who wore second hand clothes and was picked on because he was a runt. Joey ended up relating to him the most because he grew up much the same, only slightly more fortunate than he ever was. Usually, by Halloween, he's so hyper because of all the sugar he gets by trick or treating with the neighborhood kids that the guys had to watch him because he been known to do misdemeanors and shit when his sugar level is just too high. Last year, he spent it with his youngest sister Taylor and went as his character in Lance's movie, On The Line, and scaring the shit out of a lot of parents.
"He's made of sterner stuff than what we can imagine," commented JC in one interview. The next day, Chris personally thanked him by buying him Chinese take-out for a month for showing him in a good light. JC regretted that the moment the delivery boy started to laugh at him for getting the same order everyday and told him to get a life.
Until now, Chris still doesn't really believe that things are that amazing. Before the recent years, he hardly could take care of his own family, let alone himself. He needed constant attention; otherwise he goes insane with boredom. Except for that one time when he dragged Lance to go on a road trip with him to Detroit just to attend the Annual Techno Music Festival. Not that Lance was the best choice for the trip; he did that just so Lance could loosen up.
Justin worships the ground Chris walks on. He'll never admit it but everyone knew. In an odd sort of way, he wishes that he had a life more close to Chris'. To Justin, Chris lived life and experienced it. Not like the sheltered bubble that he was used to. One time, Chris approached Justin and gave him a noogie. "Get over it, Infant. Your life is as cool as mine. Only I had cooler music than you'll ever know," Chris said as sagely as possible while rubbing his knuckles into his newly-shaven head.
Coming back to Chris' introspective moods, he would sometimes leave without warning for a few days at a time and everyone would wonder where in world he would be. On one juncture, both Joey and Justin followed him to Seattle of all places and found lodging in a Buddhist monastery, talking animatedly to the head monk there. Two years ago, while in Sweden, Lance found him in a bar arguing philosophy with a bearded man, who turned out to be the author Jostein Gaardner. One could never expect whom Chris will talk to next. They all also wondered how the heck does he meet all these people.
* *
So the way that I act may not fit in
Just because I've got a mind of my own doesn't mean it's a sin
I don't ask you to give up; don't expect me to give in
* *
JC woke up at 4:30 AM to someone pounding incessantly on his front door of his Orlando Apartment. On the other side was Chris, all smiles and hand movements.
"Get dressed, Spazz. We're going to North Carolina."
JC scratched himself and moved out of the way as Chris sideswiped him to get inside his apartment. Like a ball of thunder, Chris went to JC's bedroom and started to load into an overnight bag clothes and other stuff. JC just stood by at the doorframe perplexed.
"Where are we going?" JC asked as he managed to get his brain to actually function properly. Chris simply grabbed him and shoved him into the bathroom.
"Remember to wash behind your ears and by the time you get ready, I'll have breakfast ready. And if you'd just listen properly, we're going to North Carolina. Now scoot your non-existent butt into the shower and get ready." Chris went the kitchen and started to riffle through the food. He took stock and shouted, "by the way, do you want leftover Chinese or some of that funky salad that's in the fridge for breakfast?" JC rolled his eyes as he stripped off his bedclothes, muttering about the lunacy of it all.
* *
'Cause I'm not completely insane, I'm maybe just a little bit crazy
there's no one to blame, got no shame about my game
Don't want nobody to save me
* *
Traveling in Chris' old red PT cruiser was a trip because Chris really took time in pampering his 'ride'. Sacrificing his trunk space to add in some sub woofers in the back, you could hear his car three blocks from where you're standing. Justin said once that, 'It's such a trip, especially when you here Nelly on that thing when its coming down the block.'
With two overnight bags in the backseat, a week's supply of weed, and a dozen bags of whatever junk food that they bought from a 24-hour Wal-Mart, both of them set off to North Carolina. Along the way, they met up with Joey and Justin in Raleigh after they watched the Tarheels in action from the night before.
"Where's Lance?" JC asked before all four of them hit the road. Both Joey and Justin got into Justin's Jeep and got themselves settled. Chris perused his stored CDs and settled for some Train for the trip to the coast.
"Poofu couldn't make it. Something about a visiting aunt. We just decided to meet up with him in Clinton to surprise him. You know, shack up his shack of Mississippi Love," said Joey as he smiled like a goofy character high on glue. JC had a sneaking suspicion that he already tapped into Chris' supply of weed.
"Enough talk! Let's hit the road!" With a maniacal laugh worthy of some evil space emperor, Chris screeched out of the hotel where Joey and Justin stayed in and into the highway, with Justin's Jeep on his heels.
JC could already tell that this was going to be a long weekend.
* *
Some like to live for the moment taking life into their own hands every day
And if they don't get killed they get so high off the thrill
They could float to heaven anyway
* *
"Chris! Fucking slow down! We aren't in a freakin' hurry to get there!" screamed JC as he held on to dear life. At that, Chris just accelerated his speed to close 100 mph, with Justin trying to match his velocity just right behind him. All poor Joey could do was silently curse the two. "You are not fuckin' Speed Racer, okay!"
Chris just ignored him and continued to try to break the sound barrier. JC just sighed and griped his seat tighter. The sounds of Limp Bizkit blaring through the stereo, egging Chris on.
"Keep rollin', rollin', rollin'....."
* *
And others want to save for tomorrow thinking money is security
Well I understand the need but I don't get the greed
And they all seem pretty crazy to me
* *
Justin spotted a flea market along the way and begged Chris to stop so he could go around and see all the cool stuff there. They parked and Justin practically dragged Chris into the outside alleyways full of junk and treasures. JC kept back, as he was a cheap bastard, and Joey stayed beside him for company.
"Ohh, look at this, C," said Joey to grab JC's attention. JC turned his focus away from some Art Deco shit and saw Joey holding up some ugly statue of something that JC couldn't quite figure what it was. "Hideous Motherfucker, don't you think?"
"I agree with you there. Find anything?"
"Nope. But from what I can see, the elf and bounce found a mansion's worth of junk for us to haul. Come on, let's see what they bought."
After a quick inspection of the wares that Justin proudly displayed, JC had to say that what he bought was surprisingly tasteful, and even a steal. "I didn't know that you could bargain, Just."
"When I'm not hanging around you guys during the early days, I would go with my mom to all the flea markets. She taught me how to haggle and how to get a good deal from concessionaires. Where do you think I got all those stuff for my house."
JC thought back at what Justin had in his house and to give him a hand. All the stuff he had were antiques and were very well cared for. He presumed he hired some interior designer to get all that furniture and fixtures in the house, he presumed wrong. He wasn't able to see the stuff Chris bought because he loaded them in Justin's trunk before JC had a chance to see they. Whatever they were, it was plenty and bulky.
With a few more hours of shopping time, JC made good of it by buying some china for his house in LA and some glass artwork for his apartment. It was close to 3PM when they left the flea market and found themselves ever closer to the coast.
One hour later, Chris' car stalled and JC started to swear until high heaven.
* *
You can tell by the expression I wear
Though I seem a little strange to you -I don't really care
I got the freedom to be and there are others like me everywhere...
* *
"Dragged me out of bed just for this!" exclaimed JC as he eyed the bed and breakfast cottage at first. He was so skeptical until later on when he found Lance in one of the rooms, surrounded with candles, flowers, and Sting music.
It turned out that Chris faked his little accident so Joey and Justin could get there ahead. Justin personally threatened Lance to come to the B & B or he would make do to kill his ferrets the next time he would see them. Once there, Joey took over the kitchen and made all of the favorites of JC and Lance. Lance arrived while Justin was putting the finishing touches of the room, lacing it with scented candles and kinky stuff.
By the time JC saw the room, all the anger and irritation left his mind and he simply stared speechless at Lance, he looked as nervous as he was. JC was so afraid that he stood firmly on where he stood. Chris pushed him into the room and turned to face his partners in crime.
"So, wanna go to the beach and smoke out?"
* *
'Cause I'm not completely insane, I'm maybe just a little bit crazy
there's no one to blame, got no shame about my game
Don't want nobody to save me
* *
"Good morning you two! Sleep well?" asked Chris in his own particular jolly, insinuating tone. JC and Lance just smiled and snuggled on the sofa beside Joey. Justin sat directly opposite the newly reunited couple and gagged at their affections.
"So are you back together?" asked Joey while Chris sat on the floor with a smug expression.
"Yes, we are," said Lance in a languid, slow way which sent shivers down JC's spine. JC embraced him and started to nibble on his neck. "By the way, whose idea was it to get us here?" Justin and Joey pointed their fingers at Chris just placed his hands behind his head, stared at other directions, and whistled nonchalantly. Lance rolled his eyes. "Figures. After all, he is the crazy one among us."
**(Crazy by Alana Davis)**
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