As the bus started towards that evening's concert, Mike frowned over his guitar, running over the riff to "Clarksville" again absently as he stared out the window.
"Take the last train to Clarksville," Micky sang quietly as he passed, but Mike was thinking and paid no attention to him.
The bus started up and everyone began theire usual activities. Peter was writing another letter, looking out the window as he did so. Mike absently wondered how Nicole was able to read most of his letters. Most of them were written on the road.
Davy was discussing something with one of the crew, showing his usual energy in the conversation. A performer at heart, Davy enjoyed the nightly shows, and actually seemed to be more energized after each night.
Micky was sitting and staring out the window. One of the girls on the crew came over and sat next to him. Mike watched as she tried to engage the drummer in a casual conversation. Though Micky answered politely, it was obvious even to Mike that he simply wasn't interested in talking. Mike let his mind trail off, wondering if Micky was still hung up after his breakup with Maggie. It had been a few years, but it might still be bothering him.
After a few moments, the girl got up, obviously deciding no to waste her energy trying to start a conversation.
"Hi Jenny," he called to her as she started to walk past his seat.
"Hi Mike," she replied somewhat less cheerfully as she sat down next to him.
"No luck with Micky, huh?" he asked, jokingly.
She shook her head. "No," she replied solemnly. "I guess I'm just not his type."
"Maybe," Mike admitted. "But I think it's somethin' else."
Jenny looked doubtful. "Like what?"
"Like Maggie," Mike replied.
"Maggie? Who's she? An old girlfriend?"
"You could say that," Mike answered, laughing slightly. "Lemme tell you the story."
"'Ey Micky, why so glum?" Davy asked as he sat down.
Micky shrugged.
"C'mon you can tell me," Davy told him, grinning wide. "I'm your friend, aren't I?"
Micky stubbornly didn't reply.
"C'mon Mick," he pleaded. "If you don't tell me, I'll manage to find out anyway."
Micky remained obstinately silent. "Nothing," he muttered under his breath.
Davy was understandably skeptical. "Nothing?" he asked. "Come on, man, what's buggin' you?"
Micky sighed, sensing that the Englishman wasn't going to leave him alone. "I'm cursed, Davy," he informed him in a solemn voice.
Davy raised an eyebrow. "Cursed?"
"Cursed," Micky repeated. "She cursed me."
"She?"
"Maggie," Micky replied.
"Maggie?"
"She cursed me," Micky explained. "Every time I meet a girl I really like, it turns out she's either married or commited, or something else."
"Every girl?"
"Every girl," Micky insisted. "Last week it was Marsha. Steady boyfriend. The week before that, Linda. Jealous husband. And the week before that was Shannon." He wrinkled his nose.
"Shannon?"
"Shannon. She just didn't like me." Micky sighed.
"Didn't like you?"
"Didn't like me," Micky replied. He paused and looked at Davy. "Do you repeat everything I say?"
Davy shook his head. "No," he replied. "Mick, I'm sure you're not cursed. You just -'aven't looked in the right places." He paused. "Where'd you meet Marsha?"
Micky thought a moment. "After the concert in...Minneapolis," he replied. "At least I think it was Minneapolis."
" Our concert?" Davy asked.
"That's the only concert I've been to in the last two months or so," Micky replied pragmatically.
"Mick, guys take chicks out to concerts. Especially ours. It's not the best place to meet them," Davy pointed out logically. "What about Linda?"
"Downtown St. Louis," Micky answered. "You remember, we had the day free?"
"So it was in the day?"
"Yeah, I think it was about two in the afternoon."
"Micky, the only people out at two in the afternoon are people who aren't working. Like someone with a 'usband," Davy explained.
"True," Micky replied. "But what about Shannon? I met her in a club in Omaha. I think it was Omaha."
"Well, sometimes you just find people who don't like you. It 'appens," Davy consoled him. "But it doesn't mean that you're cursed.
Micky sighed and smiled slightly. "Thanks Davy," he told him. "Thanks a lot." Davy grinned.
"No problem," he replied.
"She sounds horrible," Jenny commented when Mike had finished telling her about Maggie.
"She's not, really," Mike replied. "She just...wasn't right for him. Maggie likes to be in control, and if there's one thing about Micky it's that he isn't easy to control at all."
Jenny glanced back at Micky. He'd been talking to Davy. Davy caught her gaze and winked slightly as he stood up to go.
"Thanks Mike," she told him. "I think I'm gonna try talking to him again." Mike nodded as she got up.
