In the Flesh, Part II

Pink arrived home and took off his bloody shirt. The memory was the only thing he could remember. He told himself that he would go see his dad in the morning. Right now all he could do was clean up and think of his mom. The only clean shirt he could find was his father’s army uniform. He put it on, and thought of his mom. She fucking lied to me. Why the fuck should I make up with her?

He found a photo of when he was young. This was buried away with the rest of his childhood. The photo was of him playing a new guitar, that his mom spontaneously bought for him. His face was happy. That was a different Pink. Now, the music made him angry and silence is what he preferred. His mom didn’t have the money to buy that guitar. But to see him happy, she would have spent every dime on him. She truly loved him.

Pink went to sleep holding that picture. The bottle of cheap whiskey was a good supplement for pain killers. Pink remembered.

It was a year ago when it happened. Pink had just pulled out of a long drinking binge. His mom came by everyday to make sure he hadn’t drank himself to death. He started the binge when he heard that a long time associate had released new music. The associate, David, made millions off the name they made for themselves in the 70’s. Mother Floyd wanted to take him out. They went for lunch, but being such a little town, they went to the casa de waffle.

“Why do you this to yourself?” she asked
“What do you mean?”
“I mean you let the past ruin you. go back to what you know best, making music. Sure David screwed you. This isn’t the first time. Don’t forget how he did it the first time. The lawsuit ended with him basically owning your name. You were left with nothing. Since then, you have smoked your lungs black, and inebriated your liver beyond repair.”
“he didn’t screw me.”
“what are you talking about, he took your band, he took your name, and worst of all he took your …”
“You better not finish that sentence,” he said interrupting her.
“Or what, David took your son away from you. He saw your state of alcoholic depression and had the courts emancipate Roger from you. ---, he took your son, and you didn’t do anything about it.”
“It was the best for him...”
“No the best was for him to have a father. David was just a surrogate. Fate falls into your hands Pink. You didn’t have a dad growing up. I kept you from the big bad world, I didn’t let you fly, but i let you sing.”
“you didn’t care what I did. You were a useless mom who didn’t teach me anything.”

Mother Floyd began to cry. She said, “Roger is in town.”
Pink sat there silently. It has been twenty years since he was taken away from him
“You better not bring him to me” he said
“Or what”
“Mom, he doesn’t even know who I am”
“He knows exactly who you are Pink. You are a music legend. He knows every little detail of your career good and bad.”
“why do you want me to meet him?” he asked.
“Because he is your fucking son!”
“I never got to meet my father.”
“That is because he died in the war. You know this. If you had met him, you would be a much better person. Your father was a great man. He gave his life for this country. How dare you be so selfish! But then again, you never cared about anybody but yourself.”
“Fuck you”

She stared at him. She was getting ready to cry, and stormed out of the joint. That was the last time he heard from her. She didn’t call.

Pink woke up in a feverish sweat. He should have never treated his mom like that. It was 7 in the morning. The whiskey was gone, and still no cigarettes. He sat there, and three more hours passed before he got out of bed. It was Saturday, at least he thought it was. Still hungover, ---- slowly made his way from the castle apartments to the church. He opened the doors only to find his father sitting in a pew.

“I knew you would come”
“How...”
“I know everything about you, where you have been, what you have done, and what you will be.”
“How...”
“Because Son, I am your father. It is instinct. You are just like me.”

He lit a cigar and took out his flask. He would have offered some to Pink, but figured that he already had the head start.

“So how do speak to her again”
“You must get become the father Roger needs. David has done his part. Now it is your time to fulfill your destiny. You have to teach the values of life.”
“What life.I Drink and smoke. what values come from that.”
“You can’t speak for who you are now. Your past defines you Pink. look to your lyrics. Roger has. Pink, he can play the guitar. It is your turn to help him change the world.”

For the first time in a long time, Pink smiled. He got up and walked out of the church, not saying a thing to his father. His son liked music. Pink then had a realization. Where in the hell was Roger, David, or his Mother. He turned around back into to the church. His father was gone.

Pink searched around and found a nun.

“Have you seen Father Floyd?” he asked
“Who” she replied
“Father Floyd... he has been here for the past two decades and teaches at the orphanage.”
“young man, we don’t have a Father Floyd. We never had.”

Pink left the church.

“What the fuck?!” He asked himself as he stumbled back into Isabella's for another drink.

Hey You

Pink had just stumbled out of the bar for a cigarette. It was his last smoke. On his break from heavy drinking, he walked into the alley way next to the strip club. There he saw a few shady figures hanging around. Pink didn't think anything of them. He continued to pace up and down the alley.

Pink was humming a song. "Hey you, with your ear against the wall, waiting for someone to call out would you touch me, Hey you!....." The sentence was ended with a blunt force to the back of his head. The bud of his cigarette flew to the ground and Pink fell forward, out cold.

Pink woke up in a doctors office. Nothing was hurting him, although he was sure that someone had hit him really hard. The doctors looked familiar. Almost like a relative. He just couldn't put anything together. The doctor was going through the routine procedures for a concussion. Pink then asked, "Where is the pain?"

"There is no pain, you are receding."

"What?", Pink thought

"I have not given you anything. The pain is just in your head. Now son... what were you doing in that alley way"

"I was just going out for a smoke, get some air from that dump of a bar."

"Do you remember who else was down there"

"Just some dark figures, I couldn't tell, and sure as hell didn't care."

"What song was that you were humming when they hit you?"

Pink sat there in awe. How did he know he was humming a song. He refused to answer.

Pink yelled out, "Who the fuck are you?"

"I asked what song was that you were humming?"

"How do you know I was humming a song?"

"I know more about you than you think..."

"I gotta get out out of here!"

Pink stood up, but immediately hit the floor. The doctor stood over him.

The doctor said, "You are comfortably numb. When I was a child, I was a lot like you. Out of the corner of my eye, I caught a glimpse of my future and changed."

Pink knew who it was. Father floyd, now Doctor Floyd.

"Dad, what the fuck are you doing here for?"

"It's been awhile. Since then, you ditched the only person who loved you, and since then, you blown all of my money on booze and cigarettes. It would be nice for you to say hi every once in awhile."

"Cut the bullshit, Dad. Why are you here?"

"Son, you are bigger than you think. Why don't you enjoy life."

"Because it won't bring her back."

"She misses you and has missed you since you ditched her. I know, Because I have been watching. Every night, she is out there on here own, and sits naked by the phone calling out would you tou--..."

"Not her," Pink Interrupted, "Mom."

"Ahh, well you have closed your self off from her. Even though you are her son, she was tired of your actions. Your mother was important and after everything she did for you, you eventually told her to get out of your life. Son, you need to get her back. She is a key role in your life, and a key role for what is to come."

Doctor Floyd was filling a syringe. Pink still was on the ground paralyzed. He couldn't understand why this was happening. His dad entered the syringe and whispered, "You have become comfortably numb..."

Pink asked how he could win her back but blacked out before his dad could answer.

Pink woke up with a massive headache. It had only been a few minutes. There was blood and his wallet was gone. It was all a dream. It was all a fucking dream. He looked up and saw someone staring at him from the street. He yelled out, "Hey You! Don't help them to bury the live!" He sat up until he could stumble into the bar. With the blood on his chest, He asked the bar tender to fill one up and put it on a tab.

He sat there drinking and thinking. The dream he had was as clear as a memory. He had to see his father. He had to see his mother.