Chapter 7: Painkiller

Labatt’s Guest House

5:22pm, Wednesday, November 14, 1979

“My mom said Lisa is gonna have to stay until Thursday morning. Dr. Candice wants to make doubly sure her depressed white blood cell counts aren’t from something else besides that flu bug,” I said as the four of us stood around the kitchen island getting a snack before we started our last practice session before our Friday competition.

“I can’t believe that Dr. Wellend has taken such an interest in Brick,” Cano replied as she put together several pepperoni and cheese crackers.

“Your mom explained to Momma that Dr. Wellend has a small fear that this bug might have impaired Lisa’s immune system,” Eda said with a slightly downer tone.

“It’s a good thing that Dr. Candice has taken such an interest in Bricky,” Sammy added before she chowed down on her own pepperoni and cheese cracker.

“I didn’t tell you this on my drive over here from school yesterday, but Dr. Candi basically tore a strip off my back for not calling her as soon as I knew Brick was at St. Joe’s. I think when she realized how stressed I was over all this, she cut me some slack and accepted my apology for not getting with her,” I said as I prepared the last of my eight peanut butter cracker snacks.

“Yeah, she really seemed to take a keen interest in Brick. I’m glad she’s been there for her and you, Cuda,” Cano replied.

“So, wha else are we gonna do besides ga over those two-ah competition songs a time or tree?” Eda mumbled with a ham and cheese crackers in her mouth.

“Don’t ‘cha think we should tinker with a few Meatloaf, Eagles and Boston songs?” Sammy replied after washing her cracker down with a Diet Coke.

“We should at least get a feel for how we’d play them with just a fifteen minute practice session to really learn them,” Cano added.

“Yeah, that way, if we have a basic shell for a few of the likely songs, we can use our practice time to spruce them up or possibly make them our own,” I replied after I downed the second of my P-B crackers. “Oh, before I forget, Paul, Cathy and the Shania Twain Band will be flying into London tomorrow afternoon at four-fifty. They’re staying at the Downtown Holiday Inn, with all the rest of the out of town bands.”

“Do you know what rooms they’re gonna be in?” Sammy asked.

“Not yet. Mom2 didn’t have that info for them, when I talked with Paul and Cathy last night.”

“It’s a damn shame they wouldn’t let Paul play bass with us, so we’d actually have our full five member band,” Cano added before she popped the last of her five crackers in her mouth.

“I kinda understand why they wouldn’t allow it. Not that Paul would ever do this on purpose, but if he happened to screw up, maybe messing all of us up. How then would the judges view things?” I replied after washing down another P-B cracker with my Coke.

“I guess with him in another band, it’s for the best that we just do what we have to do,” E added with a smile.

“One otha thing I need t’ tell you ‘bout their band,” I said with a mouthful of cracker. After I swallowed that snack, I continued, “Paul and Cathy said they might play that Here’s a Quarter song we wrote at David’s Bistro as their original piece. I told them that we, all of us, wouldn’t have a problem or say a word to anyone that we helped them with the lyrics. I think because they modified the lyrics some, plus they came up with the music for it, that that truly is their work.”

“They should have known we’d never say anything to that effect,” Sammy semi-hotly replied.

“Yeah, but we need to be careful about saying anything out loud, by accident. That’s the main reason for me telling this to you gals.”

“Oh, right, I could easily see myself getting all excited if they played that song, and then yelled out something like we helped write that song,” Cano honestly offered.

“We’ll just play it cool when the Shania Twain Band is ‘country-fying’ the stage at the JLC,” Sammy laughed.

“It still is gonna be a little weird seeing and listening to Cath and Paul in another band, especially playing with a country music flair,” Cano added as the girls waited on me to finish the last of my eight crackers.

During our almost two hour practice we ran through both of our scheduled songs twice, and felt real good about them being a ‘Bandette’ sound. We then began our ‘get-to-know’ these songs session by messing with five Boston songs: Don’t Look Back, More Than a Feeling, Peace of Mind, Cool Your Engines and Amanda. When we tried to jam to Foreplay, the prelude to Long Time, we realized that we couldn’t do it as a four person band. Even though I said I really, really wanted to play that song, I knew we needed Brick on bass, with Sammy switching between a second set of keyboards and her acoustic guitar to do justice to it.

With only thirty-ish minutes left in our regular practice session, Cano confidently asked, “Do you wanna run through some Meat Loaf songs or would you rather mess around with a reggae-rock song I’ve put together for our NIS Concert in January?”

“Ohhh, that is just too tempting to pass up, Girlfriend!” Sammy exclaimed as she bounced Brick’s purple bass on her right hip bone.

“‘Kay, let me put my keytar on ‘cause it’s got my saved simple bass and drum track. E, just listen to the beat and then feel free to reggae it up however you think will work. I’m also, guessing Bricky will wanna doll up the bass lines when she gets back on her feet,” Cano said as she slipped her leather strap over her head.

“And just what are we going to do with this song?” I laughed when it was apparent that Cano didn’t have any special words for Sammy and me.

“You know damn well I couldn’t begin to put a guitar sound to this that you guys wouldn’t totally turn upside down. Both of you just listen and join in when you feel the music,” my ex-girlfriend razzed me in her loving way.

“Acoustic or electric for me?” Sammy simply asked our resident music producer.

“Cuda definitely is playing either his Silverburst or maybe his Don Felder, ‘coz there’s a clear bust it out guitar solo slot in this. I’m guessing an acoustic would add to the reggae feel, Sammy.”

“Give us a sec then to get our guitars ready,” I said as I moved over to pick up my favorite axe from its case.

“While you’re getting set, this song is about not needing any drugs, alcohol, or what nots to feel good. I think with the way we’ve been feeling the past few days, this song will just hit the spot,” Cano said as she walked out to the front with Sammy and me.

“And just what is this feel good song called?” Eda asked as she lightly laid down a reggae-ish drum pattern.

“You’ll like this, Cuda. It’s called, Painkiller,” Cano replied with a laugh.

(Note: Painkiller was written by a couple of members of Little Big Town, Karen Fairchild and Jimi Westbrook. It is the third single from their 2014 album, also called Painkiller. While this song wasn’t a super hit, reaching the mid-to-upper thirties on the US and Canada Country Billboard charts, it definitely is a fun song, and fits well with my story.)

Immediately my mind accessed this Little Big Town song, and I instantly knew we were gonna have an awesome time playing it. When Cano saw that we were ready to hear her simplified version of this song, she stepped up to the microphone Brick normally used and switched it on. After hitting the play button on her keytar, I slunk over beside her as she looked at Sammy and Eda.

Just after the opening drum beats sounded, I surprised Cano and the girls by instantly picking out the simple reggae style intro on my Silverburst guitar. My playing almost flummoxed Cano but she recovered quickly to add her vocals at the appropriate spot. Her voice was as sweet as an angel’s when she sang:

Chorus:

When I’m feelin’ cursed.
Don’t need no doctor, honey,

I don’t need no nurse.”

Second Chorus:

Before Cano had the, ‘You go down easy, baby, I could drink you by the case!’ line finished, both Sammy and Eda had joined in with my guitar, and Cano’s recorded keyboard track. As with most of our female led vocal songs, I rarely added my baritone voice to these lyrics. Both E and Sammy had easily added their higher and lower alto voices to Cano’s mid-range alto vocals to create a superb sound on this song’s chorus.

At the end of the second chorus, after the girls sang a repeated ending of, “Oh, you take it away-ay-ay-ay-ay-ay-ay. You take it away!“ I didn’t need Cano to tell me that my killer reggae guitar riff belonged right after their stylized vocals.

After my short guitar solo, Cano stopped her recording and just stared at me, then Sammy and E. “This, this is just too damn good to believe,” Cano softly said as she hung her head down beside Brick’s micro-stand.

“What do you mean, Cano?” E asked from her drum throne.

“Well, we’ve all probably kinda pictured somewhat how a song would sound when we first started writing the lyrics or the music, right? Well, the past two nights, I’ve dreamt about this song, you know, with Lisa being sick and the stress that that, plus our sports, has put on us this week. Then ... when Cuda instantly played that music on his guitar, plus you guys joining in without any input from me ... Damn! That, that run through with your backing vocals was exactly like the music in my dreams.”

“Lynette,” Sammy said with Cano’s first name adding importance to her address. When all of us focused on Sammy, she said, “I don’t know how or why, but I’ve heard that music in my dreams, too. Not the lyrics, just the music ... mostly my acoustic guitar part but I still think the whole song was there.”

“I’ve had that reggae drum pattern running through my head for several days, too,” Eda added with a slow shake of her long brown hair.

All three girls looked at me, so I said, “I’ve loved that song since the first time I heard it. I can’t tell you when and where I heard it, but you did an awesome job writing those lyrics and that music, Cano.”

I then took a quick peek at my watch and said, “We probably need to wrap this up, if we want to run and see Brick.”

“Do you think they’d mind if we brought your acoustic guitars and my keytar to the hospital?” Cano softly asked.

“I have no idea what they’ll say ‘bout that,” I replied.

“Why do you wanna bring them?” E asked.

“Just a feeling, E. Just a feeling I...” Cano replied.

“Well, then ... pack your keytar and get your Baby James from the closet, Cuda,” Sammy said as she put her twelve-string acoustic in her guitar case.

As I pulled my acoustic from the closet, and put both my Silverburst and double-neck Don Felder guitars safely away, I asked, “Do you ladies mind if I run over and get Tempe on my way to St. Joe’s?”

“If I ride with Cano and E to the hospital, can you give me a ride home, along with Tempe?” Sammy asked.

“You know that won’t be a problem, Wushu,” I replied with a smile as I stood, holding the guest house door open for Cano and E, as Sammy ran around turning off all the lights and setting the alarm system.

5^th Floor Reception, St. Joe’s Hospital, London

7:51pm, Wednesday, November 14, 1979

“Could you please ask Dr. Wellend if we’re allowed to take these in with us to see Lisa,” I pled with the nurse at the fifth floor main nurse/reception area.

“We promise we won’t go all crazy loud, Nurse Bethany,” E added, as she obviously had prior experience with this thirty-five to forty-year-old nurse.

After the ding of the elevator sounded, we heard, “Mike and the Time Bandettes ... plus Ms. Tempe! Why am I not surprised to see that you brought some instruments with you?” Dr. Wellend chuckled as she got off the elevator at the reception area.

“Hey, Doctor Candice!” Cano said with a smile as she sent down her keytar case to walk with Sammy towards our favorite ER doctor.

“Are these kids giving you a hard time, Ms. Bethany?” Dr. Wellend asked.

“I’m good with them going down to see their friend, but I just didn’t think letting them take those instruments was a good idea,” Nurse Bethany replied.

“Are you Bandettes going to knock the fifth floor walls down, if I allow you to bring those guitars and that keytar into Lisa’s room?” Dr. Wellend playfully asked.

“Oh, Lord no! Dr. Candi,” Sammy replied, which we all agreed with to some extent.

“Come on. Let’ go see how the fifth Bandette is doing,” Dr. Wellend said as she wrapped her arms around Tempe’s and Eda’s shoulders.

“You’re the best, Dr. Candice,” E said as Sammy, Cano and I picked up our cases and followed behind DC, Tempe and Eda.

“So what is this little song you want to play for Lisa called? Did I hear it at your Aeolian show?” Dr. Candi asked to no specific person.

“No, Ma’am. We didn’t play this at the Aeolian Hall show,” Sammy replied.

When Dr. Candi turned to look over her shoulder, Cano smiled at her and added, “I just wrote this song the other day, and we just practiced it for the first time, tonight. It’s called, Painkiller.”

“Ha! Painkiller ... in a hospital. This is gonna be good!” Dr. Candi laughed as she slowed down at Lisa’s room 521’s door.

“I haven’t heard this song, yet,” Tempe softly said as she reached for and pushed the door to Lisa’s room open.

“Hey, guys! Dr. Candi!” Lisa said with an intensity I hadn’t seen in her since last Friday night.

“Bricky, I’m so happy to hear you sounding and looking more like you,” Tempe replied as she scurried alongside the bed to give Brick a light hug and kiss on her forehead.

“I’ve missed seeing you, Tempe ... all you guys. I hate that I’m messing things up for our Friday challenge,” Lisa added as she held her hands up to welcome Sammy, Cano and her sister into her arms.

“Careful with Lisa’s IVs, ladies,” Dr. Candi said as the girls all crowded around Lisa’s bed.

I had a tear come to my eye as I watched these five girls interact in such a confined space. These were five of the nicest kids I’d ever met in either of my timelines, and they all truly cared for each other’s well-being.

When the girls finally appeared to give Lisa some breathing room, she smiled up at me and softly said, “Hi, Mike.”

“You’re looking and sounding better than the last few times I’ve seen y’all, Bricky,” I calmly said as I rubbed my right hand over her covered feet.

“I can’t wait to get out of here. Hopefully, Dr. Candi will sign my discharge papers, tomorrow morning.”

“There’s one more test result I’m waiting on. If that checks out, you’ll be good to go ... just not at full-blown Bandette speed,” Dr. Candi replied with that ending cautionary statement.

Even though Lisa’s long brown hair was stringy and in serious need of a shampooing, her green orbs had their tell-tale sparkle when she excitedly asked, “Guitars and a keytar; are you guys going to play me a song or two?”

“Cano wrote a song the other day that we just had to play for you, Brick,” Sammy replied as we set about opening up our instrument cases.

“Please keep the volume to a low roar, guys,” Dr. Wellend said as we put our guitar/keytar straps around our necks.

“This will obviously be better with Cuda’s electric guitar, E’s drums and your bass, Bricky...” Cano said and rubbed Lisa’s thigh as she included Brick in that comment. “But I think you’ll really like this song.”

After Cano flipped the on switch on her battery powered instrument, Sammy and I nodded to her that we were all set to play this song.

Lisa, Tempe and Dr. Candice were all enthralled as Cano sang her Painkiller lyrics with Sammy providing a basic rhythm sound to compliment my acoustic reggae lead guitar sound. Because we didn’t completely go through all of Lynette’s lyrics at Sammy’s house, both Eda and Sammy were surprised at Cano’s simple ending vocals.

After the second chorus, Cano sang the “Ah, la la’s” and I added the “Oooh, Oooh’s”:

“Ah, la la la la la la

Oooh, Oooh.”

Cano then sang the unique ending two lines:

“You’re my one pain-killer.

You’re my mid-night thriller!...”

... Before leading the girls in a repeat of main chorus to end this song.

“That is an awesome song, guys,” Lisa said as her feet were still moving to the song’s beat under her covers.

“I’m not real happy about that, ‘Don’t need no doctor. I don’t need no nurse,’ part of the song, but it definitely is a good one,” Dr. Candi laughed from the wheeled stool seat near Lisa’s head.

“So, did you figure out your bass lines for that song, Bricky?” Sammy asked as she slipped her twelve-string around to her back.

“I think there are a few places for a more spiced up bass sound in that song,” Lisa said with a smile on her face. “You did a good job with that keytar’s reggae bass and drums sounds, though, Cano.”

“Thanks, Bricky. I was just messing with them, trying to get a basic jammin’ beat. I knew you and E could easily spruce it up ... once you heard it a time or two.”

“Do you folks have any other ‘mellow’ songs that you’d like to play?” Dr. Candi asked as she got up and grabbed the blood pressure cuff to get her own readings on Lisa.

Sammy looked at Cano and then to me before she whispered, “The Greatest?”

“That’s definitely a mellow song,” Cano replied and then pulled her leather keytar strap from around her head.

After Dr. Candi took Brick’s BP and temperature, I asked, “Are there any other kids here, who would like to hear a song or two, Dr. Candi?”

“Give me a minute and I think I can round up a few older elementary or high school kids. There are several kids here who should be wheelchair able, and good to come down here.”

As we waited for Dr. Wellend and a few nurses to arrange transport for some of the kids on the fifth floor, Cano asked, “What else are you thinking of playing, here, Cuda?”

“Well, Sammy and I can play Hotel California for them, and how about you put your keytar back on, so we can do Rock & Roll Dreams Come Through, like we did at Wheels in Chatham.”

“That will be awesome, guys,” Brick said as she watched me adjusted the ‘D’ string on my Baby James, and then move my capo to the second fret.

When we saw four kids in wheelchairs pushed to Lisa’s door, I stepped out in the hallway and smiled at the two elementary aged kids and shook hands with the older high boy. After two other kids walked down the hallway with their IV stands in tow, I said, “Cano, Sammy, why don’t you come out here and we’ll play in the hallway?”

As soon as I said that, I looked at Doctor Wellend and she nodded her approval for us to play out there. “A few others couldn’t be moved, so playing out here should let them hear your songs,” our smiling doctor replied as a few non-busy nurses came to listen for a moment or two.

“Okay, this first song I’m gonna play is called, The Greatest, and it sorta was written for our band mate, Lisa, who is lying in Room 521’s bed,” I said to the kids and medical personal.

“It’s a wonderful story song,” Cano added as she gave me a small hug.

Similar the Medway students’ responses, the kids and St. Joe’s personal all looked at me like I was crazy after hearing me sing, “... And that’s strike three.”

I laughed as I continued playing and then sang that final verse for them. When I finished that song, the one elementary girl softly said, “I was real surprised and kinda mad there for a moment at that strike three line ... but you really finished that story off in a nice way.”

“That was a precious song, Mike,” Nurse Bethany said as she wiped a tear from her cheek.

“Only a little kid could think up something wonderful like, ‘Only I didn’t know I could pitch like that!‘“ the pretty but ashen-looking high school girl softly whispered.

“Kids are really special gifts,” a Hispanic looking nurse added as she rubbed the young elementary boy’s shoulders.

“Can you play a few more songs for us?” a teenaged girl asked as she leaned against the wall and used her IV stand for added support.

“We’ve got a few more songs we’re going to play for you,” Sammy replied with a smile.

“E, would you be so kind as to give up your chair for this young lady?” I asked and nodded in the teen’s direction.

“Here you go, sweetheart,” Eda said as she pushed her chair down to the girl who asked about playing a few more songs.

“Thanks, Miss E ... oh, I hope I can eventually play the drums as good as you do.”

“You’ve seen us play somewhere?” Eda asked the teen girl.

“You guys played at our prom, last spring. I’m a student at Woodstock DCI.”

“That was like our fourth paying gig,” I chuckled. “I think we’ve gotten a lot better since that performance.”

“I’ll say,” the older male patient added with a smile. “I saw you guys open up for April Wine at the Western Fair. I thought you guys should have been able to play a few more songs that night, too.”

“We weren’t going to complain about only getting to play six songs as an opening act for April Wine,” Cano laughed.

I could tell these little snippets of conversation could go on all night, so I waved at Sammy to swap our guitars to get set for Hotel California. Everyone looked at me when I picked out the unusual opening to this song. It was a good minute and twenty seconds before most of the kids and hospital personal figured out that we were playing this kick-ass Eagles’ song. They really seemed to like our rendition, which we took as a good sign.

We ended our three song hospital show with Cano’s hauntingly eerie keytar version of Rock & Roll Dreams Come Through. Neither Sammy nor I added a lot of guitar to Cano’s music as I sang those awesome lyrics. The older kids in the hallway wiped a few tears from their eyes when they heard me sing:

When we finished with that song, Dr. Candi said, “I hope I’m not jinxing things by saying this, but these guys here are in a band called, Mike and the Time Bandettes. I really believe that they are going to win that Naked-In-School band challenge that you may have heard advertised on the radio, or read about in the London paper. When they win that challenge on Friday, we’ll get to watch them on Global TV in early January. So, let’s give them a small, soft round of applause for playing a few songs, and then we have to get you guys back to your beds for the night.”

After the nurses helped the wheelchair patients and the one girl who was obviously tired from her walk to our location get to their rooms, Dr. Candice said, “That was as good as any medicine we could give them, guys.”

“We’re happy to turn our visit to see Brick into something even more positive,” Sammy replied.

“Will you guys come and see me at my house, tomorrow?” Lisa asked as we stood around her bed.

“If we’re able to, Bricky,” Tempe said as she leaned down to give her female lover a small kiss on her forehead, nose and then her lips.

“One of us will find out if you’re up for company, and then we see about stoppin’ by, Brick,” Cano added as she gently shook Brick’s legs.

I stepped by Lisa’s upper body and smiled down at my not one-hundred percent princess. When she reached her arms up to me, I couldn’t deny her request for a loving hug and kiss. I kissed all around her face before zeroing in on her slightly dry, chapped lips. For a few seconds, I hoped to have Brick think she was anywhere but in a hospital bed.

When we parted, she softly said, “I’m looking forward to more of that ... soon.”

“Me, too, Bricky. Me too.” Lifting up, I added, “I love you, Lis, and I hope to see you at your house, tomorrow.”

Lisa grabbed my arm and pulled me back down to her face. In a whisper, she softly asked, “I’m not positive ‘bout this, but check and see if Dr. Candi wants to get together with us? I just have a feeling that she may like that.”

“You sure ‘bout this?” I returned her whisper. A simple nod and smile let me know my young girlfriend was indeed serious about this possibility.

On our way out, I touched Dr. Candi’s arm and nodded for her to drop back some. When we were out of hearing distance, I decided to ask her two things. Before I got to Brick’s question, I softly asked, “Is Lisa going to be all right? Is there something else besides this flu bug at play?”

“I probably shouldn’t tell you this but ... I’m concerned that this bug has triggered a mild Lupus like response in Lisa. Her white cell counts just seem a little out of whack for a simple, yet nasty flu response. The test results I’m waiting for will hopefully rule that out, though.”

“If it’s Lupus, how will she cope with it?”

“Well, Lupus can affect a wide range of body functions. If it’s a relatively mild case, hopefully, it won’t cause but a minor impact on her well-being,” Dr. Candi replied. “Keep your fingers crossed on it, Mike.”

“After that answer, I’m not sure I wanna ask you this next question,” I sighed.

Dr. Candi stopped and angled me towards the wall and softly but sternly asked, “Lisa wants to know about me and you, and possibly her, doesn’t she?”

“You’re real good, DC. Real good. Lisa asked if you might want to play ... in a non-musical way, sometime down the road.”

“Would, ah ... this involve any safety issues, Mike?”

“No, not really. Lisa and Tempe don’t know about those things.”

“Tempe might be a part of this? Oh, goodness. I’ve never been with another girl, let allow two beauties.”

“We’ll talk about this when we have a little more time and privacy, DC,” I said as the four other girls were all at the reception area, staring at us.

“Please don’t say anything to Lisa or Tempe until we have that talk, Mike,” Dr. Candi whispered as we started our short walk to the others.

“I won’t.”

Just as we reached the reception desk, the elevator dinged and Mr. and Mrs. Masciotro, plus Nonna got off the lift.

“Hello, Bandettas, and Ms. Tempe!” Mrs. Masciotro cried when she saw us.

“Good evening, Mr. and Mrs. M., and Ms. Nonna,” Lynette said with a huge smile.

“Hi, Momma, Papa, Nonna,” Eda said as she stepped up to her grandmother to give her a hug.

E’s grandmother engaged her granddaughter in a spirited, Italian conversation. E’s body language and hand gestures suggested that she was describing our hallway concert for Lisa and some of the other kids in this wing of the hospital.

“Wea come to see my bambalina before shea go to sleep,” Mrs. Masciotra said to Lynette, Tempe and Sammy.

“E, I’m guessing you won’t be not needing a ride home?” Lynette asked.

“I’m good, thanks, Cano,” Eda replied.

After chatting for a few minutes with either E or Sammy translating the Italian for us, we said our good-byes and waited for the elevator.

Tempe and Sammy gave Cano a hug and kiss in the parking garage elevator as Cano parked on the third floor, while I had to park on the fifth floor. I also gave Cano a kiss on her forehead and told her I was looking forward to posing with her in art, tomorrow.

In the car, Tempe asked, “So, you are coming into my art class to pose with Cano, huh?”

“I told you that I would,” I replied as I turned onto Richmond. “Hopefully, Mrs. S won’t have us in a too risqué type a pose.”

“It won’t matter to me, Mike,” Tempe said as she lightly tapped my right thigh.

“Well, it probably wouldn’t be good, though ... if things happen. Cano and Warren are getting to the fully committed stage of their relationship, and I wouldn’t want anything to impact that.”

“Warren doesn’t seem like the jealous kind, Cuda,” Sammy added from the backseat.

“I’d still rather not give him any reason to feel troubled by me.”

After I dropped off Sammy at her estate, I pulled into Tempe’s driveway and put my ‘Cuda in park. “Do you wanna come in for a minute or two?” Tempe asked.