Blaze of Inglory

Story Sent in by Tina:

I used to be way more into the local band scene than I am now, and one of the experiences that helped sour me on it all was my time with Ed. He was the frontman for a popular local group in my city, and they booked regular, weekly gigs. He and I met online, and I started to attend his shows.

He took me out on a few dates, and soon made it clear that he was interested in me as more than a friend. He was attractive, talented, and had some solid business acumen to boot. I thought I was lucky.

He and I had planned to go out on a rare Saturday night wherein he didn't have a booking. Less than an hour before he was due to pick me up, he called to tell me that there was a last-minute booking opportunity and that he wanted to take it.

I knew that the band was important to him, and he and I hadn't been dating for too long, so I told him, "That's fine. I'll come to your show. We can postpone the date but maybe grab a drink after the show."

He then uncharacteristically said, "Maybe you shouldn't come."

I asked, "Why not? I love watching you guys."

He replied, "I just don't need you bitter and nasty over this."

"Uh... I'm not either. I offered to watch you perform. Raincheck on the date. It's really okay."

Then he laughed into the phone and finally said, "Sure, whatever. Come if you want to."

I did. It was a sizable crowd. When his group started with their first song, I'm not sure what it was, but his playing, his singing... it was off. It was as if he had already had a few drinks before stepping onstage.

Then, at the end of his second song, he pointed to a girl in the crowd who wasn't me. He said, into his microphone, "Oh my God... you are so beautiful. Who the hell are you?"

If she answered, I didn't hear her. Ed asked, "You here alone?"

Then, I heard a girl's voice answering back, "Here with my boyfriend."

"Fuck him," Ed said, "You are the most beautiful piece of any ass that I've ever seen. Come on up here, love."

Some laughter in the crowd. None came from me. Ed went on, "I said, come on up here. I'm going to give you a night you'll never forget."

Mercifully, one of Ed's band mates commandeered the microphone away and said, "Give us five, folks." He put an arm around Ed and pulled him away.

Ed shoved the guy, then turned, leaped off the stage, and fought his way through the crowd towards where I guessed the other girl was. There was a scuffle, some shouts, that band mate jumped into the fray, fought his way to Ed, and then one of the bouncers became involved, and the other attendees backed away towards the walls, and the last I saw of Ed was him being dragged out to a side door by a bouncer and some other guy.

Ed's band completed a set without him, then, at the end of it, the band mate from before apologized to the crowd on Ed's behalf, and they packed up.

I thought about trying to find Ed after the show, but instead I went home.

He called me the next morning. "Good thing you weren't there last night," he said, "There was almost a riot."

"Oh, I was there," I said.

"You were?" he asked, "Are you sure? I didn't see you."

"Yeah. I'm sure. I was... a little surprised at how you acted. Were you—"

He hung up. That was that.