A Magazine, some realization, and a well needed friend
In January 1995, a few months after the incident at the Green Day concert, the boys of Sunset Curve want to buy a queer magazine that features an interview with Billie Joe Armstrong. It's more difficult to get than they expected but they make a new friend, find out a lot about themselves and consequences accrue. Or in other words: a fanfic about the boys fangirling about Green Day, Pansy Division and Billie Joe, Alex being Bobby's favourite, Luke and Reggie growing up queer in the 90s and Alex parents being shitty.
Can be read without the other parts of the series. Part 1 on tumblr and ao3
Read on ao3 x
The Magazine mentioned: tumblr screenshots & google books
Warnings: Aids/HIV crisis, swearing, implied/mentioned homophobia, outdated language, referenced character death
A Magazine, some realization, and a well needed friend
It was a curious view on this Tuesday afternoon in January 1995. At least for everybody that paid enough attention to their surroundings to notice. Three teenagers standing in front of a small bakery while having a seemingly heated but also quiet discussion with each other. The tallest one, Alex, a blond boy with a black cap backwards on his head and a black fanny pack around his torso, looks like he might be close to tears by this point. Like the discussion stresses him out that much. On his right is a timid looking boy named Reginald (called Reggie by most) who seems to shrink into himself the longer the conversation goes on, pulling his leather jacket tighter around his torso and fiddling with his hands while looking worried from one boy to the other. The third boy, Luke, who sports a mop of brown hair on his head seems to be having trouble standing still for longer than two seconds. He keeps bouncing around and his friends constantly remind him to keep his voice low. By the gentleness in their voices, you can tell that even though the discussion seems to be heated, at first sight, the boys are more stressed than angry. One of the women working in the bakery jokes that the group needs a problem solver because apparently none of the three boys are very good at that. She is right of course, while also being wrong. They have a problem-solving friend in their group, Bobby, it’s just that he is not with them today.
To fully understand the situation, you actually have to look around the corner up the next street. Then you would see that there is one of the only book shops on this side of L.A. that sells LGBT+ friendly books and magazines. One of these is the Special Issue of The Advocate magazine, which includes an interview with Billie Joe Armstrong from Green Day. And they are actually just discussing for which of them it might be the least dangerous to go inside. Luke being a runaway, he hasn’t seen his parents since before Christmas, seems to be the obvious choice, not having to fear the backlash from people he most likely won’t see again soon, anyway. The problem is that his parents are actively looking for him and have all types of people reporting back to them where Luke was seen. They found out about that after new year’s when Alex got into trouble with his parents because someone reported to the Pattersons where their son was, and they told Alex’s parents assuming that Alex was with Luke (he was of course but he made damn sure to deny it to his parents). So even if Luke’s parents might not get Luke into trouble, they could tell Alex’s parents and that would be a lot worse than the new year’s incident. Alex knew damn well what his parents thought about people like him. And yes, maybe he came out to his friends after the Green Day concert in November, but he was not ready to have his parents know. So, Alex going himself was obviously not an option as well. They didn’t even want to entertain the idea of how Reggie’s father might react if he found out Reggie was shopping here, so obviously, Reggie couldn’t go as well. This was not their brightest idea.
„Okay, so maybe it was a bit stupid of us to even come here without Bobby in the first place.” Alex voices his thoughts out loud to stop Luke from going through all the options they don’t actually have again and again.
„We can’t buy the magazine for him if he is the one buying it!” Reggie points out. He is right. Of course, he is right but maybe they just can’t surprise Bobby with it then.
„It’s not like we don’t all want it. Like it’s not just that he could be talking about, you know… coming clean, he might’ve talked about Jon and -” Alex stops and looks around if anybody is close enough to hear, with his voice lowered he adds „Pansy Division.”
“Hell, he even could’ve mentioned the night he punched Andrew, like imagine!” Reggie adds excitedly.
„What if he actually mentions Bobby or US!” Luke all but screams, pointing between them referring to their band. Again, the other two boys gently remind Luke to lower his voice. A lot of people would be annoyed at his inability to control how loud he is speaking, but his close friends learned fairly quickly that it is outside Luke’s control and that he doesn’t do it to be obnoxious or annoying. They also found out that if you reminded him too harshly, he will just stop speaking completely, so they all learned to remind him gently and only if it’s really necessary.
Little do the three boys know that around the corner, not far from the book shop that none of them wants to enter a young man is standing smoking a cigarette. The man, James, came out of his workplace for a quick smoke because one of his co-workers was a non-smoker and he also needed a bit of air (oh the irony). He should’ve gone inside minutes ago when he finished his first cigarette, but he kept listening to the boys’ conversation around the corner. They really could be more careful. From everything he was hearing he had any idea who they might be. A young band whose name was making its way through the clubs and bars he was hanging out in. One of his friends who actually saw them play live before and was at the Green Day concert everybody keeps referencing was a reliable source and the first one that James actually believed as he told the story.
A straight boy defending Jon at the Green Day concert against a homophobic classmate. The real version of the story is not the most glamorous one, but that boy’s band still became a safe place for a lot of queer folks. Especially if you like rock music it is so hard to find concerts you feel safe at. And a young new band getting Pansy Divisions stamp of approval, especially through a story like that? You’ll hear about them. Also, James likes Jon and everyone punching a homophobe automatically becomes a friend of his. But maybe it is just talked about that much because it’s finally a different topic than finding out about another death and maybe they just want some good news every now and then. Instead of constantly being reminded that your government doesn’t really care about you and that they're still too many of your friends dying. Finally, having heard enough to be sure that they are the friends of that boy, Bobby, James finishes his smoke, steps on the lit cigarette, and walks up to the bookstore. Hell, his boss knows he’s a fag and hasn’t fired him yet, his mother already doesn’t speak to him anymore and his father already almost beat him to death, so he definitely has nothing to lose by buying the magazine for the boys.
“We fucking need that magazine, but maybe it’s better to wait till Bobby has time to come with us. For him, it’s safer to go in there.” Luke finally admits.
“So, no surprising Bobby with it then?” Alex asks sadly, he really wanted that magazine now.
Suddenly a man approaches them, holding a bag in his hand, he walks right up to them and stops in front of the little group. He looks at Luke as if he was the one stepping forward, pretty much stepping in front of the other two boys, like he expects the stranger approaching to attack them. James immediately takes a liking to him but tries not to smile too much in fear that it might look creepy instead of friendly.
“Sorry, but I couldn’t help overhearing your conversation.” James starts.
~
Back at the garage, Reggie finally opens the bag and exclaims loudly: “It's two magazines. He brought us more than one!”
"Two is actually perfect! This way Alex can have one and the one we gift to Bobby stays at the garage" Like proclaims.
"Wha- What? Why do I get to keep one?" Alex asks perplexed.
"I don't know man. Just thought you'd wanted it" Luke shrugs. Acting like it's no big deal.
"O-Okay”
“Now just back to the plan: how do we do this the best way? You know surprising Bobby with this?” Reggie interjects before Alex can argue about who gets to keep the spare. It would’ve been quite a silly discussion anyway, considering that three of them pretty much lived at Bobby’s, while Alex lived with his parents. They haven’t really thought this far ahead. Too caught up with how they will get the magazine they didn’t think about how to actually do the surprising bit. Trying to come up with an idea on the fly they are so taken up that they don’t even notice Bobby entering. Bobby literally has to shout to make them even notice him. He might’ve been annoyed at being ignored by the boys but just seeing them slowly turn around, looking quite busted is too funny to be annoyed. The magazines are visibly in their hands to see.
Reggie tries it with a "Surprise!?!" (Jazz Hands). Luke hits him lightly on the chest and Alex mutters an “Okay”. Confused and suspicious by the way his friends act Bobby asks, "What is going on here?", franticly looking around to see what his friends have done this time, not even noticing the magazines in their hands. Relived he sees that his guitar and the garage are both still intact.
"We wanted to surprise you with this, but I think we messed it up." Alex starts slowly turning the magazine so that Bobby can see it better. "We went out and brought the queer magazine with the Billy Joe interview." Bobby somehow thinks this to be even more stupid than anything he could’ve thought of.
"What the fuck, Alex?! What if your parents would have seen you? Or Luke's parents for that matter! Guys, that was just so stupid! And reckless! And to be honest dangerous! How could you-" But before Bobby got even more worked up about the roundabout about how they got the magazine, Luke stepped in and explained the whole thing to the stranger. This however did not calm down Bobby one bit.
"You just took something from a stranger? From a grown ass man? Are you mental?"
"Chill, it's not like we took candy from him!" Luke intervened again. Bobby just gave him an angry look but tried to calm down.
"Bobby, I get it if I think too much about it, I get freaked out about it as well! But it happened and now we have the magazine so let's be happy about that." Alex reasons.
"Oh, by the way, he knew of Sunset Curve!" Luke tells Bobby excitedly.
"Not to forget, he knew about Bobby as well!" Reggie adds happily as if there was absolutely nothing wrong with that statement.
"What the fuck? Can you please not make this even more creepy? How and why did he know about me?"
"Apparently if you fight for one of the Pansy Division guys you are known in a specific scene in L.A." Luke shrugs like it's no big deal and starts looking through the magazine he's holding. His attention spam not see any reason with this conversation anymore and was distracted by the newest thing in the room.
Alex sees that Bobby still thinks it's a big deal and tries to calm him down with "He seems generally nice and really wasn't weird at all so I wouldn't worry too much". Wouldn’t worry too much? Is this the same Alex that worries too much about most things? But weirdly that’s what calms Bobby down at the end, if Alex is not worried it should be fine. The drummer finally looks at the magazine, he’s been holding this whole time and notices at least five other articles he would really love to dive into, and he silently accepts to take one copy home so he can read it in peace without being distracted.
"Let’s start reading?" Reggie asks, implying that they would read the article together. Luke points at Alex and goes: "You read out loud from your copy, and Reg and I can follow along with this one.” Referring to how it’s easier for both of them to hear and read at the same time to process information.
"Yeah sure," Alex says and starts reading. The article starts immediately by mentioning Pansy Division. Right away there's a sentence that makes Alex stop for a second. "In coast-to-coast mosh pits, sweaty hetero teenagers with pierced nipples, eyebrows, and tongues slammed against the bodies of young gays and lesbians who look exactly like them." It seems silly but he always feared that he wouldn't fit in anymore, that this world just was not open for him. He didn't even think about the fact other queer people might have attended the concert as well. The thought makes him feel less alone. The article keeps going on about how the Green Day audience reacted to Pansy Division and that the reactions were mixed. It does not mention their show, or Bobby's interactions with Billie Joe, Jon, and Andrew. But it talks a lot about Pansy Division and how they are connected to Green Day. When it comes to the part where Billie Joe says Pansy Division is the kind of band that saves people's life Alex has to stop reading, feeling like he might start to cry and having trouble swallowing. Without saying much Bobby who has been reading over his shoulder takes over reading out loud.
Starting with Billie Joe Armstrong talking about being bisexual and having a hard time in school because of how sexuality and masculinity were perceived. When he reaches the part where Billie Joe talks about coming clean and how it is about coming out, Alex interjects with a "ha! I knew it" sounding really proud of himself, which Bobby only comments on by shaking his head, because duh! Bobby keeps reading and doesn't even notice how while he is reading about Billie Joe commenting on Kurt Cobain, an ex-girlfriend, and his HIV positive gay uncle, only Alex is really listening anymore.
As soon as he finishes, the drummer exclaims: "Wow there was a lot more than I expected."
"Yeah same" Bobby agrees, "I think I was expecting Billie Joe to not be straight, but I didn't think, and he would openly say it"
"I know exactly what you mean" Alex half screams, too excited to keep an indoor voice. It’s not just Luke who struggles with that sometimes. The two boys keep on gushing over the article, rereading and discussing every single detail. So caught up in their own excitement that they don't even realize that their two bandmates have gone completely quiet. After a few minutes Alex asks: "Luke what do you think about how subtle / not subtle the lyrics of coming clean are, now that we know know what the song is about?" Just now, after their lead singer doesn't answer the two notice just how quiet Luke and Reggie have become, when they look over, they see them sitting on the couch, looking lost.
"Luke? Reg? Are you alright?" Bobby asks them cautiously approaching like he's trying not to scare off a deer in the wild. They look at each other and then at Alex and Bobby and then back at each other. It seems like they're having a silent conversation that no one else can follow. Both looking stunned and confused. "Is it all a bit much? What do you need?" Alex asks a bit scared that this might be a breakdown, which is rare for the two and normally looks different, but you never know. Back comes an answer or actually more like a question from Luke: "You... You can still be bisexual even if you've never been with a dude?" It could be a simple "I don't quite get the concept" question but Alex felt like it was more. But before he can answer Bobby already does. "Yeah, I mean you can be straight without ever being with a girl, right? And not to be a meanie, but I'm pretty sure Alex never got with a boy. He is still our pure innocent Alex." He teases, but quickly adds "Not that being with a boy instead of a girl makes it less pure, I'm just talking about virginity in general!" After not receiving a verbal reaction Bobby really looks at the two boys on the couch and notices a matching look of realization on their faces. It seems like they just now have understood why you need air to survive.
“Okay, what am I missing here?” Bobby asks after noticing the knowing glint in Alex’s eyes, realizing he is the only one who’s not in the loop. He doesn’t get an answer though. Instead, Alex asks Luke and Reggie if they need a minute or if they further want to talk about it. Luke shakes his head as if he’s trying to get his thoughts in order and then looks up at Alex. “I think I might be bi.” Luke whispers so low that Bobby is sure he was not supposed to have heard it. He sees Alex smile at Luke, taking his hand and waiting for him to say more. Reggie suddenly stands up and climbs up the ladder to the ‘attic’. After a few seconds, Luke follows him. Bobby already has trouble reading social cues and is just overall overwhelmed with strong emotions, at least from anyone but Alex who he often can read like an open book. This is definitely out of his league. He knows something he wasn’t supposed to know and even though he technically knows it’s not his fault he can’t help but feel guilty. On top of that two of his best friends are upset, or at least emotionally distressed, and he can’t figure out what seems to be wrong because he doesn’t think being bisexual is something bad and he can’t imagine Reg and Luke thinking it is.
It will take Bobby 20 more years to realize what those feelings are like that Reggie and Luke are having at that moment. He will not understand how scary it can be to realize you’re not straight, not before he himself will find himself in a situation in which he will understand his feelings better. That the reason sex and relationships never felt right wasn’t that he was too damaged by his absent family and his friends dying, but because he was AroAce. But 20 years back in the old garage with his still alive friends, this was way out of his league, so he looked at Alex for help, who immediately saw the panic in his friend’s eyes and smiled at him reassuringly. “Just give them a minute.” Alex tells Bobby and then starts a conversation about the article again. Bobby thinks it’s so Luke and Reggie don’t think they might be listening.
~
"You want to stay here for the night?" Bobby asks Alex a few hours later after Reggie and Luke came back down again just to tell the rest of the band that they don’t want to talk about it right now and need to sleep it over. After that they didn’t talk much – Luke and Reggie both quietly reading each one of the magazines - and Bobby and Alex left them alone in the garage to get ready for the night after a while.
"Yeah, no, my parents will be more of a pain in the butt if I stay here without asking beforehand, than if I just come home too late." Alex answers but Bobby can tell he’d rather stay. He can’t help but wonder when they’re going to need a new mattress for the garage since Alex seems to dislike going home more and more each day. Alex could stay in the house though; he wouldn’t have to worry about him waking his grandma or destroying the house accidentally as Luke and Reggie would. Not that he doesn’t love them but his grandparent’s collection of antique vases and decorative plates just doesn’t mix well with their hyperactivity and slope to break things.
"Who would have thought we could get those two into quiet reading?"
"Apparently a sexuality crisis can do that to you"
"Yeah. Not how I expected the evening to go"
"Me neither. And to think but I was so scared of coming out."
"After the Green Day concert. Seems like this band has a thing coming out after Green Day things" They both laugh, the tension of the afternoon and evening eased a bit.
"Okay, I really got to get going. Is today a hugging day or nah?" Alex asks Bobby, knowing full well that some days are just no-touchy days for his friend.
"Don't tell the others but I think today is an ‘I'd like an Alex hug day’" Bobby admits sheepishly.
"And give up on those? I would never tell a single soul." Alex answers with a grin and pulls Bobby into a hug.
"I love you, Bobbers, don't you forget that" Bobby hides his face in Alex shoulder in mumbles something which Alex can't totally make out but it kind of sounds like a "I love you too asshead".
~
Alex barely remembers how he got back to Bobby’s later that night. Feeling hollow inside he lifts his right hand to ring the bell of Bobby’s grandparents’ house knowing full well that they’re not there and that the only one he’d be waking would be Bobby if his friend wasn’t awake already. Funny how his parents knew James's family. Funny how someone who knew them both saw them. Funny how there is absolutely nothing funny about it at all. He should’ve made something up. Hell, he should’ve let his parents believe that he brought drugs from James because that’s what they initially thought after the family friend told them about his interaction with the man. Alex just didn’t expect his parents to rather have him take or deal drugs than be gay. He should’ve known better. Fuck he should’ve known better. Shivering from the surprisingly cold rain he lifts his hand again to ring the bell a second time. He should’ve known better. Or he should’ve just lied. He should’ve said something about buying a porn magazine or anything that they’d need an adult for. But feeling high from the day he had with his friends, from finding out that he might not be the only non-straight member of Sunset Curve, he just felt rebellious or maybe he thought better of his parents than he should’ve. It pretty much didn’t matter now anyway what’s done is done. He was stupid enough to tell his parents he’s gay.
He came home late, and his parents were waiting for him, which was not uncommon when he arrived after curfew, but still, he should’ve realized something was up. Maybe then he would’ve been better prepared. Walking in, both his parents greeted him in the hallway, successfully blocking his way to the stairs. They looked angry but concerned as well. Probably the last time they’ll look at him with a concerned look, Alex thought bitterly to himself recoiling the last few hours. His parents confronted him about James, and he panicked. All he knew is that he really didn’t want anyone thinking he has anything to do with drugs and he really didn’t want to get James in trouble as well or Luke and Reggie for that matter. After spending the afternoon and evening talking so openly about being queer and reading so many articles on everything and reading about one of his idols talking about being attracted to men, he just forgot that this was something he was supposed to be ashamed of, that it was something he should hide, that it was something he shouldn’t tell people. He just forgot what his parents and their friends and their church thought about people like him. He was reckless and happy for a few hours too long and he just forgot.
Seeing how his parents reacted though made him believe that he will never in his life manage to forget it ever again. There are just a few things you will take with you forever and Alex was sure that not even death could make him unhear his mother’s shriek or his father’s grunted warning. They gave him the chance to say that he was lying, that he made an ill placed joke, that it was just his generation’s humour, but he couldn’t. He knew that even if he pretended that it was all a lie they would watch him with hawks’ eyes, that it wouldn’t just be like he never said anything. It was out there. He said it and he could never take back the words in a meaningful way. What’s done is done. For almost 5 hours he listened to his parents berating him before he snapped. In a haze he grabbed his biggest bag and put all his necessary items in it, telling them he moves out. Leaving probably way too much behind. But he just needed to leave. He just needed to get out immediately. He just knew he couldn’t stay there any second longer.
Not being able to take his parent's car anymore he just walked all the way to Bobby’s. It took him almost an hour, and halfway through it started raining which means all his schoolbooks are probably ruined but he couldn’t find it in himself to care anymore. Just as he was about to ring the bell a third time, while debating if he should go to the garage where Luke and Reggie would be sleeping even though he knew he needs Bobby right now, the door finally opens. It takes all of three seconds for Bobby to assess the situation. Without saying anything he pulls Alex into the house, forces the completely soaked overnight bag out of his cold hand and places it on the floor, as well as Alex's backpack. He gently guides Alex up the stairs into the main bathroom and turns on the showerhead, so the water has time to run hot. Bobby leaves his obviously distressed friend for just a second to get some dry clothes and towels for him.
“Come, Alex, you need to get out of the wet clothes” he addresses the drummer who was sitting on the edge of the bathtub, seemingly not noticing the return of his friend. Carefully Bobby peels the wet pink sweater off Alex who cooperates until Bobby tries to also peel off his t-shirt as well. He flinches and stares at Bobby as if he just noticed him then.
“Hey, it’s alright, we’re just going to get you into the shower, so you don’t freeze to death.” While speaking Bobby takes a step back and lifts his arms to look as non-threatening as possible. He stays there for a few seconds, hands in the air waiting for a reaction from his best friend.
“Do you want to talk about it maybe? I just thought we get you warm first, but if you want to talk…” he left the sentence open, waiting for any kind of response. Apparently, this was doing the trick. As if being slapped out of his stupor Alex shakes his head to get back into reality and actually looks at Bobby fully for the first time since he arrived at Bobby’s house that morning.
“Yeah. No. Shower” he mutters before he gets up and starts undressing. Bobby takes this as his cue to leave the bathroom, but he waits in front of the other side of the door listening, not trusting to leave Alex alone completely. As soon as he hears the water turning off again and the shower curtain being pulled aside Bobby leaves and gets into his room, not wanting Alex to know he’s been snooping in front of the door. A few seconds later Alex walks into his room, wearing Bobby’s clothes and drying his hair with a towel. When he sees Bobby sitting on his bed he halters in his movements, looks at Bobby for a second and then looks down.
“Thank you for the shower and the clothes and for not hating me” Alex mumbles to the floor, the last part barely audible and Bobby’s heart breaks that second. He feels like he knows quite well what might’ve happened, but he doesn’t want to push Alex. He doesn’t know what to say. Bobby is really bad at this, at people, at feelings and at talking and he is really confused as to why Alex would come to him instead of Luke or Reggie. Bobby just can't ever seem to say the right thing in any situation, but when you think that your friend’s religious parents might have found out about him being gay and kicked him out, what is there to say anyway? He can’t think of anything that could help. He feels overwhelmed but doesn’t want Alex to know that, so he just gestures to Alex to sit down next to him by tapping his hand there. Alex takes the nonverbal cure and sits down on the bed, as far away from Bobby as possible. Clearly, this was not enough to make Alex believe that Bobby does not hate him, so he tries to smile, “Come on doofus, the bed is big, but we don’t need to use the whole space,” he pulls on Alex's arm to make him scoot closer. “You know I’ll never hate you right? Don’t tell the others, but you’re my favourite.”
This makes Alex smile slightly, “I’m only your favourite because the others sometimes forget to not touch you on no-touch-days” he says, but still oblies to Bobby pulling on his arm by crawling up the bed to sit next to Bobby. He even lets the shorter boy fully koala hug him. After a few seconds, he feels himself relaxing into the hug and with the stress leaving his body he feels the tears come up again. Gripping at Bobby’s arm that is wrapped around his chest he starts sobbing again, trying to keep it quiet even though Bobby can clearly feel his sobs as close as he is. “They know,” Alex tells his friend, by Bobby squeezing him slightly in response he knows that he doesn’t have to say more. This is why he needed Bobby because he didn’t want to talk about it. And the others would’ve asked more questions, telling him that he has to talk about it. They are right but right now he doesn’t want to talk, he just wants to be held. He scoots down a bit and lays his head on his friend’s chest. His friend, who didn’t hate him for being gay, even though his parents do. Even though a lot of people do. But not his friends. At least not his friends. And maybe not his favourite band. So, there was that.
All four of them miss school that day. After Bobby didn’t come downstairs in time for school a few hours later Reggie and Luke went looking for him in the main house. They found Alex and Bobby still sitting on the bed. Alex has fallen asleep in his friend’s arms, but Bobby looked up when the other two entered. Seeing Bobby with tears in his eyes holding the sleeping Alex they immediately knew what had happened, so maybe Alex was wrong thinking he has to explain, maybe he was wrong thinking he was the only one who was scared of this happening.
~
And Bobby actually gets to meet James. He'll meet James two times. First time after a Sunset Curve concert in April of the same year, where he finds out why James decided to buy the boys the magazines and where James and Alex shared their "getting kicked out stories".
"I was lucky, I guess. At least I was 18." James had said to Alex.
Alex scoffed at that: "Are you trying to tell me that at 18 you have so much more figured out than at 16?"
James laughed at this "Yeah no. I think I've been saying that a lot when I actually thought that you're grown up with 18 and now I'm just used to saying it. But you are right 18-year-olds are definitely not grownups."
The second and last time he met James was at a gay bar in August 1995. He didn't know what else to turn to. From talks he had with gay people after their concerts he realized that he could find a lot of people understanding survivor guilt at a club like this. People who didn't go through the same thing but something similar enough for him to not feel so goddamn alone. James found him drinking at the bar knowing damn well that Bobby was way too young for it. As soon as Bobby saw him, he started sobbing. Crying in the arms of a practical stranger Bobby has been repeating the words "They're dead" and "I didn't save them" over and over again until he almost passed out with exhaustion from not sleeping, grieving and the immense guilt that was crushing him. So yeah, James got himself into a way deeper mess than he expected when he was first listening in on those boys talking on a streetcorner, but he was actually really glad to have been there that night and to know Bobby because he was the one who managed to get the boy home safely.
