Music blared throughout the cramped basement, Deafeningly loud, drowning out the chaotic voices of the crowd. The names of shitty, unknown bands and various people's nicknames cover the walls.
Scotty watched the drummer intently, studying his face and his movements from the back of the venue. Everything about the drummer was familiar, right down to the way he smiled at the crowd. He wondered briefly if the man was proof his shot in the dark wasn't in vain.
The frontman called for a brief intermission after breaking one of his guitar strings, and the drummer immediately jumped up from his seat, dashing towards Scotty.
âSCOTTY?â The drummer shouted, jumping off the stage and jogging towards the back corner of the cramped basement.
âHow the hell have you been, man?!â The drummer asked, leaning against the wall beside Scotty. âAnd what the hell are you doing in New York?!"
âliving the American dream!â Scotty joked, grinning before his face fell "Aye... I'm jus' chasin' work. Sendin' money back home to me mam.â
He hadn't seen this man since 1998... Even with the mohawk and the piercings, he was still the same man he had known for just a month back in Glasgow.
âbut⊠why here? It ain't the best place to be right now, yâknow? âspecially not for foreignersâ
That was true. The flight over was hell, and Scotty knew there were better places to find work...
Scotty paused, holding back a wry laugh at being referred to as a âforeignerâ.
âYe want the truth?â he held his breath. âthis is where you told me yaâ lived back in Glasgow. I figured⊠no harm in hopinâ to run into an old friend, yeah?â
The drummer grinned widely at Scotty's answer
âI missed you, you bastard! It's been too damn long! We've got so much catching up to do! And what the hell happened to your eye?!â The drummer was visibly excited, his words coming out in a rush as he tried fitting all his thoughts in one breath.
âSorry, was that insensitive? Roach tells me I ask too many questionsâŠâ he mumbles to himself, Looking away from Scotty. âI gotta stop doing thatâŠâ
âAye, lad,â Scotty chuckled, pulling the man close to him in a half-hug, âA lot happened after yaâ left,â he mused.
âweâve got all night to catch up, though, so don't you worry.â
Scotty missed him like hell, even if they only knew each other for a short time. A month between two strangers could feel like a lifetime.
Scottyâs thoughts were interrupted by the sound of yelling through the shitty basement speakers.
"REX GET YOUR ASS BACK ON STAGE RIGHT NOW!"
âSorry, Scotty, I gotta go! Iâll be back in an hour!â
The drummer, Rex, called, giggling dumbly as he pushed through the crowd and ran off towards the stage.