The official music video for Impression Management, which comes from the album, Agenda, by Baltimore's very own F City. The video was directed by Mark Colegrove @ Dire Wit Film.
This Baltimore trio consist’s of Paul Joyce on bass, Lala Anderson on lead vocals and keyboards, and Landis Expandis on lead vocals and drums.
Andy stared out the window of their house, watching the water stick to the window and trickle down slowly. The soft noise of the rain falling on the roof and around the house. They lived thirty minutes outside the city, when they’d looked around at houses when first moving they knew they wanted a house, and Andy wanted a yard wanted something besides the window box that he grew stuff in back home. Somehow finding a little house shoved away on top of a hill in the woods, the owner a young woman whose grandmother had owned it and was ready to get rid of the home finally after her passing. They honestly all loved it for so many reasons, Matt had the entire woods to run free in when he needed to. Andy had the large yard to build a garden in that he could take care of and not worry about strangers passing by picking at it, and John had tree coverings from the light. Giving him plenty of space to move around in certain areas during the day. It was really the perfect place to live for the three of them.
He turned back down looking at the papers scattered around the old table, books lying open and empty glass bottles. He’d been working on a few new things, a few different ideas but he wasn’t feeling any of them right now. Climbing up and picking up his coat. Slipping it on he stepped outside, bare feet on the wet pathway up to their house from the driveway. Stepping off into the rough ground of fallen leaves and branches and breathing in the wet air and smell of the woods. Wandering away from the house and onto the grass, feeling mud under his feet through the soft grass and shoving his hands into his pockets and stand there. Staring up into the treetops and at the grey sky.
He was worried for the human, the man who kept coming into his shop for things. Worried he might not believe Andy due to his aversion to magic, might think Andy’s trying to get him to do something that he doesn’t want to do, or worse that Andy caused something to happen himself. He worries mainly however, about the health of the man. If he’ll come back, so Andy can talk to him and explain, can help him with this so the nightmares will leave. That restful sleep will come to him and he’ll heal better in other places. He breathed out again reaching up to run his fingers through his hair, damp already from the rain. He has to believe it’ll be okay, and trust in his skills, and his while small, and only on a customer level, relationship with this other man. That Andy hasn’t steered him wrong yet and hopefully that means something. If he can convince him to at least try than he’s got enough success.
“You’ll catch a cold.” Andy turned, seeing Matt standing there beside him, wearing his hoodie and sweatpants. Andy couldn’t help but laugh shaking his head.
“Hilarious….is John sleeping?” The taller nodded stretching out before huddling back down into his jacket. John worked the night shifts at a pizza place, hours for vampires, run by vampires. It also had really good vegan pizza so it got a lot of traffic in the night from a lot of other folk to.
“He went to sleep about an hour ago, when he got home from work….thought I’d see what you're doing out here.” Andy shrugged, tilting his head back again to feel the rain. Running over his skin and dripping down onto his clothes.
“The New Moon’s tomorrow.” Andy mumbled, squishing the grass under his feet rolling his heels slick and feeling the grit of mud. He should of come out here earlier. He knows Matt know’s, knows when it is and keeps close track of those dates and even if he didn’t. He could feel it, he’s probably feeling it right now that the day is coming. Andy mentioned it mainly to know what the others plans for tomorrow were.
“John has work off, just proper lining up of shifts…..so he can either help you with the shop or.” Andy shook his head looking back down at his roommate. His hood up and clothes already partially soaked standing out here with Andy.
“No you two stay home, I can take care of the shop alone. It’ll be fine, and he’ll be worried anyway the whole time there’s no point in him coming.” Matt nodded, standing there for a few minutes with Andy until he heard the taller shifting, moving away to leave the witch alone. Andy would come in when he was ready there was no need for him to stand around. Andy relaxed again, looking out into the woods around the house, into their forest to deep to see all the way into the trees only getting thicker and denser the more you go. There were things in there, he knew, all of them did. Various things that he kept his eyes on, as long as they caused no issues he welcomed them around his home. He closed his eyes, counting down before breathing out and moving back to the path. Heading back into the house to wash up and get back to the work he’d been focused on earlier.
He’d stayed up a bit too late, shaking off the exhaustion reading over his old books, a woman had come in earlier in the week needing help with something and he’d been doing his best to make something up for her that fit her needs. He yawned heading off to bed, and ended up on the couch watching mindless shows playing on the TV until sleep was forced upon him. Matt and John were gone in the morning, and he didn’t expect anything different. There was a ritual on nights like tonight and Andy had grown very use to them. Getting his stuff together for work and heading off to the shop for the day. He’d walk if he hadn’t slept in, enjoying the air and if he’s ever too tired he just can crash at the shop, but on top of already being a little late and the rain he takes their car.
Work was slow, no one coming in letting him to continue looking up things in his books and other work he needed to do. Slow most likely because of the rain, and a few people coming in for stuff he sold on the shelves. One person for a custom order that he talked with for a long while about everything they needed and wanted from the potion and how he could give them what they wanted to the best of his ability. The usual work he’d always been going through. Scribbling away in his notebook on sales, and making sure the money had been done properly last week. The shop bell rang and he looked up, looking at Joe standing, looking around the shop. They smiled at one another and Andy felt nerves grab at him for a moment, knowing that the other wasn’t here for his back stuff. Knowing what it was about and all the thoughts of yesterday returning.
“You’re becoming a familiar face Joe.” Andy teased, keeping the mood light, the other looked more exhausted than the last time he saw him and he shifted. Joe laughed shrugging.
“The stuff for my backs still working wonderfully Andy, thank you. Seriously. I...I guess this other stuff isn’t working as well. I get to sleep but…” He shrugged. “Not quite I guess what I needed…” Andy frowned looking down at his books and then at Joe.
“Come, sit...we can talk some more about this.” He gestured. Shutting the books and putting them under the counter. Joe came over, pulling out one of the stools and sitting at it across from Andy like he had the first day they’d met. Andy reached under, crouching to find the right book he needed coming back up and biting his lip, flipping through it. Landing on the page he needed.
“I don’t think what’s affecting you is...is really human like you think it is.” Joe made a face and Andy was quick to keep talking before the other could counter. “The man who works with me. Matt? You met him the other day, he’s a wolf, like he told you...and. He smelled something on the papers you gave me. A very distinct smell.” He turned the book around to Joe so he could see. “There called Sluagh, Unrestful spirits of the dead...they smell like death, and...and like decay. I think one’s somehow latched onto you, either through where you live or in passing and is the reason for your nightmares.” He explained, looking up at Joe now, wishing he could plead with the human to listen, understand, and believe. Joe took the book slowly, reading over the paper and frowning.
“So...so you don’t think it’s a natural cause?” Andy shook his head. “I...is there a way to get rid of it? Or stop the nightmares?” Andy relaxed, so Joe was willing to accept this, thankfully.
“Yes, yes there’s a way. I can help you with this and I can do my best to get rid of the nightmares and the thing looming over you. When Matt had told me, I gathered everything I needed already and put it together. I was...honestly just wanting to be ready in case you needed it.” He reached under picking up the stuff he’d spent so long putting together, a whole night and more of work before he’d fallen asleep in the back of the shop and Matt ran it for him. Joe took it carefully, holding it in his hands and looking at the book, and then the bag, then Andy.
“Okay….Okay what do I do with this?” Andy closed the book slipping it away for safekeeping.
“Put it in your room with you, you're welcome to look at the stuff but it’s mostly herbs and a gem...It’s magic free I promise you as you’ve stated before you're not a fan of the magic we do, and people use...It’ll help, but if not come back right away. There’s bigger steps we can take but I think this is what’s needed.” Joe nodded, looking at the bag for a long moment, thinking of what Halsey, and Patrick had said, and stood.
“I’ll take it...Thank you Andy...thank you so much.” Andy waved him off, taking back the bag and boxing it up to protect it from the rain and while Joe was walking home. Writing down everything he needed to do, and the steps he needed to take. Handing Joe the box.
“Don’t take the sleeping medicine anymore, though...you already stopped haven't you?” Joe nodded. “Good...Good” He mumbled rubbing at his beard, shaking off the thought. He shook his hand at the card. “No, no. I should've noticed sooner, count it as a return for the medicine since it didn’t really work.”
Joe made a face. “Andy…” He said slowly, he couldn’t just not pay the man for his work.
“Make it up to me sometime, or come by and tell me if the nightmares stopped so I know it worked. That’ll be payment sometime.” The taller frowned more, and Andy frowned back, before Joe sighed realizing the other wasn’t going to take a payment for him.
“Thank...thank you a lot Andy. I’ll come back the minute they stop so you know...and I’ll also come back if they don’t…” He bundled the box up in his jacket carefully wanting to protect it on his way home, waving goodbye to the other and heading out. Andy sighed looking at the counter, and then the shop.
He walked around, flipping the sign to closed. He wasn’t in the mood to stay open as late as he normally was tonight.
“Hey I’m gonna need a day off next week do you mind running the shop and everything for me?” Joe looks up from the record stack he’s pricing and at his boss. Halsey’s….interesting. She hired Joe just from looking at him, saying she didn’t need to know his experience, she knew he was good enough for what she needed. He has no idea even to this day what that means, but he does like his job. She’s a very personal woman, who also shares everything all at once. Joe has no idea how long she’s been with her partner, or anything about her. But he knows a lot about her sex life and her like in music. He guesses having something is better than nothing, plus she likes a lot of the same stuff as him.
“Yeah of course.” He doesn’t mind having the fort the whole day, more hours means more money and rent’s almost due so he’s not really gonna turn down money or anything, plus who else are they gonna get to work if she’s not here. People have come in but she’s never taken them for a job.
“Awesome, thank you so much. Hayley and I are going out of town to head up north maybe catch some snow, board a little.” She shrugged. “She needs a getaway for a weekend.” Joe nodded.
“It’s no problem, tell her I say Hi and all. And really I don’t mind it at all you know I don’t.” She laughed nodding and moving off to go help someone find a record they were looking for. He finished putting away this stack and went to move on to the stack donated by someone last week that needed prices. They got a few here and there, some people selling records to them and stuff mostly it was new shipments now a days though. Joe didn’t mind it all that much, it was cool to see the variety of ages that they got in here depending on the time of year and what was coming out. It was an average boring day, just sorting, helping people here and there. Halsey was busy doing their yearly reports and everything so he ran the front of the shop up until his lunch break. Going over to the cafe next door to go and get something for him and his boss and the two of them eating at the counter talking to a dude with a vintage gibson that Joe kind of wanted to buy for himself.
He walked home, picking up some groceries because he knows Patrick forgot and spent all day inside doing something music related and would get this startled look on his face when Joe got home and asked giving some excuse about distracted and being busy. It wasn’t anything Joe didn’t expect, and it never really bothered him, he just kind of laughed and picked it up himself. Putting the box from Andy’s shop in the bag with the food he headed home.
He lived in a two story apartment, that technically was three because they lived in the basement room. A two bedroom with a small kitchen and a small living room and one bathroom that only worked maybe on occasion. It had hardwood floors and white walls, and was full of more music equipment then two men needed. Patrick played the guitar, drums, trumpet and also mixed music. Their apartment had become a center for making weird songs and putting them online. Joe was a big fan of that part, they’d met online so there was really an in air chance Joe moved in with a roommate weird for different reasons other than never sleeping and playing trument in the kitchen at four in the morning.
Patrick was on the couch, a deconstructed guitar in front of him as he put pieces together that Joe was sure did not belong to the original piece. “Did you get eggs?” Wide blue eyes looked at him and Joe laughed. “Chill I got them.” He shook his head moving into the kitchen to put away the food.
“I’m so sorry I just, got caught up in this project. I knew I was forgetting something.” He groaned, climbing up from the floor to help Joe put away some of the stuff. Picking the box up and frowning. “You went to Fuck City?” He turned wondering what in the world that meant, It was Andy’s box, and wait was that what the F in the shop stood for?
“Is that what that stands for? And yeah my doctor recommended some non magic poultices to help for my back. She really think this is what I need and everything.” He shrugged taking the box back and Patrick nodded.
“Yeah he had to call it F City because the city wasn’t going to let Fuck City be a shop opened up on the streets. I’ve never needed to go into his shop but I know a few guys that use his things. He’s suppose to be like this big, powerful witch. Like I guess he’s got the best potions around. People really like his stuff, and it’s all natural kind of things. He’s talked about a lot in the weird other world community.” He waved his hand around, putting the last of the things away and Joe tossed away the bags into the trash. Reminding himself to bring the reusable ones next time he planned to get stuff from the store. It always saved him money. They hung out a bit, Joe helping the other finish building the strange guitar he’d been working on. Playing a few riffs together. Nothing overly entertaining or unusual. They usually always jammed together at least once a night, both wanting to talk songs they’d been recording and working on. It was a good release after a long day of work to just play a bit.
Joe used the stuff from Andy, as per directions that night before going to bed and set his alarm. It didn’t work right away, at least not that Joe noticed anyway. He’d go to work, come home, play guitar for a bit, dick around online and on his blog and go to bed. His same routine as always, and waking up was always the pain that it had been since the surgery. He kept using it, figuring meds didn’t always work right away so he’d give it the month before mentioning it not working. It wasn’t magic like Andy promised, so he’d give it a bit of time to do what it needed to do and hopefully he’d be the better for waiting. He strummed away with Patrick in the night and sometimes day, covered his boss's vacation and shifts. It was nothing more than everyday he had before, with the small added routine at night.
The change did come, slowly. He noticed he had more time to get ready in the morning which was strange, and he spent less time getting up. The pain was still there but it seemed to go away much faster. He noticed he could lift things more and more, and do a little more work around the shop than he was use to doing. It was a subtle and slow change, and the pain never left completely but Joe no longer dreaded getting up, he was able to do a lot more work around the house. It wasn’t gone but it was less than what it was before, way less. Even Halsey and Patrick felt the need to comment on it one day, saying he’d been more awake lately and more active. He honestly hadn’t expected that at all. He found himself feeling more and more confident and using it and more relaxed and it helped even more now that he probably wasn’t so tense or dismissive of the small changes it really seemed to be making. He honestly was getting better and it was something non magic, it was something that wasn’t full of weird chemicals that just made him drugged up and unfocused all the time and would probably end up killing him to. He had something that was working, and wasn’t going to hopefully kill him in the long run.
He was less anxious about going again later the next month. He’d moved out into the city after his Mom had passed away, needing to get away from the daily reminders around home, and just the atmosphere his family had become. It was to much at once, his girlfriend broke up with him back home, and his music wasn’t doing well. He just was overwhelmed and decided leaving the busy city of Chicago was what was needed, and while it fixed a lot, it didn’t fix everything. He still didn’t sleep a lot, nightmares and general insomnia keeping him awake late into the night and work having him up early. He told his Doctor about all this, feeling the need to move onto the next step of getting help and getting healthy and she smiled giving him advice and choices he had. One of them being Andy’s shop again, and he couldn’t help but admit that would be the choice over the other medicines or magics. He took the slip of paper, and found himself outside the shop again a few days later. Pushing the door open and looking around. Matt wasn’t at the counter but neither was Andy. He looked around, stepping in more and turning to look at the door. It said open, and the door wasn’t locked. There was a thump from the back, and some clutter. The door opening and Andy sticking his head out.
“Oh!” He laughed. “I’m so sorry. So sorry.” He came out more, running his hands through his hair and smoothing it down. It was a mess, sticking up a bit and he had some kind of stuff all over him clothes rumpled. “I’ve been working on some new things and must've lost track of time. Joe right?” He grinned and Joe nodded, smiling back. “How’s the stuff working for you? Good I hope, and hope its other reasons that brought you in today.”
Joe nodded again. “Oh yeah man, the stuff is amazing. The pain isn’t completely gone but man, its so much less than I even expected. It’s amazing, I can start getting up in the mornings more and everything. Your stuff is amazing.” Andy beamed at him, smiling wide. “No I came in because Doc sent me back to get some sleeping stuff. I just...been having issues since I moved and figured one thing worked why not try one more and maybe get myself back into good health.” Andy nodded moving past the counter and over to the shelves and shelves of bottles.
“I’ve got a few things that’ll work. Sticking with the no magic still I assume.” Joe nodded. “So I’ve got something that’ll help you sleep, and something that’ll make you sleep. The difference being one will give you no choice the other kind of just relaxes your body and mind so you can drift off to sleep. They both work it’s just more what you think you personally need.” He showed Joe the colorful bottles, and Joe tilted his head taking them from the smaller. Which he hadn’t gotten to really notice well but Joe wasn’t a very big guy and Andy was smaller than him. He thought Matt was just a really tall guy but it seems like Andy’s also just...small.
“I think I’ll try the stuff that’ll just help, go harder if it ends up not working you feel?” Andy nodded smiling and taking the bottle from Joe to go wrap it up for him.
“You're still good on the stuff for your back?” Joe nodded, he still had a whole bottle and then the half he’d been using. He’ll be set for a little while at least unless something happens to it. “Good, wonderful.” Andy picked up a pen scribbling over the top of the box and taping it shut. Ringing Joe up and taking his card before handing the box over.
“Thanks again Andy.” The other saluting him again, grinning wide, and Joe shook his head smiling himself. “I’ll see you when I need more and some refills.” Andy nodded and Joe headed off towards work, hoping this stuff worked tonight as well as the other stuff. It’ll be great to get sleep, and have less pain. The two together would do wonders for his music to he’s sure.
