Most of those bugs, of course, have Brian's name on them, leading one to wonder what he might say to Brian if Brian magically appeared here right now?How would you greet him?
"Oh, OK, well ... "
Jackie speaks up. "Let me be Brian," she says.
Love looks alarmed. "No, no, no, no," he says.
But it's too late. Jackie has hopped onto her chair and is towering over her husband, both magnifying the actual height difference of the two men by about three feet and reducing the actual distance between them by about 450 miles. She puts on a deep voice. She's Brian now.
"Mike, hey, Mike!" she says.
Mike is held speechless. Finally, he says, "What?"
"That's what you would say?" Jackie asks.
He laughs, awkwardly, and gives it his best shot. "Hi, Brian, what's happening?"
Deep voice. "Hey, Mike. I found you. Ya know, dude, what are we gonna do? I miss you, Mike."
Love drops out of the moment. "Brian probably would say that. If he had the ability." He giggles nervously.
Jackie isn't satisfied. She gets serious with him. "I don't want to make you cry, but would you greet him as being your cousin and collaborator in music first, or just as a collaborator? OK, so I'm Brian. You're seeing me. Express the personal part of it. What would you say?"
Many, many seconds go by.
"I'd probably say, 'I love you,'" he says, moisture gathering in the corners of his eyes. "'And I love what we did together. And let's do it again.'" But then he gives his head a shake, narrows his eyes, any wetness there drying up, frowns and once again gives voice to what no amount of meditation can ever smooth over. "I've been ostracized," he says quietly. "Vilified. In other words, fucked with." He looks around for agreement. When none is forthcoming, he says, "Pass me the water, please," and, in such a way, lets it be known that some things will never change.
― nomar, Monday, 22 February 2016 18:11 (eight years ago) link