A View from the Periphery (standard:drama, 12805 words)
Author: TJC	Added: Jul 29 2002	Views/Reads: 4182/2800	Story vote: 0.00 (0 votes)
An eccentric young female groupie and a thirtysomething, down on his luck male cop are thrown together by circumstance after a rock concert. Both carry emotional baggage and find comfort with each other over a period of one summer night in Tucson.

Thomas J. Comer 

A VIEW FROM THE PERIPHERY 

"Five Pizzas," said Ty Deakin.  "All paid for and sitting here.  Anyone
coming down?" 

Floyd, the burly, sour night auditor nodded. 

"Some girl, she said she'd be down in a minute." 

Ty Deakin saw her as soon as she walked into the hotel lobby.   There
was no denying her sex appeal in an extremely short and revealing red 
dress.  Her skin was coffee brown and she wore her black hair straight 
and long, in the fashion Cher used to back in the 1970's.  Was she 
Mexican? Indian? Who knows.  She was here for the pizzas. 

"Hello," she said as she hoisted the boxes into her arms.  "I wish we
could have gotten some real food."  She was talking out loud but not 
really to either Ty or Floyd, or so it appeared to Deakin. 

"Well this is Tucson," said Deakin.  "Nothing is open too late, at least
not places that deliver."  It was past midnight. 

The girl did not reply as she made her way to the sliding glass lobby
doors that led out into the courtyard and the steps to the three suite 
floors which encircled the courtyard, pool, and jacuzzi areas of The 
Sonora Suites Hotel.  When the automatic doors opened, Deakin called 
after her. 

"Miss, can you let them know that in five minutes I will be clearing the
courtyard. So if they're gonna invite anyone up they'd best get on it." 


"Sure," said the girl as she disappeared out of the lobby and up the
stairs, toting the pizzas. 

Deakin stood close to the sliding doors, but not so close as for them to
open. The courtyard was filled with young music fans, the vast majority 
of which were very attractive women.  All were fans of the rock and 
roll group Blue Nova.  The band had a reputation for inviting fans up 
into their rooms for a party and these were tonight's hopefuls.  Young, 
tight bodies, all with an expression of anticipation on their heavily 
made up faces.  He guessed there were thirty or so. 

"Well,  Floyd, the show is about to start."  Deakin walked out of the
opening doors and into the courtyard.  The desert heat still filled the 
air to a degree of well above ninety despite the late hour, as is 
normal on a July night in Tucson, Arizona. The attire worn by the 
hopefuls reflected such; mostly skimpy shorts or skirts and even 
skimpier blouses or bikini tops.  It certainly had to be considered a 
pleasant view. He found himself a bench near one of the patches of 
grass along the side and watched. 

The roadies came first.  Two of them.  Roadies controlled access to the
band and they always seemed to be big, round, and mean.  The two coming 
down the stairs from the third floor were no exception.  They could 
have been brothers, both fitting the earlier description given, the 
only difference being that one had red hair and a beard, the other 
having black, both wore blue jeans and a gray Blue Nova t-shirt.  Red 
beard appeared to be in charge. 

"Get in a fucking line, " he barked like a drill sergeant.  "Or none of
yous will get in." 

The women, playing the parts of scared Army recruits, immediately did as
they were told.  All of them staring, or at least glancing up at the 
row of doors on the third tier that housed their heroes.  Black beard 
stood with his arms folded as red beard continued his instructions. 

"Any of yous bitches try and touch him or get out of line and yous won't
be picked."   Red beard shook his head at his partner who responded in 
kind. 

Deakin watched as the door opened up on the third tier and down the


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