Saturday Scribes: Music (Theme)

Words:

• elbow
• crows
• merchant

Eddie approached the house where he had lived just two short weeks prior. He carried in his left hand a worn paperback. He knocked. The door opened.

The young man standing in the doorway folded his arms across his chest; he made no indication that he would allow Eddie into the house.

'What do you want?' the young man asked.

'Jason, I'm sorry that I had to leave, but...'

'Save your buts, Eddie. It's been two weeks. What do you want?'

From behind Jason, Eddie heard the eerie tones of Jason's music lingering. The high nasal voice combined with the synthesized sounds of a piano. Eddie sighed. 'Look, I was wrong to leave in the way that I did. I should have told you. But I'm going home. Starting new. Away from this place. And I need the money I lent to you.' He paused. 'I don't need all of it right now, but I need about half so I can move back home and get a place. That should hold me over. Then you can pay me back with the rest later.'

Jason's eyes flickered with indignation. 'You stab me in the back and then ask for your money? No. Get out of here.' He moved to slam the door.

Eddie moved his arm to stop the door. He felt most of the impact on his right elbow and shuddered with pain. The book dropped from his hand into the house. He pushed against the door forcing Jason - even with his adrenaline - backwards.

'You got no right coming in here.'

'Jason, let's make this easy, okay? Just give me half and we'll call it good.' He picked up the book and flung it onto the couch. 'Oh, and I took this by accident.' The Merchant of Venice bounced on the putrid green cushions.

Jason retreated back into the makeshift dining room, seething with anger. 'Ironic that I'm the Jew, ain't it?' he spewed venomously.

'Jason, we had a plan. We had our music, ideas for a band, everything ready to go. But you decided to go in your own direction. To stab me in the back and find a bunch of losers with musical talent. I wasn't good enough for you. I was holding you back. But my money sure wasn't. Well, if you want to do this on your own, then do it. Just give me back my share.' He stepped closer to Jason, almost threateningly.

'You left me with all the bills, all the cleanup from that party, all the follow-up with the cops, and I owe you something? You're the one who should be eating crow. Get the hell out of my house!'

'Jason, there aren't enough crows in this world to make up for what you've done to me in the past. But I don't even care about that. Just give me the money, and we can call it good. Go our separate ways. Do what we want and whatever. What about it?'

'Eddie, I don't have the money. It's spent.'

'Unspend it.'

'I can't.'

'Well, then we have a problem...'