A Thousand Bridges by Michael McKinney

Author:Michael McKinney [McKinney, Michael]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: BookBaby

ELEVEN

When I got within rock-throwing distance of the parking lot I circled around to the back of the building and stood behind the catering van. I stripped off the jumpsuit and took the trumpet from the case. I checked my watch and leaned against the truck to wait. The band took their first break right on time and I stepped into the parking lot, trumpet dangling from one hand as I wiped my brow with a handkerchief I held in the other.

I took on a casual gait and glanced around, but could see no one moving. I wandered along the back and checked doors until I found one unlocked. It opened without an alarm going off, and I stepped inside a long, white hallway. There were three solid doors set into the left wall and one in the center of the right. I could hear the muffled sounds of a party from somewhere above.

I wandered to the door on my right and leaned forward, listening. The knob turned in my hand but, before I could open it, I heard the unmistakable sound of an M-16's bolt being set. Lock and load. I stretched a goofy grin across my face and turned around. A uniformed soldier wearing camo with no insignia stood in the middle doorway with the muzzle of his rifle pointed at my chest.

"Jesus Christ!" I said, voice up a couple of octaves. "You scared the shit out of me!"

I wiped my face with the handkerchief. "In fact, I don't think I need to find a bathroom now, thanks to you."

"There are no bathrooms in here, sir," the young soldier said.

"Well," I said, "there has to be at least one somewhere in this fucking Taj Mahal." I twisted my trumpet hand over to glance at my watch, noting that the M-16 never moved. "God damn! Five minutes left to take a leak and I still have to find my way back to the bandstand."

I laughed and shook my head. "The last door I tried I wound up in the parking lot."

The soldier watched me, relaxing maybe just a little. "Can you at least tell me where the hell I am?" I asked. "And please stop pointing that gun at me!"

The soldier kept the rifle right where it was and nodded his head toward the exit door. I took a quick peek at the door I almost opened.

"You'll have to leave now, sir," he said. "Good luck."

"Luck?" I said. "Have you been listening to the crap we're playing? I don't need luck, I need a lobotomy."

The soldier laughed. I opened the door and walked out singing, "Feelings....nothing more than feelings." The outer, unconditioned air was sticky and warm. "I hope you don't kill me.....then I'll have no feelings."

I heard him chuckle again as the door closed behind me with a sigh. I was stunned. There, inside a private men's club on private land, was a uniformed soldier armed with a loaded M-16 and fully prepared to kill. I had to go back in.

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