I slept with Joey Ramone by Mickey Leigh

Author:Mickey Leigh
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: A Touchstone Book
Published: 2009-07-15T00:00:00+00:00

24.

GRILL THE MESSENGER

By now I was totally convinced that Linda was having an affair with Johnny. I knew my brother had to be made aware of it and that no one wanted to be the messenger that Joey would slaughter. I didn’t, either, but I didn’t see any choice. I couldn’t continue to let my brother be made a fool out of—especially since Johnny really was flaunting it. It was making me feel like a fool as well.

One day when I knew Linda would be out, I got up the nerve to go to Joey’s apartment and tell him what I’d heard, let the chips fall where they may—even if it was on my head. I stopped at the deli downstairs so I’d have a few beers in a bag ready, just in case. When I got up to Joey’s he was sitting by the table playing his guitar, my old Yamaha. He’d actually made us some coffee and seemed to be in a really good mood—which made it even harder. I sat down on his bed and took a deep breath.

“Joey, I gotta tell you something. Have you noticed anything strange with Linda?”

“Like what?” Joey shot back, in a tone that told me this was going to be ugly.

“I don’t want to have to tell you this,” I started slowly, “but I keep hearing from people that something is going on between Linda and John.”

“Yeah, so?” Joey said, getting more agitated. “So they talk, I know that. What are you tryin’ to say?”

I still couldn’t tell if he knew about John and Linda and didn’t want to deal with it, or if he was in denial, or if he didn’t care. I took another deep breath.

“I’m trying to tell you they are fucking around and have been doing it for like a year already,” I quickly blurted.

“THAT’S BULLSHIT, MAN!”

“Joey, listen. Everyone’s been telling me these things they’ve seen. Even Dad and Arlene.”

I went through the gory details of the things I’d been told.

“I DONT BELIEVE IT! YOU’RE JUST TRYING TO MAKE FUCKIN’ TROUBLE, MAN! WHAT, DOES IT BOTHER YOU THAT I HAVE A GIRLFRIEND? WHAT ARE YOU, JEALOUS?”

“Why the hell would it bother me that you have a girlfriend?” I answered. “I’m telling you this because you’re my brother and everyone else is afraid to tell you, and because they are making a fucking chump out of you, man! I’m trying to help you here!”

“Well, I don’t fuckin’ believe you, okay?” Joey snarled.

“Okay, man,” I answered. “Don’t say I didn’t try to warn you.”

The way I figured it, I’d probably just confirmed some things Joey had been suspecting but did not want to address.

“STOP TALKING TO John,” Joey told Linda shortly after I talked to him.

“Fine, I will,” Linda answered.

“Well, it’s not really you I’m worried about,” Joey told her. “It’s John.”

“Well,” Linda responded, “tell Johnny to stop talking to me then.”

“I did,” Joey said. “But he wouldn’t listen. Johnny said you’re his best friend!”

Joey had slowed up on his drinking while he was with Linda, but he was now eyeing a bottle of wine on the table.

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