Snowblind

"Whose bright idea was it to go outside, anyway?" I asked, more chattered, as Jimmy and I walked down the main road toward the Loch Ness, our hands clamped tightly together. Jimmy said nothing but smiled his goofy smile at me. "You know, I know who was on the fourteenth floor."

"So do I," he countered with numb lips. "Keith an them. Peter tells me and Jonesy everything. He leaves Robbie in the dark cos he can't handle bad news, and Bon disobeys everything anyway. On a scale of one to Mickie Most's heart, how cold are you right now?"

I laughed, though I only knew of Mickie Most from the horrible things Peter had discussed at times of great frustration. "I'm warmer than I figured, and my hand's toasty. How's business, by the by? When's your next tour?"

"Business? Our next tour, Christ, I don't know. We have dates for February. We signed a band called Bad Company a bit ago for Swan Song when it comes out in January, too. Paul Rodgers and-- blast, I forget his name. Well, from Free. You know, all right now, baby, it's all right now. I can't sing, but you know."

"You can so sing! Do it again!"

"Sing?" He looked horrified and I nodded with a grin. "What song?"

I thought. "California Dreamin'."

He hesitated, then began:

"All the leaves are brown... and the sky is gray.
I've been for a walk... on a winter's day. Um..."

I supplied an he joined in: 

"I'd be safe and warm... if I was in L.A.;
California dreamin'... on such a winter's day!"

We laughed so hard at ourselves that we stumbled off the road and slipped down a ravine toward the lake. I rolled to a stop and stood quickly, brushing wet snow from my coat. I laughed heartily when I turned to see Jimmy making a snow angel beside me. He grabbed a ball of snow and threw it at me, hitting my shoulder.

"Don't laugh at my angel, you perverse snow-hater!"

"That's cold-hearted," I laughed, waging a finger wisely. He climbed to his feet and ran to the edge of the land shelf, looking down the drop off to the navy lake below. I joined him. "Do you believe in The Monster?"

"Of the Loch? If there's demons, I'm sure there're other things we don't know." There was a long pause in conversation as we watched the lake, our breaths floating away from us in clouds.

"Do you like me? I mean, why do you?" I asked.

Jimmy looked me up and down, puzzled. "Why? You're hard to hold on to, you're exciting, you're... loud. Back in '67 when I was kicked out of a hotel with the Yardbirds for having long hair, I could've used you."

"For long hair? That's fucking ridiculous! I'd have demanded service. It's your fucking hair, not theirs'."

"Case and point. When you do that immodest... thing that you do, I can hardly contain myself."

"Then how do you every second of every day?" I breathed, touching his coat and biting my lip.

"I just can," he smirked and the moment ended. He laughed as I gaped at him. He laughed and added, "I'm kidding. I'd be surprised if I didn't-- hadn't-- fallen for you. Come on, lets get back for supper. Boiled corn beef and cabbage." It was all just too good to be true. He had felt the way about me I had felt for him? He took my hand and led me back up toward the house, pausing to kiss me once, muttering, "For the hair speech."