"okay, so you taped this off the radio...THIS?"
"totally, it's from Chicago"
"isn't that far away?"
"well my parents won't get cable so we have that huge antenna, just swing it around and-"
"i've never heard anything like THAT on the radio before"
"yah I know, they call it z-rock"
"so they play all that satan music?"
"well they spin some death metal at night, sure"
"wow your mom is gonna shit"
"she shits all the time. it's gross"
"you're gross"
"one of my charms"
"can you get it in any better?"
"i got it in you didn't i?"
"HA - I mean the signal you dork"
"sometimes it does at night, I just gotta wait till my folks are done watching TV to turn the 'tenna."
"my hero"
"i know, when mom falls asleep with Carson on and I gotta tiptoe in there shut it off"
"a real ninja, you are"
"hiyahh-WAHHHH"
*****
"did you get the stuff?"
"well, most of it, grabbed the tap but still need the reel tape"
"that's right you mentioned separate stores"
"yah, rode my bike to the rad shack across town, to get some exercise"
"sweet"
"the dude who works there kept looking at me funny, like he was wondering what I'm up to"
"maybe he things you're cute"
"well I am"
"think it's anything to worry about, I mean, could he know anyone at the church?"
"i doubt it, prolly sits naked in front of the TV every Sunday while monitoring the CB for naughty talk"
"there you go"
"so no one will be able to tell when they use the phone?"
"nope, that's the idea, it just takes what it needs"
"have you tested the recorder yet?"
"not yet, but I need to...a bit of serendipity finding that old thing eh?"
"something"
"why'd that guy have it anyway?"
"they used it in his law firm-"
"and he just gave it to you"
"well we got to talking and he knows I'm into gadgets"
"ahh"
"yeah, and it uses standard tape, just moves really really slow so you get several day's worth-"
"gotcha"
"i still don't know why I need to do this"
"but that's not stopping you, is it?"
"no, it's not"
*****
"you play that guitar much still?"
"yah sometimes, to kinda vent"
"you need to start a band"
"with who?"
"just ask around"
"what, all those Skynyrd heads we got roamin around here?"
"why not?"
"uhh, hello, do you see much hope in that there gene pool?"
"how about the school band crowd?"
"whatever. they do what they do for wholesome reasons"
"and you don't?"
"i got my reasons, just...not sure if anyone else gets it"
"that can be kinda cool tho"
"i guess. i did think up some decent names at least"
"oh really?"
"check me out, torn between Dominant Hinkley and Fescue"
"you sick bastard"
"what?"
"Hinkley? the nut that shot Reagan to turn on his girlfriend?"
"i don't think Jodie Foster claims him"
"and fescue? what the-"
"it's a kind of grass seed dumbass"
"sounds like you would know about grass"
"yahh yahh, save it for the judge"
"so what style are you?"
"hard to say, not really metal but still loud, but not punk either"
"you always make things so difficult"
"hey I'm awful good at it"