Page 129 of The Moon Also Rises
“A bonus?” I say and for the first time ever I envision putting that money towards my debt rather than a collection of shiny shopping bags from various designer labels.
“Absolutely. When Rami left so suddenly we were really up shit creek without a puddle-”
“I think you mean up shit creek without a paddle,” Simeon corrects Bill.
“You know what, that does make more sense.” Bill nods to himself. “Anyway, the point is. Rami let us down and you have not.”
The most bizarre need to defend Rami rises in me. “I think Rami had his reasons.”
“Did he tell you he was going to do it?” Simeon leans forward. “Did he tell you when he got the offer?”
“The offer?” I ask, confused.
“To go back and do a world tour,” Bill replies.
A world tour? Has Bill finally lost the marbles that were frankly barely there in the first place?
“I told Sim we can’t blame him. He always loved DJing and after all that cult nonsense it’s good that he finally wants to go back to it,” Bill continues.
Cult nonsense.My head spins.Did Sharon spike my tea?
“And it’s not like he wasn’t good at it. How many Grammys does he have?” Simeon asks Bill.
“Oh, three or four, at least.”
“Rami has Grammy awards?” I ask, breathless.
Bill’s laughter is more of a bellow. “Ha! Rami has a Grammy! Why have I never noticed that before? Hilarious!”
“I’m sorry… Rami’s a… DJ?”
Bill blinks at me like I am growing another head. “Not just any DJ. He’s DJ Lunar, but you knew that, didn’t you? Oh, God, do you gays not listen to dance music anymore?” He throws that last question at Simeon who waves his hand dismissively at his business partner.
“Oh, I never did listen to dance music. Barbara Streisand show tunes is about as disco as it gets in our household.”
Sharon returns then with their tea and they talk with her briefly, allowing me some time to gather the thoughts that crash into each other in my brain.
DJ. Cult. Rami. World Tour.
My mind does cartwheels trying to place the name DJ Lunar and I surprise myself by recalling a handful of songs that were very popular about ten or fifteen years ago. I have danced to them many times over the years, and certainly quite frequently in my younger adult years. Is Rami DJ Lunar? Why on Earth would Rami not tell me that? How on Earth did I not figure it out? Then a loud penny drops.
DJ Lunar always wore a mask.
But why did DJ Lunar stop making music? The word cult pulses in my temple and I bring a hand to my forehead to ease its hard, heavy beat.
“So, you haven’t heard from him, Jake?” Bill asks me and I lift my gaze to look at him and Simeon, one by one.
“No, I’ve not heard from him since he left,” I say and my voice barely sounds like my own.
“Oh, well, I did get an email a week or so ago apologising again for leaving us hanging. He has a conscience at least.”
It’s Bill’s turn to wave a hand at Simeon as he sips his tea. “We’re hardly allowed to be angry with him. He was working for us for practically nothing.”
“Pardon?” I bark out.
“Oh, he didn’t tell you? Yes, we paid him a pittance. He insisted on it,” Simeon clarifies.
“Said he had enough money,” Bill scoffs. “Must be nice.”
