The promo tour was over, and they had returned to Tulsa the day before. The arrival was timed with about the time that Taylor and the stalker's baby was to be born.
"And what's that Zac?" Taylor asked.
"I have decided that Babsie isn't the only one who can predict the market."
"Oh?"
"See, I think that the public is looking to bands that stand for something."
Taylor looked at him curiously.
"Ok, see, now the Sugar Sprites are standing against racism and people making fun of other people just because they're overweight right? And that other band - the Fantastic Fighters of Fungi - they donate all that money to helping homeless people and stuff. And then there's what's-his-name, who is standing against drugs."
"Louis Matheson?"
"Yeah, that's him. And we have the Amazons who are looking out for women with breast cancer. They're all being very, very public and loud and stuff about that. Well, ok, the Amazons aren't because they're still making their album and the public doesn't know about 'em yet. But even so, I think it's the latest thing."
"The latest thing." Taylor repeated with a smile. "Yeah, I guess you could call it that."
"Well, you know it's happened before. Except it was important for bands to write their own songs then."
"True, true. You may have hit something there. Why don't you tell Babsie? I'm sure she'll be very interested in your thought."
"You don't believe me. You want her to cut me down."
"No, really, I'm being serious. Speaking of Babsie, and the Sugar Sprites, you gonna ask Kelsey out yet? Of course, she probably needs to see a shrink if she says yes."
Zac glowered at him.
"I have three whole blasted weeks. If I ask her out, I ask her out. I don't want to ask her out. And she's not mentally disturbed."
"I don't know…" Taylor replied. "You know, alcohol can get in the brain and cause real damage there."
"Unless she's been lying to me, she doesn't drink much." Zac answered.
"Y'know, sometimes alcoholics don't know they're alcoholics."
"You know as well as I do Kelsey is no alcoholic."
"If she says yes Zac, you might want to consider the fact that this is you she'd be saying yes to. I mean, c'mon, that could so be a sign that she's dying of alcohol poisoning and is totally desperate for any guy she can get."
Zac started at him in cold silence. Then Taylor realised what he just said.
"Oh, no, Zac, I'm sorry. I didn't mean -"
But Zac had walked off.