Life in Manchester.
© Tim Barker
Jazz and Bebop were scrolling down the highway to
oblivion. Love seemed impossible in such a place yet they knew it existed in
this timeless dimension. Bebop took a step forward and began an impossible
journey. He embarked upon a five and a half hour trip which began as a brief
flicker in his present framework then entered a creative meandering blur in his
periphery vision. This slowly materialised into mainstream fantasy, sex-free
yet erotic at the same time.
Jazz meanwhile was studying his
navel. He'd been in rehab units before, undergone all sorts of therapy yet had
never even registered a note. His favourite though had been relaxation - just
lying back on the Styrofoam moulds and drifting away into nothingness. He wasn't
a junky, just had a few mental health problems. He didn't need drugs with
thoughts like his yet there was always another summit to reach.
Bebop was just beginning to come
down when Angel entered. Her shimmering collage of meandering mane shone
brightly in the morning sun.
"Hi Bebop, what're up to
?"
"Oh, a bit of this and a bit of
that." Replied Bebop. He felt as though he was on a rollercoaster,
spiralling downwards towards the end. His initial excitement was now replaced
with the expectant feelings of the vastness of the Universe and especially of
all things living.
"You haven't been doing drugs
again have you ?" Angel asked.
"Yeah", admitted Bebop,
"I took a hallucinogen about five hours ago. It's just going off now
though. You fancy doing something ? "
"What makes you think I'm
interested in hanging out with a junky ?" Retorted Angel. "Don't you
think I have better things to do ?"
"Only asking !" Bebop
exclaimed. He knew Angel didn't like him doing drugs yet it was intermeshed
with his existence.
Jazz was lying down in his own pad,
listening to anti-muzak and letting his thoughts wander. He was dreaming of
magic castles in faraway lands, shrouded in mist and resplendent in
multicoloured dragons swooping and climbing on the surrounding thermals. However,
as he attempted to zoom-in and view the detail of those wonderful creatures
they tended to disappear into the mist as if attempting to avoid his gaze. This
was a constant source of frustration for Jazz. It made him feel as though he
wasn't in control of his own mind, that they weren't going to be put under the
microscope of his gaze.
Bebop was back to reality now. Angel
had left, disgusted at his constant hedonism. It was part of his life, his
culture, why hadn't she accepted that by now ? She was no Saint after all,
jacking up on virtual reality scenarios all the time. There was little
difference between their lifestyles really, he just preferred chemically
induced artificial realities. In his view she had simply been seduced by
technology.
He took a walk over to his viewport
and looked out over the sprawling city.
Maybe I'm just a product of all this
? He mused as his gaze took in the outlying districts of downtown Manchester.
He took a look at his watch. It was 9:30. He went over to his vid-phone and
called his pal Jazz.
Jazz appeared in the 'phones screen
after Bebop let it ring for what seemed like ages. He looked extremely
dishevelled, as per usual.
"Hi Jazz, what's happenin' man
?" Enquired Bebop.
"Oh, just relaxing for a
change." Replied Jazz.
"Fancy going out for Breakfast
at Tiffany’s ?"
"Yeah, you'll have to pay
though. I'm skint."
"Well that makes a
change", retorted Bebop, "your shout next time eh ?".
"Sure", complied Jazz,
"I get my benefit credits tomorrow anyway so that's not a problem."
"Oh, you can give me a loan
then can you ?" Joked Bebop.
"No problem." Jazz replied
in all seriousness.
Their friendship went back about
three years now. They'd met in the rehab unit. Jazz was trying to recuperate
after a psychotic episode and Bebop was trying to go straight. The similarity
of their names, a result of their parent’s mutual interests, had given them a
special bond.
* * * * * * * *
Tiffany’s was crowded with the usual assortment of
low-life, hangers on and geriatrics yet both Jazz and Bebop felt completely at
home in this post-industrial hangout. Bebop noticed Angel sitting around a
table at the back of the cafe, hanging out with her techno friends. It wasn't
that he didn't find her attractive, just that they never seemed to click into
the same life cycle. Maybe their biorhythms were out of phase. He glanced her
way and winked. She replied with a shake of her hair and continued her
conversation.
Jazz took a seat by the window, his
favourite position, whilst Bebop went over to the counter to order Breakfast.
He tapped in two vegetarian breakfasts on the café’s computer then joined Jazz
in the window seat.
"So, what have you been up to
recently then Bebop ?" Enquired Jazz innocently.
"Oh, a bit of this and a bit of
that." His standard reply.
"I went to see my shrink
yesterday." Jazz admitted. "She says she can see a gradual
improvement in my psyche and actually reduced my prescription. I was a little
worried by that but she says that I've got to learn to cope without the drugs."
"Don't know if I could !"
Quipped Bebop.
"What d'y' mean ? You still on
?" Jazz enquired.
"Just now and again,
y'know." Bebop lied.
"It'll send you crazy you
know." Jazz advised.
"No way man, I can take it.
Anyway they help me to stay sane. They're an antidote to this fucked up world.
Just like you with your relaxation techniques."
"Maybe. Just don't do any
around me. I couldn't take that shit." Warned Jazz.
Just then Mable arrived with their
breakfasts. One egg, vegiburger, beans and hash browns. They ate the lot then
tried to decide what to do next as they finished off their coffees.
* * * * * * * *
They decided to head into town to do a little window
shopping. Bebop was into music in a big way and was thinking of buying a new
workstation. His old one was so outdated now that it didn't interface to the
equipment now coming onto the market.
They headed for Al's, the biggest
music mart in Manchester. Both Jazz and Bebop had known Al for ages now as Al
also stocked relaxation tapes, the kind Jazz was rather fond of. He wouldn't
say he was hooked to them and, just like VDU illnesses, no one had ever made a
concrete accusation against them though quite a large lobby had built up
against their use.
They entered the store at 10:45,
beaming smiles adorning their faces at the plethora of equipment on offer.
Neither of them had many credits at the moment though so all that they could do
was look. They wandered over to the counter.
"Hi Al, what's up ?"
Enquired Bebop.
"Yo, Jazz and Bebop. Good to
see you. Are you buying or selling ?" Al asked.
"Depends what you're after
!" Retorted Bebop.
"Oh, nothing illegal. You know
me. Straight as a stinger." Al answered back.
"That's a pity, I could really
sort you out." Bebop whispered.
"Nah, I gave that shit up years
ago. About as dodgy as I get is those relaxation tapes your friend their is so
fond of." Al pointed towards a display stand full of tapes. Jazz had
already made his way over there and was perusing the shelves with avid
interest. Bebop joined him.
"The sounds of mating whales,
squeaky bicycle pedals, masterbatory musings, kings and queens of far away
places". Bebop was reading out the tapes titles in mocking tones.
"You should take this stuff
more seriously." Jazz answered back. "It beats your brand of escapism
any day."
"No way, I've heard some of
this shit. It's dangerous man !" Bebop replied.
He left Jazz to it and wandered over
to the workstations. Al joined him.
"I could do you a great deal on
a Sonai 1000 Bebop. Real good."
"No way Al. My credits worth
shit with you. There's no way I could afford it straight out."
"Then how about this one over
here. Straight out of the factories in India this morning. It's got a voice
interface, Artificially Intelligent counterpoint and is fully compatible with
your old kit." Al was laying the sales pitch on heavy style.
"Yeah ? No shit. Compatible
with my old kit eh ? How much ? What's
the sting ?"
"Well, that's the great part.
The company are offering a great credit deal on this beauty. Just 300 credits a
month, no deposit then it's all yours within 12 months."
"I'd have to hear it first, of
course, but the deal sounds OK." Bebop was really interested in the new
kit. He tapped a few keys on his wristwatch computer and realised he really
could afford it. If business stayed as good as it had been recently, that is.
Al and Bebop completed the deal,
Jazz bought a new tape and they both walked out of the store with the same
beaming smiles they'd had when entering.
Al said that the new kit would be
delivered the very next day. Bebop couldn't wait. He had problems operating
computers when he was tripping, the voice interface on this baby would make it
a whole lot easier. It was now 12:00.
"Are you hungry Jazz ? Bebop
asked.
"Yeah, I could eat
something." Jazz replied.
“Fancy going to Chinatown for some
noodles ?” Bebop suggested.
"Sure, let's go"
So, they jumped on the metro and
headed for the other side of town.
* * * * * * * *
When they hit Chinatown it had began
to rain. Not your normal sort of rain though, the kind you only get in
Manchester. They ordered some noodles from a kiosk then found shelter under an
ornately carved pavilion. It didn't take them long to down the lot. Then they
considered what to do next.
"Well, I could do with checking
out this new tape I got at Al’s." Jazz said.
"And I could do with hitting
the sack. I was up all night you know." Bebop sounded tired too.
"Well, that's that then. Let's split up. I'll give
you a call tomorrow. I'd like to see what that new workstation can do."
"Sure thing mate, seeya !"
With that they went their own separate ways. Tomorrow would
be another day of their lives in Manchester.