Wednesday, July 20, 2016

Tauy Creek Digest #14: Wednesday, Part 2

Randy woke up the next morning, ate a breakfast of eggs, sausage links, and toast on homemade bread with Rosie, and then left to get a better look at the town. Wednesday only had a population in the double digits, around 70, Randy thought. Most of the businesses were made of brick and was tucked in a valley but with a slight view of mountains in the distance. Randy had to admit that it was very beautiful and very peaceful.

As Randy walked down the street, he glanced into the radio station window where someone was broadcasting. He was good-looking, long-haired Native with bright brown eyes. Randy had never seen eyes like that before. Randy stood and watched for awhile and finally, the guy waved him in.

Randy went into the building and into the studio. "...We'll be back in a moment after a two-fer from Huey Lewis and the News," he hit a couple buttons and took off his headphones. "Hello, I'm William Peters, you can call me Billy. Are you Randy Brubaker? The author?"

Randy blushed. "Yeah, I'm staying here for a few days."

"Great. Would you mind doing an interview?"

Billy had a cute smile. "Yeah, sure. Why not?"

"We'll go back on the air after these songs and I'll just ask you a few questions. I'm not prepared so they should be fairly easy questions."

Randy laughed. "That's good. I am not good at interviews."

"You'll do fine. We still have a couple minutes until we go back on the air. Are you staying at Rosie's?"

"Yeah."

"Rosie's a good woman. Her, Holton, and Phyllis practically keep Wednesday alive all on their own."

"I'm sure you help. Your voice going out all over central Alaska," this was Randy's version of flirting.

"They bring in the money, I don't do anything but talk and play music. Is there anything that I should steer clear of? Any topic that you are not comfortable talking about?"

"I don't think so. If there is, I'll just go silent, take off my headphones, storm out of the studio, and sue you and the station."

Billy laughed, though it was clearly slightly fake, "Well, I'll try to be neutral. We're back with a special guest in the studio, Randy Brubaker. You may know that name from the best-selling novel 'Stroke Girl' about a high school girl who suffers a stroke and how she coped with it. He's staying in Wednesday for a little bit and he has been gracious enough to grant your simple radio deejay an interview. Randy, how did it feel when your book became a best seller?"

"It was amazing. I honestly didn't think it would go anywhere but the publisher seemed to have faith. There's a small part of me that wishes it didn't but it has actually brought attention to young stroke victims so that's a good thing."

"Awesome. Where are you from? I detect some sort of accent."

"I live in California so I'm from there but I was born in Kansas. Overland Park."

"Kansas. So Wednesday may kind of look like home," Billy laughed.

Randy chuckled. "No, I'm from Overland Park, the second largest city. The city also only goes back as far as the 1950s so it has nothing this old there. For that you have to go to Olathe or Lawrence. Shawnee Mission."

"You heard it here, Wednesdians, if you want a Kansas vacation head to Olathe, Lawrence, or Shawnee Mission."

"There are other places to go. My old high school friend, Brian, would know more about where to go."

"And look up Randy's old high school friend, Brian, while you're at it. Last question, would you be willing to come back tomorrow or just before you leave to give us your impression of Wednesday?"

"Uh, sure, I guess. So far it's been pretty good. One of the main reasons I'm here is to rest and get my brain juices flowing again. Maybe Wednesday will inspire me."

"Well, I hope it does. It inspires me everyday. Just let it envelope you and take you away."

"Sounds like a drug."

"Only legal," Billy said. "What song would you like me to play?"

"Got something by Billy Joel?"

"Sure do," Billy grabbed a record, replaced the Huey Lewis one, and moved the needle to a groove. A piano started playing and Billy dimmed the music and took off his headphones. "See? That was easy."

"It was. Wish all interviews were like that."

"Give me a day or two and I can come up with some hard questions. Really make you squirm."

"No, I think I'm good," Randy said. "I'll see you around town?"

"Always. I'm usually on the radio. I'm the only deejay and I get pretty much the run of the studio."

"That's cool. I'm going to explore the town more. I'll see you around."

"See you, Randy."

"See you, Billy." Randy left the studio and went back outside. "Maybe this jerkwater, backwoods Alaskan solitary confinement berg will provide some inspiration after all."

To be continued in Randy Annual #1 COMING SOON!!!