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roosterforme · 1 year

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All I Want For Christmas Is You | Rooster x Reader

Summary: Bradley returns from deployment just before Christmas and immediately falls for the new bartender at the Hard Deck.

Warnings: None, just fluff

Length: 3600 words

This fic was written with the song prompt All I Want For Christmas Is You for the Hello December Playlist Challenge which was brought to us by the lovely @notroosterbradshaw

Pairing: Bradley "Rooster" Bradshaw x Female Reader

Check out my Masterlist!

Bradley parked his vintage Bronco in the lot at the Hard Deck. He took a deep breath when he saw the colorful lights that twinkled outside his favorite hangout. He had just returned home from a three month deployment, and now it was mid-December and everything was decorated for the holidays.

Christmastime was always a little difficult for him, mostly because he'd been on his own for so long. There was really nobody for him to enjoy the holiday with.

As he walked into the bar, looking for the other aviators, he noticed a huge Christmas tree in one corner and lights strung along the doorways. "Rooster!" Phoenix cheered, running over to hug him when he arrived. "I missed you so much!" Bradley smiled against his friend's cheek as she squeezed him tight.

"Missed you too, Nat," he said, and he let her buy him a beer before they joined the other aviators at the pool table. Everyone was happy to see him back, and he was honestly happy to be back.

After a round of handshakes and fist bumps, he settled into one of the empty stools with his beer and ate the peanuts that Bob had offered him. He hummed along to Frosty the Snowman as it played, giving himself a quick reminder to mail a holiday card to his mom's cousins.

Then he cocked his head to the side slightly. "Has there always been Christmas music in the jukebox? I don't remember this from last year."

Bob chuckled and shook his head, chewing on some peanuts. "No, the Christmas songs are new, just for this month. Actually, the jukebox got an update when the new bartender started."

"New bartender?" Bradley asked, turning to look back toward the bar, just as All I Want For Christmas Is You started playing. Bradley's jaw went a little slack as he stared longingly. "Is that her?" he muttered. "God, she's gorgeous."

Bob hummed in agreement. "She's really nice too. The guys all went nuts when she started last month, asking her out constantly."

Bradley sighed. Of course that's where his mind had immediately gone. But if all the guys were already asking, he was definitely too far behind in the game. "That's too bad." All Bradley wanted for Christmas was to get to know you.

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You were frantically pouring six tequila shots while trying to recall the list of orders you'd memorized a few minutes ago.

"Four Miller Lites and two Heinekens. Or was it two Miller Lites and four Heinekens?" you murmured to yourself. Friday nights at the Hard Deck were always busy, but you loved working here. Penny was the best boss you'd ever had, and the extra money in your pocket while you finished your master's degree was very welcome.

"Hey, babydoll, can we get another round of beers? Our prodigal Rooster has returned, and we're trying to make him feel welcome." It was Hangman. It was always Hangman, and he was always calling you babydoll.

"Sure," you told him with a smile. He'd asked you out twice already, and you weren't trying to encourage anything else from him. You popped the tops off of nine bottles of beer and slid them toward him before adding them to his tab. "This Rooster character should at least help you carry all of these bottles."

"Yeah, he will. He's on his way up now," Hangman drawled, and you looked up to see the guy in the Hawaiian shirt with the mustache approaching you. You'd noticed him when he walked in about an hour ago, and you'd noticed him again as he played pool. It was hard not to notice him. Oh no, he had a cute smile too.

"Are you Rooster?" you asked after he set both large palms down on the bartop.

"Yes," he answered with a grin, reaching out to shake hands. "I'm Bradley."

You told him your name and shook his warm hand. Oh no, his eyes were a warm shade of brown and his hair was adorably wavy. "Nice to meet you," you managed to say, withdrawing your hand from his before you could embarrass yourself. Because he was very cute.

"Nice to meet you, too. I hear you're the one responsible for the Christmas music?" His voice was luxurious sounding. "I can't believe you managed to get Penny to update that thing," he said with a crooked smile, nodding toward the jukebox.

You leaned across the bar a little bit and crooked your finger at him. He leaned a little closer to you and gazed at your mouth as you said, "Listen, you can only hear Slow Ride so many times before you lose it completely."

You watched as Rooster tipped his head back and laughed. He had scars on his face and neck, and you imagined yourself perched on his lap, gently tracing them with your fingers while he talked to you.

You realized you definitely already had a crush on this man after meeting him approximately two minutes ago.

"I'm honestly digging the Christmas playlist, so thanks," he told you, gathering up the bottles that Hangman had left for him to carry. "See you around." He glanced down at your lips one last time.

You watched him walk away with a sigh before returning to your Miller Lite vs. Heineken conundrum.

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Bradley was trying his best to play pool and converse with his friends, but his eyes were drifting to you at the bar pretty frequently. The problem was, a few of those times, you'd already been looking at him when he glanced up. Another problem was, everyone else kept buying him drinks, so he didn't even have a tab to close out with you.

There was literally no reason for him to talk to you again, no matter how hard he tried to come up with something. And now it was getting a little ridiculous, because he was in his thirties and acting like a teenager. So he took his shot in pool and tried to focus on the game.

"Hey babydoll, I would have brought those up for you," Hangman said, drawing Bradley's attention away from the pool table. You were a few feet away from him, gathering some empty glasses onto a tray while Hangman eyed you up.

"That's okay, you're all supposed to be enjoying Rooster," you said, flashing your beautiful smile Bradley's way. Oh how he wanted to be enjoying you.

And why exactly did Hangman have a nickname for you? Were you dating Jake? Oh God, you must be dating Jake. Bradley tried to hide his scowl as you turned and took the tray back up to the bar.

Bradley left when his friends closed out their tabs, but not before he told you good night just to see you smile one more time.

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Always the glutton for punishment, Bradley returned the following evening. There were even more decorations now. An inflatable snowman stood in the far corner, and there was some holly on the doors. The Christmas playlist even had Coyote and Phoenix dancing along to Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree.

"Come dance with me, Rooster!" Bradley was helpless to say no to Phoenix, and soon they were slow dancing along to the music. Bradley caught sight of you as he spun Nat around.

"You should just go talk to her," your friend whispered. "I can tell you think she's cute."

Bradley laughed. "Everyone thinks she's cute, Nat. And she's got Hangman calling her babydoll."

"Ugh. He's the worst," Nat replied, and you both danced and laughed awhile longer.

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"Well, nevermind then," you muttered to yourself as you shook a gin and tonic. Rooster had been dancing with Phoenix for three songs, and it didn't look like they were about to stop anytime soon. You actually liked Phoenix, so you were going to have to get over your crush on her boyfriend as quickly as possible, or you'd be miserable at work.

When Bradley eventually wandered up to the bar and ordered two beers, you took your sweet time opening them for him.

"You look nice," he told you softly, and you fumbled with your bottle opener a bit. When you met his eyes, they looked soft and sincere. But he shouldn't be saying things like that to you, especially since it made you want to reach across the bar and place your hand on his where it rested.

"Thanks," you muttered, sliding the beers across the bar. "You having a fun time tonight?" you asked, because you wanted to keep him talking. Were you truly going to chat up another girl's boyfriend? Apparently. But you'd keep it G rated.

"Yeah," he said with a smile, looking at your mouth. "It's nice to be back after being away so long. Gets lonely."

"I can imagine. You must have been happy to see Phoenix," you replied, just to make yourself feel bad, apparently.

"Oh yeah. Actually, you can go ahead and put these on Nat's tab. I'm sure she won't mind." Someone else was trying to order a drink, so he grabbed the bottles with a wink before he left for the pool table where he handed one of the beers to Phoenix.

But then he was looking at you again! Just like he had been last night! What was he playing at?

You tried your best to ignore him the rest of the evening, and you were doing a pretty good job of it when an hour later, you looked up to find him sliding into a seat at the bar.

"You need another one?" you asked him while you moved a bunch of empty bottles to the recycle bin under the bar.

"Yeah," he said with a grin. "And just put it on my tab this time, please. I'm not looking to make Nat mad at me, especially not this close to Christmas. I want to get a nice present this year."

You couldn't help but smile. "What does she usually get you?"

"She usually gets me nothing," he said with a chuckle. "Maybe this year will be different."

They must have started dating recently. You couldn't help but think about the kind of gift you'd get him if he was dating you. Maybe a new Hawaiian shirt.

"Well, hopefully you're on everyone's nice list," you told him.

Bradley studied you with his brown eyes and smirked. "Are you on the nice list or the naughty list this year?"

Your jaw dropped open just as his eyes went wide and he started to blush.

"Shiiiit, I didn't mean to say that." He looked panicked as he grabbed his beer, muttered an apology and quickly left for the pool table.

You were sweating a little bit now. Had he actually asked you that? You wanted to tell him he could mark you down for his naughty list. In fact you had almost said just that. But he had vanished so quickly, and then Phoenix's face flashed through your mind. You groaned and let your forehead rest against the bartop for a second before you got back to work.

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Bradley made a few appearances at the Hard Deck the following week. But ever since he'd put his foot in his mouth in front of you, he had been avoiding you as much as possible. He went so far as to order his drinks from Jimmy.

He also noticed someone had hung mistletoe from the ceiling in several spots, which was just plain obnoxious. The one he kept almost walking under was strategically placed right next to the inflatable snowman. Luckily he had only earned himself a kiss on the cheek from Penny, but still, that shit was dangerous.

Now it was the last Friday before Christmas, and you were behind the bar wearing a shirt that said So Naughty I'm Nice while you mixed a drink, and Bradley was trying not to look at your chest, but it was impossible. He wanted to touch you. He kept thinking about kissing you.

"Grab us a round, Rooster!" Fanboy called to him, and with a sigh, Bradley made his way to where you were working. All I Want For Christmas Is You was playing again. It seemed to be playing every time he was near you. And it was messing with his head.

"Hey," he said softly and you smiled at him. So far, so good. "Can I get a round?"

"Your tab this time?" you asked with a grin.

"Oh yeah, please. That did not go over well with Nat," he said with a wince that had you laughing.

His eyes dipped back down to the writing on your top, and of course you noticed immediately.

"You like my shirt?" you asked, and Bradley wanted to disappear.

"Mmhmm," he hummed, trying to keep his eyes on your face at all costs.

"Yeah, turns out I'm on the naughty list after all," you told him, and he almost groaned out loud. Fucking Jake, that lucky asshole.

"Really?" he managed to ask you, and he knew his voice sounded needy. You nodded and smirked at him, and Bradley prayed he wasn't as transparent as he felt.

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Something had you feeling extra bold tonight. Maybe it was the fact that Rooster had clearly been avoiding you for the past few days. Maybe it was the fact that his eyes always seemed to find you when he was playing pool. Maybe it was your sassy shirt. Maybe it was the fact that Phoenix was standing with her arms around Coyote's neck at the moment, a fact that could not have escaped Bradley's attention.

It didn't really matter the reason, you just went for it. "Yeah... I must be on the naughty list. Because I didn't get to meet you until after you were off the market."

The look on Bradley's face made it all worth it. His mouth was opening and closing, but no sound was coming out. His brow was furrowed and he was blushing.

Then you heard Penny calling you from the stockroom doorway. "Gotta run, but maybe you should get back to your girlfriend. She's looking a little cozy over there without you."

Then you turned to see what your boss needed in the back room. When you walked away, you could practically feel Bradley's eyes on you.

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"What in the world?" Bradley muttered to himself at the bar. As soon as you had mentioned his nonexistent girlfriend, you had vanished.

Were you interested in him? It sounded that way. He waited a few minutes for you to return, but you didn't.

And then it all clicked into place. He watched Phoenix and Coyote getting handsy with each other. You thought he was dating Nat! Hilarious! But, he had put a bunch of his drinks on her tab. And he had been dancing with her a lot.

But what about Jake? Bradley rocketed off the barstool and found Hangman by the dartboard. "Are you dating her?" Bradley asked him.

Jake smirked at him. "You'll have to be more specific."

Bradley rolled his eyes. "Our beautiful new bartender. Are you going out with her?"

When Jake's face fell, Bradley's heart skipped a beat. "Nah, I tried to jump on that one too early, unfortunately. Babydoll turned me down."

"Yes," Bradley whispered, turning toward the stockroom door where he was met with Penny returning with another case of beer.

"You need another drink, Rooster?" she asked with a smile.

"Is Y/N in the back room?" he asked.

Penny frowned. "No, I sent her home early. She's been working so many hours this week."

"Right," he replied, and turned back toward the pool table.

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You got to work the following evening to find the bar was busier than you had ever seen it. The jukebox was blasting Christmas music, but it could barely be heard over all the laughter and conversation. You were in for a long night of mixing and pouring drinks faster than you ever had before.

You saw Rooster was there, but you tried to ignore him. You felt so guilty about flirting with him, and you should have never pointed out that Phoenix was hanging off of Coyote. What were you thinking?

When he eventually came up to the bar, you quickly asked him, "You need a round? On your tab?"

Bradley looked at you with such open longing, you had to avert your gaze down to your bottle opener.

"Yeah. I mean, no," he said. "Well, yes, I do want to get a round, but I also wanted to talk to you."

You glanced back up to his pretty brown eyes, and you noticed the line of people behind him awaiting drinks.

"It's crazy in here right now. Maybe later?" You shoved the beers across the counter to him. But you didn't intend to talk to him later, because he was making it abundantly clear who he was here with. Phoenix. He was handing a drink to her and whispering in her ear. And you reminded yourself that he was taken.

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Bradley had tried again to get your attention, but on top of being busy, you didn't seem to want to talk to him. You thought he was with Nat. He needed to make it clear that he was not. He needed to make it clear that he was interested in you. And he really wanted to do it tonight.

But the bar was filled with patrons all the way up until last call. And that was when Bradley noticed that Payback was sloppy drunk.

"Guys, he's a mess," Bradley informed the others.

"Yeah, I'll drive him home," Phoenix agreed. And when Bradley tried to help Phoenix and Coyote guide Payback toward the door, Payback collided with you. Bradley watched in horror as you tried to juggle the tray full of empty bottles and glasses in your hands, but it was no use. Suddenly you were standing in the middle of a bunch of shattered glass, sighing and shaking your head at the ceiling.

"You guys got him? I'm going to help her clean up," Bradley told the others, before squatting down in front of you.

"You don't have to," you told him as you looked down into his eyes. "I got it."

Bradley just shook his head up at you. "It's really no problem."

Bradley picked up the large pieces of the broken beer bottles while you stepped gingerly over the mess and went to get the broom and dust pan. But when you returned, he couldn't take it. He tossed the glass pieces back onto the mess.

"Can we talk? Please?" he asked you as he stood. The crowd had mostly cleared out as it was now closing time.

"I don't think we really have anything to talk about," you told him, sweeping the glass into a pile. But Bradley gently took the broom from you and propped it against the jukebox. Then he took both of your hands in his and slowly, carefully guided you around the inflatable snowman and away from the broken glass.

"I'm not dating Phoenix," he told you before you could pull your hands out of his grasp.

You looked at him with wide eyes and slightly parted lips. "You're not?"

"No. Never have, never will. Just friends," he confirmed. He waited for you to say something, but you just looked at him a bit surprised. "And you'll have to excuse me for thinking you were with Jake. That's why I didn't ask you out the first night we met."

"Jake?" you asked. You looked like you were still trying to figure everything out. "I'm not with Hangman!"

Bradley chuckled. "I know that now, but he was calling you babydoll."

You rolled your eyes. "Yeah, he tends to do that. I think he wants me to tell him it's annoying, so he knows I'm paying attention to him. That's why I don't."

Bradley couldn't help but smile at you as he pulled you a little closer to him.

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Bradley wasn't dating Phoenix! He never had been! And he thought you were seeing Jake? How had things become so confusing?

And now he was guiding you into his arms, a hesitant look on his face as he said, "You know, if you went out on a date with me, Jake would probably cut it out with the pet names."

You pressed your lips together, trying to hide your smile. "Is that your version of asking?"

He grinned. "Do you want to go out with me? We could get dinner and follow it up with a long walk on the beach."

You let your palms rest against his chest as his hands drifted down to your hips. He smelled so good, like sandalwood mixed with a minty pine. Almost like mistletoe. You glanced up to find you and he were standing right under one of the sprigs you had hung up, and his gaze followed yours.

"I must be on the nice list after all," you whispered.

"Me too," Bradley agreed as you wrapped your hands around the back of his neck and pulled him closer to you. You traced one of his scars with your thumb as he pressed his lips against yours. His mouth was warm and perfect, and his mustache made you a little crazy.

"Mmm," you hummed, and Bradley deepened the kiss, tasting your tongue with his. He pushed you back a few steps until your butt hit the jukebox. You broke apart as the ancient machine started playing All I Want For Christmas Is You.

"It's true though. It's all I want," he told you, forehead pressed to yours as you both smiled and listened to the opening lines.

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#bradley rooster bradshaw x reader #top gun fanfiction #bradley bradshaw imagine #hello december playlist challenge #rooster x reader

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kangaderosa · 5 years

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BDRPWrimo: Jukebox Musical/TV or Movie Soundtrack: come up with a playlist of at least 10 songs, write a scene summary to go with each one

Learning to Fly by Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers

I'm learning to fly around the clouds. But what goes up (Learning to fly) must come down.

A young Kanga at most four years old learns to fly for the first time. Her entire family was present, everyone eager to see her succeed. She spread her wings for the first time and her parents copied her and then demonstrated just how she should use them to be able to lift from the ground. The first time she flapped her wings, she just hovered in the air for a few seconds before tumbling back down. The second time she leaped into the air she was able to manage it for a few minutes. The third? Well she was able to fly in circles around her parents and she finally felt right.

Overprotected by Britney Spears

Say hello to the girl that I am. You’re going to have to see through my perspective. I need to make mistakes, just to learn who I am. And I don’t want to be so damn protected.

Though she is fairly happy, Kanga realizes that her family has been acting strangely. They forbid her from visiting a specific side of the city. They won’t let her go to any other place without an adult present and it grates on a young Kanga. A curious child, she wanted to know everything. And when her parents told her there was a family to avoid? Well Kanga decided to go against that and that’s when she met him.

Love Story by Taylor Swift

So I sneak out to the garden to see you. We keep quiet, 'cause we're dead if they knew so close your eyes. Escape this town for a little while.

Kanga meets him when they’re both 14 years old. Neither of them wanted to listen to their parents rules and they would sneak around to play and to mess around and eventually they developed feelings for one another. When at first Kanga would sneak out to play games with him, soon she snuck out to kiss him and to be close to him. She turned 16 and was utterly utterly smitten with him. She thought of nothing more than getting the chance to meet him again and curl up in his arms.

She Used to be Mine by Sara Bareilles

And now I've got you and you're not what I asked for. If I'm honest, I know I would give it all back for a chance to start over and rewrite an ending or two for the girl that I knew.

And then Kanga started feeling sick. She was late and she went to a doctor and then she knew: she was pregnant. She was pregnant and the baby daddy was someone her parents would never accept. She didn’t think her parents would forgive her either. Kanga was terrified. She couldn’t tell her parents about it. She couldn’t talk to the father. She thought for a long while that she should get an abortion, but people could be so harsh and even punish her for doing it. So she had a new plan: she would leave.

Leaving on a Jet plane by John Denver

'Cause I'm leavin' on a jet plane don't know when I'll be back again.

Once the decision was made, Kanga gathered money. She stole some from her family and bought a one way ticket to England, hoping that it would be the right path. She didn’t tell her family she was leaving, she never told him either. One day she was there and the next she was on the cheapest flight to London.

Lullaby by the Dixie Chicks

Life began when I saw your face and I hear your laugh like a serenade.

Everything happened quickly then. She found a small town where she could afford a tiny apartment, she tried to continue her schooling, and she went through her pregnancy alone, giving birth in the Swynlake General Hospital. Only when she had her precious child Romeo in her arms did she reach out to her family again and let them know what happened. Kanga had become a mom.

I’m a Survivor by Reba McEntire

A single mom who works two jobs. Who loves her kids and never stops. With gentle hands and a heart of a fighter I'm a survivor.

With Roo born, Kanga struggled to keep a roof over both their heads. She took on two jobs, and simultaneously tried to continue with school. Romeo was carried around everywhere. Soon Kanga and Roo became a familiar sight to people in Swynlake, the single mom with child in tow trying to make ends meet. Kanga was able to get her high school diploma, and then worked hard to continue to college. Roo spent countless hours with her in classes, and eventually they came to have a manageable situation.

Fix You by Coldplay

Lights will guide you home and ignite your bones. And I will try to fix you.

Kanga studied hard and finally became a nurse at 25 years old. With Roo in school it became easier for her to work longer shifts, though she was always making sure that they ended when her kid would get out of school. Kanga would rush from the hospital still in her scrubs to get home and make sure Roo would do his homework and that he’d have something to eat.

Little Lies by Fleetwood Mac

Tell me lies tell me sweet little lies. (Tell me lies, tell me, tell me lies) Oh, no, no you can't disguise.

Roo started to ask about his dad. Kanga would tell him the same sort of thing: that he was awful, that he wasn’t there for her, and that she had chosen to leave to protect them both. It would make her heart sink whenever he asked, the guilt twisting away and further exasperated by the fact that he didn’t know about his magic. She wanted to protect him. To protect him she kept it from him.

Slipping through my fingers by ABBA

Slipping through my fingers all the time I try to capture every minute. The feeling in it slipping through my fingers all the time. Do I really see what's in [his] mind each time I think I'm close to knowing. [He] keeps on growing slipping through my fingers all the time.

Now Romeo is the age that Kanga was when she got pregnant with him and she’s starting to prepare for a time when he won’t be living with her. When Kanga won’t have to be watching out for him and have to figure out what to do with her own life. The thought is intimidating, but she looks at the board and she looks at her job so that she’ll somehow find a way to be ready when Romeo doesn’t need her anymore.

#bdrpwrimolena #honestly dunno that i did this right tbh #lol #but oh well

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dj-scruff · 5 years

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Scruff's Top 5 ( Firehouse, Anzua Wedding, Exhaustion)

This was a long week in the world of music. I had four events this week and each one was great, I lost a lot of sleep and the realization of rest and work balance has come to the front of my thought process. I had fluttering eyes, body aches, and brain clutter; but I made it. Two nights back to back at the Firehouse, two different playlists, two different groups of people. Saturday a bilingual wedding, my second one of the year, and a wonderful experience. All in all I had a great learning experience, a great weekend and i'm stepping in to a new weekend with a different mindset. Thursday night started off my four day event calendar, this was the real start to change. I made my way down to Sioux City for a fun night at the Firehouse, they have been celebrating Halloween all month and this night was no different. All of the staff wore their favorite costumes and put on their best spooky service with a smile. You had Captain America, Spider-woman, a vampire, and even a jester walking around that night. I kicked things off in a poppy fashion, they had the jukebox rocking the tunes before I started and I figured that I would keep the trend going so that it wasn't all of a sudden the complete opposite of what was being played right away. throughout the night I played all of the fan favorites from Lizzo, Post Malone and Lady GaGa to DaBaby, Migos, and 2 Chainz. I love playing for the Firehouse, there is always a mixture of young and older so that means I can play not only the newest of new but the classics (or at least what I consider classics) and nobody complains. I finished up there that night around 2 and was on the road about 10 after. When I made it home it was around 3:15 and I made my way to sleep probably by 3:30. I got up for work around 7:45 am and made it in to the kitchen at 8. Only a little over 4 hours of rest and I felt like a Zombie. I don't drink when I work so there wasn't any hangover or extra energy drainage from partying the night before, my body just needed more rest. Friday night after work and my production class with Cova I made my way back to the Firehouse for some Friday shenanigans. Once again I really enjoy coming down and playing for those guys, the clientele was completely different, and this time I was able to go a little harder and a little more experimental. On the playlist included Juvenile, Ludacris, Tyga, Iggy, and Michael Jackson just to name a few. I played a few remixes as well, this is something that I do within my own discretion. Even though there are a lot of open formatted songs being played on the radio, I have come to realize that even in the clubs around here people want the familiar or little change. With that being said playing a few remixes a night is what I really strive for, just to introduce the crowd to the idea of new or change. Sometimes it works and sometimes it's a completely bomb. I don't usually judge a track by its first play out, there have been times when I played music that just hadn't hit the mainstream trend yet. One of these tracks is The Git Up, I saw the videos on Tik Tok and my cousin actually introduced me to the song via Snapchat, so when I first played it out I was expecting a great response. The song hadn't hit my neck of the woods yet so the reaction was horrible. Look at the song now, I can't go to the Firehouse without someone asking me to play it at least twice in a night. I had a great time Friday night watching the dance floor and glancing at the pool tables behind me. I packed up and made my way out of there a little after 2 again which means I was in bed after 3 and with a long day ahead of me I passed out. Saturday my day started at 9am and ended Sunday morning around 2am. I made my way into the kitchen to cook and afterwards I played for Brianna and Daniel Anzua's wedding. This was my going to be my greatest challenge for the weekend. Now it wasn't a challenge because this was my first time playing at a new venue, or the fact that I was running on little sleep, this was my greatest challenge because the Anzua wedding was bilingual. This is my second bilingual wedding of the 2019 wedding season and I must admit I get nervous whenever I have to play music in another language. Brianna looked stunning and Daniel looked sharp, all of their guest had bright smiles on their faces and were ready to party. I had lots of help this evening from the host and hostess Josh and Joni. Like I had stated this was a bilingual wedding and those two were my translators. For most of the evening they took the drivers seat and conducted most of the activities. Danny and Bri enjoyed playing the shoe game, and having guests look for items for a scavenger hunt. I took the reigns right after with the first dances. This is where my nerves started to kick my butt, i've rocked crowds to the 80's 90's today's and everything in between tunes. When it comes to traditional banda's, cumbia's and latin hits outside of today's reggaeton artists i'm lost. I started off with group dances like the Cha Cha Slide and wobble, I then slowly transitioned into some spanish music with the Macarena first then Payaso de Rodeo. I got the response that I expected and then some. Instead of clearing the dance floor with the language switch almost everyone stayed and did their best at dancing to whatever was played whether they understood the language or not. After a few songs I got the chance to witness some very traditional activities performed at many Mexican weddings. First Brianna and Danny both stood on chairs and locked fingers making a bridge, and with the support of a few people they had their guests make their way under the bridge all while trying to knock them off the chairs. It was quite crazy for a moment but all in good fun. Next activity was even wilder, the groomsmen took Daniel and started to toss him in the air. They did this a few times, tossing him higher and higher each time to the point where he almost touched the ceiling. It was awesome to see what other cultures do when celebrating the union of man and wife. We partied for a few more hours after that, bouquet toss, garter, and dollar dance were all done. I switched back n forth between styles of music and with the help of guests I was able to not only keep my dance floor full, but I was able to expand my library. The nervousness never subsided, I take my job seriously and I want to make sure that all guests have a good time. I was just happy that I was able to cater to everyone a little bit, I felt really honored to be a part of Bri and Danny's special day. After A long weekend it's time to talk about how my body felt, about the dangers I faced, and what I plan on doing to keep myself from feeling like this. After the first night at the Firehouse I went to work feeling like a zombie. I was at a point in which I knew I was awake but at the same time I was no where near functional enough to be around sharp and hot objects. After another night at the Firehouse my eyes fluttered more on the road and my body started to ache the next day. When I say ache I mean stiffness throughout my body, I mean joints hurting as I moved, my knees wanting to collapse underneath me, and my body wanting to just shut down. Now I know I got some rest and a small nap on Friday but Saturday after working in the kitchen I showered and left for Brianna and Danny's wedding. No rest, and when you are in the business of entertaining you push all of that aside and give your 100% because that's what your clients purchased, and most importantly that's what they deserve. When you are giving that much energy you need to replenish that energy with healthy eating and lots of rest. I am definitely guilty of not eating right, and as you might have read rest was almost non existent this weekend. This was dangerous, not only because I could have fallen asleep behind the wheel of my car, or seriously hurt myself in the kitchen. It was dangerous because my actions could have gotten someone else hurt or worse. Not only that but I put excess wear and tear on my body when it was unnecessary. Yes, there will be times in which you have to work on little amounts of sleep, but they should not exceed healthy choices. There were times I felt like I was going to pass out. If I would have been the cause of an accident on the road or at work, my guilt for the situation would have been a heavy burden to carry for a long time. In the future I will be making sure that I have the time that I need to recover from a long night, this is what I plan on doing for a very long time. I have to make sure that I take care of myself, and I am conscience of what harm I could be putting someone else in due to my negligence.

Gimme! Gimme! Gimme! (Freejak Remix) - Abba

Huapango Tribal - DJ Moys

The Funk - Raumakustik, Andrew Meller

Creeping - Gene Farris , Dakar, Tough Love

Divided Souls - Diddy, Wax Motif

#dj #djlife #radio dj #music #House Music #Tech house #world music #digital journal #blog #dj blog #Journey #goals #lessons learned #growth #workhardplayhard #DJ Scruff

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jackblankhsh · 7 years

Text

New Year Same Ol’ Shit

Old spymasters used to whisper about intentional sacrifices, low level info catchers killed for Kali in the hope she spared the world. And spurious reasoning seemed to prove them right. For every Bond wannabe bleeding to death in a Moroccan alley, drowning in Venetian streets, murdered mid-sex, the world lived another day.

Such thoughts come to mind considering the night ahead. At my buddy Sid’s, the neighbors have painted their faces into colorful calavera, while they kill chickens for the orishas. I offer them a bottle of rum from the freezer. They take it gladly, and I wish them the best of luck.

“Which rum you give them?” Sid asks.

I shrug, “Does it matter?”

Sid says, “Yeah, if you want the offering to mean anything.”

He checks the freezer for what’s missing. Nodding he says, “That’ll do.”

“Since when do you believe in gods?”

He sighs, “Since we need all the help we can get.”

The sentiment seems shared by all this evening. On the stroll to Mr. G’s we pass wild mummeries. The street lamps have all been shot out. Lighting the way are burning pyres covered in various birds. Exsanguinations of goats run red rivers down the gutter. Revelers in phantasmagorical maquillage dance to music blasting out of cars, houses, and nearby bars, a chaotic cacophony of mixed styles blending into a delightful mess. The noise is meant to get the attention of the heavens; and some assist the effort by wearing ornate accoutrements: decorative plastic eyewear, ridiculous elaborate hats, and fake flower leis. Whatever may glance down from above will surely get an eye snagged on the sight below.

A yellow muscle car comes screaming around a corner, the “driver” seated on the roof wearing Viking horns. He opens his mouth to shout something, but the vehicle drifts into a parked pickup. As the two cars disintegrate the “driver” is flung out into the darkness. Everyone cheers. No one checks on him, though a keen ear may’ve detected the sound of snapping branches… or bones. Either he survived, or he belongs to the gods. One more sacrifice to earn us a better tomorrow.

We stepped into Mr. G’s, and joined the worldwide effort, contributing our own sacrificial brain cells, aiming for a global googolplex.

For whatever reason, the owner of Mr. G’s decided to hire a DJ, a young Puerto Rican with a neck tattoo, who plugged his laptop into the stereo system, and proceeded to run a playlist. Sid, unable to stomach electronic music for more than thirty seconds, did his best to remain calm, but forty seconds in started lobbing empty shot glasses at the DJ. The practice caught on, and Regulars eventually rained glasses at the DJ until he fled. I took his laptop, appraised its value, but decided it would be safer to smash it out of existence lest he return.

Without prompting Reilly starts a story:

“Someone’s talkin’ like, ‘No one really knows when a new year starts.’ ’nd I’m like, ‘Okay, that’s interesting.’ Noddin’ Ima sippin’ muh beer, I realize ‘s a cup of piss. Literal piss.”

“Literally,” I correct him. Why I have no idea.

“You wanna finish my story?”

Shake my head, “Nope.”

“Right. So liter-rally piss. Happy?”

“Not typically.”

“I’m fucking telling a story,” Reilly says.

“Then finish it,” signaling for a round of shots.

Reilly takes a minute to remember his place, “So this jackhole is yammering about are-bit-tarry , dates.”

I suspect he meant arbitrary, however, I let that one slide. GG pours us a few artillery shells, while Sid finishes rolling a joint. She flashes a playful frown that says, “Really? All out in the open?” to which Sid replies by blowing her kiss. She catches it with one hand, rubs her vagina, and sashays to another waiting customer.

Reilly continues, “Sos he’s talkin’, while I’m like why I got dis piss? Fogs is clearin’, but not fast enough. I mean I might not’ve needed to be holding it for fuck’s sake. Then I ‘member Fake Dave was in the bathroom.”

“The Fake Dave?” I ask, “The real Fake Dave?”

“The one and only,” Reilly nods.

Sid taps me on the shoulder. Laws being what they are, it’s necessary to go outside to smoke.

I say, “Hold that thought Reilly.”

“For a beer I might.”

Oddly enough, I don’t feel a need to buy the end of the story. On the way out I can hear Reilly wrapping things up. Tossing words to any ear willing to hear he sits basically talking to himself.

Pool balls collide, cracking like thunder. The jukebox sings as if the seventies are alive and well; that era of rock still reigns supreme. A delivery boy arrives carrying several pizzas, and is promptly hogtied, and thrown in the basement – no one feels like paying. Several of the senior lady-regulars slip off to have their way with him, while the rest of us pound beers, and gorge on greasy pizza. A few folks sing along with the jukebox, though they can’t quite remember the lyrics:

“A dull lesson sent pumps into a vat With a boulder for a shoulder Feeling kind and colder, I tripped that Mary go down With her cock teasing, wheezing, and sneezing {indecipherable} She was! Blinded by the light, wrapped up like a douche In the middle of the fight. Blinded by the right, warped up like a douche In the riddle of the night...”

And they keep singing even after the song is over. Bobby and Jennifer decide now is as good a time as any to go over the details of their custody battle, while their kids desperately focus on the television showing New York’s countdown. No illusion about their future, I buy the kids thimbles of whiskey. Sid disappears with GG, and a half hour later the two come back wearing each other’s t-shirts, her tits turning the Motörhead logo into something three double d; only I know better than to make stupid jokes. Mainly because they think no one’s ever seen the two vanish to her battered GTO for a quickie. The secrecy is part of the romance.

Ol’ Davy shouts, “Let the booze flow like blood refilling soldiers in the war against sobriety.”

A few cheer the old poet, “Sláinte, Davy.” He’ll never finish the piece, though he’ll cover a bar napkin in inky murmurs.

It could be any Friday, Saturday, or Tuesday. The only difference is that at midnight silence descends. The septuagenarians emerge from their basement orgy with the bewildered delivery boy. The jukebox karaoke crowd halts their performance. Bob and Jennifer cease fire. Their kids start the countdown, and soon the whole bar is one voice, “Five, four, three, two…” and as the new year approaches I walk outside with a pint. A brief ovation comes muffled through the door.

Lighting a cigarette I can see the sacrificial pyres are now just embers. The red rivers no longer flow, though the stains remain. Even the wreckage from the ghost driven car/catapult vanished at some point. The revelers though, they still dot the streets, shooting fireworks into the sky, adding temporary stars to the night. Brief constellations made of Roman candle ammo offer a new astrology – the promise of a new day. And shuffling out of the dark is a figure in a horned Viking hat. He looks dazed, but not confused. His eyes are set on the door to Mr. G’s. What didn’t kill him made him thirsty, a taste of madness is never enough – it’s time to glut on insanity.

Holding the door open I say, “Glad to see you made it.”

“Me too.”

So a new year begins.

#writing #weird #holiday #new year's eve #fiction #satire #honestyisnotcontagious #suburbansurrealism #comedy #sliceoflife

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