17 Apr Bobby T.
The mid 70s was a swingin’ time. Certain cities more so than others, one city was more happening than all the rest though, Los Angeles, California. Bob Tuckerberg was a financial analyst by day but at night he frequented the scene. This is because he was a financial analyst for Island Records. He was friends with the giants. Keith Moon, Jimmy Page, Robin Williams, John Lennon, Alice Cooper, all of them turned to Mr. Tuckerberg to keep their finances in check while they blazed the town like tornadoes sun up to sun down.
At one particular party the tornado almost consumed him though. It was late May in Laurel Canyon. A place where rich people that still promote themselves as hippies call home. Lots of land and not a lot of surveillance. The night was kicking into high gear. Bob was invited by Marianne Faithful to this party and was told to bring a guest, but it was very last minute and his friends were already there so he came alone.
He pulls up to the house and parks the car outside the gates in case he wants to leave early. Bob was a calculated man. He walks in and as usual decadence is the Ley of the land. People are boozing, joints and trays of cocaine are being passed around by Greek themed models with breasts exposed and crowns of leaves. Aphrodite is in the building tonight.
Of course he’s seen it all and is unamused so he goes to the pool and sees his friends lounging beside it. He recognizes Neil Young and goes to say hello. They have a drink and start talking. From the corner of his eye he sees a female guest at the party start to squirm and push a close talking drunk guest away from her. He was making unwanted advances and she was feeling uncomfortable. She was alone and cornered at the bar on the other side of the yard.
He’s listening to Neil talking about his barn studio but keeps an eye on the situation. A joint is offered to him, he refuses. Something doesn’t feel right about that argument, the drunk man seems unreasonable and isn’t backing down. The young girl starts to walk away and the man grabs her arm and pulls her back screaming “Hey! I’m not done talking to you you’re being a rude, selfish bitch!!!” She slaps him and screams “I don’t know you and I don’t owe you anything.” He grabs her again. Bob and Neil agree it’s time to step in.
“Hey man, this is a party and it’s meant to be fun but if someone doesn’t want your company you’ve gotta leave them alone.” This triggers the unruly guest. “Do you know who the fuck I am?”. “No, actually we don’t” replies Bob. “Well, this is my fucking house and I do who or whatever the fuck I feel like doing here. You’ve got a problem with that?” says the pig man. “Yeah, I think we all do.” says Bob. People are leaving the yard and going back inside. The scene is tense. Bob steps to the man’s face and the man spits in his eye and pushes Bob to the floor. All hell breaks loose.
Bob is no stranger to conflict as a matter of fact he also runs Bruce Lee’s accounts and has practiced some Jeet Kun Do so Bob sweep kicks the man to the floor. The man bounces on Bob and starts punching him in the face, they both go at it. Bob eerily says “I didn’t want to have it come to this.” He punches 3 of the man’s pressure points and the man is left immobilized (temporarily), enough to subdue him and tells his friends he’s riding.
He asks the girl her name. Shaking but relieved she replies, “My name is Wendy.”. “Wendy, you wanna get outta here?” Bob asks. She says “Sure, but I didn’t drive, this sociopath sweet talked me into coming to his harmless pool party while I was working at the bank. He waited for me to get out and offered me a ride, naively I accepted. He’s been drinking and doing speed for the past five hours and I’m terrified. I just wanna go.”. “I understand “Bob replies. “I’ll give you a ride home if you’d like.”. “Very much so.” She responds. So Bob, Wendy, Neil and Tom Petty all leave this man’s home and head back to Hollywood. “You know that’s not his house right?” Says Tom. “That’s his brother’s house. He lives in the pool house and invites people over when his brother isn’t town. He sent an invite pretending to be his brother about 2 weeks ago. Weirdo.”. They all shrug it off and head to their cars.
Bob puts on some Bossa Nova in the car to diffuse the tension and relax the poos gal.” She was shaken but surprisingly getting more cheerful and they start chatting. He tells her what he does and she tells him what she does. They are both into numbers and come from similar backgrounds. She says “You know, this was a bad experience but I’m feeling better. I don’t want to make you drive all the way to The Valley for me then go back to Hollywood.” He says he doesn’t mind. She insists now, “No! You’re into finances and I’m a big fan of Mr. Young’s. Are you two going to meet up now?”. “Yes” he says. “We’re going to have a drink at The Whisky with his wife and then go listen to his new new record at my place later. Would you like to come?”. “Yes” she says, “I wouldn’t want to end my night on such a sour note.” to which he agrees. The head to the whisky.
The hours pass and Bob and Wendy apparently share a lot more in common than they thought. Between sips they reveal they’re both foster children, both do calculus equations on napkins and talk quantum physics. Whatever happened earlier has been all but forgotten by this new connection. They are enthralled, encapsulated in their own bubble. In LA last call is at two so after that they decide to back to Neil’s apartment instead of his to listen to the mix of his new record. Neil invites some friends.
They go to Neil’s, they hang out let loose but stay on top form making sure not to look stupid in front of each other. She goes to the bathroom to freshen up and Neil pops up next to Bob and says “God you two haven’t shut up since the car ride. It’s like you two have known each other forever.”. “Might be the case.” replies Bob, “What is time?”. Wendy pops out of the bathroom and wraps her arms around Bob and asks “What are you two talking about?”. “You.” he says. “You should clean up that nose, I think you’re a bit too fond of your battle scars.” They laugh, she squeezes him and the flash goes off.
