Fishing again…


“You know I thought you would have learned by now not to give me the map.”



“Nick just tell me whether to make a left or a right.”



“Why don’t you ask Howie? I mean he gets the front seat. Apparently I have been demoted since our last trip.”



“Howie is sleeping, good lord can’t you hear him snoring?”



“Who wouldn’t hear him? I bet he could wake the Tasmanian devil with that nose of his.”



Kevin laughed and on cue, Howie kind of made this weird snorkly type sound. The guy not only slept more than any human being I knew but he also snored louder than most living, breathing things.



“If he does that this entire drive I’m going to have to smother him.” I exclaimed as I took the map and opened it up.



We were in Australia on the eve of my birthday and for some reason we were on our way to go fish again. It’s odd how it happened, Johnny told us we had a few days to relax before the shows started up again and instantly I felt Kevin’s eyes on me. I mean intently staring my way. He scared me when he did stuff like that, because it usually meant I was caught in the act of being dumb, but this time I knew for a fact I wasn’t doing anything wrong.



I finally looked at him and he smiled wide and took his arms and started swinging them over his head. “I think Kevin is possessed by something.” AJ whispered in the background, but I knew exactly what he was doing and I couldn’t help but nod and grin as wide as I could.



Within seconds Brian and AJ made plans to go golfing, they were talking about different courses they could hit and which ones they thought they’d do better at. It made me sad, but I was getting used to it, besides my Frick was just about back. We were closer than ever just now I had to share him with a numb nut who paints his nails.



Kevin slowly made his way over to me as I stretched out my arms and then bent down to touch my toes. “Get that thing out of my face Nick!”



“You love my ass Howie admit it!”



“I am tired of seeing your ass Nicky; I am beginning to have dreams of it chasing me down the street. And just in case you were interested, your entire butt is hanging out of those jeans. It’s time to go down a size or start wearing a belt…or better yet, how about underwear. Ever hear of those things?”



“I enjoy free balling I thought you knew this by now.”



“I think the entire world knows this by now Nick but still…your butt needs to stop ending up in my face.”



“So, you think it’s a good idea?” We both stopped arguing about my ass and looked at Kevin.



“Fishing? Yeah I’d love to go.”



Kevin smiled and nodded, “Excellent…maybe we can make an overnight trip out of it.”



“You guys are going fishing?” Howie asked as he pulled out his phone.



“Yeah, I figured for his birthday we’d have a good old fashioned male bonding trip. Care to join us?”



“But Kevin, didn’t you say male bonding? That kind of leaves Howie out of it.” I love my Howie D but I have to make fun of him whenever the chance arises. He answered me with a friendly pat to my ass that he hates so much.



“I would enjoy that…” He said to Kevin with a wink. He’s just like Santa Clause with the winking.



“Have you ever fished before D?”



“Of course I have.”



“Because when we fish we fish you know? None of that amateur hook a worm onto a pole stuff.”



“Yeah Nicky, I heard all about your last fishing trip and you shouldn’t use pants as bait either.”



Kevin let out a huge laugh and I looked over shocked at him. I asked him not to tell them about that. “So much for keeping promises Richardson huh?”



“Relax Nick; I had to tell somebody, it was funny.”



“I’m glad you thought my near death by pants experience was so amusing but still…”



Howie interrupted our little argument, “Anyway, I’m glad we are doing this. It seems like a tradition that we take you somewhere on your birthday. Remember last year?”

Last year was awesome, the two of them decided to take me out to dinner then to a strip club of all places. We had the best time ever! I loved hanging out with my two oldest band members especially when they stopped treating me like a kid and instead treated me like a friend and this time of year, a friend is what I need most.



I always get a little down on my birthday for some reason. I know now that I’m older it’s not supposed to be that big of a deal anymore but it still is hard. “I can’t believe I’m going to be 26.” I said after what probably felt like a never ending pause from me as I finally came back from my flashback.



“I know, that seems crazy to me as well.” Kevin added.



“It feels so old.”



“Try 34.”



“No thanks Spanky.”



“Spanky? Nick, why do you insist on calling me everything but my name?”



“Because I enjoy annoying you.”



“Of course silly me…now…map? You still haven’t answered my question.”



“Oh…hrmm let me see.” I stared at the map and had no clue what I was even looking for. So I did what I did way back in Kentucky which felt like forever ago, “Go right.” I winged it.



“Are you sure?”



“Uh huh.”



“Really? Because this isn’t Kentucky we are in another country, if we get lost there is a possibility that something really will eat us.”



“Isn’t that why we brought Howie along?”



“I heard that!”



“Wow he’s awake.” I said reaching over and pulling on his ear.



“I thought we’d be there by now.” He sat up, batting my hand away and yawned.



“We are a little lost but now we’re on the right track.” Kevin said glancing back my way as if he added a silent ‘we better be’ after that.



“Nick was saying how he feels old Howie.”



Howie let out a ‘pfft!’ and the two of them looked at each other and laughed. I was glad to see that my anxiety about aging was so funny to them. “Nicky you are still a baby.”



“No I’m not, I mean I’m 26 and still feel like I haven’t done anything with my life.”



“What?” Kevin turned around and raised his eyebrows at me.



“I’m not going for sympathy I was just being honest. It’s true. I am 26 years old, single and still act like I’m 13.”



“Nobody is going to argue with the 13 year old thing but Nick, you have done so much already. Come on…you have to know that.”



But did I know that? I mean yes, I did do a lot in fact a heck of a lot more than most people my age. I am a millionaire and have been ever since I was a teenager but yet, does that make me not a loser? All the others seemed so much more settled than I was by the time they turned 26. Yet here I was still a complete mess.



“I hate my birthday.”



“We know little man.” Kevin frowned and looked over at Howie and instantly I felt like a child again. It was the same every year, I was miserable but yet they still walked me through my birthday. Funny isn’t it? How probably none of the fans even knew how every time they wished me a Happy Birthday I secretly winced at them. I liked to forget about my birthday completely but no one would ever let me.



They didn’t understand it either, meaning all the guys. How someone as carefree as myself would hate the date of my birth so much.



“You are having fun so far though, right?” Howie was now completely turned around in his seat and once again giving me that damn wink of his.



“Yes I am…I can’t wait to see you fish. That’ll put me in a good mood instantly.”



“You know you’re going to be disappointed Nicky because I am a really good fisherman.”



“You? No freaking way.”



“He is actually. I’ve been fishing with Howie before.”



“Fly fishing?”



“No, just regular fishing.” For some reason I was happy about that. Call me an immature little brat but I am glad that the fly fishing thing was just something between Kevin and I…well until now I guess.



“Are we fly fishing or regular fishing?” I hadn’t even thought about asking until now.



“You guys are doing the fly thing but I’m sticking to regular I think.” I nodded at D once again pleased with what I heard.



“Hey Kev…you think they have any overly large things here we can stop and look at? Like that toaster in Kentucky?”



“No idea.”



“Maybe they have a huge boomerang or something.”



“Maybe Nick.”



“What the heck are you guys talking about?”



“Wait, so you tell Howie about the pants but not about the giant toaster?”



“That’s because I knew Howie would be interested in the pants…”



“I like toasters.”



“Yes… see? Howie likes toasters. I think you should tell him about the toaster.”



“It’s really not important.”



“That’s because it’s about you. He made a fool out of himself Howie…go on Kev...tell him.”



“Hey! I think we’re here!” Kevin said quickly changing the subject and sure enough there we were at the most beautiful little lake I have ever seen.



We all got out and just stood there staring out at the crystal blue water. “This is really gorgeous. AJ and Brian have no idea what they are missing out on.” Kevin said as he grabbed the cooler out of the trunk and handed it to me.



“This will be a perfect place to set up camp.”



I nodded at Howie as I made my way down, closer to the actual water, trying not to groan about the weight of the cooler I was carrying versus the smaller rods and random bags they were carrying.



The water was so clear you could see schools of fish swimming just below the surface. “I don’t think we’ll have a problem catching anything today Kevin.”



“I think you may be right Nicky.”



“Although I had no problem the last time.”



“You really are never going to let me live that down are you?”



“Hell no.” I said as I began to remove my shoes and socks. I was smart and didn’t wear boots on this trip. But not quite bright enough to wear flip flops. Maybe by the third time we do this I’ll have it down to a science.



I sat on the edge of the grassy surface and stuck my feet in the water, “Now Nick be careful…I hear there are man eating piranhas in there.”



“Shut up Kevin.”



But of course the instant I put my feet in I felt something glide across my foot and quickly pulled it out, much to the amusement of my two band mates. “You are so gullible.”



Kevin walked over towards me and handed me a fishing pole with a huge ribbon on it.



“Happy Birthday Nickolas.”



“Wow…this is for me?”



“Your very own… so this way I don’t always have to lug two around the globe.”



I took off the bow and examined the rod and noticed it had something engraved by the reel. I pulled it closer to my face as Kevin watched, “Kiss a fish and make a wish…” I laughed and then stood up and grabbed my big brother into a hug.



“What the hell is that supposed to mean?”



Kevin pat my back before turning towards Howie and saying, “Well once you catch a fish you have to kiss it.”



“Okay how about we forget I even asked then?”



“Fair enough.”



“Nicky I have something for you too.”



“You do?”



He nodded and then pulled a bag out of the cooler we had brought with us. “What is this?”



“Open it and see.”



I opened the bag and shook my head at him, “underwear?”



Kevin and Howie broke out into hysterical laughter. “You guys suck.” I said but secretly I looked from one to the other and felt so much love in my heart for them it was almost overwhelming.



You know, there are many things in my life I have yet to learn, sometimes I feel like I’ll NEVER learn. But one thing these guys have taught me is that despite everything…I’ll always have them in my life.



I mean if they haven’t thrown me to a pack of wolves yet, I think I’m safe…but just in case, “Hey guys there aren’t any wolves in Australia right?”

The End

Just something small for Nick's birthday! :O) lol enjoy