Gerard and I spent the next little over an hour moseying about the museum together. We spent time discussing our view points on certain pieces, be they modern or by one of the older classics. When we weren't discussing brush stroke technique and visual style differences we were sketching whatever had caught our eye momentarily.

Currently we were doing just that in fact. I was seated on the floor hunched over my sketchbook in front of a piece from around the turn of the century. It had gorgeous light contrasts and I was trying my best to capture it again with my pen, as I had moved away from my pencils. My tongue was pursed between my lips and teeth as I concentrated.

I wasn't much of an actual artist, and I looked at most things from a photographer point of view almost. But I still understood art and the techniques, I just wasnt any good. Didn't deter me from sketching though, even if it was only parts of paintings or sculptures, or whatever, that caught my eye and not the whole piece.

Last I had checked Gerard was somewhere down the hall a bit, sitting cross legged on a bench like I had been earlier. His bent form huddled over his furiously moving sketch hand mirrored my own, except that my art wasn't half the quality his were.

I still didn't know how to ask him about showing me his pieces. I remembered that our first time hanging out he had promised he would, but I didn't know if that pertained to these or not. Because from what I saw he was a genius with his hands and a art device. If that was any indication of what his artistic skills were like, it made me wonder what his singing and song writing was like. He might seem to always be off somewhere else in his mind when he's standing right in front of you, and he might lose his smile when he thinks no one is looking, but his lyrics and voice had to be more beautiful just because of that. For all the best artists in any medium were always tortured on the inside somehow.

I had even snagged photos of him, using my zoom to make up for the distance between us without having it be obvious I was taking his photo. He seemed to be my new favorite subject. I hadn't needed the flash because of the glorious lighting the museum sported anyway. Which was awesome since he had no idea I had taken any shots so he was completely absorbed in what he was doing for the frames. I had taken one in color and one black and white. He was designed for black and white photos, something about the air about him and his demeanor spoke to the shades in a colorless photo. He seemed to almost glow in the absence of the spectrum.

I looked up from my page and gazed over at him. He had moved to a closer bench and now his hand was moving slowly and carefully across the page. Whatever he seemed to be drawing he seemed to be taking a lot of care in doing it, each stroke of the pencil seemed to be measured and careful, like he was in love with each one. I smiled and then smiled even more when he looked up at me as I was watching him, my own work forgotten.

He grinned back and then stuck a sheet of protective paper over his current drawing and then closed his book. Holding it in his hand and placing his pencil in his back pocket as he stood up he made his way over to me.

"Let's go grab some food. My tummy is rumbly and my ass hurts from sitting on museum benches for hours," he said as he extended a hand down for me to grab.

"Sounds like a plan," I said as I took his hand and pulled myself up.

I stuck my book back in my never ending, bottomless pit of a bag along with my pen and pencils.

"Let's blow this popsicle stand," I said once all my odds were stored in their proper places.

"I know this great little place we can go to since I'm guessing you dont want to go to Reta's," Gerard said as he and I walked past the main desk and smiled our goodbyes to the lady behind it at the computer.

"Sounds good to me, I don't care either way. If not going to Reta's will throw your plans out of whack then by all means let's go there," I said as we exited the giant front doors.

"It's usually the place I go beforehand, like a tradition. But I think it's okay to break traditions, especially when there is the potential of building new ones," Gerard said we steered me to the left once we got to the bottom of the stone front steps of the museum entrance.

"Sounds good to me. And what is this beforehand stuff?" I asked confused.

"All in due time, all in due time. Now we find place of nourishment, place where people will bring things that will make my stomach detach itself from my spine," Gerard said as he ushered me quickly down the street.

I laughed a bit and let him lead me as I had no idea where the hell we were going.
-xXx-
"So let me ask you something I had been meaning to ask you, which bumping into you today made all that easier," Gerard said as he leaned over his mostly empty plate.

We had found the place and ordered in what had looked like the nick of time, Gerard nearly devoured his food when it came out, which isn't to say I didn't either as I hadn't really eaten since breakfast. And that was a long ass time ago. Gerard played with his last few remaining fries, not hungry enough to eat them. I had placed my napkin on my empty pasta dish and pushed it further onto the table so I could rest my elbows on the table as I leant forward to hear him better.

"I was wondering what you were doing tonight?" Gerard asked as he drew a smiley face in ketchup across his plate, using his fry as his paint brush.

"Oh you know, mountain biking with a bunch of nudists followed by a good virginal sacrifice to the gods ending with a good book and a cup of hot cocoa. You?" I asked teasingly, he knew I didnt do anything besides what he knew already.

"Yeah well if you could tell the mountain biking nudists to drink the cool-aid without you, and possibly reschedule the virginal sacrifice for like tomorrow night I was going to ask you to come with the guys and me tonight," Gerard said as he sat back as the waiter took his messily decorated plate.

"Sure, sounds good. I wasn't in the mood for a cyanide cool-aid cocktail tonight really anyway. What's the plan Stan?" I asked as I smiled at the waiter as they took mine.

"Well we have a show tonight, a gig, at eight o'clock. You had said you would come to one, and here is the perfect opportunity. Especially since Reta's is closed tomorrow," Gerard said excitedly, acting like a little kid.

"And here I thought you had made plans to take your girlfriend out on a nice dinner at eight o'clock. What a shame," I said teasingly.

"Nah, just dragging her to a show so she can ward off all the crazy fan girls we have already," Gerard teased back.

"Uh huh. But yeah I'll," I started to say.

"GOOD! We can leave now since I have to pick up the guys so we can load and head out since the venue is like half an hour away. So let's skiddattle. Come on, get up, pronto squanto," Gerard said hurriedly as he literally jumped up and started tugging me out of my seat.

"Don't I have to change? Or something?" I asked as I let him drag me after him, waving goodbye to the hostess as we exited.

"Nah you look drop dead as it is. We'll have to attach you to someone for the night so you don't get whisked away by the first tight jean clad alternative rocker who turns his head your way," Gerard said as he finally stopped in front of a beater car.

"Hey I am not a floozy," I said pouting as I refused to get in the door he had opened for me.

"I'm. Not. Calling. You. A. Floozy," Gerard said as he tried shoving me into the car, and failing miserably.

"Uh huh," I said, still not budging.

"I was saying that with the way you look all a guy would have to do was turn his head in your direction and his first thought would be to sweep you off somewhere," Gerard said as he finally got me into the car and shut the door.

Actually his comment had shocked me that I had forgotten my fight to stay outside the car and had allowed him to push me in. I didn't think I was that attractive, regardless of my new outward appearance, I was still regular me. My overly pointy nose and slightly crooked teeth and all.

"And we can't have that," Gerard finished as he jumped into the driver's seat and slammed his door behind him.

"You're weird," I stated shaking my head as I buckled in.

"And you for the night will be dating a band member. Who as of yet have NO idea you're coming," Gerard said with a smirk before looking over his shoulder and backing out of his parking spot.

"Oh the joys," I said sarcastically as I lit an after meal cigarette as I saw butts in the ashtray of his car and guess he smoked in it.

Rolling down the window a bit and slipping my silver aviators onto my face I exhaled a long thread of smoke and watched Jersey life pass by my window. Thinking, I got out my journal and jotted a few notes.

"Art museums are the strangest places to run into people, but seem to be a popular gathering for Jersey inhabitants. Gerard caresses his line strokes like a lover. I debated that Dali was sane and sounded convincing. People can glow in black and white. Watching Jersey pass by me at forty miles an hour takes none of its beauty away, just concentrates it for speedy delivery. Jersey is speaking to me through art."

Jotting the last period I clamped my book shut and stored it with my pen back in my bag. Looking over I smiled at Gerard as he smiled back at me, ashing his cigarette out his own cracked window cracked.

Notes

Last update for the night my dearest readers.
I am off for a lovely New Years Eve night and I hope you all have a safe fun holiday evening!!!