Chapter Text
It's 2001 and I'm a 22 year old man living in Chicago. I don't know what I want to do with my life because for the past 12 years I've only been playing bass. All because I wanted, well I still do, want to be in a rock and roll band. Now I'm stuck working at book store just so I can pay rent for my shitty apartment and meds. Oh yes, Pete Wentz really hit it off after highschool. Good old me, Pete Wentz, struggling to afford meds for my bipolarity and so I can live somewhere almost half decent with still too expensive bills for rent. Especially for someone living off minimum wage from a book store that's far less known than Barnes and Noble. Yep, sure am living the high life. Living off University student conditions when using even go to university. Good ol' Pete Wentz just living it up in Chicago. Now walking into the building where his shitty job is.
"Hey, I know about music." One dude said to another.
"Yo, I know more about music." Dude 2 said to dude 1.
"Wanna start a band?" Dude 1 asked.
They agreed to starting a band and then realised that they were in a book store and talking about music. So they left. Weird guys. Maybe I can join their band. I mean, I can't look too much out of place. Dude 1 had orange hair with huge sideburns, glasses, and was wearing socks with sandles. Dude 2 had a massive fro. I mean, I have straightened, black emo hair, and always wear eyeliner. How out of place could I possibly look?
I wonder if I'm going to have a customer come n on my shift. I can't wait to see if they've put up any flyers by the time my shift has ended. They might put a add up on MySpace or somewhere. I gotta stop thinking about them and the band that they're starting or else my shift will never end. At least I only have lock up and not open tomorrow. The owner of the place has to do that tomorrow. Tomorrow is my day off.
"Hello. Umm, do you have any instruction books on how to fix a toaster? Or a heater?" Some guy with a New Jersey accent asked.
He had just come in. Wonder what he needs them for.
"I'll have a look, why do you need them?"
I'm too curious not to.
"My nephew doesn't think straight sometimes. So I'm getting my brother and stepsister some fix-it books for Christmas. After all, it's only the toaster and heater my youngest nephew seems to explode." He explained.
"What? How does he manage that? How old is he?"
" He's 21 and he brings the heater into the shower and he puts forks in the toaster when the bread gets stuck. I still can't believe that in a week he is going to be moving into an apartment with a short guy who is just a year younger than him. Frank Iero is going to have big job at hand."
I laughed at that. This guy is only a year younger than me and he's almost as much of a mess as me. At least he has a roommate. Oh well. Ha! Yes we have those manuals.
"Here you go, sir. We have two copies of each left. Would you like anything else."
"Thank you! Can I also have this book about coffee. Both my nephew's love coffee. They share everything so they're probably going to share this as well. I'll also take the other two copies of the previous books."
"Okay! That will be $24.60."
He handed me the money and left with the books in hand. His nephew sounds like a right mess. Sounds like he has an older brother, too. Andy could relate to him.
Five minutes left before lock up. Better start now. It does take about five minutes to lock up.
"Hey, dude. Don't lock up yet. Can we hang these flyers in the windows?" Dude 1 asked.
They came back. Huh. Didn't exactly think they would.
"Yeah, sure. Do you have the stuff to hang them?"
"Yeah, we do. Thanks, man."
I took one of the flyers and looked at it. They were looking for a bassist and a singer or drummer.
"Hey. If you want a bassist, I can do it. I play bass. Have been for the past 12 years." I told them.
"Cool, man. You doing anything tomorrow? Just come to the address and we jam. See how good you are." Dude 1 told me.
"You don't have to be amazing just good." Dude 2 said.
He seems very laid back.
"Yes. Anyway, I'm Patrick Stump and that's Joe Trohman. Come round to the address around lunch and we'll see how good you are."
Then they left.
That night I couldn't sleep. The warm hands of death practise wouldn't grab hold of me. Yet they were seducing every part of me. That night I didn't sleep. So when it came to morning I slept through my alarm and had to run to the address to make it as early as I possibly could. It wasn't easy to run when you are carrying a bass guitar.
I got there at 1:30 pm.
"Sorry, I'm late." I panted out.
"Hey, dude. That's okay. It looks like you haven't slept at all." Patrick said.
"I haven't. Well, I couldn't. Sleep was seducing me but not giving me the sweet release I desired." I replied.
"Poetic." Was all Joe said.
They gave me some food and then we set up. They listened and watched me play my bass. They liked me. They liked the way I fingered my bass to make it make all the heavenly sounds it could. All the right sounds. Like the right lovers' moans. Heavenly and bliss. Just perfect. I got in. I'm the new bassist. Well the only bassist they've had. Now we need a singer. Considering Patrick is playing drums.
"Hey, guys. I can sing. I have a soul voice." He announced after a few songs we all knew and decided to cover.
"How?" Joe and I asked at the same time.
"Watch." Was all he said before a musical key bellowed out of his mouth.
It sounded like soul. It was beautiful. I could tell Joe thought so, too. The expression on his face must have been almost matching mine.
"Now we need a drummer." I replied to Patrick.
To tell him he was now the singer.
So we made more flyers. Took the old ones down and hung up the new ones to replace them. We all stayed over at what I learnt was Patrick's apartment. We had been in Patrick's apartment for most of everyone's day. Now we were going to stay there for the rest of the night. I slept that night. I was finally held to grips of sleep and it was blissful.
We had drummers come in the next day looking to fill our vacant spot. About five. One was like, Neil Pert, Josh Freeze, these from Toto, and the guy from Papa Roach. The last one wedecided to keep. His name is Andy Hurley. He's fucking amazing.
This is Fall Out Boy. Singer; Patrick Stump, guitarist; Joe Trohman, bassist; Pete Wentz, and drummer; Andy Hurley.
I liked my new title.
Pete Wentz, Fall Out Boy bassist.