The flyers coating the outside of every building in my line of sight couldn't have made it more obvious where AC/DC were playing next. 

Someone was getting a raise that day. 

They were headed north this Thursday and were playing in various festivals and pubs along the way before leaving the state. It looked like they had two nights off so I'm sure they were looking to paint the town before they left. 

With my nausea subsided I took a look at the pastry shop and bought a few goodies. Just a cinnamon swirl, two croissants, some bikkies, and an apple tart. 

I loaded them all back into my hotel fridge and looked around the room. Brown carpet, white walls, pink drapes. The bed was unmade and my stuffed bear was hiding under the covers. A couple books were piled on the nightstand next to an old glass of water. There was a ring stained on the furniture.

It was there when I got there, I swear.

I looked out my bedroom window to the city below. Palm trees dotted every corner with surfboard shops, sundries, clubs, and even a small tattoo joint.

Imagine if I came home with a tattoo....

Tempting. But being allergic to pain and a perfect crybaby, I decided against it. 

Falling asleep on the beach had proved risky leaving me with a brand new sunburn on my leg. It wasn't big, just the size of a two dollar coin, but it hurt like a bugger. At least my cough had lightened some making it easier to sleep at night. 

I thought about calling home. Ask how Rosemary was doing and that I was managing on my own. No, I didn't have any strange men in my hotel room. No, I wasn't doing anything illegal. No, I wasn't--

Just then there was a knock at my door. Thinking it was the housekeeping I straightened up the bed as best I could and picked up any stray paper or tissues. But behind the door was a very small and very shy Angus Young.

Oh, be still my beating heart.

"Hi," was all he said. 

"Hello," I replied. 

He was fidgeting with his hands. "I wasn't expectin' you to answer," he said. "I jus'...thought I got the wrong room or somethin'." I stood there like an idiot. "Cliff told me he saw you outside. He got a general direction of the hotel an' I asked the front desk an'..." He shrugged. "Uh...anyway, he also said you weren't well?"

I snapped out of my trance. "Last night I felt a little sick but I'm okay now," I explained. "I'm sorry I missed the show."

"Nah, don't be sorry an' all that. Not your fault. Hey, plenty of times I've been sick an' wished the gig would play itself," he smiled. "But uh....I was wonderin'....are you busy at all?"

I looked back at the telephone on the table. "No, not really."

"Well, then...." He sort of shifted his weight from one foot to the other. "You wanna find a place to eat? Nothin' too fancy, just a couple of friends?" I just about glowed.

"Yeah."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah," I smiled. He smiled back and held out his hand. I took it and closed the door after me.

**********

There weren't too many diners like the ones back in Sydney but we found a small secluded bar behind a couple bigger and busier bars. The bartender looked happy to see us. "Hello! Come in and sit down!" We took his advice and sat at the empty counter. One man sat at a table by himself with a stein and a newspaper. "What can I get you?"

Angus looked at me. "Uh...." What's a teetotaler supposed to order at a bar? Chokkie milk? "I'll have...." The sign above the man offered all sorts of delights. Cosmos, beers, whiskeys, Jack and Coke, rum, fizzy drinks, vodkas, tequilas, and....lemonade? "I'll have lemonade," I ordered trying to look confident. Angus got a Coke and the bartender, probably confused at his customers but not ungrateful, got the drinks.

"You don't drink either, eh?"

I shook my head. "I've never been interested." Look out, Sunset Strip, Miss Adventure coming through. 

"Don't blame ya' You enjoyin' your trip so far?"

"I am," I answered. "It's nice to see something else besides Disneyland in Cali." Our drinks, being the bare minimum in effort, were placed in front of us along with a couple of microscopic menus. 

"No rush, guys," the bartender told us as he wiped down the counter. Now the food....the food looked much more appetizing. Chicken, salads, toasted sandwiches, hamburgers, fish, I couldn't pick! I was surprised this place wasn't packed with people. 

We both ended up getting chicken with a side of various boiled vegetables. This took a little longer so we had more time to attempt a pitiful chit chat. "You mind if I smoke?"

"No," I answered. Angus pulled a packet of cigarettes out of his pocket and a lighter. He held the cigarette in the hand farthest from me and blew the smoke in that direction as well. Half his Coke was gone already. My lemonade was cold and refreshing in the summer heat. I'd have to remember to make some when I got home. 

"So what big plans you got?" he asked me leaning on his elbow. "What does the uh...what does the future hold for ya'?"

Uh.....dying alone in my cave?

"Dunno." My leg started bouncing. "I'm hoping to write a book someday but I don't know what to write about."

"It'll come to ya'," he answered. "It always comes when you least expect it. Inspiration an' all. There were times when my brother an' me...Mal, ya' know...would sit stuck in the studio playin' random shit on guitar an' thinkin' we had nothin' for a song. Then I'd go to bed an' right as I'm about to fall asleep--" He snapped his fingers. "There it is," he said smiling. "So don't get too tight in the jeans if nothin' comes right away." 

I sipped my lemonade trying not to giggle at his way with words. "....Angus?"

"Yeah."

My leg kept bouncing."If you hadn't started a band....what do you think you'd have done instead?"

He sighed. "An artist maybe. I mean like, with pencils an' paints an' all. Or a stripper, I hear they make good money." I blushed horrendously at the memory of the Whiskey. 

He was a cheeky little bastard.

Our food came out in record time and it wasn't half bad. Angus got a refill on the Coke while I continued to sip my lemonade. Our conversation wasn't the most riveting thing, not like all those cheap romance novels where they couple hits it off right away and falls in love. But it was enough for us and a mild friendship seemed a good place to start. 

Afterwards we walked down the boulevard glancing at the shops now and then. Angus was on his third cigarette and seemed a little less shy. Once in a while he'd say something to make me laugh and he'd look down at his shoes or he'd laugh along. 

A real ten out of ten first date. 

He told me Cliff had gone down to the beach and that Phil was probably back in his room sleeping. His girlfriend had maybe gone out with some friends she knew here. Malcolm had talked of visiting some friends too and God only knew were Bon had crawled off to. He could make friends anywhere and have a free place to stay next time he came to visit. 

"I like a bit of night life myself now an' then," Angus said later that evening. "But stayin' in with a cup of tea an' a good night sleep...." I heartily agreed. 

It was dark by the time we got back to my hotel. Angus took me back up to my room and held out his hand. 

"Well I'm sorry you got sick," he said. "Hope today made up for it."

"Thank you," I told him. "I had fun." There was a pause. 

"Are you uh...busy tomorrow?" he asked. "It's just...we have one more day before we leave an' I wondered if you wanted to...dunno...jus' whatever we felt like?"

I felt like a complete schoolgirl. A baboon in a schoolgirl uniform. A total loony. "Sure," I replied acting very shy. Angus seemed satisfied.

"Well then...I don't usually wake up at the crack of dawn but...I can get here a bit earlier for breakfast or...what's the word...brunch? That okay?"

Of course!!!

"Y-yeah, that'd be fun."

"Okay well...I'll see ya' tomorrow." One last wave and I closed the door. 

I could have jumped to the moon that night.