Valley of the Go-Go’s

37

 

 

Friday, June 17th, 1983, 3:24 P.M.

 

 

Days like these, with nowhere to go and no one to answer to, were extremely precious and valuable to the Go-Go’s. Because they were still so young and had seemingly boundless energy, they thrived on the opportunity to act out and cherished every second of their freedom. Jane, being the purest poet of the bunch, once described it as, “Walking through the forest and never coming upon an open road.”

To put it mildly, just getting through the day without their picture being taken seemed like a miracle.

Each one of them, however, had their own idea of what leisure time, or “goofing-off” should consist of.

Our three, childish hooligans down in Kathy’s basement on this hot, steamy day, preferred the version of sucking beer through a plastic tube and dancing around to the B-52’s. (Hey, that kind of rhymes)

Because of that, a lively conversation regarding their leisurely activities inevitably popped-up:

 

BELINDA

So, should we be feeling guilty
about what we’re doing today?

KATHY
(beer belching)
What the hell are you talking about?

BELINDA

I mean this— sittin’ around
like this.

GINA

Are you outta’ your fuckin’ mind?!
Belinda, we work our asses off..
constantly. You don’t think we
deserve this?

KATHY

You’re not talkin’ about
Charlotte, are you?

BELINDA
(unsure)
Yeah, I guess I am.

KATHY

Oh, come on, she loves
doin’ that shit. She wouldn’t do
it if she didn’t love it. She doesn’t
care what we’re doing.

BELINDA

Sometimes I wonder.

GINA

Ah, you’re crazy. She knows we’re
a bunch of dumb-asses. That’s why
she never asks for our help. She knows
we’d rather be gettin’ drunk.

BELINDA

Yeah, but she’s out there
making money for us.

KATHY
(lighting a cigarette)
Because she wants to. Don’t
you get that? It’s like a hobby
for her.

GINA

We make our own money.

BELINDA

Yeah, but she’s like quad– dru…
six-toop… ten-toopled the amount
we would normally have.

KATHY

Just forget it, Belinda. Let it go. She asked
us if we wanted to invest our money and
we all said yes. Now we all own the same
amount of the company. It’s cool. If she
wants to be out there bustin’ her ass, then
let her do it.

GINA

That’s what I say.

BELINDA

What’s the name of our company again?

KATHY

It’s not really a name… It’s called the…
Go-Go’s Holding Corps or some
shit like that.

GINA

What are we holding?

KATHY

Well, in your case, it’s a can of beer
in one hand and a girl’s pussy in
the other.

Gina tosses some
beer at Kathy.

GINA

Is that supposed to be funny?

KATHY

Pretty much.

BELINDA
(ignoring them)
I think it’s like stocks and bonds
and stuff like that.

KATHY

I think it’s just stock.
I don’t think it’s anything else.

BELINDA

Well.. then.. who owns
our property? Like the
apartment building she
just bought?

GINA

We do.

BELINDA

No, I mean… who’s got
the… the thing?

KATHY

The title?

BELINDA

Yeah! The title.

KATHY

The bank keeps that until
the loan is paid off.

BELINDA

Ohh.. right… But then
where does it go?

KATHY

I don’t know.. It goes in
one of those box things
over at the bank.

GINA

How do we know it’s ours?
Does it have our name on it?

KATHY
(becoming irritated)
I don’t know! Maybe, somewhere.
That stuff is all written out in a
contract.. and our names gotta’ be
on there somewhere. It’s our company.
We’re only partners on that
building, anyway.

BELINDA

How do you know?

KATHY

Cuz’ she told me.

Belinda and Gina look
across at each other.

KATHY

What?!  Is it so surprising
that I would take an interest
in what’s going on? This is
all of our business. I want to
know what she’s doing
sometimes… It’s interesting.

BELINDA
(shrugging)
That’s cool… Sounds like
something you would do.

During this entire conversation,
Kathy has been carving and
chopping up creative little mounds
and piles and lines with a razor
blade. Now it was time to indulge.

KATHY

Okay…
Who wants to go first?