Punked

Meet Rhys. He's my Welsch co-worker from Illinois. Blonde, on the short side, cute as can be. Pothead in sharp slacks and a tie. All day he's been chain smoking cigarettes and pacing the office in anticipation.

Johnny Lang is supposed to call him. He's interviewing Johnny Lang at 3 p.m. Johnny Lang is a god with a guitar and endless inspiration to Rhys who confessed to almost peeing his pants when he found out that in addition to covering Johnny Lang in concert, he would get to interview Johnny Lang beforehand.

Four car accident? Helicopter crash? Somebody else is gonna have to be cops reporter cause Johnny Lang is gonna call. Rhys ain't leaving the office.

He spent lunch break meticulously penning a list of questions, just in case he got so nervous his brain froze during the interview.

Rhys' phone rings and Rhys, mid-pace by the water cooler goes scrambling for it like a dog after a frisbee. I can't hear what he's saying, but the tone is nervous but official. The tip of his nose is turning red with pleasure.

"....yeah, yeah that's cool. Hey man, I was at one of your concerts last April and it was really cool...oh yeah. heh, heh, heh."

Rhys is really blushing now.

Then from around the corner comes Lucas, the photo intern, pointing and laughing.

"Man, you're a jerk!" Rhys exclaims. "Asshole."

Lucas is holding his cell phone and laughing. "Hey man, i was at one of your concers last April and it was really cool...," he mimicks. "Rhys you're a fucking tool."

Rhys is laughing too now. "That's what he told me on the phone. I was all talking about the concert when all of a sudden Johnny Lang is calling me a tool. I was like, oh man, if Johnny Lang called me a tool I'm just gonna have to laugh it off."

Johnny Lang's publicist called later. Johnny postponed the interview until the following week.