Not wishing to plunge into the deep end without some kinda life preserver or flotation device, Raymond chatted with some vendors at the public market prior to his arrival at<i>The Backstage. </i>But not with just any ol’ vendors. Absolutely not. As with most other things in his life, just about everything served a purpose.<br/><br/>Which explains perfectly, why he sought out advice from those who sold honey. They, in turn, pointed him in the direction of meeting with the beekeepers who supplied them with their sweet product. Two of the merchants even responded by saying they raised honeybees themselves, and how they’d be more than happy to meet with him so he could pick their brains about details.<br/><br/>With time on his hands prior to the start of the show, Raymond’s mental focus shifted toward women. Three, in particular. Olivia was pretty much a given. And she would always remain in that light. Until someone usurped her throne, that is. And he knew deep down that she would have no problem at all with that, happy to know that he was moving on.<br/><br/>Someone like Dr. McCallington? Minus the couples on both sides of him, Raymond woulda snorted and laughed out loud (though not necessarily in that order), at that somewhat nonsensical thought. Just as he reflected soon after seeing, listening, and enjoying her eclectic performance, he had to admit that they were at total opposite ends of the spectrum, if not beyond.<br/><br/>On<i><u>this</u></i>hand, there was Lexi McCallington: Elegant. Refined. Sophisticated. Accomplished musician and singer. And let’s not forget her expertise in the medical field. That fact was a slam-dunk all by itself. Being a music lover himself, however, Raymond was most impressed with her musical talent more than her talent in medicine. With music, he could actually talk to her about its wide and various genres. Medicine? He’d be lucky if he could hold his own in a conversation about aspirin. Or Band-Aids (sticky side against skin, eh?).<br/><br/>While on<i><u>that</u></i>hand, there was Raymond Sanheim: Um, hmm. Where to begin? Okay, erm. Horse Whisperer. Maybe? Or whatever. Aspiring bee keeper and possible reaper of their honey. And, uh, what else? Oh! And let’s not forget his expertise in the slaying of the C.O.V., the Locust Horde, and the Covenant. The acclaimed initials of M.D. could, theoretically, also be applied to him. As in, Mega Deathbringer. Oh yeah, beat that, Medical Doctor!<br/><br/>And thanks to Jakob, Madison Williams was now a potential contender. As if on cue, Madison traipsed into view smiling widely, and waving at him. He was more than merely positive that the sexy outfit she wore was unknown to her eldest son. And to her right, it must be said, was a man Raymond did not recognize. He was not smiling widely, nor was he waving at him. Settle down, Mr. Laser Beam Eyes, Raymond amusingly thought. I have no designs on<i>your woman. </i>Rascal Blood flowed through him as he returned Madison’s wave, being oh so sure that his smile was wider than hers. Y’know, for Mr. Laser Beam Eyes’ sake.<br/><br/>Soon after,<i>Only Love </i>kicked in. And at the same time, his peripheral vision alerted him to a gliding revelation in white. The tune’s thumping bass line and drums, however, saw to it that his attention did not waver from the stage. Their rhythm section laid waste to all before them, while also sending vibrations through the club’s floorboards. If he had fillings in his teeth, they would now be rattling. In ecstasy, it must be added. Raymond was never much into dancing, especially in public. But if someone approached him to do just that at this very moment, he would immediately accept, such was the lure of the song.<br/><br/>Until, that is, the once-gliding revelation in white was now at his side. Was she a waitress? If so, now was a lousy time to inquire about his order, especially since the concert had just started and there was already an almost full pint of IPA in front of him. Was she gonna ask him to dance? Doubtful, and besides, the band was well into the tune. But wait, the revelation in white not only sat next to him, but also produced a pint glass of her own on the table!<br/><br/>Raymond dared not look her way, thinking she was just there until the song ended. Then, she’d move on to where her date was actually sitting, waiting patiently for her arrival. So, yeah, why bother?<br/><br/>And what’s this? She was actually speaking to him now?! “Hello. I’m sorry I’m late,” Dr. McCallington said. Surprised that it was her, he offered no reply, other than laughing at her confession of losing her keys. In the fridge? Well, his laugh predictably increased in volume, but he wasn’t laughing<i><u>at</u></i>her. Rather, he was laughing<i><u>with</u></i>her, because for her to even admit to any of it, also meant to him that the good doctor clearly saw the absurdity of it all, too. And, more importantly, she had a sense of humor.<br/><br/>Although quite disturbingly so, it must be pointed out that she managed (commanded?) to keep a straight face while doing so. She was a doctor, not a lawyer, right? Or worse, a politician? Never mind all that, thinking how happy he was that she even bothered to show up.<br/><br/>After all, a question was soon posed to him, “How was the steak?”<br/><br/>Raymond genuinely smiled at her, appreciating how she remembered their celebration for Jake’s awesome news. In response, he closed his eyes and leaned back in his high-backed bar stool, smiling all the while. “Total bliss, doctor,” he eventually stated. “Total. Fucking. Bliss.”<br/><br/>About to profusely apologize for his obvious lack of manners about the needless profanity, BoDeans’s next song was a lively rendition of<i>Do I Do. </i>Raymond was lost soon after.