28 May 2008; Spin Records. Kevin Spacey & Ville Valo, PG.
Cross posted to valo_q and our_quarter

Kevin watched the young guy pause in the doorway and felt like calling, "Don't bother, all old fart music here." However, as usual he waited patiently for the inevitable Dude your records are gay comment.

The inside of the shop was calling Ville with the same urgency he felt when looking at old paintings. The guy behind the counter was looking at him curiously. Ville could feel what he was thinking: What are you doing here? He smiled and nodded, used to shop owners looking down their noses at him and telling him to steal or get his drugs elsewhere. "Good morning."

Now he's a polite one! Kevin thought. "Good morning, it's a bit cooler today," he said in reaction to the guy's fingerless gloves. He didn't really know what else to say.



"Uhm, yeah, it is." Ville let his fingers wander over some of the old records on the first few shelves, eyeing the shopkeeper from the corner of his eye. He still seemed a bit suspicious, but friendly, and Robin had said that he was a lovely guy. Ville picked up a catalogue and came up to the counter. "I hope you are Kevin because if yes, you've been recommended to me."

"I am Kevin." Kevin wondered who in the world would have recommended him to someone as cool looking as this guy.

"Yes. Robin Finck pointed me here... Don't know if you know all your customers by name. He... we both work at the Missing Mile. Do you order piano sheets too?"

"Missing Mile?" Kevin turned bright red. Trent's club. "Umm piano sheets. Umm yeah I think so. What are you looking for?"

"Some of the older stuff. Couldn't find it on the shelves but maybe I am blind." Ville pushed a crinkled sheet of paper over the counter. "I'd be forever grateful. I have no patience for hunting them down online."

"How old?" Kevin asked. "I have pretty good patience looking online." He shrugged. "Nothing much else to do."

"I don't know how old, sorry." Ville shrugged. "I've been to a jazz conservatory when I was a kid. I remember them from my time there. Some parts of it I could scribble up from memory, but I want the real thing. No cheating. But I remembered the titles and wrote them down."

"The titles is all I'll need. Jazz conservatory? Now that would have been an experience." All barriers of age and looks were broken now that Ville was talking his favourite subject.

"It was!" Ville laughed. "I bet they were glad to be rid of me." He recalled the troubles he had caused, the problems he'd had with all kind of authority in school. "So... you know the Mile?"

"The Mile?" Kevin panicked. "No not really. I've been there one time. Just checking out the local scene you know. Are you a friend of Robin's?" He said trying to change the subject.

"He's my boyfriend," Ville said casually, leaning over the desk to eye the LP's in the glass counter. "He's not in my band, but I guess you know that if you know him too."

"We just met the once. He seems nice though, you're lucky." Feeling he had said enough Kevin shuffled some singles around. "I'll take your list and see what I can find. Leave a contact number and I'll call you if I have any luck."

"I'll give you my card," Ville said, fumbling for it in the back pocket of his pants. "If you can dig them up, you are my hero. Your next Mile visit is on me then."

Kevin took the card, not saying anything more about his connection with The Mile. "It shouldn't take me more than a day. I can email a list if you like, with some indications of prices." He smiled at Ville, "Say hello to Robin. He was very friendly to me." Kevin didn't add how unsual that was.

"He's a good guy. I am sure he'd love to come here again soon but he has business out of town." There was no need to add more details for a relative stranger so Ville left it at that. "But his band will still play on Saturday and I'm gonna go because my guitarist is standing in for him. Maybe you want to join me for a glass or two?"

"At The Mile?" Kevin really wasn't sure. Maybe Trent would be there; maybe that was a good thing, maybe that was a bad thing.

"At the Mile, yeah." Ville smiled, wondering what it was that made Kevin so unsure. "The guys look tough, guess you know that, but some of them really are into Jazz and all that. It would be great if you'd come too, we can hang out together a little if you like, exchange thoughts about it and all. They'd be delighted." Well, Trent would be, probably. But Kevin didn't need to know that most of the times, it was just Trent, Robin, and Ville while the others left to party. But Trent really also was into Jazz and it would do him good to talk to someone else for a change.

"I think I might be a little out of place." Kevin bowed his head. He liked Ville, and he really really liked Trent but... he was old and a nerd and...

"I've heard that before," Ville grinned. "But contrary to popular belief you don't have to look like a drug addicted goth to be let in. If you want, I can tell the guys at the door that you'll be there and they'll guide you in, get you a good place in one of the lounges."

"I'll try to get those music lists done for you as soon as possible," Kevin said returning to the safe topic of work.

"Hey you don't have to. It's probably not something for everyone." The door opened to reveal new customers and Ville extended his hand for the other to take. "Think about it. My invitation stands. Have a nice day, Kevin."

Kevin shook the pale young man's hand. "Thanks," he said gratefully.

"No I thank you." He craved a cigarette and he didn't think that he was going to get more out of the other man so Ville just smiled and waved. "Well I see you then. Was nice meeting you, Kevin."