CHAPTER SEVENTHE SEA SHELL
Three days after the fire, the band met at Jesse and Amy’s apartment. Butch was first to state what had been troubling everybody since the fire. “We can’t go on without our gear and I don’t see any way we can afford to replace it.”
Dale stood up to give a pep talk like a football coach whose team is trailing by thirty points at halftime. “We’re going to get jobs as waiters. We can make good money and put half of what we make into an equipment fund.”
“I didn’t come to New Orleans to be a waiter,” Tim said.
Rene cut the conversation short. “Hold on. No need for all this. I already talked to my father and he said he’ll help us get a loan to buy new gear.”
Jesse did not like the idea of the band becoming more dependent on Rene and his family. “Getting a loan sou
