A Moment of History
by ALC Punk!

The audience was packed with people, most of them young--twenties and teens. A few oldsters. And, in one corner, a couple and their two kids. The man was of medium height, slimly built, but wiry. His hair was a dark brown, with a few silver strands already showing. The woman was a little shorter than he with blonde hair and a trim figure--even after two kids. The kids themselves were sort of cute, the girl older and about thirteen with long black hair. The boy was about ten, maybe younger since he took after his father--all wiry and skinny.

"Mom, can I have some popcorn?"

"Hush, Pete, the concert's about to start."

"But Romany got candy!"

"Pete, you know your sister is older than you and has more maturity. Calm down and wait until the intermission."

"If there is one," Romany muttered, smirking slightly as her brother whirled to glare at her. "After all," she continued airily, "It's not like this is a play."

"Mooooom!"

"Romany, stop teasing your brother!"

"Yes, ma'am."

"Pete, stop fidgeting and sit down, they're about to start, see?"

The concert began, the myriad teenagers and adults screaming in adoration as the Sex Pistols took to the stage, Johnny cheerfully insulting the audience, which begged for more. Several songs went by, the audience screaming the lyrics as they knew them, sometimes missing the original words entirely. And then the man felt an insistent tug on his jacket.

"Dad, dad, I gotta, um... go pee, dad."

"Son, I thought we told you to go before the concert."

"I would have, but you took Romany to get candy, and then I couldn't go, and--"

"All right, son." The man sighed and turned to his wife, "I'll be back in a bit. Little brat has to pee."

"Hurry back, love."

"I will."

They fought their way down the stairs to the main level and then proceeded to the back, where the bathrooms were. Even there they could hear the crowd's cries and the band playing their songs. Pete was quick off his mark and dashed into the nearest stall, returning a moment later to wash his hands at the sinks. And then he and his dad returned to the floor. Fighting their way back through the crowd, up the steps and across the row until they once again reclaimed their seats.

"Thought you'd be gone too long."

"Nah, still time to see the other half of the record."

"Yeah."

The Pistols played through their record and bowed out, leaving fans screaming and crying for more. Some stood up and beat on the backs of the chairs in front of them. Others beat on themselves, or clapped as loud and hard as they could. Still others cried ululating cheers that echoed up into the rafters.

"Are they coming back, dad?" Pete had to scream to be heard above the crowd.

"Yes, they always do!"

"Really?"

"Yes!"

"Okay."

His father was right, they did return, Rotten insulted London, the aristocracy and the Queen Mother and then played two more songs. And then it was all over, the people around them hyped up, but slightly sad. They'd seen something that they'd never seen before. And it was done with.

"Dad?"

"Yes?"

"Can we see them again?"

"Next time they play--maybe in a few months. I'm not sure when I'll have time off, and your mother will be free. And then there's school for you and Romany. So, we'll see."

"Hey! Moom! Pete just stole my chocolate!"

"*sigh* Pete, give your sister back her candy."

"But I didn't even get any popcorn!"

"Hey! Peeeeeeete! When I'm in college, I'm never talking to you again!"

"Promises, promises."

And so it goes.

-=finis=-

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