From Josh, I learned no man is an island. Especially if that man’s in a band. And if you think about it, every man, and woman, is in a band. They just might not play instruments.

And you don’t shit where you live.

Last, and maybe most important, just don’t be a douche.

From Bobby I learned never, not ever, to believe my own hype.

Lyla:

The breakfast.

[Smiles, shakes head]

That breakfast.

I have to say, to this day, I still don’t know if I’m glad Preacher left me upstairs.

Or if I wish I’d seen that.

Years later, there’s talk of that.

[Waves arm in front of her to indicate present]

We’re still talking about it.

There are a good many takes on that breakfast.

People who think it’s cool because it’s so rock ’n’ roll.

People who think Preacher was a tyrant in that band and him, and Tommy, going after Josh proved it.

Though, the only reason anyone thinks Preacher was a tyrant is because of some of the stuff Josh said.

It is absolutely true, Preacher was much bigger than Josh, physically.

It is also absolutely true that someone needed to teach Josh how to keep his mouth shut.

How that lesson should come about…

[Shrugs]

But from what I know of him, Josh didn’t learn it.

The thing is, people forget, with the careers they had and how long they lasted, that back then, they were very young.

If memory serves, Preacher was twenty-five. Jess and Tim, just twenty-one. Tom would turn thirty a few months after that event.

They were really still just boys.

Okay, [small smile] maybe not Tom.

But the guys.

They were.

And Preacher’s parents were a disaster. Tim’s were not much better. Jesse had lost his dad and his mom had her hands full. Dave’s parents were hippies unaware that the free love era was dead. I never was around them when they weren’t baked.

Tom was their only moral compass and Tom was a former marine.

[Laughs softly, shaking head]

But Preacher, he had uncanny abilities.

He was into minutia. He could keep track of so many little things, it boggled my mind.

But he could also see the big picture.

He had a gift with that too.

We had just been reunited and Jesse’s girl was there with Jess.

What Josh told that reporter about Preacher, Jesse and me could have put a number of things that were very important to Preacher in jeopardy.

My being with him.

Jesse’s happiness.

Not to mention Preacher’s.

Jesse and Preacher’s friendship.

Was it right for Preacher to teach that as a physical lesson?

I know my answer.

He was twenty-five and he didn’t know any better.

If I had talked about it then, that would have been my answer.

And it still is.

[Off tape]