Jodie Landon: Lawndale High School's super student. When it comes to official activities, she's there front and center. Well, except for the male sports teams and to be honest, if her mother had her way, Jodie would be on the football team, too.

I watch the attractive woman dance to the beat of the grunge band performing on stage. I seem to remember that the lead singer is Jane Lane's brother. If he had half the talent at singing that she has at painting, they would be a hot band. But, since he has about half the talent I have...they're a little above painful.

But I have to admit that Jodie's having a good time, dancing with those boys. It's rare to see her break loose and allow herself a few moments to have fun. I laugh at the guys and think about how put-off Quinn Morgendorffer would be to see her three favorite puppies following Jodie instead of her.

Not that I would ever see Quinn in a place like the Zon. Her sister Daria, sure. She and Jane are regulars. Probably to provide the closest thing to moral support the band can muster, but more likely, just to get away from her family.

But back to Jodie. Little Miss Perfect at a grunge club. And when I say grunge, I mean grunge. I don't think the owners have washed a thing around here since the eighties. That's just the main room. The bathrooms – let's just say the back rooms of the strip clubs downtown are cleaner.

I watch Jodie spin and plant a kiss on the cheek of each of the three boys. Yeah, she's being the life of the party tonight. Sometimes, even she needs to be able to cut loose.

"Hello, handsome," a feminine voice says next to me. "Care for a dance?"

"Sure," I say, leading her to the opposite side of the dance floor.

"You got a name?" she says.

I reply, "Everybody calls me Mack."