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The Band
by
Brad Bever
Once there was a boy named Alex. Alex was a lean kid at 5'7". He was 11 when he
started playing the guitar. Alex was taking lessons when one of his closest
friends, Jason, asked him if he wanted to start a band. Jason had been playing
the drums for a while now and was pretty good. Alex thought that it sounded like
a good idea. One problem, who was going to play bass?
The next day, Alex went to school. He came home shortly after and immediately
picked up his guitar. He started playing when Jason walked in. His mother must
have let him in. Apparently, Jason was serious about this band thing.
"So... Have you decided yet?"
"Yes, actually. That band sounds like a good idea. Who's going to play bass?"
Alex asked.
"Well, I figured we could audition some different bass players tomorrow after
school."
"Sounds good," Alex said.
"See ya then."
"Bye."
The following day after school, Alex found Jason in the gym. People were already
starting to line up.
"Hey, this better go quick. I have an orthodontist appointment at four," Alex
said.
"No problem. This shouldn't take too long."
The first couple of people were horrible. Then, they actually found a good one.
Her name was Kim. Kim had been playing for 2 years, or so she said. After
everyone that was left auditioned, Kim was by far the best. They told her the
address to Alex's house and that she was to meet them there tomorrow at 3:30 pm.
After school the day after, they all showed up at Alex's.
"First, we need to know who is going to sing because I sure can't. Plus, I've
heard you sing before Jason. It isn't pretty."
Jason smiled. They both turned to Kim.
"I guess I could. Will I have to sing alone?" she asked.
"I think Alex could sing back up," Jason added.
Alex sighed.
"Alright, but only because Jason can't sing. Now all we need is a sweet name.
I've been thinking about it and I thought of The Awful Truth."
"That's cool with me," Jason said.
"Me, too," Kim said.
A few weeks later, the group decided to write their first song for their
school's talent show: "Mindless." It wasn't very fast, but it sure wasn't slow
either. The talent show was two weeks away and they needed some serious
practice.
The talent show was March 19. They were called down during lunch. They were
setting up on the stage when Kim saw all of the people. Her stomach lurched.
Backstage everyone seemed to get a little nervous and touchy.
"You guys know that we are first? That's just like our principle to put us
first. I don't like him that much," Kim said in disgust.
"O, Mr. Tinger isn't that bad. Although he can be a little weird. Hey, they're
announcing us!" Alex exclaimed.
They all walked on stage to a bunch of applause. They started out a little
shaky, but eventually they got into their groove. Kim was outstanding.
"Mindless! Sometimes the brain is so mindless!....." Kim was really feeling it.
Everyone in the crowd was cheering through out the entire song. Even Mr. Tinger
was tapping his foot. As the song ended, the three bowed and walked off stage to
much applause.
"That was awesome!! We are so great when we really get into it," Kim shouted.
"We'll be all over the announcements tomorrow. Man, we were really something..."
Alex added.
"Yeah, I guess," Jason said.
"What's eating you?" Kim asked.
"Well, during the performance, I kinda cracked my cymbal."
"How did you keep going"
"I just played on the hi-hat instead," Jason said.
"That explains why it sounded so funny towards the end without that cymbal,"
Alex said.
"Yeah."
"Well, how much is a new one? $100?"
"Actually, about $250," Jason said.
"Ouch," Alex and Kim said at the same time.
The next few weeks, the band practiced and met regularly. They were beginning to
sound a lot better. Alex noticed that Kim wasn't singing like her normal self.
"What's wrong, Kim?" Alex questioned.
"I don't know..."
"It's okay. You can tell us. We won't tell anyone else."
"Well, the other day some kids asked me to play bass in their band. It was a
bunch of college kids that were really good. I didn't know what to say so I told
them I would think about it."
"C'mon Kim. We wouldn't leave you like that," Jason pleaded. "We need you!"
"I know, but they were so cool and good, too!"
Kim didn't show up the next week at Alex's. No one knew where she was. Not even
her parents. Jason saw her at school the next day.
"Where were you?"
"I was checking out the other band, okay. Geez."
"Well, you better show up next week," Alex said.
"I will try," Kim said under her breath.
The next week, Kim didn't show up again. Both, Alex and Jason were furious.
"How could she do this to us?"
"I don't know. I just don't know," Jason said.
Kim stopped coming to school the next couple of days. She was apparently at her
friend's house, the lead singer of her "new" band. Jason decided to find out
what was going on for himself. He called her parents and got an address. He
found her with some nobody college drop out.
"What are you doing to yourself, Kim?"
"I'm perfectly fine. I've found my man. Go away."
"Fine. We thought you were cool but.... Whatever. If you ever come back to
reality, you know where we will be."
"Whatever," Kim said.
About a month later, Kim returned to school as if nothing happened. She wasn't
her cheery self either. Everyone seemed to notice it, too. One day, Kim showed
up at Alex's.
"Why are you here?"
"My boyfriend ran off with another girl."
"Boo-hoo. You left us and we don't want you back. Now you just come back as if
nothing happened. Yeah, right."
The door slammed. Kim ran home crying. She wanted to be back in the band very
badly.
Jason woke up the next Saturday to find a new cymbal in his basement. It had a
note attached to it that read: "Sorry I messed up. I hope you can forgive me and
we can move on so we can play again.
KIM"
Jason was jumping for joy. He called Alex and they decided to forgive Kim and
let her back in on one condition: Kim has to be faithful to the band from now on
no matter what.
THE END
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