Life with the jokers: on tour

Part 23

I beamed the whole journey back to the guys, and couldn't turn it off when we turned to 'normal' conversation. He liked me. He liked me. He wants me on stage with him. Like in his dream. This was unreal. Yet, I knew I wasn't dreaming. This was all too real- the bright sun colouring the trees a bright green, the many people around us and their individual conversations, the buildings were beyond comprehension. This wasn't a dream.

"Joe had the idea to prank some fans in the park," Sal said as we walked side by side down the path, "and then reveal all in tomorrow's show."

"What sort of pranks?"

He sighed, "I don't know what goes on in his mind. Wild things," we laughed, and Q and Joe were in sight, still kicking the ball around.

As we approached, Joe put his hands on his hips, "what do you think of this idea... pretending to be a drug dealer to see who we can lure in."

"Wait, wait," Q butted in, "that is not what you said to me! You said actual drugs."

"Where would you get hold of them at midday?" Sal enquired. Joe shrugged in response.

Murr put away his phone and joined, "how about we just meet fans and just start spreading rumours to the other guys, or try and photobomb fan's selfies if they don't know the rest of us are here."

"Yeah, that's good. We can work off that as we go along."

The guys spread off in different directions. I worked with Joe to 'lure' in a fan, the other guys looming around ready to pounce and photobomb.

"My first trick," he said, "I'll tell them Murr is actually gay." Following our conversation earlier, he definitely wasn't letting this one go.

"Then I'll take the picture. Make sure to ask if they're coming to the show, so we can put it on the big screen tomorrow." He nodded.

About 30 seconds later a small teenage girl walked over shyly, blonde hair and thin glasses.

"Can I have a picture please?" She asked Joe, and I offered to take the picture, Murr, Sal and Q lunged behind as I fumbled around with the phone to kill time. A perfect shot: Joe hugging a fan with the rest of the guys- arms around each other- cheering in the back.

"Are you coming to the show tomorrow?" Joe asked, giving her a high five, she nodded excitedly and Joe gave her a goodbye hug. After she walked away, he whispered, "I didn't want to give her the gay joke."

A man walked over soon after, and gave Joe a 'man-hug'. "How are you dude? Can't wait to see the show tomorrow."

"Thanks, man. It's the biggest show we've done so far, so we're pretty excited too."

"Is everyone else here?" He asked, looking around. I could see Sal's bright sneakers poking out from behind a tree. Him and his sneakers.

"Nope, just me in the park today. They've gone off to the hotel I think."

"Wow."

"Let me run an idea past you. I'm thinking of exposing Murr tomorrow."

"What's he done?"

"He's got a boyfriend."

"Oh, no way!" He covered his mouth, shocked.

"Yeah, yeah. He only told us last week. They've been going out a year."

"Don't do it, dude. It's obviously secret."

"Maybe. You want that picture?"

They stood with Joe's arm over the guys shoulder, I fumbled again until the guys were in position, this time making a funny scene behind. Murr laid on the floor, legs up mimicking giving birth, Sal was at the end pretending to pull it out, and Q stared into the camera looking shocked. I had to purse my lips to stop myself from laughing. But as quickly as they arrived, they disappeared again. Photo after photo, they made charades of riding a bike, made a human pyramid and even got someone's dog to put next to them. Joe used gossip like: 'Q's engaged' or 'Murr can't tie his shoe laces' or 'Sal actually has the dirtiest house.' Fans had no idea, but would be completely shocked tomorrow night. 20 fans at least came over in 5 minutes. And Joe had to abandon his game as he had enough to use.

"Anyone else got any fun ideas?" He asked when we emerged as a group again. Some fans caught them all together, and I took some innocent pictures that weren't part of the game.

Murr chimed in, "we could just lie on the floor until a fan approaches, then when they know who we are just get up and leave. Olivia, can you film?" I nodded. Such a stupid idea, I love it.

Sal was first. "But the floor's all gross," he muttered. I hit record,him lowering himself slowly to the dirty floor. He lay there motionless, every so often could see his body shaking as he laughed to himself.

Finally, a woman came over, "Sal?" And with that, Sal took off, heaving himself back up to the floor and walking away noncholantly, like he'd been waken from a sleep and had somewhere to be. The woman was definitely confused.

Then Q took his turn, getting to the floor and hugging his knee as if in pain. The aim was to get a fan, and in New York, no stranger would want to help.

"Oh my god! Q!" A man said, checking up on him. Q looked him dead in the eyes, then emerged in a swift motion and walked away, leaving this guy equally as confused.

Then Murr took his turn, laying with his stomach pressed to the floor, and his face squished sideways. A fan came over and Murr just stared him square in the eyes. No communication. Nothing. The fan stared back, a mix between laughing and serious. It lasted at least 40 seconds, I zoomed into the guys confused face until he just walked away.

Finally Joe, who fell onto his pregnant stomach and rolled himself around a bit like a beached whale.

"You're a grown man. No, wait, a father," Sal laughed hysterically, "why are you doing this?"

"Gotta do what you gotta do for attention."

A woman came over, "hey, Joe, can I have your autograph?"
Sal laughed again, "is she just ignoring that he's laying on the ground?"

"Yeah, sure," Joe said, but remained on the floor, flipping himself up so he was facing the sky. "I'll get right too it."

A few moments passed, and Joe got himself up awkwardly, purposely relying on benches and bins and anything around him to get up. The woman impatiently waited, but Joe then walked away, pointing at a sign on the other side of the park.