Bandstand Novelization

Time To Tell The World We Count

"Now I, I have already started the intro chords, okay? Rubber's at the drums, and he looks out at all these troops, and he knows they need something to pick them up. Not a sappy ballad. So, he starts-" Donny laughs out loud. He brings a hand to his mouth to stifle the laugh but he can't. Soon I'm chuckling too.

We've just played 3 sets at two different bars across town! Ma's out of the house with some friends this weekend, and I can't bear to be alone so I humored Donny and his offer to me to come and hammer out a few songs. I'm sitting on the floor, sheets of music strewn about around me while he sits above on the piano bench.

We debuted 'Nobody' and 'The Boys are Back', real crowd pleasers, but we're in need of a few more slow songs for the couples out there. On the topic of a love song we've started sharing stories of Michael. Slightly tipsy it's easy to laugh along with him in remembering better times.

"He starts taking off on the drums." He imitates the drums as he goes, "And I look at him, ad he says 'faster'. Pumps it up again, he says 'faster'. Kicks it up again, right? And he yells 'now sing!' So..." He laughs again, unable to contain himself, "So I start singing like my life depends on it, right, and it's not a love song anymore. No, no, no, it is-it is a, uh, oh, I don't know, uh- a battle cry or something." He sighs, lowering his class from the air where he's been waving it about. "I swear he turned that camp into the bandstand on top of the New Amsterdam."

Sobered slightly his eyes I reply, "That must've been something."

"Yeah." He leans forward setting the drink on the table and exchanging it for his notepad and pen. "Say, when's your-when's your father back in town? It'd be nice to put him on a guest list. Maybe the big booth? At the pavilion?"

"I'll check." I know the answer, but how can I talk about this now? "Where do we stand on the 'help sell Bayer aspirin' fund?"

He turns back a few pages and runs his finger down the expenses we accumulated as a group after our last gig.

"Eh...well the Pullman train car tickets for all of us, and the rooms at the Astor for that long is gonna run to $2,200. We've only got two more gigs lined up this week."

"We're gonna need at least five or six gigs a week to make it."

He hesitates. "I went down to my dad's old factory yesterday. See if I could pick up a few hours."

"Donny, that's a terrific idea!"

He shakes his head, "Except all those fellas see me on stage, and they think I'm really something, and then they see me working down there on the line with them-"

I nudge him slightly with my shoulder. "Those fellas think you're something because you're one of them!" He looks unsure. I smile. "Cleveland's own!"

I laugh and pick up my ukulele, something I had to dig in my closet for. I learned a long time ago and honestly it's the only instrument I've ever been able to make sound good.

I strum it once and then twice. 

"I got a theory, when you are from Lake Eerie." I begin and he's staring at me, confused.

"It's not a love song but hear me out!" He joins on the piano and I find my spot next to him.

"You're better than the average Joe!"

"Though buried in snow." He says.

"It's time to let the world know!" I say laughing.

Donny: "I got a theory,"

Julia: "It takes a place that's dreary to give a guy the right amount."

Donny: "Of drive to surmount!"

Julia: "It's time to tell the world we count!"

"Are we onto something?" Donny asks.

I point at his piano, a thousand lyric sequences running through my head! "Keep writing. With this one we might get more gigs than we need!"

We finish "I've Got A Theory" in fifteen minutes, lyrics, notes, all of it. It's goofy sure, but people around us will love to hear us sing about life here!

"I think it's great Julia!" Donny says after we run through it again. "It'll be fun for the guys to jump in and out, the melody's really fun."

"I agree!" I say.

With our mission accomplished I know that we should both be getting to sleep.

"Would it be too much if I asked you to stay the night here... It's awfully late." I say. His eyebrows raise and so I hurry to add, "I have a really nice couch... or you could have a bed if you wanted." I watch him contemplate it.

"I'd hardly want to be a burden to you Julia." He looks the room looking for some excuse as to why he should walk home at 11:45 after having two whiskeys with coke.

"You wouldn't be." I shake my head, before forcing myself up. "You're staying." 

I make up the couch with fresh sheets, a pillow and a few throw blankets. When I'm satisfied I turn to head to my own bed.

I'm already to the stairs when he says, "Are you sure Julia?"

I stop and then turn slightly to look him in the eye. "Listen Donny," I say from the doorway. "I don't like being alone." I give him a small smile. "It would make me feel better knowing you're here." The truth is out and it's true, I really do like, want, need, his company. I've grown to expect his presence and I'd be lying if I said it didn't feel right.

I watch as he swallows, holding the blanket in his arms. I can't quite make out what he's feeling from the look on his face but he nods before I turn back to the stairs.

"Good night Julia." He says.

"Good night." I reply.