The day had not started well. For some odd reason, the front desk had not been spry with the wake up call, and Dorin had not opened his eyes until 2 hours before they were scheduled to play that friday.
Not a good thing.
"OH SHIT YOU GUYS! UP NOW!"
In less then a minute all four of them were quickly scurrying around the room, with no real purpous and just looking busy.
"Who has shower first? Anyone? Zac, you first, then Jem, then Mey, so hurry!"
"Zac grabbed a handful of clothing from his bags and raced into the bathroom, he was starved, but that would have to wait. This show was much more important. The warm water spurted out and Zac stepped in. Completely relaxing, and then snapping to.
Damnit! This was no time to relax, he had lots of work to do!
After 5 minutes Zac was done and dressing when his brother pulled him out of the bathroom.
"Take it easy Jem, we have, like, forever."
"Nope, Zac, we have to be there an hour early just incase....we have about 45 minutes til that hour comes."
Zac giggled. This was such a concept to him. His family, the ones who were almost always late to school, were trying to be punctual and on time for this thing, and their real life style was rubbing off big. Zac could see it now......The interviewer at the radio station
checking his watch....asking how long ago they were supposed to show. Too funny.
"Well then.....what about food Jem?"
The sound of the shower muffled Zac's words, but they were still heard.
"I think they have stuff there. We'll get food. Don't worry Zac."
Zac walked out of the bathroom, brush in one hand, and toothbrush in the other.
"What the heck is Jem doing in there?"
Mercy sat on the bed tapping her fingers looking rather irritated.
"Mey....breath, he's taking a shower so he smells good for our future fans. Chill out."
She rolled her eyes at him.
"Buzz off space station."
Jeremy yelled from inside the bathroom. Mercy was up in a heart beat and passing Jeremy on his way out.
Zac flopped down. Letting out a big sigh as he did so.
"It's not that big of a deal you guys. Chill out. We'll make it."
Zac laid back. Man, this ceiling was awfull familiar to him now.
In the car Dorin turned to Jeremy.
"What is up with this kid? I mean, this is like, big stuff here. I'm, going to hurt him if he doesn't pick up the pace."
Jeremy just shrugged. There went that weird thing Zac was doing again.
Zac plodded to the car, slowly swinging the door shut, just as Dorin began backing out.
"Door man, lets just like, oh say, take it easy."
Zac was grinning. Dorin shook his head as he sped out of the complex and into the busy street.
The drive went in silence, besides Zac's occasional giggle to himself, and the various under the breath remarks made by the rest of his family.
They made it 10 minutes early, even with Zac's slow poke attitude.
Dorin climbed out, slamming the door behind him.
"Where from here?"
"Probably the door."
"Ha ha ha, real funny Zac."
"I thought it was."
Huge amounts of people were walking in, and not many coming out.
"Let me get this straight, we play, not for the public, but we play, and they judge us?"
Dorin thought for a minute.
"No, okay guys, this is what happens. We go in, play our hour set, there are all sorts of people in ther, not public, except for certain public, more like an invitational than anything. Then, the contractors, and agents look at bands. This is like, the upmost thing guys. If someone likes us, we could get signed!
Zac went silent. He placed his hand on his chin, rubbing it like he were an old man relying on his wisdome.
"Really Door? No! Can't be. You know, I thought we were here for family bonding. Or wait, maybe the snacks, do they have refreshments?"
Zac's mumbling trailed off as he walked towards the glass doors.
"What is up with him?"
Mercy was obviously confused, Dorin saw it as some sort of excitement. Jeremy saw it for what it was. An attention getter. Zac was being a weirdo for certain reasons, and it would be obvious sooner or later. Probably later.
"Well lets move then."
The family joined at the door. Walking into the carpeted lobby, they saw tons of people, scurrying about, asking questions, some just walking in one door and out the other. There was a desk to the opposite wall.
"Uh, ma'am?"
Dorin hesitantly caught the receptionists attention.
She looked up, almost with a glare.
"Can I help you?"
"Uh, yeah, we are, um, performing. Can you tell us where to go?"
The woman imediately looked relieved.
"I can't believe you decided to use the front door!"
Dorin looked confused.
"You see, the reporters, they are all over here, wanting to catch the scoop. I know, it's not nearly that bad, but they will be all over the ones that get signed.
Damn vultures is what they are. Now, where is your section hun?"
"Uh, umm, I think 13, but, I'm not real sure."
"Got your passes?"
Dorin stuffed his hand into his pocket, pulling out a folded yellow paper, and handing it to the woman.
"Says here you are 13. Go right through that door, show your slip to the guard, he'll let ya on through. He'll tell you where to go from there."
She smiled a warm smile.
"Thanks a bunch ma'am."
"Sure. See ya 'round'."
Dorin walked off, his younger siblings following.
"Passes please."
The four of them handed over their yellow slips of paper.
"Over there."
The guard directed them to a stage, almost directly across from them, there sat all their equipment, still safely packed in it's cases.
"And look Zac. The chinese didn't steal it!"
Zac threw up his arms.
"That was the chinese resteraunt people. Sheesh. Get it straight."
Mercy grinned.
"Okay my family....time for some show....time. Sounds right to me."
Zac walked to the stage, once more leaving his family confused.
"Something is up man, he needs to be smacked."
Mercy shook her head.
"Oh well, we'll have to smack later."
She walked to the stage, jumping up and leaning down, assisting her younger brother set up his drums.
"I wish these people would hurry."
Zac sat on his stool twirling his drumsticks in the air.
"Zaccccccc iiiisssssss bbbbboooooorrrrrrreeeeeeddddd."
Zac stretched it out, sounding slow, and tiring.
"We'll play in like, 20 minutes Zac."
"You said that 20 minutes ago. And what ever happened to 'be here an hour before you're scheduled'?"
Dorin had to admit. They had told them to be there at 10, but it was now almost 11, and still, they had not made it into the line.
"I don't know Zac, soon."
The bands they had heard so far were good. Some of them a little strange, and a couple that were horrible. No doubt, there was sure to be some of those. And as onlookers slowly left, it was obvious they weren't interested.
"That is a diss. Man, I hope were not that bad."
Zac was making all the comments. He was staring out at the rest of the room, watching the people. It was a Zac thing.
"Zac ssshhh. We have maybe 20 minutes."
"Door, I heard you 20 minutes ago."
This time it was for real. The band before them played an okay set, about 40 minutes long, and they were coming to their 7th song. Almost time to wrap it up.
"Hey, all of you...dorkus, all of you guys."
Dorin, Jeremy and Mercy turned to look at their impatient brother.
"No matter what, it's gonna be short, sweet, to the point, and we'll say kiss my ass if they walk away. Got it?"
Mercy could not help but laugh. Zac was such a character. She could positively see him in the middle of a set stopping and telling someone to blow it out their hole. That would be Zac.
The band closest to them slowed to a stop.
"Oh crap, now what, I have butterflies."
Zac giggled. Mercy had butterflies, nyah nyah nyah nyah nyah.
"Cool cool cool cool cool cool cool!!!"
"He has gone nuts."
"No, far beyond that."
Dorin and Mercy watched as Jeremy raced Zac to the car. Completely juvenile, but they couldn't help it.
The story had gone good enough. Dorin had forewarned Zac that he would be telling no one to kiss his ass that day, and that Zac would be nice to anyone that said 'wow...your a good drummer.'
Not that he had the greatest thought in which anyone would do so. Zac had been exhausted, and more then once rolled his eyes at onlookers. Mercy had sung her heart out. Completely her, and she was a little flustered too, nothing too bad. Jeremy had stayed silent, hoping not to ruin the experience, and
Dorin, Dorin had been confident.
"They clapped!! Mey! They clapped!"
Zac was hung up on it. Maybe more excited then he had let on in the begining, but he was happy. And they had clapped. A good deal of clapping also, they had attention. They would see how things went tomorrow.
"So, how'd we do Door?"
"Fabulously."
They were all tired. Extremely so. And they figured it would be better to get as much sleep as possible if the next two days were going to be like that day.
"Look at him. So quiet. What's up with him lately? Pyscho kid."
Jeremy smiled.
"Agh, just being a kid. Leave him alone. He'll get old with it."
The lights clicked out. Zac's quiet breathing could be heard to the rest of them. Then Jeremy's joined in, then Dorin's.
Only Mercy lay awake. This looked good. The whole thing. Something about the days events had made her feel real good about the outcome. Although she felt some twinge of doubt. She had a feeling there would definitely be drawbacks. She was still excited out of her mind.
Eventually, even Mercy's steady breathing joined that of her brothers, and all night, she dreamt. She dreamt of a bigger house, and lots of people, and pets galore, all she wanted. Just a dream of course, life could never be that easy.
They had rushed through their showers, and nearly ran to the car, Zac taking his sweet time.
After hearing the guards directions, they were directed to a fairly large hall, several stages were set up, and on some of them, people were setting up equipment. A guard by the door stopped them.
Their set came uneventfully. Zac thumped just about everything with his drumsticks, Mercy sat on the front of the stage reading a book, and in the 15 minutes left, Jeremy had managed to check out everyone else in their section. The way the show worked was, that there was up to 20 bands in one room, very large room of course, more like a large car garage. The stages were set in a half cirlce, and the
bands were set up according to registration number. The Dentras being number 117. Then, they would go around the circle, playing their 30 minute to an hour set, and then be done. In this time, the agents would walk around, check things out. There was also three days to do all this in also, no hurry.
They had gotten applause! Zac was bouncing up and down on their way to the car.
The second Zac lay down a heavy feeling fell over his body. Contentment if nothing else. After they had finished, they had decided to check out some of the other bands. They had been lucky, they had recieved early play times, unlike the 11 and 12 o'clock ones they had heard about. They had gone to eat, and then swam. Zac dived right in, and enjoyed it emensly.
Now he was so tired he couldn't help but ignore the world around him. Exhausting job it was.
