~*~
The next day, Jim got on the road early. Within two days he was at his destination, Savannah, Georgia, following up on a young jazz singer. He got a tip from his daughter who heard him play during open mike night in a small bar called Jazz’d Tapas.
She described his voice as amazing and said his stage presence was intoxicating. He checked the local music scene magazine to verify the young man, Jeremy Sax, would be in the spot that evening. Once he’d done that, he settled into his hotel and got dressed to go to the club. His attire was important to the transaction, and Jim always placed great care in his dress and approach. He knew essentially these artists were visual creatures, and if you didn’t look the part, they wouldn’t give you the time of day. Jim often went with his CEO look, slacks, colored shirt with white collar, cuff links, and his $10,000 Rolex watch. He had actually won it in a poker match, and only broke it out during these occasions.
As soon as he put it on, he was nervous that someone would rob him the whole time. So much so, it brought about the need for his final piece of his look, which was his paid security team. You get two buff guys dressed in all black and an ear piece and everyone will show you an abundance of respect and attention.
Meeting his guys at the Starbucks on Broughton street, they walked a ways over to the bar. It was actually downstairs below the city in a wonderfully decorated basement. The bar was situated not too far from the stage, which is where Jim liked to set up. Due to his small entourage, the manager was called to the front to personally seat him. Jim asked to catch the seat near the end of the bar closest to the stage. He also mentioned that he was there to seek new talent, and if he liked any of the artists he would need a place to chat.
“No problem, I have a VIP section whenever you’re ready. In fact—,” The manager stopped, “I will do you one better, I’ll have the headliner’s manager come by to meet you. You’ll love him,” said the manager.
“Really?” Inquired Jim, “It’s your professional opinion that Jimmy could make it in the lights?”
“When he ain’t saucing, he is one of the best I have had to play here. I have already booked him for New Years,” affirmed the manager.
They made their way to the bar and once there, Jim sat in his seat while one guard sat on his left and the other stood on his right. They both played their part, slowly scanning the crowd as if he was in imminent danger. Like clockwork, the CEO routine often sparked not only the would be artists, but something far more dangerous. Cougars. These feline predators could smell a Rolex from the front door. Jim had already seen three circling his position. He often made full use of his CEO act, but not tonight. Finding one of the top five, to stay employed, was his goal.
“Look alive boys, I am going to need privacy tonight. Please stop any passerby’s before they get to me,” said Jim.
“No problem boss. $50 an hour gets you whatever you want.”
Jim turned and ordered drinks, just as he heard the band tuning up. He could feel the goose bumps rising up on his skin. Whenever he was on the precipice of finding new talent, he always felt a rush that no drug or alcohol could compare to. All day and even in the line to get in, Jim heard about how good Jeremy was on stage. He could tell the young man had superstar looks from the flyers. His sandy blonde hair combined with deep blue eyes, slim build with just a hint of one dimple in his cheek showed he had what it takes. Jim also knew that clever marketing and photography could spruce anyone up. He couldn’t believe how short most of Hollywood was, but on screen you would swear they were all six feet tall. No, Jim would rate the live Jeremy, but so far, things looked great.
Just after he had paid for his drink, the crowd began to cheer. Jeremy Sax made his way down thru the crowd. Jim noticed his approach to the stage and made notes. His confident gate was right on point. He hi-fived several patrons as he made his way thru the crowd. Upon reaching the stage, he grabbed the microphone and shouted, “Savannah! Are y’all ready for a party!”
The crowded immediately erupted. As if on cue, Jeremy tapped his thigh three times and his band instantly burst into a great set. Jim could see that Jeremy was every bit of his picture. Standing just about six foot two, he definitely would be easy on the eyes to the masses. Jeremy went into a two-minute scat singing that had the crowd on their feet. Jim admired how Jeremy was able to meld seamlessly with the music, improvising words that teased the beat. As the song came to a crescendo, Jeremy rang out a high note that he held for a full five seconds before they ended. The crowd clapped wildly.
Jeremy made his way over to the piano and took a significant drink of whiskey. He began to play the piano in a finger zinger, a fast melodious tune that was quite impressive. They continued the tune as a group and intermittently Jim saw Jeremy take more big gulps of whiskey. Jim could tell that the alcohol was clearly affecting how he played and sung. It was a common theme when it came to musicians. Some could handle it and others not so much. Jim wondered which one Jeremy would become.
The first set Jeremy Sax played was not bad at all. Jim was impressed with his stage presence, looks, command of the crowd, and his natural ability to improvise both vocally and on the piano. He also picked up the saxophone and played a flawless rendition of John Coltrane’s “Giant Steps,” that made the crowd go wild. Yet as the second set began, Jim’s worst fears for this artist materialized as his talents slowly diminished with every swig of whiskey.
Finally, the set ended. A short pudgy white guy made his way to Jim and was immediately stopped by his body guard.
“Hey man, what gives? John said you guys wanted to talk to me?” Exclaimed the portly gentleman, in an attempt to establish his presence. He had a horrible comb over that was accomplishing nothing.
“Jeremy is my boy. If you want to talk to him, you got to talk to me first.”
Jim turned slowly toward the man. He gave a slight nod to his body guard to allow the man to approach. “And, who are you?” asked Jim.
“Friends call me Joe. Come on over to my section so we can chat.”
They all stood up and made their way over to the VIP section. Jim noticed that Joe had expensive tastes in clothing, but no sense of tailoring. He wore a dark Armani suit that was an inch too long in the arms and probably two in the legs. They were finally seated and Joe ordered drinks.
“This place has been a gold mine for us. Jeremy has captivated the crowd for a week now and John, the manager, is wanting us back. If you want some of the pie you’d better get on board before it’s all gone,” said Joe confidently as he took a sip of his beer. Jim was not impressed with the strong stench of bravado. He knew that this was a dance. All managers tried to make their artist seemingly hard to book. But, Jim was a professional dancer. He knew how to play his part.
“I heard that he was in high demand, but what I am here to discuss is bigger than playing sets in a bar,” said Jim, “What my firm will bring to you and Jeremy is nationwide exposure. My company, Talentscope, Inc. is looking for a new young talent. We can elevate that talent into a mega star. We have elevated actors, singers, and musicians to an elite status that is unmatched by any company that does what we do. Jeremy is impressive, and a good candidate, but I have concerns,” said Jim looking Joe directly in the eyes.
“The talent is evident, but how well can he handle the bottle? He seems to be very fond of whiskey.”
“Oh, come on Jim. You know artists. They are tortured souls that find different outlets. Jeremy is fine. Hey, look, here he is now.”
Jeremy made his way over to the table and sat next to Joe.
“Joe, that freaking drummer can’t keep up. Almost ruined my set!” He exclaimed, “We need to get a new one. Drummers are a dime a dozen. My music’s got to stay pure man,” said Jeremy.
He had a slight slur that Jim picked up on quickly.
“We can discuss that later, Jeremy. Right now I want to introduce you to Jim of Talentscope Incorporated who is here to take a look at us. Do you know Mags the R&B singer? Jim found her and
she is a Grammy award winning artist now!” said Joe, hoping to relay the significance of this meeting.
Jim was impressed. He had not mentioned Mags, “Hello son. I enjoyed your first set and loved what you accomplished on the Sax, in the second. How are you feeling?” He inquired.
“I am good Jim, just waiting to nail this last set. You ain’t heard nothing yet.”
Jeremy pulled a vial connected to a chain he was wearing and poured a small white substance on the back of his hand and inhaled it quickly through his left nostril.
“Did y’all talk money yet? I ain’t coming over cheap.” Jeremy’s huge grin, suddenly turned to a scowl. Just then, there was a rumble under the table.
“Ow Joe! Why you kicking me? I’m going over there with those groupies where I’m appreciated. Good to meet you Jim, you can hash all the BS with my abusive manager.”
Jeremy got up and walked away, as Jim watched him. He then turned his attention over to Joe who had his head down. He was rubbing his temple with his left thumb and forefinger trying to gather himself.
“Jeremy has some demons, I won’t lie, but you seen his talent. Give him a chance and I promise you won’t be disappointed,” exclaimed Joe.
“You may be right Joe, but I have definitely seen enough. If you ever get him to tame those demons, give me a call. Otherwise, I wish you both success,” said Jim as he got up.
Jim and his bodyguards made their way out and back to street level. They walked over to Ellis Square, a popular local spot that hosted hundreds of people, featuring live music. He was quite disappointed in the night. He knew Jeremy was going to be a handful no matter how talented he was and he wouldn’t touch him with a ten-foot pole.
“Okay fellas, you are officially done for the night. I am headed back to the room,” said Jim. They shook Jim’s hand and walked away. Jim listened for a little bit longer to the music and then finally made his way back to his room. As he reflected on his day, the only plus was that he was going to see his daughter down in Jacksonville in the next day. Other recruiters would have taken time to sign Jeremy based on his talent, but not Jim. He knew the pitfalls of substance abusers and had been burned by them too many times, to count.
Jim picked up his cell and called his daughter. “Hey hon, just got back from the event.”
“Wasn’t he just amazing dad! I hope he was what you were looking for.”
“He is close, but I really need a home run. I am still not sure. Enough of that, I am very excited to see you and meet this young man that’s trying to take my place in your heart,” said Jim.
“Dad, no man will ever take your place. I’m excited for you to meet Gary. He is awesome dad and I know he will hit all the marks on your check list.”
“We will see, Hon. He has already hit the major one which is to make you happy,” said Jim. “See you around lunch. Good night, Hun.”
The next day, Jim left early and headed to Jacksonville to see Erica. They had agreed to meet at the Landing, a wonderful shopping area that provided many places to eat. He decided to hit Jacksonville Beach alone and enjoy the scenery. As he sat down in his foldout chair, he set up his side table and placed his coffee down.
Once seated, he stared out at the Atlantic Ocean contemplating his life. He had worked so hard in his field he often wondered had he taken enough time to smell the roses. Erica was such a blessing in his life, but he rarely made time to be in her life. Work eventually caused troubles in his marriage, and eventually led to the separation. His wife Phyllis moved back home to Jacksonville where she had lived until her untimely death.
Erica was already established in the area as a doctor, and he tried to get down to see her at least two or three times a year, but he really had no real relationship with her. She did; however, respect his list. When she was eighteen, he told her that he had a checklist for any man trying to get her hand in marriage. First he has to be a man of God. He doesn’t have to be a saint, but if Jesus was not the center of his heart, he would never get his blessing. He must also be gainfully employed. Bill Gates money would be nice. Overall, he needed to be financially sound.
Next, the young man must have proper etiquette when it came to life. This one was harder to explain, because of its general nature. He explained it as “he should be able to talk with kids, parents, politicians, and most of all me in an acceptable manner.”
His final requirement for his blessing was probably the most important. The guy who would receive his blessing would have the same twinkle in his eye for his daughter that she had for him. It couldn’t be based on her beautiful look, her wonderful salary, or her desire to please at all cost. It had to be a combination; it also, had to be reciprocated. Jim knew it was a tall order, but he established the list early for Erica, and even though he knew she didn’t have to operate within its parameters, he wanted to set the bar. The greatest thing about the list was he and his wife both agreed upon its merit and she reinforced the pillars of its foundation. He was actually excited that this Gary Truman was a great candidate. He was getting older and had dreams of spoiling grand kids.
Time passed so fast as he listened to the crash of the waves, in full contemplation. He looked up and realized he was running late. He quickly packed his things and got on the road. He had chosen a seafood restaurant situated in The Landing bordering the Jacksonville river. He always preferred to eat outside, in range of a great view. When he arrived, he saw they were already seated. His daughter stood and ran to him giving him a huge hug.
“Hey dad, I want you to meet Gary.”
Gary stood and stuck his hand out to Jim, “Hello, sir! It is great to meet you. Erica has done nothing but brag on how awesome her dad is,” said Gary.
“Great to meet you as well Gary. Sorry for my tardiness, I got caught up at the beach. It ain’t everyday you get to see God’s work in action,” said Jim.
“I don’t know sir,” said Gary. “What I have found is that God’s work is all around us. You just have to be open to the view.”
“So true young man. I am excited to see what He has for us in this meal because I am starving,” said Jim, “Let’s eat.”
They returned to the table and sat down. Jim picked up on just how excited his daughter was. Erica was beaming across the table. He didn’t want to disappoint her, but his evaluation wasn’t going to be waivered by her.
“So Gary, tell me about yourself.”
“Well, sir, I don’t know where to begin. I am presently working as an advocate for two mega churches here in town and one in Savannah. That is why we were in town when we saw Jeremy. I also do some pro bono work in the Florida prison system from time to time,” said Gary.
“A lawyer for churches, huh? How well does that pay?” asked Jim.
“Dad! That’s not cool to ask,” said Erica irritably.
“No baby it’s a fair question,” said Gary as he placed his hand on hers, “In honesty Jim, the pay is decent, but the work I do far out weights the compensation. When I left Yale Law, I saw the money I could make as a defense attorney and even had several firms offer me substantial pay for my services. The problem was they didn’t measure up to my goal to glorify God in all I do. When I started out on my own, five years ago, I was barely getting by trying to stick to my principles. I almost gave up,” laughed Gary, “My dad told me at my weakest point to trust God. He’ll lead me. Before long, I landed a major contract with a local mega church. Word got around and next thing you know I had three. Many more have asked, but I want to make sure I am ready to take on more before I do. Multiple clients and lots of money was the road my father took and he was barely around. That’s not what I want for my future.”
Jim couldn’t help but be impressed.
“That’s great Gary. So, Erica, how did y’all meet?”
“Well, one of Gary’s churches invited me to a health fair to talk about breast cancer awareness, and Gary was there. We actually ran into each other getting coffee and just started talking. Two years later, here we are,” said Eri
ca.
“Don’t let her fool you, sir. It took two months of courting before she even went out with me. It was well worth the wait. I couldn’t believe such a beautiful woman was single,” said Gary.
Jim smiled at them both.
“That’s good to hear. Before I say anything else outside of the lines and get in trouble with my daughter, I think we should eat.”
For the next couple of hours they ate and laughed while enjoying the scenery. Jim couldn’t think of a more pleasant time with his daughter. He could clearly see that Gary was the real deal. Just like any other father, he still had a funny feeling Gary might not be the one. Ultimately he knew it wasn’t up to him, but he was glad they shared time with him.
“I am going to see if I can go buy a jersey from the shop downstairs,” said Erica as she stood up. “I’ll be right back.”
While she walked away, Gary shifted uncomfortably. Jim could feel the tension mount and decided to save the young man.
“Look Gary, I know you are nervous but you really don’t have to be. I am glad I was able to see who has my daughter so smitten. Let’s just leave it at that,” said Jim.
“I would love to sir, but I am not sure when I will get the chance to ask this again. Jim, I would like to ask your permission to marry your daughter,” said Gary as he slid an open ring box to him.
Jim sat in his chair stunned. The day was finally upon him, the day he would no longer be the king of the hill for his daughter.
“Wow, Gary, I barely know your name,” replied Jim.
“Yes sir I know, but I have been dating your daughter for over two years and this was actually the first chance I got. No disrespect but I wouldn’t want to wait until the next visit to do what has been on my heart for a year now,” said Gary.
Jim sat dumbfounded. He actually could see Gary’s point. As much as he loved his girl, he knew he had lost his ability to direct the course of her life.
“Gary if you promise to devote your life to her, fight for the relationship at all costs, and most of all grow together, then you have my blessing.”
Gary stood up and stuck his hand out, “Thank you sir. I promise to do so. Now, sit back and enjoy the show,” said Gary as he grabbed the ring and sprinted out into the open square area. Jim lost him in the crowd and wondered what was going on. As he scanned the crowd, he finally saw Erica exiting the shopping area. While she was making her way back to their seats, she was immediately surrounded by multiple people who erupted into a chorus of “My Girl” by the Temptations.
Erica just stood there with the biggest grin Jim had ever seen since her first glimpse of Minney Mouse at Disney World. All of a sudden the crowd parts and there is Gary on one knee holding the ring box out. Holding a microphone in the other hand, he pulls the microphone to his mouth and says, “Erica Grayson, will you do me the honor of being my wife?”
The crowd goes wild as she runs to him and leaps into his arms. Jim watched in amazement as the singing crowd continues the song. He realized that his face was wet from crying. He busts out into a laugh as he realized that he had never cried from being happy.
When the crowd dispersed after several congratulations, the couple returned to their seats. “Wow, Gary,” said Jim in amazement. “You said there was a show, but that wasn’t what I envisioned.”
“You were in on this Dad?” asked Erica excitedly.
“Oh no, he did this all on his lonesome,” said Jim.
“I pulled this together right after you told me your father was coming,” said Gary facing her. “The choirs from all the churches agreed to meet me here to pull it off. The only deciding factor was Jim.”
Jim smiled as he looked at the glow coming off his daughter. He could have swore it intensified after Gary’s last comment.
“I am so happy for you both,” said Jim. “I am happy I had a chance to be a part of it.”
“We have to go celebrate tonight!” said Erica. “Dad, you can stay at my house. I think we will call all our friends over for drinks.”
Jim felt a strong sense of anxiety come over him. It was a common theme in his life when it came to her. He felt so guilty for not being there for her childhood that he would get a sudden urge to run.
“No hon, I think I will hit the road, I have a few more stops to hit now since Mr. Sax didn’t quite pan out,” Jim lied. He had no other acts on his itinerary.
Erica looked sad, but the look quickly evaporated, “That’s okay Dad, I know you have to help Fred save the company. Will you promise to visit again, soon?”
“Yes baby, I’ll be back in a month and I’d like to come down once a month if you and Gary can stand to put up with me,” said Jim.
“It would be our pleasure,” replied Gary. Jim hugged them both individually and then, headed to his car. Jim wondered whether Erica was truly understanding or whether she was appeasing him because she was use to him disappointing her. The thought of his relationship with his daughter always was a hard subject for him, and was especially hard after seeing her.
Jim reached his car and sat down. He closed the door and gripped the wheel so hard his knuckles turned white. His decision to move on was not surprising to him because he knew the life Erica was about to embark on was only supposed to be a peripheral event for him. He was very excited for her. He hoped he would net several grand babies in the near future that he could spoil to death.
As he started the car, he came back to reality; he was headed back to Tennessee empty handed. The thought of it brought his spirits down. He figured he shouldn’t hurry, so as he made his way up I-95, he decided to stop in Amelia Island. He had heard it was a beautiful place, and often thought about stopping on previous visits, but there was always work. Well, now that was changing, so he decided to treat himself. He rode around town for a while, stopping at Fort Clinch to see some historical sites. As the day grew long, he checked in at a Holiday Inn down by the beach. After setting his bags down, he walked to one of the beach bars and had a nice seafood dinner. After his meal, he decided to walk back to his room. On his way, he heard music playing rather loudly in the hotel bar. In no particular hurry to go to bed, he went inside to grab a drink.
The bar was very typical, with several patrons wrapped around the front area closest to the bartenders. There were several tables to sit, as well as a main stage for performers. Jim took a seat right in the middle at the bar.
“What will you have,” said the bartender.
“Give me a vodka tonic on the rocks, my friend,” said Jim, “What’s the entertainment like, here, on a Saturday? I heard you guys jamming from outside and decided to check you out.”
“We have a pretty exciting night of karaoke, typically,” said the bartender. “Our locals usually got to get juiced up though. When Kerri starts, you will see.”
“Who is Kerri?” inquired Jim.
“Aw, she is my night waitress. Her voice is amazing and always gets the crowd going. Sometimes I have to throw a couple idiots out who get too excited. As a matter of fact, it’s time she got started, because I want to keep the travelers engaged. They’ll go to their room, if we don’t.”
The bartender called out to the back and told Kerri it was time.
“Let me place these plates at table eleven John!” was the spicy response.
Jim looked around the room and could see that John was right. Some patrons were getting ready to leave.
“Hurry up!” exclaimed John.
Jim saw a slim redhead emerge from the kitchen with probably her body weight on her arms full of plates of food. She glared at John as she passed, but her demeanor soon emitted an intoxicating radiance as she smiled, heading toward her destination.
Table eleven erupted in cheers. Jim could tell it was a table of locals and they loved Kerri. She chatted a bit and then went straight toward the stage. As she took the first step up on stage the crowd clapped. Shouts of song choices began to ring out over the crowd. Kerri went from one side of the stage to the other, alternating her hands to her ea
r as if she was trying to hear what they were saying. This drove the crowd into a frenzy. Finally, Kerri said, “Adele it is! Play it John!”
Jim heard the popular beat start for “Rolling in The Deep,” and the crowd started to clap. Kerri immediately took full command of the stage. Her entire posture transformed to where it appeared she grew in stature.
When she began to sing, Jim, put down his drink. He felt a chill shoot straight thru his body as the tiny singer nailed every one of Adele’s vocal nuances. It didn’t stop there. Kerri masterfully drew in the crowd with flirtatious points at patrons on all sides of the stage and even drew a loud cheer from the men with borderline stripper dance moves. As the song ended, she took a bow to a standing ovation from everyone in the room. She took time to encourage others to come up and let it loose and then left the stage. The line grew for sign ups as she walked away to the crowd yelling “one more, one more.”
Jim sat in his chair dumbfounded by what he just saw. His mouth was void of saliva, and found it hard to swallow. He looked down at the bar and realized that for four full minutes he hadn’t touched his drink. He took a long swig of the drink, allowing the fluid to moisten his mouth enough to speak.
“Hey John!” Exclaimed Jim.
John made his way down to Jim after serving a couple of drinks to other patrons. “You need another one?” He asked.
“Yeah you better make this one a double. What can you tell me about Kerri? Her voice is amazing!” Exclaimed Jim as he finished off the first drink, dazed.
While John prepared the drink, he said, “she is great, huh! She been doing that here for about two years now. Her mom got her the gig here after she got sick and had to retire,” said John.
“Can you get me ten minutes alone with her?” Asked Jim.
John set Jim’s drink down and looked at him suspiciously. “Look dude we don’t do that kind of stuff here. I suggest you drink your drink.”
“No I am not trying to hit on her,” explained Jim. He reached in his pocket and slid his business card across the table to John. “I am a professional talent scout for Talentscope Inc. and I just want to see if she is available to discuss her singing talents, that’s all. You can sit in, if you like.”
“I will tell her you are her but it’s on her to decide to come over,” said John.
“That’s fine, I will sit and wait,” replied Jim.
Jim sat for the next two hours listening to karaoke singers covering songs, but they were terrible in comparison to Kerri. He intermittently saw her working tables and conversing with patrons. She consistently smiled and worked the crowd. After the first hour, he noticed her occasionally looking his way timidly. Finally the crowd died down to a few patrons, and she made her way to the bar.
“Hello sir, I’m Kerri. John said you wanted to speak to me about my singing.”
“I sure do! My name is Jim. How long you been singing?”
Kerri looked down at the ground sheepishly. She moved a thin lock of hair behind her ear. “All my life, really. John said you was some kind of big shot or something. Is he pulling my leg? ‘Cause, I ain’t datin’ no older guy,” she said with a sudden fierceness as if this may be some kind of tactic to win her affection.
John laughed loudly. He looked into her light blue eyes as he said, “No Kerri, I promise I am not coming on to you. I am actually a talent scout down in the area looking for new talent. I didn’t think I would find it here though. I happened to be staying here in the hotel and stopped in to have a drink,” he explained. He raised his hand up to John to order another drink.
“Look Kerri, I think your voice is amazing. I would love for you to sing another song for me so I can be sure of what I say next.”
The fierceness waivered in her eyes and then finally subsided. “I can, Jim, but I still got work to do. John will kill me if I don’t get back to it,” she said.
Jim thought for a moment. He called John over to them again. “John, I am going to pay this young lady $100 to sing the song of my choice, and I will give you $50 for giving her the time.”
John looked puzzled, and then said, “Why can’t I have $100?”
Jim looked at him irritably, “Are you singing backup?”
He reached in his wallet and handed them both payment. John looked at his pay and grinned. “Knock him dead Kerri. I will handle your customers for one song.”
Jim turned to face Kerri, “Do you know ‘At Last’ by Etta James?”
“Yes,” said Kerri grinning. “That’s kind of old don’t you think?”
“Oldie but goodie, young lady. Let’s see how you do,” said Jim.
Kerri put her money away and went to the stage. The few patrons still there turned to watch what she was doing. John put the music on, and, although he said he would watch her tables, he stood watching, as well. Kerri began the melody and Jim couldn’t believe his ears. Her tiny frame belted every note on key with Etta’s timbre, to the point that he felt a quiet hope swell within his chest.
He smiled heartily, but the feeling inside was magnified tenfold. He had the rush, that feeling that gold miners must have had when they found a large deposit of the precious metal. He said a short prayer, the same he said whenever he knew he had found someone special, “Lord thank you for helping me find Kerri. You order my steps. I pray you continue, and I pray you give me the wisdom to guide her in the right direction. Amen.”
As the song ended the crowd clapped and cheered. During the ovation, Kerri walked over to John and whispered something in his ear. John smiled at her and said something back before putting on another song. She returned to the microphone.
“Jim, I have one more song for you. The last one was pretty short,” she said.
As the song played, Jim realized Kerri was covering Mariah Carey’s “Vision of Love.” He was intrigued. He turned on the video camera on his phone and began filming. Most singers steered clear of the song because of its complicated notes. Kerri, however, attacked the song with such veracity that Jim almost dropped the phone. She hit every falsetto with pin point accuracy. As she finished the song, Jim hoped that his hands weren’t shaking so much that it ruined the video. The few people left stood and applauded her as she grinned and left the stage. Returning to Jim, she sat down winded and smiling. “So, what you think?”
Jim clipped his phone back to his hip and stared at the ceiling for a minute. He slowly looked down at her and could see she was anxiously waiting for his response.
“Kerri, I have been doing this for many years now and I can honestly tell you, your voice is one of the best I have ever heard! Do you have an agent?” he asked.
Kerri snickered uncontrollably. “Yeah, John, he plays my music. Never had a need for anything else.”
Jim reached into his wallet and gave her a card. “I want you and whoever can represent you to come to Memphis in about two weeks. We are going to have what some might call a talent show. You will perform for my boss and if he sees what I just saw, well, you will be starting a new career,” said Jim grinning from ear to ear.
Kerri looked down and her facial expressions turned somber. “Jim, I can’t come to Memphis. If I don’t work, I don’t get paid. If I don’t get paid I can’t provide for my mom. It’s just me and her. Look this was fun and all, but I can’t.”
Kerri got up to leave. Jim put a hand on her forearm, “Wait, Kerri,” he said, “I will pay your expenses. Don’t worry. I will pay for you and your mom to come. I know it is scary, but I promise this will be worth it. Whatever you would have made for the time you were out I will take care of that, too. What do you say?”
Kerri stood in place, contemplating the offer. Jim watched her fight to control the inner turmoil between responsibility and dreams, one he had seen far too often.
“Look, Kerri, you don’t have to decide tonight. Think on it and call me next week. I know it seems like a lot, but this is a great opportunity for you and your mom.”
“I will think on it,” she said as she began to clear his table.
She stopped to look at him. “It sounds really good, almost too good to be true. I never even left Nassau County.”
Kerri began to realize just how overwhelming this experience is for her and what the opportunity could mean…if it was true. She walked away briskly with his empty tumblers and headed to the back. Jim stood and went to pay his tab. John was laughing with other patrons, so Jim called to him. When he made his way over, Jim gave him payment. “Thanks for the time John. By the way, what did Kerri say to you before that last song?”
John opened his register and deposited the money.
“She said to play the song and watch. I didn’t even look at her. We watched you. You were floored!”
The patrons at the bar laughed loudly and Jim smiled.
“Yes I was,” Jim admitted.
“Just do us this one favor,” said John. “Don’t fill her head full of empty promises. She is a local kid, we know her worth, and we don’t need no big city guy filling her head full of stuff that ain’t gonna come true.”
Jim could see and feel all the jokes were over, in John’s warning. “Don’t worry John, I never sell false hopes,” he said looking John in the eye as he shook his hand.