Nostrovia is a fine blog on poetry. Here is the link: http://wp.me/s2SbOP-357 . Please feel free to visit; you will like it.
It is also a place where great ideas pop up. This week the idea is a writing prompt around the following: “Those who were seen dancing were thought to be insane by those who could not hear the music.” – Friedrich Nietzsche
The idea is to interpret the words in any fashion. I have chosen a flash fiction piece. Hope you like it.
The Song
The two singer/song writers finish putting the final touches on the last song for their new album due to be recorded day after tomorrow. They have been at it steady for the last thirty-six hours.
“I’m beat. All I want to do is lay down somewhere. Don’t really care where,” Jerry says.
“Yeah mate,” says Brice. “I’m dead on my feet. Coffee doesn’t work.”
“Those final lyrics in the last stanza are really good.”
“You think?”
“I am really in love with what you did there.”
“Y’know Jerry. I think I love you too.”
“I said I was in love with what you did. I could give a shit about you.”
“Aw come on mate. You know we are a team.”
“I wish we had an opinion of the music before we record. I like it. You like it, but will it sell?”
“Getting someone to listen shouldn’t be too hard. It is about breakfast time. Let’s go down on the street and find someone who will be willing to come up and listen.”
“Who the hell is going to stop their day to listen to music, and while I am at it, who in the hell is going to follow two crazy looking, smelly guys up here to our studio to listen?”
“What if we offer someone some money? Say fifty bucks.”
Brice you are a lunatic, but I don’t have a better idea. Let’s go troll for a listener.”
Jerry and Brice move toward the door and on the way pick up their guitars. It was Jerry’s idea to take the instruments to add a degree of professionalism to what he is sure to be a crazy sounding scheme. Jerry opens the door to their studio and standing poised to knock on the door is a young girl about eighteen or so. Brice and Jerry look at each other and pass a communication that maybe a trip downstairs might not be necessary.
“Can we help you?” Jerry says.
“My name is Cynthia Simon and I am collecting for the St James School for the hearing impaired.”
“Please come in,” says Brice.
“Oh I am not allowed to come into homes. Only ask for a donation.”
“I understand completely. Maybe you could help us.”
Cynthia takes a step back. “Help? How?”
Brice and I have written a song and we need to sing and play it for someone to see if they like it or not. You would be perfect since we think the song will appeal to someone your age.”
“Well…I guess it would be okay as long as I stand out here.”
“Great. You stand there and we’ll do the song from here.”
Brice looks at Jerry and gives him the downbeat. They sing their song as if they were auditioning for Carnegie Hall. They never sang it with so much force before. It was magnificent. They finish and look expectantly at Cynthia for her reaction.
“Well,” Cynthia says. “I liked the words but I think the tune was used on a Go Daddy commercial during the Super Bowl.”
Jerry and Brice are dumfounded. They look at each other, then Brice goes to the piano and picks up the music.
“How much did we pay for this?” He is holding the music above his head.
“I don’t know, but I was told it was an original score.”
“Who the hell told you it was original?” Brice is now starting to get red in the face.
“His agent. She told me it was original.”
Brice throws the music back on the piano. “You’re telling me that tone-deaf agent told you the music was original and you bought it?”
“Wouldn’t you?”
“Did you get a signed release?”
“Um…No.”
“So here we are with a song with great lyrics and according to Cynthia here, a tune that was last assigned to Go Daddy on a Super Bowl commercial. We also have only two days until we record and you tell me we have no legal ground to stand on? “
“Yeah I guess so.”
“This reminds me of people thinking dancers are nuts cause they can’t hear the music. I think we are nuts because we can’t recognize a flipping tune that has been played on the flipping Super Bowl.
“Uh…wait a minute,” Jerry says. He turns to Cynthia. “You said you were collecting for a school for hearing impaired.”
“Yes I am.”
“Why are you doing that? Do you go there?”
“Why yes I do.”
Brice and Jerry smile at Cynthia and then at each other. “Of course you do,” says Brice. He reaches for his wallet.
