Chapter 37 -- Sherry's Dilemma I

Cause I'm
Gonna make you see,
There's nobody else here,
No one like me.
I'm special, (special!)
So special.
I gotta have some of your attention.
Give it to me!

--Brass In Pocket (The Pretenders)

The second day of school was much like the first day, except that there were jazz band tryouts after school.

As I had feared, quite a lot of students wanted to be in the jazz band, especially as people remembered how popular it was when we performed last year.

I talked with Mr. Proilet in sixth period Music Theory class about my reservations of having so many people attend. I admitted my biggest fear. "I'm not sure that I could turn anybody down."

Mr. Proilet smiled at me, and said, "Well, if you truly want to play jazz, then the students will have to learn to improv. Even if they aren't great at it, you can still work at it. You don't have to just have the best musicians if what they want to do is appreciate the music!"

"Hmm," I pondered. My teacher did have a point there. Why have a jazz band in a school if you didn't want to teach anybody anything?

I thanked Mr. Proilet for the advice, and he got on with the class.

Of course, Music Theory was something that I had taken at the local community college during the first couple of months of the summer, and what Mr. Proilet was teaching was much more of an introduction to the more interesting concepts that I already knew.

My teacher didn't bore me, however. He showed the class a long chart showing different musical concepts, from listening to music, learning how to read music, to writing harmonies, chords, arranging and transposition, to scoring simple music to scoring symphonies.

"This chart is intended to be inclusive. There will be things here that everybody in this class will want to learn--even Mr. Crittenhouse over there."

There was general amusement at Mr. Proilet's remark, which had the effect of loosening up the students who didn't know what to make of me in the class.

"What I would like to do with each and every one of you is to figure out where you are on this chart, and decide what it is that you'd like to learn about music over the next semester. Set your own pace and let me know your goals, and I'll work with you on what is a realistic goal. You will be marked according to your own goals and how close you come to reaching them. If you love music, you'll find this a fun course. You're not competing with each other, but attempting to learn something useful."

I felt good about the way Mr. Proilet decided to grade the course. While taking those college courses over the summer, I learned a new concept that I hadn't heard before. It was something called a "bell curve." It was some sort of chart that meant that a few people got the 4.0's and 0.0's, more people got the 1.0 and 3.0s, and most people got the 2.0 scores. (At least, that was how I understood it at that time.) It seems that some college professors are keen to ensure that the marks that they give all fit into that nice bubble. Of course, that didn't really take into consideration if you had, say, a class full of extremely gifted students.

Anyway, it was obvious that Mr. Proilet had no intention of teaching his theory class that way, and that made me feel pretty good. There were things on his chart that were beyond my own capabilities such as writing my own melodies, and this would be a good time for us to work together on such things. In addition, I knew that there were some people that probably appreciated that they wouldn't be competing with me.

"Music isn't a sport," Mr. Proilet explained. "It's not a competition. The idea in this class is to learn about music--whether you want to simply figure out why you like certain music you hear on the radio, or to figure out if you would like to be the next musical director of the Chicago Symphony--although I don't think Sir Georg Solti is going to give up the position any time soon!"

After school, I walked back to the music room to prepare for the jazz band. My heart skipped a beat when I saw my beloved Kristen in the band room. I actually stopped in my tracks, causing my friend Roy to accidentally bump into me at the doorway.

"What's wrong, Jim?" Roy asked.

"Hmm?" I asked, puzzled. I then realized that Roy had bumped into me, and the two of us were blocking the door. "Oh! I just saw Kristen and..."

"Huh?" Roy looked puzzled. "You see her every night!"

I wasn't sure at that time why I had reacted that way, but thinking about it later I realized what it was. When the cheerleaders were initiating Merry--and me!--I had been sitting in the band room. During that time, I saw close to two dozen cheerleaders, a few of them close friends. Since I came back to school the day before, I was in the same room during concert band and music theory--twice each day.

Seeing Kristen there made me feel like I was home again. It wasn't like I was at the apartment, but rather it was a feeling that everything was perfect in the world.

"That girl is the reason I'm here, Roy," I said softly.

Roy looked from me to Kristen and back. "I thought it would have gone by now, Jim. That silly look you have on your face when you and Kristen are together... it's real, isn't it?"

I sighed and smiled at my friend. "I'm the luckiest guy on the face of the earth."

This earned me a chuckle from Roy. "You've got it bad, friend. I envy you."

For the jazz band, I asked the returning members of the jazz band to play a simple rock riff in B-flat, F, and E-flat, eight bars each. I banged it out on the piano first, just playing the chords without any melody, and then one by one, I pointed to a group of students to join in, again, not playing any melody but simply letting them get the feel of the chords. I turned to Amy and had her take over the piano and I took my place at the podium.

After a couple of choruses, I pointed to Amy and held up my hand, indicating that she'd play a quick 4-bar solo at the next go round, and then quickly added other players to the list, giving each of them four bars. I ended with Roy and then the drummer, who wasn't a returning jazz band member, but I knew him to be a pretty competent player.

Roy looked bemused and did a bit of a scat solo, which amused the people who weren't playing. After the drum solo, the group ended on the rock riff.

"That's what we do," I told the students that were assembled. "We play, we have fun, and we improvise. We're first going to learn some basic chord progressions, and then we'll put them into tunes. You won't be forced to take solos if you feel uncomfortable doing them; just let me know and I won't call on you. However, this is a jazz band, and improvisation is an important part of jazz. If you need help, let me know and I'll see what I can do to help you. Jazz isn't something easily learned--you need to have a feel for it. Anyway, if you need help, just let me or Kristen know."

At the mention of my muse, the entire band turned around to where Kris was standing at Mr. Proilet's electric keyboard which was set up next to the upright piano that Amy was playing. I was surprised, as it seemed as if Kristen was going to play, but she instead led a sophomore that I had not yet met toward the chair and put the headphones on her.

It was apparent that Kristen hadn't heard me introduce her, so I cleared my throat for everybody else's attention to come back to the front of the room.

There were some people who I didn't know, and I had everybody introduce themselves to the group. We had a half dozen people from the chorus, and I nodded them toward Roy and Stacey, two wonderful vocalists that I hoped would be able to give special attention to anybody who needed it.

We had three people with electric guitars, but only one amplifier, so I told them to take turns until we could get additional equipment set up over the next few weeks.

Megan Gallagher was in attendance. She played flute better than just about anybody I ever heard. She played Colour My World during the Spring concert, which is an easy flute number, but she did it with such finesse that the only way to describe it was sheer beauty. I put her at the head of the flute section (flute "choir" she'd later correct me).

Likewise, I separated the band into different sections. We had more than enough members of the brass section, and I hoped that we wouldn't be too overpowered in that section. I chose leaders for each section, giving them the responsibility to help their members in the event that Kristen or I were doing other things.

We didn't play much during that first rehearsal, but after our hour and a half was over, everybody seemed to have a good feeling about the band.

I did take some extra time with a couple of baritone saxes and gave them some handwritten music to practice. After a few minutes--the arrangement was quite simple, actually--I had one of the sound people record them playing the arrangement. I told them that this wasn't going to be for the band, but for something I was working on. They all enthusiastically agreed to let me record them.

At the end of the rehearsal, Mr. Harris came over to me. "Interesting teaching technique."

"Huh?" I was confused.

"I was wondering how you were going to handle the group," Mr. Harris said. "You started with a simple demo, then partitioned the group into smaller groups with strong leaders."

I shrugged. "Oh, that's how Mr. Proilet does it, I think."

Roger Harris shook his head. "I was here yesterday, and he didn't do that. At least, he didn't do it as effortlessly as you seemed to be able to do it."

I think I was blushing from the attention, and Mr. Harris gave me a reprieve. "Jean said that you were talented, and it's obvious that he wasn't lying. You'll go very far in this field, Mr. Crittenhouse."

Mr. Harris walked away as I shook my head at his words.

As I approached my muse, Kristen looked up from her quiet huddle with the younger girl that she had been whispering to all during the rehearsal. During rehearsal, the two girls were so rapt in what they were doing that I decided not to interrupt.

"The rehearsal's over?" Kristen asked, a bit confused.

"It's 3:45," I said, looking up at the clock.

"Oh!" Kristen suddenly realized that she had lost track of the time. "I'm sorry, I was supposed to help you."

I looked at the sophomore that Kristen had been working with, and Kristen saw my glance and said, "Jim, this is Tina Grant. She's Amy's sister."

I smiled and offered my hand to Tina, but she pulled herself behind Kristen as if she were a shrinking violet. I saw her reaction and I pulled back, not wanting to scare the young girl.

After a few seconds of awkward silence, I said, "It's nice to have you in the band, Tina. I can see you've made friends with Kris!"

Tina didn't say anything, but continued to cower behind Kristen. If I thought that Amy was shy, Tina had her beat by a long shot.

I turned from the electric piano and said "Hello!" to Amy.

"My sister's shy," Amy said, stating the obvious.

I simply nodded in agreement, and Amy said good-bye to Kristen and me and left with her sister.

"Really shy girl," I noted to Kristen as I watched them leave.

"Amy was like that last year," Kristen said, nodding.

I kissed Kristen, and got an erection special in return.

"How was your day, Oogie?"

"Great, now that you're here."

"I hear that you're the star attraction for all the cheerleaders."

I gave Kristen a sour look. "You know that isn't important to me, Goddess."

Kristen kissed me again, and said, "I know. I was just teasing you. Sherry said that you would be popular."

The mention of Sherry's name made me frown a bit. "Sherry acted weird with me today."

"What do you mean?" Kristen asked.

"Well, she usually says 'Hi!' and stuff to me. Today, in the cafeteria, she didn't say much. When I saw her in American History, she seemed to avoid me. Yesterday, she was sitting next to me in that class."

"Aww, poor picked on Oogie. One cheerleader doesn't fawn all over you..."

I quieted Kristen with another kiss.

On my way from the school to the parking lot, I had Kristen close by my side. I saw Sherry standing in the parking lot, looking quite nervous.

"Hey, Sherry! What's up?" I asked.

Sherry glanced at Kristen before answering me. "We need to talk."

"About what?"

"We need to talk privately." Sherry looked very nervous.

Lynette, who had been with Sherry, shrugged at me. I turned to Kristen, who nodded to me.

"Can we go somewhere private?" Sherry asked me. "Lynette said she'd wait to bring your sister and me home."

I was mystified by Sherry's behavior. Lynette didn't seem to know what was on Sherry's mind, but didn't seem nervous at all. "Do you mind, Kris?" I asked my Goddess.

"I don't mind. Lynette, Merry, and I will wait while you two do whatever you need to do."

Kristen's response actually seemed to embarrass Sherry, who turned quite red. Nevertheless, she took my hand and led me back to the school.

"What's up, Sherry?" I asked when we were alone.

"I'm not sure, but I know I don't like it."

We were now in the school, and we were heading toward the gym. "Where are we going?" I asked.

Sherry didn't answer, but took my arm and kept walking with a determination.

It didn't take me long to notice our destination: the girls' locker room.

"Wait, Sherry," I protested. "I can't go in here!"

"The rest of the cheerleaders have left and Mrs. D. is gone as well. We're safe."

"Why are we going in the locker room?"

"I don't want to get undressed anywhere else."

Whoa! Sherry was going to get undressed? I immediately stopped, which caused Sherry to stop, since she still had my arm.

"What the fuck is going on?" I demanded.

Sherry sighed and looked around. There was nobody else nearby.

"Jim, I have this overpowering compulsion to strip in front of you. I'm not sure where it came from, but I felt it ever since June said what she did at lunch."

Huh? I tried to think of the conversation back at lunch. "June? What did she say?"

"She mentioned that your birthday is a week from today. I knew it was this month, but I forgot when. Ever since June said that, I've... um..." Sherry stopped talking and seemed at a loss for words.

"What are you talking about?"

Once again, Sherry looked up and down the hallway. "Can't we go into the locker room and sit down?"

I sighed. "Do you promise not to get undressed?"

Sherry started shaking her head, but caught herself. "I promise to tell you everything I know, and then we can discuss it. I'm not really sure what's going on."

I had a sneaking suspicion where Sherry's reaction was coming from. The only time I knew that people were doing things for which they had no idea why they were doing them was when they were under the influence of my tickets. It was only about six months earlier that I found Sherry performing oral sex with Tim Hawking. I needed to find out what was wrong with Sherry. Did somebody else have possession of the tickets? Didn't my request that Sherry not accept a ticket from anybody else still hold?

I reluctantly entered the girls' locker room. Once again, I noticed the vast difference about the sweet smells of the girls' locker room compared with odors of sweat and socks of the boys' locker room.

Sherry started to lift up her shirt, but stopped when she saw my look of shock.

"I'm sorry, Jim. I don't understand this. Can I tell you what I do know?"

"Please, Sherry."

"Do you remember that... um... request that I made of you last school year?"

"Which one?" I could think of a couple of embarrassing things that Sherry had asked me last year, including helping her "study" for World History and trying to seduce me, and then her request that came from Tim Hawking.

"Um, you know..." Sherry turned bright red.

I sighed. "The one where you had to practice something?" I was hoping to avoid the shame and embarrassment that Sherry felt back then.

"Um... yeah. This feels very much like that. I sort of remember, um... Tim telling me about his birthday, and that I was going to have to... um..."

I waited for Sherry to continue. She was still blushing.

Sherry sighed and said, "Shit! Um, I had to um... blow him... every day for two weeks right before I gave him my virginity on his birthday."

I was shocked. "What the fuck?"

"He told me, and when he did, I realized that I was going to do it. Just like that."

"You slept with Tim Hawking?" I asked, surprised out of my mind.

"No!" Sherry insisted. "I didn't sleep with him. But when he told me, I sort of knew that I was going to. I was dreading every day. Then, when his birthday got close, I realized that I didn't feel like I had to... you know... suck him. His birthday came and went..."

"So you didn't sleep with him." For some reason, the idea of Sherry sleeping with anybody was unsettling to me.

"No. However, this afternoon, when June mentioned your birthday, it all came back to me... I mean... like before when I felt like I was compelled to do it with Tim, but now I feel that I have to do it with you. Oh, shit! I'm starting to sound like I'm cracking up!"

Oh, shit. I remembered that Camille told me that whatever power her sister had over her sort of transferred to me when I got the tickets. Was this the same thing? I caused Tim's tickets to disappear, so could it be that any wish he made prior to that might transfer to me?

Once again I sighed. "What if I don't want you to... you know... do it to me?"

Sherry shrugged and furrowed her brow. She closed her eyes and said, "I don't know. Somehow, I feel like I would have to tackle you and pin you if necessary. I know... I know I sound like a lunatic, but this is serious!"

Sherry was smaller than me, but she was athletic and I wasn't. I wasn't sure she could do what she threatened, but I didn't want to take that chance.

"What if I suggested we do it elsewhere?"

Sherry shrugged. "Like where?"

"Sherry, you know how important Kristen is to me. I don't go around fucking girls left and right."

"Bullshit! You sleep with June."

I shook my head emphatically. "I told you, I never did that with her. June is still a virgin and intends to remain one until she marries Archy."

Sherry looked angry. "You sleep with Lynette, too. You also told me you were with Camille and Patty. That's four girls, not including Kristen! People saw you fuck Camille at the senior weekend last year. They heard the four of you at night..."

I didn't want to get into a discussion of the various relationships that I had with these people. They weren't Sherry's business! I decided to change tactic. "Sherry, you told me that you tried to trap me last year and that you wouldn't do that again. What about your promise?"

Sherry didn't have an answer for that.

If Sherry was obligated to blow me thanks to a ticket, then there were going to be some problems. It wasn't that I didn't like her, but the fact that she didn't seem to have any say in it made me feel that this was something akin to rape. There was also the problem of her giving up her virginity next Thursday. Kristen and I had sort of made plans.

I turned to Sherry and asked, "Can you hold off for a bit? I need to talk with Kristen. I won't do anything with anybody else without her consent."

Sherry reddened, but nodded. "All right. That means that Lynette will have to drive me to your place."

Lynette was going to be a problem. June had already left to go to her own home tonight and wasn't due at the apartment until Friday after school.

"Can you tell me exactly what Tim told you that you had to do?"

Sherry furrowed her brow again, and closed her eyes. After a couple of minutes, she shook her head. "I can see him talking, and I know something about what he said. I just can't remember the words... I really can't remember him actually saying it, but I know what he, um... wanted. I'm really starting to sound like I'm psychotic!"