Chapter 128

He slapped me on the back on his way by. Next, I encountered my mother, who was sobbing, “Michael, that was so ... it was so ... amazing. When we get home, I want to re-check your singing range. You sang that with almost no effort. I’m so proud of you.”

I saw and scarfed a few hotdogs and a bag of chips. Carla Cox handed me a water. “You are really a great singer, Michael.”

“I believe you and Mr. Mitchell are more than just friends, Lily,” I said.

“Ssshh, as long as I call him my friend, my big brothers won’t beat him up, OK?”

I laughed and said, “I understand.”

“Thanks for the water, CC.” She blushed while smiling at me.

She giggled as she left, and I felt an arm in mine, “Hey Stud.”

“Hello, JenJen ... you certainly feel the music when you sing. We do have young people in the audience. It wouldn’t hurt to tone it down, just a little.”

“Am I hearing right, Michael the Molester asking me to ‘tone it down?’”

“Don’t make a big deal about this, we all have a responsibility to be good examples for those around us. You know how I feel about you ... all I’m asking is that you tweak your jiggle just a little, for me?”

“There’s the little boy Cece and I ravaged. Now, go back out there, and let us all take care of you.”

We hugged tight, setting off my boner, and I went out with the rest of the orchestra.

At the appropriate moment, the lights lowered, and I said, “On behalf of myself and the Gold Standard Society, let me say to you all, “Hello.”

The boys came out and our second half began. When they were done, my choice of music that night was the beautiful instrumental version of “Until It’s Time for You to Go.” I wish I had a grand piano, instead of the synthesizer, but I turned it to the sound of a piano for purposes of this music.

I let my hands up, and the applause was instant and very loud. I stood up, bowed from where I was, then sat back down for the FROZEN music.

Every stadium has different ways for Stuart to pull this off, and LP Field didn’t have the fireworks, but there were still some awesome spotlights and effects while our music happened, with the biggest response being to my wife and her energized performance of “Let It Go.”

I let the applause go as long as it wanted, before Peter followed it with the first of his two hilarious ‘Reindeer’ numbers. He, or his wife, is keeping good care of it.

As the epilogue started, I called out all of my singers and we gave a group bow to our audience. According to Stuart, we just barely had a technical sell-out and that it always wonderful to hear.

“Good night Nashville, on to Charlotte, North Carolina ... be safe driving home everyone.”

The lights came up, and they scrambled to get in the traffic jam that usually exists after every night we perform.

We got our check of $12,334,305, with my usual sixty seconds to enjoy it, before Janice or Brian takes it from me. I really didn’t mind them doing that. I wouldn’t feel comfortable carrying that around on me for any length of time.

I may have a request for 59% of the gross and 10% of the Concessions starting in our summer 2016 tour, no matter where we go off to!

When Mom took it, I said, “This is the last time I’m going to use the wheelchair for anything. I’m confident in my leg and my ability to take care of myself. That doesn’t mean that I don’t care about myself. It means that I don’t want anything handed to me because I’m in a chair. Check in on me, or not. I’m a grownup, mother.”

“Well, that’s the Michael I have been waiting for. Confident, assertive and clear speaking. This might just be the last tour we take with you.”

Wow! This has all been a test!

18^th Stop
Charlotte, North Carolina
Carolina Panthers
Bank of America Stadium – 75,523
Ritz Carlton

We stayed at the Ritz Carlton in Charlotte, where I got a chance to work out and swim before our evening’s performance.

I finally had the meeting with Stuart and Brian, bringing in by using Facetime, Ken and Kevin from Vincennes. My intention was to bring up to speed each of the ongoing projects first, then give out some new ones.

“Kevin,” I began, “How are we doing on building our 535 Palace Drive-Ins?”

“Well Boss,” he countered, “The second one, where US69 and US64 intersect is viable and very busy, from what Beverly tells me. She is quite the spitfire easily outworking her employees. I can see how she will be able to handle all the Vincennes PDIs.”

“Anyway, the 3^rd PDI, that is technically in Illinois where US52 flys over I-32, has been finished except for the fabric cover with access only by way of I-32. Is there going to be an offramp from the ‘52, Boss?”

“That question is for me,” Brian answered. “It’s been approved and has been fast-tracked. I’m sorry it isn’t ready yet.”

“For Vincennes to grow to 100,000 people, we need at least three if not four of them,” I said.

“That’s fascinating Michael,” Ken said with a change in his tone. “Are you planning to attempt massive relocation to your 105ers and leave the land for green space, parks and recreation?”

“Something like that. Besides building the 105ers, I’m going to clear all people and business to the 105ers, except downtown and Main Street. I plan to have a meeting with our local Board of Realtors, explaining what the 105ers can provide; one place to live, shop, and even work.”

“Why?”” I heard in the voice of my sister.

“Hi Sis, If I build enough 105ers and clear the rest on both sides of I-41, then we can begin on my Theme Park, City on a Hill, and my Colosseum that surrounds a facility that can host a concert, or you can have a football or soccer game in front of over 105,000 people.”

“Holy Shit,” I heard Kevin say.

Everyone agreed with his outburst.

I promised them all a meeting and free meal when we got back in town.

“OK, who has been buying our dot.coms and LLCs?”

Crickets!

“Stuart, you can buy our dot.coms as I request them, OK?”

“Sure thing, Boss! Any particular site you want me to use?”

“Go Daddy works for me, Little Buddy.”

“Is Janice sitting next to you, Brian?”

“As a matter of fact...”

“I would be happy to be your LLC person Michael,” I heard her say, but I didn’t see her very well.

“I have an immediate need for 50 LLCs, Mommacita. They will all start with capital MRJT with a period, then every state in the union, all capitals, ending with either dot com or dot org, but not both. Got that Beautiful?”

“Yep!” she responded. “Is it safe to assume, they will connect to Stuarts, dot coms?”

“Ken, you still there?”

“Sure am, Boss. Just waiting my turn, Michael.”

“OK, sorry. What is the status of our 25,000 capacity Mansion?”

He responded, “With it tight, the seats are completely installed, and the stage floor is about half installed. The fabric wallpaper should arrive by the end of the week. it will take from four to six weeks to install, and riggers, ropes, and curtains will come after the stage floor is finished.”

“So, it won’t be ready for us when we get home?” I said a bit dispirited.

“Don’t you worry, Mr. Thomas. We have the ‘Little Theatre’ to work on as needed.”

“I trust you, Sir. What about our first 105er?”

“The rooms up to the 70^th Floor are finished and looking quite luxurious. All the windows are in ... your idea for the exterior windows looks wonderful, especially when the sun is out.”

“What about our second 105er, has the foundation been poured?”

“Yep, it has got the street level, the ‘L’ Level, and we are halfway to the K Level. The good weather is keeping the guys in a good mood and all the suppliers and subs are working at a furious pace.”

“Oh, the parking structure pieces are being delivered every day, with a crane very busy putting them in place after a layer of caulk as thick as concrete gets put in place.”

“So, it’s like Jenga, but with caulk involved,” I heard my sister say.

After everyone laughed for a few seconds, I switched gears, “Kevin, what is the status of our full-sized rehearsal and recording studio?”

“Oh! It’s all finished. I wasn’t about to move your equipment in, figuring you guys had more to buy.”

“OK, Stuart, spend what you need to, including some video recording equipment. Has anyone got anything else to talk about?”

“Michael,” Kevin said, “How are you going to buy and clear all of that land on the west side of Southern Indiana?”

“I’ve got that all scheduled out, using a few pretty girls,” I answered.

“Got anybody my age?” he asked.

“How old are you, if you don’t mind my asking?”

“I can be anywhere from 30 to 35, and if it gets serious, I’ll tell the truth.”

That really made everyone on the call laugh out loud. “Goodbye to all,” I said.

Even after a less than stellar performance we left with a check for $10,005,255 as we went on our way to our,

19^th Stop
Landover, Maryland
Washington Redskins
FedEx Field – 82,000
Courtyard New Carrollton

On the bus, I got a little mad.

I walked up and down the aisles not saying anything, just stopping to look at those who let us all down.

“Do I need to say anything specific to anyone about how bad we sounded last night?”

Not a sound from anybody.

“We are professional performers ... you all get paid very well,” I said stopping to make my point. “Unless you are willing to take a cut in pay, you need to talk to yourselves about how important this really is to you. Back at Jackson and Lincoln ... there are a lot of kids wishing they were in your shoes.”

“Play like you love it, sing like you are enjoying yourselves ... that’s all I ask of every single one of you. Someone contact the other bus, we need to stop so, I can tell them the same thing I just told you.”

“There’s a turnout in ten miles, Boss,” Peter said.

We took it, and the other bus followed us in, and I got off and moved to it. With many of the adults on this one, I gave practically the exact same speech to them as the teenagers. The people from our lead vehicle came out to hear my rant as well.

“Is there anyone who wishes to say anything?”

I saw faces who were amazed at my admonitions. I went back to the bus I started on, and we were on our way.

Mom and Dad were on our bus, and I walked to them asking Brian to get us another bus for our upcoming growth.

“No Problem son,” he said, “I have been expecting your request.”

I sat down next to my wife. “They needed that, as did I.”

She was quiet, and we fell asleep holding hands.

“Boss, we’re here ... time to get up?” Carla said to me.

I couldn’t keep from smiling as she woke us both up.

“Thank you, sweetie,” Jennifer said to her.

“No problem,” she said walking away.

We got up, got our bags and walked into the foyer of Courtyard New Carrollton Landover. Tracy and Brigitte were telling people their room numbers and giving out the cards this time. Jenn took ours and we went to our room, dropped off our stuff and came right back down for breakfast.

We were invited to join Janice, Brian, Elizabeth and the Chapmans. I had an idea I was going to be scolded for my outburst, so I just waited for it.

A server came over to take our orders, which we all gave her. Apparently, it was surprising to the ladies I didn’t flirt with her.

“In case you wondered, I love my wife, so you won’t see me flirting much anymore. I have too many other things on my plate at the moment.”

“I love you too, hubby,” she said giving me a kiss.

Using a British announcer’s voice, Peter said, “It appears that the game has begun, mother against son, son against mother. Each of them has scored a point so far. Who will score the next ace? We return after these messages.”

“SHUT UP, PETER.” my mother and I said practically together.

Brian and I both laughed out loud at that, with mom breaking up rather quickly as well.

Our food came quickly, and it was fabulous. I said, “Peter, you and Charles are really doing a fabulous job. That part of the evening last night was my favorite.”

“Thanks boss, we don’t talk much about what we are going to say in advance. We both like the spontaneity of it all.”

“That’s all adlibbing?” Elizabeth said. “I’m impressed.”

“You gave me a B in the class I had with you Mrs. Marvel. I have always liked you. If Miss Stapleton had spurned my advances, I was ready to approach you, but I heard you were married.”

“He was a slob and a fool. Who knows what may have happened between us, Peter?” she said.

“Whoa there big fella,” his wife said. “I’m right here.”

Another round of giggles and laughter emanated from our table. We all finished up, I paid the whole bill, fighting off Peter for it.

That night, possibly due to my ‘locker room speech,’ everyone was back on top of his or her game.

The song I sang to close our first act included everyone in the Society ... but, I was singing lead...

I’ve paid my dues
Time after time
I’ve done my sentence
But committed no crime

And bad mistakes
I’ve made a few
I’ve had my share of sand
Kicked in my face
But I have come through{br}

(I got up and was replaced by Cathy, moving to center stage)