Chapter 37: The Band Stories 01 - In The Beginning

January – Year 4 Lynn and I sat in the office and I set my legal pad down on the desk. We booted up the desktop and took a deep breath.

“I need to talk in person to the musicians before I can get moving, however, we can get to work on the venue. I remembered a place that was really cool downtown. It was a great venue in a rotten location. I want to look at it, venue though it might not be the right place. It has some features that we may like to put into another location.”

“Ok. I was thinking that if what we wanted was space then an existing warehouse type place might be the way to go. In the right location it could go. Parking would not be an issue like downtown, but getting people to go to a single purpose location might be an issue.” Lynn said as she looked at my notes.

“Let me tell you what I was looking at. In a perfect world, the venue would be easy to access from any part of the city. It would be large enough to be a concert site and host rehearsal space. It would be able to house a restaurant in a separate area, but in such a way that people could buy a ticket to the concert that included dinner. I would like to see a place that could sit about 6000 for a concert. A balcony around the stage making those seats premium like a skybox.”

“Wow! Do you want it platinum plated too?”

“I said it was in a perfect world. In a perfect world I would add that the cost of it was covered completely by a winning lottery ticket!” That made Lynn chuckle.

“Let me get with my realtor, and while I do that, you start finding musicians.”

“Did I miss anything?” Erin came in.

“I don’t think so, we just went over my perfect world wish list. I am going to get online and start digging for musicians.”

“I want to throw an idea out as well. We haven’t talked, but I want to be the one to run the new place and if that means giving up the Bar Bar I can do that. Marcus is a great guy and I love him to death, I would be willing to look at selling the bar to him or at the very least putting him in total charge of it, if it will help with the process.”

“Sweetie, I’d love for you to be the one running the place and hiring the staff, but do you want to give up on the Bar Bar?”

“I haven’t been there a hell of a lot lately and Marcus is loving running it. So I think I can walk away either as an absentee owner with Marcus as the manager or I can see if he has the resources to buy it.”

“Well let’s let Paul get to work on the band and we can get to work on the property. I like the idea of a destination site that offers a restaurant and a concert venue. If we can find something near to one of the commerce hubs that would be great. Paul was wondering about a place downtown, but I don’t know anything about it.”

“Sweetie, what was the name of the place? Not the old Blues Rainbow.”

“Yeah that was the place.”

“Forget it. The last owners bought it with the same idea, but found out that the nearest parking garage was three blocks away and people would walk past three different clubs before they got there. Also, they found out that the owners before them had let the place go to seed. The top three floors of the four stories are condemned. The only reason it is not torn down is because it is on the states registry of historic places. It is a money pit.”

“That is why we need your expertise Sweetie.”

“The commerce area out west is so clogged that people can’t get to the shops. The highway department said that that section of road is the heaviest traveled in the entire state and it is only two lanes in each direction.” Erin continued.

“How about if we go up north a bit more?”

“Nope. The population doesn’t go out. A spot north of downtown would work or on the way to the ski areas. Even in the summer those areas draw people and there is usually open land for parking.”

“How about out east?” I asked.

“In a few years when people head that way and the city expands that way because property values are still low. It would be a good place to look but it would be a tough first few years. There are open warehouses that people built for future use.” Erin added.

“Ok, so north of downtown doesn’t look good because of traffic patterns, neither does out west unless we want to move way out.” Lynn said.

“Yeah people won’t want to go that far and then drink and drive home.” Lynn was still taking notes as Erin spoke.

“Paul, why are you still here? Aren’t you supposed to be on the phone to music shops looking for players?’

“The scenery is better here!” That answer caused both nude women to cross their arms and legs.

“Ok! I’ll go out on the back deck.”

“Good idea!”

I walked out onto the deck and even in the winter it was nice here in the Treasure Valley. The sun was out, the house shielded the wind and the dark wood on the deck held the solar heat. I hit one of the lounge chairs and looked at my legal pad. I dialed the first number.

“Hello?”

“Is this Valley Music?”

“Yes.”

“Interesting way to answer the phone.”

“What do you want?”

“Well, I wanted to find some musicians and buy some equipment for a new band, but you don’t sound interested, so never mind.” I hung up.

The next number was entered.

“West Side Music, may I help you?”

“Yes. I moved here a few years a go and I have decided to start a band. I need to know if there is some sort of directory of players looking for gigs other than Craigslist and I need to know what deals you offer to a band buying an entire new set up.”

“Wow! You sound pretty ambitious. Let me get your number and have our owner call you back. He knows everybody and is the only one that can make deals on sales of the size you are talking about.”

“Ok. My name is Paul O’Dell and my number is 208-000-0000. Make sure he understands that I am serious. I just called a place that didn’t sound serious and I hung up on them.”

“Yes sir, Mr. O’Dell. His name is Ronnie Cartright.”

“Does he play an instrument?”

“Yes, he is a piano player.”

“Any good?”

“Not bad, but the stuff he likes is not very popular around here.”

“Like what kind of music is that?”

“Oh, Motown and Texas boogie.”

“Cool. Please have him call me.”

I hung up and wondered. A piano player named Ronnie Cartright. Couldn’t be. I called three other music stores and left my information. Each one was more interested than the first place, but none sounded as interesting as Westside Music. I sat there basking in the sun waiting for a return phone call when I heard the giggle of little girls and suddenly I was surrounded by giggling naked little girls out and running around the yard.

“Daddy!” They all screamed and ran around my lounge chair.

“What the heck is going on?”

“Blossom Mom said that we should come out here and play with you.” Taylor was, as usual, the ringleader.

“Oh, she did, did she? Erin Lynn, would you please go and ask Blossom Mom to come out here?”

I chose Erin Lynn because she was the shyest, or the least verbal of the girls. Every chance I had to draw her out and have her speak and engage others was a good thing. Erin Lynn went back in the house and a few minutes later my little Latina wife stuck her head out of the patio door.

“Yes, Lover?”

“Baby, would come here please?” She looked a little nervous.

“What do you need Lover?”

“I need you to come and sit by me and protect me from this crazy herd of babies!” That brought giggles from all.

“Erin Lynn, thank you very much for getting Blossom Mom for me.”

“Welcome, Daddy.” I took her in my arms and rewarded her for her step forward. After a kiss on the lips, I tapped her on her little butt and sent her off giggling to the other girls with her little red badge of success on her butt.

Blossom came over and sat down next to me. I noticed that as she sat her brand new breasts shook and jiggled a little. I put my arm around her and kissed her and gave her small left breast a little shake with my right hand.

“Look, Baby, your boobie shakes.”

“I know! I am so excited. Now I can jump up and down for you like Lynn and Erin.”

“They are cute.”

“Cute? CUTE? Not sexy? Not enticing?”

“First you send the herd out here to get me and then you try to get me to sound like I don’t think that you are a fantastic and sexy woman. What am I going to do with you?”

“You could kiss me.”

“Yes, I could.”

“I could also turn you over my knee and spank your tiny cute little butt.”

“No, you should not do that.”

“Well then I have no other option, I will just have to tickle you.” I took her in my arms and started to dig my fingers into her midsection. She screamed and began to shake and wiggle and squirm, but I was relentless.

The girls all gathered around to watch and laugh along with Blossom’s screeches. I knew that she was a little ticklish, but she was going crazy as I kept the pressure on her middle. Finally after about five minutes of this mayhem, she started to try to talk.

“Paul! Stop! I have to pee! Stop! I have to pee!”

I kept going and suddenly I felt liquid spray onto my leg as she screamed louder.

“Paul! Stop.” Now she sounded embarrassed, so I stopped and just held her as she continued to relieve herself on my leg.

“Paul.” She sobbed.

“Baby! Are you ok?”

“I peed in front of the girls.”

I hadn’t even thought of the implication of that. I looked at the girls and they were looking at us in shock.

“Blossom Mom went potty.”

“On no.” I whispered to my little wife.

“Girls! I am sorry, I did a very bad thing. I should have stopped before Blossom Mom had to potty. I am afraid that I embarrassed her and made her feel bad.” I still held Blossom as she tried to stop sobbing.

“Blossom, I am so sorry. Please forgive me. I will never do that again, I promise.”

Blossom turned to me and punched me in the shoulder, hard.

“Paul O’Dell how could you do that to me?”

“I’m sorry. I just didn’t think.”

“Girls, what Daddy just did was bad. He picked on me because I am smaller and no one should ever do that.” Blossom was using the issue as a teaching moment, and not being a complete idiot, I went with it.

“Girls, I was being a bully and I was very bad. I hope that Blossom Mom will forgive me and not hate me for what I did.”