Saturday, August 1, 2015

FADE IN, ARENA IN HONOLULU, HI

The capacity crowd is waiting for the headline act, fourteen year old MICHIKO TAKAHASHI. Most of the audience was also here for the opening act, The Krelkins. There are rumors, though, that there will be another new artist sharing the stage with Takahashi tonight: two children.

As the lights come up and Michiko Takahashi is revealed, the crowd bursts into wild applause. She is wearing what she usually wears for these concerts: a matching blouse, skirt, and athletic shoes. Tonight all is in red accented with gold; the blouse is light and sleeveless but otherwise it isn’t particularly revealing. The skirt is just a touch shorter than some of the news media and Guardians of Public Decency are comfortable with, though really it isn’t anything you can’t see teenage girls wearing every day in Honolulu.

Additional lights then light up the band, including two children, a boy and a girl, both nine years old. The girl is wearing a green sundress with white trim and white sandals; she is holding a guitar. The boy is wearing black slacks, dress shoes, and a white button-up shirt tucked into his slacks; he is holding a bass guitar. A music critic will later say, rather sneeringly, that both kids look as if they are on their way to Sunday school.

The crowd cheers again, because this seems to confirm the rumor. Michiko looks out into the audience and asks a rather obvious question.

MICHIKO: Are you ready to rock?

The crowd roars forth that they are. Michiko turns to face her band.

MICHIKO: Are you guys ready to rock?

The various members of the band shout “YES!” or shake their fists and otherwise indicate that they are ready, except the two children, who shake their heads no.

MICHIKO: You, you’re not ready to rock?

The two children step forward and the little girl speaks into Michiko’s microphone.

LITTLE GIRL: I just started taking lessons; I’m not ready to play lead guitar.

LITTLE BOY: Me neither; we started lessons at the same time.

MICHIKO: Well, can you sing?

LITTLE GIRL: Oh yes, I’m pretty good at that.

Again the audience cheers briefly, because this is what the rumor said: that Michiko was going to introduce two child singers tonight.

LITTLE BOY: Oh yeah; I’m almost as good as Paula.

LITTLE GIRL: What do you mean, almost as good? You’re at least as good a singer as I am.

MICHIKO: Well then let’s hear you sing. Ladies and gentlemen, these two nine-year-olds are very talented and I’m proud to be the first to present to you: PAUL & PAULA 21!

Michiko steps out of the way and soon cannot be seen. She’s giving all the publicity of the next several minutes to the young couple.

PAULA: Everybody, this is my boyfriend, Paul Macon. I’m Paula Akron.