Devonne Brown

“I believe the the most important single thing beyond discipline

 and creativity is daring to dare.”

 Maya Angelou

“K, so, if you go up on that stage there’s a real good chance you’re going to sound bad. You don’t sing, you whine,” Ronnie said. 

“I’m not going to sing, I’m going to shine,” said Eddie. He’d been taking voice. lessons in secret to get rid of the whine. He wanted it to be a surprise.

“Do you have any idea what you’ll look like up in front of all those people? Do you know what you’re doing? Those kids are brutal, if you mess up, they will never forget and never forgive you, Eddie. You need a bad case of stage fright and forget it,” said Ronnie.

Ronnie did his best to talk the star off the stage. Eddie, this where you go to school. I hate to see you make a fool of yourself” said Ronnie. He shook his head and laughed when he realized there was ten minutes before curtain. Something was off, Eddie was too shiny, too good to be true.

“Ronnie, It means I’ll either be humiliated, adored, or ignored by those folks, or any combination of all three. This evening may or may not have an impact on the future at all or it could mean life or death. I can’t wait,” said Eddie. He glittered with anticipation.

“I’m ok. I can escape from the tank before I drown, done it millions of times. O, ye of little faith. Besides, I’ve been working out. I look good,” said Eddie. He pumped up his biceps and flexed his butt for good measure.

Ronnie sighed. Ok, Eddie looked good. He’d done this a million times in a million other places. Everything was fine with Eddie. Ronnie had the problem, maybe, but Eddie had the attitude. If it hadn’t been for Ronnie, Eddie would still be hiding in the basement playing video games. At least now he came up for air as much as eight hours a week, depending on the Houdini gigs.

Eddie took his place in front of the tank, hands clasped behind his back, head bowed, then the curtain opened. Eddie raised his head and took his time smiling when he heard all the girls gasp. The spotlight flashed off his glossy gold tights that clung from his waist to his knees. He knew he looked real good and his smile widened. 

He’d be done with these shenanigans after tonight. 

Eddie stepped forward to the microphone. He nodded to the orchestra in the pit, and they began to play the National Anthem. It was Eddie’s favorite song, and he hadn’t started a show with it since the incident at Odessa. He liked to sing the anthem himself. After he sang, he would kneel with bowed head, and put his right fist over his heart as a nod to the football folks. Eddie was all about shameless showbiz and video games. There was no in between, yet, maybe once he got his driver’s license…

Ronnie froze when he heard the first notes of the National Anthem.  He waited for Eddie’s strident whine. Instead, Eddie voiced the notes with a clear, pure tone. His voice had no trace of whine in it. Ronnie watched Eddie climb to the top of the tank just as he hit that long drawn out high note in the middle of the anthem. Eddie gripped the ladder beside the tank for dear life. He held that note until the tank began to crack. 

“Folks, we are experiencing technical difficulties,” Ronnie announced and watched in horror.

The tank shattered on the violins and trumpets first. Then, the pretty girls in the first row all lost their fake eyelashes. All the teenagers in the five rows right in front of the stage, including jocks, geeks, and the school cop, looked terrible with their hair all matted, but no one was hurt from rushing water.

The crowd of future winners and losers lept to their feet in thunderous standing ovation.

“What was that all about?”

“Pent up anger,” said Eddie. “I’m going home.”