Summer is about coming to an end as the breezy becomes mild cold. As well as the leaves started to change its color.
That afternoon it was Ringo’s time giving the drum lesson to Mrs. Smith’s sons, Akira and Rio. But when he arrives, it was Mrs. Smith herself whom he met instead of her kids.
‘There something I need to talk to you.’ She announced once Ringo sat next to her. ‘I need another help from you all, your band members as well.’
‘What kind of help we can provide you Mrs. Smith?’
Mrs. Smith handed over some papers to Ringo which he immediately read it. Ringo raised his head, looking up to the woman sat next to him in disbelief.
‘What is it?’ Ringo asked.
‘As you’ve read, what d’you thinks?’
‘It’s – it’s amazing!’ Ringo exclaimed in excitement.
‘So, it’s mean you’re in?’ Mrs. Smith smiled.
‘Of course we’re! –’ Ringo made a sudden stop in his word for he just remember something. ‘But can we compromise for our schedule? We’re needed to rearrange and I don’t think I’m able to change some.’
Once again Mrs. Smith smiled lightly, ‘it was nothing for you to worry about, I need only three times a week and of course the schedule is up to you but we need a consistent schedule and you have to tell me once you wanna change the date.’
Ringo nodded enthusiastically and he feels like flying when he come back home for practice. Ringo hardly believe how lucky they and if everything go smoothly, it is no need to wait any longer to make their first official recording.
Waiting for his members to come is enough to make Ringo crazy. Although in the real-time he just was waiting for about minutes or so.
‘I have an announcement!’ Ringo shouted in excitement once four of them gather on the living room studio.
‘What? Somebody had propose you?’ Tom teased, ‘Your face telling as if your crush had said yes.’
Ringo’s face sulked, ‘it’s million times better! Guess what, we’ll have another stage to perform!’
‘What did you mean?’ John asked.
‘You know, Mrs. Smith’s a new restaurant?’ the three other members nodding at once. ‘She changed the concept, now it’s more like coffee shop and trice a week there will be a live band, which she wanted it will be us to perform.’
No one of John, Tom or Jerry spoke, all of them just staring at Ringo with wide eyes and open-mouthed.
‘No kidding.’ Finally Tom found his word.
‘This, read yourself,’ Ringo handed over the papers he given by Mrs. Smith previously.
While the other three examining the paper contains their contract carefully, Ringo just looking at his mates one to another.
It was John who reached the last pages and he was first one that looking at Ringo. At last, Tom and Jerry joined John, without a word gazing each other.
And no one has any idea about who take the ideas out but the four of guys start shouting out loud. Happiness filling up their mind, another good fortune has come.
‘So it was true?’ Jerry reconfirmed and Ringo nodded enthusiastically.
Jerry then held his hand out, followed by Ringo who placing his hand above Jerry’s then John and Tom.
‘The Star!!!’ shouted them.
Meanwhile Jerry yelling, ‘”Vamos!” instead, making the other three looked at him instantly.
‘What does it mean?’ John asked.
Jerry grinned, ‘it’s just like let’s go or something, racing fans usually used it to cheer up their favorite rider, it’s Spanish anyway.’
‘Whoa!? Do you like racing?’ Ringo asked in surprise.
Jerry shrugged, ‘not me, it’s my sister, she’s crazy with it.’
John, Tom and Ringo looking at each other, a sister?
‘Don’t expect me to introduce her to you though; she’s too worth to you all.’
‘What did you say?’ asked John before Tom and Ringo all at once joined John tickling Jerry.
‘Hey, what the… stop it! Hey… hey…’ but of course no one of them stop it.
Four of them just keep laughing for their good fortune and that was how that night passed by. A new hope, a new way and a new challenge as well.
***
‘Jerry, I think if your tone a bit lowers it much better.’ Tom said.
Jerry did what as he told, listen to his tone carefully and he nodded for agreement.
The Stars is about to make their first stage on D&D restaurant, thanked to Ringo who did a fast move to rearrange their schedules, including their own work as waiters at the restaurant and teaching Mrs. Smith’s sons.
‘How is it?’ Mrs. Smith asked to the boys who busy doing sound check.
John is smiling, ‘this is a great, thanks Mrs. Smith. We think can’t thank you enough.’
‘Oh it’s nothing,’ Mrs. Smith waved her hands. ‘Its win win situation, isn’t it? Okay, just tell the manager if you need something.’
Four of The Stars members nodded as their reply.
John was about to doing his sound check when Tom called him,
‘Since it’s our first here so, we need it to be special too, especially for you.’
‘What is this?’ John asked when his other mates sitting around him with strange mimic. ‘You guys are scary me.’
Jerry smile and handed over an old guitar case, ‘for you.’
John however, he just stared without a word, how on earth it happening? John raised his head looking at Tom, Ringo and Jerry one after another.
‘What is this?’ He cans not help but asking although he pretty clearly knows what it is.
‘Your guitar,’ Ringo replied cheerily.
‘I know but what… how…’ John unable to continue since his brain seems stop working properly.
Tom smiling wide and turn to Jerry, ‘it was all him.’
‘Ahhh no, not only me, we’re did.’ Jerry denied.
***
Jerry was late for his class that day and to make it worse, he missed the bus too and the next bus will not arrive before a half and hour which mean once he reached school the class about to dismiss. Deciding not attending his class Jerry walk around instead, it seems too long already he never have time simply to wandering around without any certain purpose just like he did before joining The Stars.
Nowadays, every time he has he uses it for exploring his bass skill or practicing since he is the only one in the team who are not learning music formally. He need himself to have the same level with the other three, the most of the things is, he did not want to be their burden for his lacking skill.
Here he is now, in the middle of the busy day where people walking to and fro, mixed with the noise of the surrounding crowd. Jerry was like standing on the center of the universe; he looks around him, listening to the nature’s sounds who came as though it was a musical orchestra.
The sound of whirring wind, the clacking of the bus door when it opened and closed, the women heels sound when they are walking on the pave, all mixed one in harmony. It was surprising since his intention already changed even without he realizing it. Some time ago he would stand holding his camera and find something who catch his eyes meanwhile, this time it was his ears who work rather than his eyes.
Jerry’s smiles never leave his bright face, as well as he kept humming unknown song as he began to stop by at the park The Star used to play every Sunday.
Jerry regretted himself for not bringing his guitar otherwise he could make some rough melody from the song he humming all the way here. He just start pretending to play the guitar and make some sketch note on his book while his eyes catch a little boy with guitar case sitting on the park bench next to him.
‘Hi, hello buddy, may I borrow your guitar?’ Jerry asked.
The boy looking at him, a bit scare of Jerry’s appearance; a tall guy, piercing and long hair out of nowhere asked to borrow the guitar.
‘I’m a music student,’ added Jerry, realizing the way the boy looks at him.
‘You play a guitar?’ The boy asked.
Jerry smiled, ‘no, I play bass but of course it’s kind of guitar too. So, may I?’
‘But why you didn’t bring your own guitar?’ the boy asked while handed out the guitar.
‘I don’t have guitar class today.’
Jerry starts to unzip the case and suddenly he stop in his doing, looking aghast to the guitar and to the boy backward and forward.
‘Where did you have this guitar?’ Jerry asked when he finally found his voice.
‘Eh,’
‘Where did you have this guitar?’ Jerry repeated asking to the boy.
It was John’s gretcsh white, no doubt about it, there only the case who had changed. It understandably they changed the case since the original case must be too difficult and heavy for the little boy to bringing around.
‘Oh, I don’t know, it was mum who bought me, why?’
‘Oh no, nothing this is just indeed a good guitar. Oh who’s your name? I’m Jerry.’
‘Akira. Oh you play very good, can you teach me?’ Akira said when Jerry starts to strum the guitar.
‘Ermmm I’ve a band, every Sunday we’re play here.’ Jerry explained.
Akira’s eyes widening in surprise, ‘whoa!!! It’s that true? Wahh that’s great! Can I see you this Sunday?’
Jerry laughed with Akira’s excitement.
‘Sure just come here and you’ll see us, ahh I didn’t bring the pamphlet.’
‘What pamphlet?’
‘Our performances schedule.’
***
‘Where’re you?’ Jerry asked even before the other said hello.
‘On the way home, why?’ Ringo asked back.
‘Be quick.’
‘What?
‘Go home quickly, it’s urgent.’ Jerry ordered.
‘Hey, what happen?’
‘You’ll know once you’re here. Be quick, I’m waiting, bye.’ Jerry hung up the phone.
Few minutes later Ringo arrive, half run half walked when Jerry approached him from opposite direction, he apparently waiting for Ringo coming.
‘What happen?’Ringo patted.
‘I found it! They live two blocks away here.’ Jerry replied enthusiastically.
Ringo look at Jerry in confusion, his eyes narrowed full of question, what did Jerry had found?
‘What did you found?’ Ringo asked.
Jerry realized his silliness at once and laughed.
‘Hehehe sorry, too excited.’ He said before rapidly recounted stories between him and Akira some time ago.
Ringo stared at Jerry in disbelief; a miracle just appeared in front of them, it’s been months and the guitar just popped out of nowhere.
‘Here is their address you go there first I’ll fetch Tom, okay.’
Ringo nodded and in about a second both of them separated the path. Ringo crossed the street to another block from theirs while Jerry took a bus back to the school.
***
‘What are you doing?!’ Yelled Mrs. Smith when Tom suddenly put his left fist once she about to close the door.
‘Please Mam, I need to talk to you, give me five minutes.’ Tom pleaded.
Mrs. Smith did not replay, she just look at Tom from head to toe. The kid is shabby, his face oily, hoisted a guitar case in one shoulder and backpack in the other and he definitely just back from the school but his eyes are deep and sharp. When she trying to look in the depth of those dark brown, she found something she never see before especially from the boy of such a young age. It was determination and passion.
‘Here, give this to your fist.’ Mrs. Smith handed over an ice pack to . ‘Are you guitarist?’ Tom nodded. ‘Then how come you’re so careless? What did you think by placing your hand like that?’
Tom grinned, ‘no choice, you never let any of us talk to you.’
‘Why ere you so determined to buy that guitar back? Your friend doesn’t bother with it but you guys seem in big trouble by losing the guitar.’
‘It wasn’t he doesn’t bother with it, but he has no choice. We don’t have any cash left and we’re only have rice for meal, he’s our leader so he thinks he has responsibility over us,’
‘So he sold it without any of you know what he had doing?’ interjected Mrs. Smith.
Tom nodded.
‘I think Agencies Company will provide everything.’ Mrs. Smith said.
‘We don’t belong to the any of the companies.’ Tom replied.
‘What did you mean?’
‘We want to make and play our own music without anyone interfere us, we’re indie.’ Tom explained.
For the second times, Mrs. Smith looking at the boy who sitting next to her closely, now she know why he looks so shabby and those eyes should shine because of the dream.
‘Alright, let’s try this then, I need tutor for my both sons, I think you can teach them how to play guitar take it as payment for your friend guitar.’ Mrs. Smith offered.
Before Tom could reply anything Mrs. Smith’s second son, Rio, burst out from his room and enthusiastically pleaded to his mother.
‘I wanna learn drum mum, may I?’
‘Ringo, our drummer can teach him.’ Tom said.
‘I prefer you come here for their tuition.’
‘You need to buy him a drum set, it’s impossible for Ringo to bringing his drum set around.’
‘Mum, buy me a drum set, please…’ Rio shook his mother’s arm lightly.
‘Okay, tell me when you can start it,’ said Mrs. Smith to Tom then she turn to his son. ‘Better we buy it with your tutor, okay.’
Rio nodded enthusiastically.
***
John unable to speak anything, he just looking to his member one to another, what did them doing just beyond his imagination.
‘Don’t do that again, we might won’t pleading again.’ Said Tom, ‘Hey, what happen with you?’ Tom asked when John stared at him.
‘Ahhh its looks like we make our leader crying haha…’ Jerry laughed.
John did not bother on how the other teasing him but he start hugged them one by one since he found no word to say.
The Stars
story box 