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Rhonda, didn't know if she was in a deep stupor, sleep, that wouldn't let go.The room, of her small one bedroom, colorful apartment, seemed, larger. It was as if, she was in the wings, of a large stage, she could hear applauding and yelps. In the middle of it all, she could have heard, Her, it was the sultry voice, the raw soulfullness of it's range. It, may have been she was, praticing too-hard, for the local star competition. She felt, she could belt them out, with the best, until last week. That skinny girl, with octaves, she must have made up, SHOW-OFF!
Rhondas', throat was parched, she heard herself say out loud:" Maybe I can't cut it, as a real singer, I'm too, moody". She heard, a distant, husky, unmistakable voice say:"You know, I've had my off days-too, hang in there, you have raw potential". She, HAD, heard, it, this time. She looked to see if the window was open, maybe a neighbor passing by. She got up, turned on the light, and there it was in the corner, her small tv. She had left, a tape playing. She set, up and it WAS, her-there she was on an episode, of, American Star Maker. She was the judge, all the way to the right. She had on bright blue, and one of her flirty, signature wigs. It was as if, she were there in the room, comforting, Rhonda; Patti, heartfelt jestures and all.
It was only, 4:45, in the morning, she didn't have to be at work until 8:30. She went over to her small, kitchen that seemed like it was sitting in the middle of the living room. She put on her tea kettle, and took out some peppermint tea. It soothed her, cramps and aches, maybe it could calm her nerves. She threw a comfrey tea bag, in the cup for good measure. Looking at her face in the toaster, she could see small bumps, on her, carmel colored oily skin; it was her nerves. She panicked, she forgot to pull out something to wear to work. She fumbled in the closet, and found her old standby exspensive, slacks. She tugged in the bottom, of the closet and found a light blue silk shirt. These were clothes, she playfully dubbed her ; "emergency costume". She saved it, for times like this, she had been too, caught up, in the talent show contest. It didn't help matters, that Jerard, wanted her to give him affection, and attention she just didn't have right now. He was a good guy, as they go, she thought to herself, but she was just so self-asorbed, right now. She had given him, a playful backrub, and massaged his tired feet. And then after dinner, she good as told him to go home. Her cousin, would tell her,"That's why you can't keep a man!" Rhonda, would taunt her, meddling cousin with; "And that's why, you keep TOO, many!" She remembered, the rolling of eyes, and slamming doors, unreturned phonecalls. She talked, too much, anyway, so.
Rhonda, remember, the oldies concert, starring her idol and the Shondettes, and Tyrells. It would be all her favorites, from back in the day. She decided, it was time to make up with Jerard-he was taking her to the concert. She put on her short, silky dress, real fast, and her, sexy wig with the blond streak, from the Patti collection. She felt sexy, when she sat up there like that-sexy and inspired. She knew, Jerard kept, kept his cellphone on. he had to get up anyway, for work. She ran around, and found a piece of chocolate. She put on, her bright red-purple lipstick, and took a bite of the candy, and snapped a picture. She called, Jerard, and said; "Baby-look, I got a big bag, of sees candy, for you tonight-don't be mad!" She made, a note on her PDA, to pick up a big bag of Sees, candy after work. Jerard, yawned and laughed at the same time. "You a nut! If that back rub, hadn't taken the kinks out, my back, I'd still be mad! That is sexy, you ol' crazy, lady! I think I'll share it on my facebook..click--click..oops..oops..ha-ha-ha-ha! Now, were even, I'll talk to your, flakey, quirky, behind, later when I get off work!" Click that was it, Well, Rhonda thought to herself, now I know how the sqeeza, really is.
Rhonda, looked around, up under, her blue checkered sofa sleeper, and under the pillow. She, had thrown her wig off, in a rage and it took flight, out her sight. She ran, through the shower, and dressed in a hurry. She'd, make it up to Jerard, she'd cook him something real nice, and buy his favorite, CD. She cared for Jerard, because he supported her dreams. She helped him do some of his pet projects, too. The old, Pinto, Rhonda drove, chugged it's way to her office. It was a loud reminder, she needed to get a tune-up, and pay attention to the rest of her life.
The office was busy as usual, after slow weekends it was actually, a change of pace. Denise, walked, over to Rhonda, hunched her and offered her a chicken, nugget-and arched, her eyebrows. They both laughed, out loud they had agreed to diet together, and lose ten pounds. "Girl, don't you start, on me early this morning! I'm fighting, and eating chocolates on the phone, to make up with my man. Here you got me with, chicken nuggets, early in the morning!" "That's how you know, it's gonna be, a good, day Rhonda!" They both laughed and went back to their desks. Rhonda, had piled up emails, to answer and she got busy. The one, from her boyfriend caught, her eye, but she figured he'd just be, teasing her again. She called, her other cousin, Sasha to see, if she was still, going to the talent show. The office, was especially, sweet that day, with flowers; none of them for her, and pastry. The light pink, lounge, was live, with gossip, and coffee cups. The aroma, of all the diffrent, sweets, and coffe, made Rhonda, think of all the places she had auditioned. She checked, her Smartphone she wondered if any of the contests, judges wanted to see her again. She looked at her list of videos, of shows and came accross a sexy, flashy one. She was in that fancy black dress and pumps ; she came in second. She suddenly, got an inclination to take off sick for the rest of the day. She called, Jerard, and got his voicemail, he was probably in a meeting. She, thought for a minut and used the most sexy voice, she could come up with. "Hi- Baby, I know I've been acting fussy and, but I'm ready to move my life up. We, can talk about it, I'm taking the rest of the day off . I'll bring you some lunch, I have some things to do and think about". She was just going, to take out all the stops, she would just go for it, or break.
She went back to the videos, again and started watching her audition. She realized she had been, hedging and scared to leap into this thing. What was the name of that web site, where you upload, your performance videos, and get feedback? She forgot-but she remembered the one she had avoid. She clicked, and upload, her audition video to: " Ask Gladys, Patti and Patti". Her insides, kind of churned then she was relieved, and smiled.
The End
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