Suzie’s House 464 : Bruised Egos

“This is fantastic! I could get addicted to this,” Bruce grinned “How many songs have we done so far?”

“Just three.” Ever practical, Justin didn’t seem to be nearly as wowed by their studio recording as the rest were feeling.

Gene wasn’t so sure about any of this. He wasn’t even sure they were ready to do recordings at all, let alone trading commercial use of some of their songs for an album. Then again, he had been second guessing every decision he made since summer started.

“Onward!” Bruce pumped a fist, nearly knocking into his keyboard in the process.

“Let’s retake that one.” Miranda’s voice came through the intercom.

Though the recording room was darker than the studio, Gene could still see her through the double panes of glass. She had been leaning into the microphone for the intercom, but straightened into a cross-armed pose that just screamed peevish. Then again, Miranda was always peeved about something or another.

“Retake?! But that was the best we’ve ever done it.” Kate shouted into the microphone. She had her drumsticks held up like she was going to start pounding the drums right then. “We’ve got two more to do today, then I need to go. And so does Justin. We’ve got something on tonight.”

“Leave me out of it,” Justin muttered, though Gene doubted that Kate heard him.

“Let’s just do the other two and go,” Kate said as if that settled everything.

“It’s not even good enough for an advertisement. You really think you can sell an album that sounds like that?” Miranda’s voice dripped sarcasm.

It made Gene flinch, and he already knew not to take anything Miranda said too seriously. Sure enough, the rest of the band members looked angry enough to attack her.

“We can’t afford to be that wasteful,” Miranda said, her voice even more shrill and tinny than normal because of the intercom. “I need to come out of this with at least one recording I can use today. I want this song.”

Everyone around Gene bristled. He could feel his back teeth grinding, too.

“Wasteful?” The word rumbled out of his own mouth without him thinking about it.

“I don’t have time for this.” Miranda let go of the intercom and answered her phone. She turned to the side as if they might hear her through the soundproof glass even when with the intercom off. She started to talk to them, then remember to press the button. “I have to go, but Pete will take care of you. Right Pete?” She turned to the guy at her side.

“Right.” They guy reached over and pressed the button.

Miranda rushed out of the room. They could hear the boom of the door from the hallway, though it was muffled. She must have smashed it against the wall on her way out. Talk about in a hurry! That whole time this Pete guy pursed his lips and looked thoughtful. Drew and the old guy, Walter, didn’t move from the back wall.

“Ok. Listen,” Pete said. “I think what you are trying to do is wonderful. It’s like every band’s dream to get an album out there and grow your audience, right? I’ve done sound work for so many hopeful bands. Most of them have to come up with all the money themselves. It can take years. And then a lot don’t make it because stuff happens. I love to help people reach that dream. And here this advertiser lady is giving you a chance, and you’re all really young, right? You all sound young.”

“Yeah. Can’t you see?” Bruce looked around at each of them.

“No. I’m blind. Totally, profoundly blind. All I got to go by is what I hear. So hey. Let’s do it this way. I’m going to pipe in what we just recorded. Just listen for yourself. Then we’ll think about what to do. All right?”

He didn’t wait for them to say anything. His hands moved over the controls. Then their song came through the speakers. It got their full attention.

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