Winners and Losers

by Linda Sole

  Connor had started to save towards a present for Sarah. He had seen a pretty gold locket and chain in a local jeweller’s shop and he wanted to buy it for her next week. He could put a deposit down and then pay weekly, but he didn’t want to get into debt. If he earned twenty pounds again this evening, he would be able to buy the locket outright. After that he might start saving for a ring, because he was thinking of asking Sarah to get engaged at Christmas.

  When he joined his friends outside the venue in Cambridge, he was surprised to see other bands unloading their gear.

  ‘I didn’t know anyone else was playing this evening,’ he said with a frown. ‘How much are they paying us, then, Terry?’

  ‘Nothing,’ Terry said. ‘It’s a competition. We are competing against other bands for the prize of . . . five hundred pounds and the chance of a record deal!’

  ‘Five hundred . . .’ Connor stared at him. ‘That is a fortune! I’m not sure about the record deal but I wouldn’t mind a share of the prize.’

  ‘It’s a hundred quid each if we win,’ Terry said. ‘The record deal could be worth thousands if we got lucky.’

  ‘Wouldn’t that mean going away?’ Connor asked. ‘We would have to turn professional, go into it full-time . . .’

  ‘That is my dream,’ Terry told him and clapped him on the shoulder. ‘If we win, it will be down to you, Connor. I’ve never expected to win before, because Phil wasn’t good enough – but you are.’

  ‘Don’t get your hopes too high,’ Connor warned. ‘I’ve just seen the Flying Dragons unloading; they are terrific and very popular. I doubt if we can win against them.’

  ‘Don’t sell yourself short,’ Terry told him. ‘Just do what you’ve been doing every week since we started and we’ll stand a good chance. If it doesn’t come off, we might get second prize and that’s two hundred and fifty.’

  ‘I’m up for it,’ Sam said. ‘But it’s the record deal I’m interested in. If we get that, we shall all be rich!’

  Connor slung his guitar over his shoulder and picked up a part of the drum kit to carry inside. He felt a bit annoyed with Terry, because if they didn’t come first or at least second this evening, he wouldn’t earn anything – and he could have gone riddling to earn an extra fifteen bob.

  Backstage, it was crowded because there were six bands entered in the contest that evening. Glancing round, Connor took stock. He realized that he recognized most of the faces; they had all played at the club at least once and he knew their stuff pretty well. Four of the groups were mediocre, but the Flying Dragons were a semi-professional band and he knew they were good.

  Connor didn’t think they had a hope of winning, but he reckoned they ought to be a good second. He cheered up a bit as Terry gave him the thumbs-up. Fifty pounds was a lot better than twenty. He would put on the best performance he could and hope they managed to come out with a prize.

  Connor stepped forward when their name was called out. He had been practising the new number all week and hoped he wouldn’t forget any of the words. It was the song Elvis Presley was pushing up the charts in America and it was beginning to be popular over here. Connor had started to let his sideburns grow and, having seen a clip about Elvis on the newsreel at the pictures, he had seen that the singer moved in much the same way as he’d done instinctively from the start. Terry had told him he looked a bit like the American. Connor didn’t think he did, but they both had dark hair and they could both take a song and make it sound sexy.

  He stepped up to the microphone, gave his hips a little wiggle and smiled. A girl screamed and one of them called his name. Connor smiled at her.

  ‘“That’s All Right Mama”,’ he said and his words were drowned by a chorus of screaming girls, all of them now calling his name. ‘Hush, baby,’ he murmured. ‘Here we go . . .’

  The band started up and Connor belted the number out just the way he’d heard it over and over again that week on his record player. He’d played it so many times that Alice had threatened to break the record if she heard it once more. He hoped it had paid off.

  As the music died away there was silence and then a storm of applause and clapping as the girls started chanting his name.

  ‘Connor . . . Connor . . . Connor . . . Connor . . .’ They clapped and stamped their feet.

  ‘Thank you . . . Thank you!’ Connor said. ‘We have one more song for you this evening and it is Big Joe Turner’s “Shake, Rattle and Roll”.’

  Connor belted the number out and the fans went wild. The girls were screaming his name and they were jiving in front of the stage and down the aisles. One girl threw something on stage. Connor bent down to pick up the artificial rose, dropped a kiss on the petals and tossed it back to her.

  ‘Shake me, baby,’ he sang. ‘Come on and rattle my bones . . .’

  Once again he finished to wild applause. He grinned and blew kisses to the girls.

  ‘Rock me, baby, hot rocking mama.’

  The girls were still screaming as he turned and walked from the stage. As he turned towards the dressing room, one of the Flying Dragons came up to him.

  ‘Nice try,’ he drawled. ‘It’s a pity the rest of your lot aren’t up to your standard – but if you want to join a good group, ask me after the show. I could always use another singer.’

  ‘Thanks, but I’m happy where I am,’ Connor said. ‘Good luck.’

  The man looked at him as if he suspected he was mocking him, but Connor genuinely expected the Flying Dragons to win. Their lead guitar was magic and the singer was pretty good. Besides, Connor had never considered giving up his job to go on tour around the country, which was probably what they would have to do if they won. He could just imagine what Daniel would have to say about that!

  He went back to the dressing room and drank some squash he had brought with him. It was warm and too sweet, but it was better than nothing and he was thirsty. After wiping off the sweat, he went back to the side of the stage and listened as the Flying Dragons were announced. Terry and the others were listening too, their gear stacked out of the way.

  A burst of applause greeted the new group and then they started playing and singing. Their first number was a catchy tune that had made it into the charts in America and the applause was generous when they finished.

  The lead singer was speaking. ‘This is a number of our own – it’s called “Flying with Dragons” . . .’

  He was cheered and applauded; a couple of girls screamed, but when the music started Connor was disappointed. The beat was there but the words didn’t make much sense and the music sounded odd to him. He waited for the girls to start cheering but they didn’t, and when the number ended the applause was not enthusiastic.

  ‘I reckon they’ve blown it,’ Terry said behind him. ‘That Elvis Presley number you did was terrific and the second was great. I think we’ve got it in the bag.’

  ‘I don’t know.’ Connor stared at him uneasily. If they won by some fluke, Terry would expect him to sign the contract and that was going to be awkward. It would mean leaving Daniel in the lurch. He hadn’t expected anything like this when he joined the band, just a few gigs that put some extra money in his pocket.

  ‘Quiet . . . They’re announcing the winners,’ Terry said and grabbed his arm. ‘Listen.’

  ‘We are pleased to announce that the judges are unanimous in their verdict,’ the announcer said. ‘In second place and the winner of two hundred and fifty pounds is . . . the Flying Dragons.’

  ‘I told you! It has to be us,’ Terry hissed, his face tense with excitement.

  Connor watched as the other band members went on stage and graciously accepted their prize, even though he saw some sour looks come his way. He felt Terry’s grip tighten on his arm as the announcer spoke again.

  ‘Our winners this year are . . . the Bad Boys!’

  ‘Yes!’ Terry punched the air and shoved Connor in front of him. ‘Come on, tiger, let’s go get ’em.’

  Connor found himself pushed on stage first. Th
is time the girls were screaming like crazy. As he walked forward, the other members of the group hanging back as he took centre stage, a shower of objects came flying on to the stage: flowers, scarves and what looked suspiciously like a pair of silk French knickers.

  Connor bent down to scoop them up and held them to his cheek, then threw them back into the crowd. One girl screamed loudly and grabbed for them. Another girl tried to grab them from her and a scuffle broke out.

  Connor picked up other items and threw them into the little crowd and the incident was turned to laughter as the girls scrambled to get them.

  ‘Sweet rocking mamas,’ he said and blew kisses to the girls. ‘I love ya all . . .’

  ‘The winners, ladies and gentlemen!’

  Behind him, their gear had been brought back to the stage and the music started up once more. Conner grinned as he took his position, letting his eyes sweep over the crowd and settling on one pretty girl.

  ‘Sweet rocking baby,’ he crooned. ‘Love me tonight . . .’

  They played three of their most popular numbers and were at last allowed to leave the stage after each of them had said a few words of appreciation.

  Connor headed straight for the dressing room afterwards. He was so thirsty and all he wanted was to splash some cool water on his face. He was just drying off when the others came in. They were grinning like Cheshire cats, pushing each other and laughing.

  ‘We did it!’

  ‘Yeah – we’re gonna be rich!’

  ‘The contract has to be signed by next week,’ Terry said. ‘I’ve been looking through it. I think I ought to get my father to run an eye over it. He is a lawyer’s clerk and he will know if they are trying to pull a fast one – there’s a bit about agents’ fees that I’m not sure of.’

  ‘We don’t need an agent,’ Sam said. ‘How much are they paying us up front?’

  ‘Five thousand pounds.’

  His words produced a shocked silence.

  ‘Give me the pen and I’ll sign now,’ Sam said. ‘I’ve never had that sort of money.’

  ‘Hang on until my father has a look,’ Terry warned. ‘It sounds good but they want fifty per cent of all future fees for setting it up. I’m not sure that it is a good deal for us. If our records take off, we could be earning hundreds of thousands of pounds . . .’

  ‘Sounds good to me,’ Ray said. ‘I’ll sign if the rest of you do.’

  Jack and Sam murmured agreement.

  ‘But they will be taking half our money,’ Terry said. ‘I think it ought to be more like twenty-five per cent, but I’ll know after Dad reads it through. We’ve got a week to sign – what do you think, Connor?’

  ‘I’m not sure I can sign,’ Connor said. ‘I have a job . . .’

  ‘You can’t throw away the chance of a lifetime,’ Terry said, staring at him in dismay. ‘Even as the contract stands, we will earn far more money than you’ve ever dreamed of, Connor. If things go well for us, we could be rich beyond our wildest dreams.’

  ‘It sounds all right, but I’m not sure. I wouldn’t sign until your father has read it, Terry – and even then I’ll have to think about it.’

  ‘They don’t want us without you,’ Terry said. ‘Don’t let us down, Connor. It’s our big chance.’

  ‘Let your father read it and I’ll tell you when we practise,’ Connor said. ‘I shall have to talk to my brother. If I leave, he will need to take on a new man in the yard.’

  ‘If the records take off, you can pay him out of pocket change,’ Terry said. ‘Don’t be a fool, Connor. This could mean a whole new life for all of us. We shall go places – maybe America.’ His expression was pleading. ‘Don’t let us down . . . please.’

  Connor hesitated. ‘If your father can negotiate a better contract for us, I’m in, but I don’t see why anyone should take a fifty-per-cent cut of our earnings.’

  ‘Yeah! Now you’re talking,’ Terry said and grinned at him. ‘I knew you wouldn’t let us down.’

  Connor turned away. He had a sick feeling at the pit of his stomach. He would be a fool to turn down this chance of a lifetime, but it meant leaving his home and family – and Sarah.

  It was late when he let himself into the house. He tried to be as quiet as he could but he wanted a drink of water to take upstairs. Singing on stage could be thirsty work, and he was hungry. He hunted in the cool pantry and found some of Alice’s apple pie. He had cut himself a chunk and was eating it when Daniel came into the kitchen.

  ‘What time do you call this?’ he demanded. ‘You’ve woken Sally and it took Alice ages to get her off.’

  ‘Sorry.’ Connor finished the piece of pie. ‘We’re later tonight because we won a competition. I got a hundred pounds as my share of the prize.’

  ‘Good grief!’ Daniel looked thunderstruck. ‘That’s great for you, Connor. I’m very pleased – but this coming in late can’t go on.’

  ‘I shouldn’t worry about it, Dan,’ Connor said, angry because his brother had taken his good news and tossed it aside. ‘I shan’t be living here much longer.’

  ‘What do you mean? Where are you going to live?’

  Connor walked past him without speaking. He was too angry to say another word, because if he did he might say more than he meant.

  Connor thought about his decision all week. Daniel hadn’t said any more about their argument and he had kept out of his brother’s way as much as possible. He was going to have to make a decision and it wouldn’t be easy. Dan had been there for him after the war when the family had been splitting apart. He had hated living with Frances. She was on at him the whole time. He knew now that she had been going through a hard time, but as a young, rebellious youth he hadn’t liked the way that she questioned his every move. He had got on well with Dan and Alice until he joined the band, but the late nights did wake the kids, and even if he hadn’t been offered the contract, he would have had to think about getting his own place.

  Connor half wished that they could just go on as they had been. He was earning enough to give him a good start, but if he went along with the band, he would be earning far more. His winnings that evening would buy a better gold locket than the one he’d been thinking of buying Sarah – and a deposit towards the ring he wanted for her. If he signed the contract, he could buy a really good one. It would mean he would be away for long periods – would Sarah accept that and still be his girl?

  Connor had told her about the win when they went to the pictures that week, but he hadn’t said anything about the contract. He had to make his own mind up about that – but if Terry came through with a better contract, he didn’t really have much choice. He couldn’t let the others down.

  He wasn’t really surprised when Terry turned up at the farm a few days later. He knew at once that his friend was excited and his heart began to thump like crazy.

  ‘So what did they say?’

  ‘I didn’t need to push them. When I told them you wouldn’t sign unless they reduced the fees and put up the advance they came through with a new offer. Apparently, they want you, Connor. An agent saw you that night and he has offered to take us if we don’t go with the contest organizers. He rang me this morning. You won’t believe what he offered us.’

  ‘Try me. I thought that offer was good. I just wasn’t sure about the fifty per cent.’

  ‘They’ve offered thirty per cent now – and you get ten thousand on signing and we get five thousand pounds each!’

  Connor felt as if someone had knocked the breath out of his body. Terry had to be joking.

  ‘You’re pulling my leg. That is thirty thousand pounds altogether . . .’ Connor felt so stunned he hardly knew what to say. ‘It doesn’t seem fair on the rest of you that I get so much more.’

  ‘Don’t worry about that, Con,’ Terry told him. ‘We all know you’re the star. Last year we didn’t even get second prize. Besides, they are all getting five times what they expected.’

  Connor looked at him uneasily. It was such a fabulous offer that h
e couldn’t refuse. His friends would be left in limbo if he walked away now and that wasn’t fair to them. He was between a rock and a hard place, because he had to let someone down whatever he did.

  ‘You’re walking out on me just like that?’ Daniel stared at him, his expression somewhere between shock and anger. ‘You know I can’t manage the farm and my repair work without you. Joe is all right but he needs direction. If one of us is with him, he works hard, but if you leave him on his own, he’ll stand around and do nothing half the day.’

  ‘You will have to employ someone else to take my place,’ Connor told him. ‘I’m sorry, Dan, but this is a real chance for me to make something of my life. They are paying me ten thousand pounds just to sign and we could earn many times that if the records start to sell as well as they seem to think they may.’

  ‘Ten thousand! I don’t believe you.’ Dan looked stunned. ‘Do you have any idea of what you can do with that sort of money?’

  ‘Yes, of course I do. I’m going to open an account at the bank as soon as I get the cheque. I have to pay thirty per cent agent’s fees but that still leaves a lot of money.’ He hesitated, then, ‘I know I’m letting you down, but I could help with the wages of a new man until you’re on your feet . . .’

  ‘No!’ Daniel glared at him. ‘Keep your damned money. I don’t want charity. If you’ve been offered that much, you have to go. I can’t stop you, but I hope you know what you’re doing, Connor. From what I see in the papers some of these stars get into trouble. Stay away from drugs and don’t drink too much.’

  ‘I’ve got too much sense for that,’ Connor said. ‘I’m going to ask Sarah to get engaged now that I can afford a decent ring. We can’t get married yet, because I’m going to be on the road with the group. We’ve been told we shall be playing at various theatres and ballrooms up and down the country for a lot more money than we used to get for a gig – and we start recording our first record next week.’