Astray

by Carlos King

  “I hope you didn’t do that on my account. Because I’m gonna be fine. I don’t need anyone trying to dedicate any charitable acts on my behalf. I’ve been through a lot of negative shit in my life, but believe me, this has been the most inspirational one I’ve ever had.”

  “I didn’t quit for that purpose alone. Don’t get me wrong, I was getting tired of seeing people come into our office with the hopes of being discovered and then leave out feeling like a used piece of toilet paper. I’ve seen too many cases like yours. Only in most cases there was nothing to laugh about at the end. I’m also tired of having my name tied to a company that doesn’t give a damn about the quality of the music it produces. All they care about is putting out whatever garbage they think will sell. That’s not what I’m about.”

  “And let me guess, all of that came into focus when you heard about how your boss treated me, right?” Alexis questioned sarcastically.

  “No. It actually came into play when he asked me to pick out another artist and re-record the three songs you laid out earlier.”

  “What?!” Alexis responded, irate. “He can’t do that! That’s stealing!”

  “He knows that. But after what you did to him he doesn’t care. He knows you didn’t copyright any of it so he feels it’s up for the taking. And unfortunately for you, he’s right. I’m not saying he’s right for stealing it, but he’s right as far as you not being able to prove those songs are really yours. That’s why I left. There’s no way I could go through with some shit like that. Besides, I have a couple alternative plans in mind.”

  Curious as to what’s brewing on Jason’s mind, Alexis asks, “Like what?”

  “I’m starting my own record label.”

  Unmoved by Jason’s ambition, Alexis replies, “Good luck with that. I hope you don’t wind up acting like that last asshole you worked for.”

  “That’ll never happen…Never.” Jason momentarily pauses before telling Alexis about his real reason for being there. “I want you to come and work with me, Alexis.”

  “Work for you? Doing what? Answering phones and fetching your coffee? I think I’ll pass on that one, Jason.”

  “No, I’m not talking about all that. That’s the type of stuff you only see in established businesses anyway. What I’m talking about is working from the ground up. It’s gonna involve a lot of hard work, hustling tactics, and plenty of hours in the studio. I think you’d be the perfect person for me to lead off with. Granted, you’d be the only person I could lead off with, but you’re still the best person for the job,” Jason told Alexis with conviction.

  “I don’t know, Jason.”

  “Come on, Alexis. When you were singing for me earlier I saw a passion in your eyes that I haven’t seen in any artist’s eyes in a long ass time. Tell me you don’t love singing and writing your own music and I’ll leave right now.”

  Alexis remains silent as she continues to ponder Jason’s words.

  Jason continues, “I think if me and you work together we could be a force to be reckoned with. We could put real music back on the map. And notice I’m not asking you to work for me… I’m asking you to work with me. We can be partners. Split everything down the middle—fifty-fifty on everything. I can’t do it without, Alexis. What do you say?”

  Alexis takes a few seconds to seriously contemplate Jason’s offer. “I’ll do it, but only under one condition…”

  “You got it! Whatever it is, you got it,” Jason exclaimed.

  Smiling, Alexis tells him, “You might wanna hear what my one condition is first, Jason.”

  “Good point.” Jason calms down and asks, “So what’s the one condition you seek?”

  “That you remember our relationship will be strictly professional. That’s the only way I’ll work with you. The moment you start getting all touchy-feely, I’m gone. Do you understand?”

  “I’ll respect your condition if you respect mine.” Alexis allows Jason to state his stipulation. “My condition is the same as yours,” he playfully told her. “There might be a day where we’re in the studio and I may get a little hot. Now, I’ve been known at times to conduct business in a beater. I don’t want you falling all over me when you catch sight of the cuts, alright? I mean, you’re an attractive girl and all, but I’m engaged.”

  “I’ll try my best to restrain my urges,” Alexis replied.

  The two shake hands to seal the deal on their newly formed partnership. A partnership that has the potential to ignite a fire under the career Alexis always dreamed of having.

  CHAPTER 27

  ANOTHER MINOR SETBACK

  Staying true to their agreement, Alexis and Jason have dedicated all of their time towards Alexis’ debut album, which also will double as the debut album of their newly formed record company, which they decided to call Real Music Records. Both Alexis and Jason know how important it is for the album to be a success, especially if they want their record label to be taken seriously among the music world.

  The hours that’ve been required to build up their developing enterprise has proven to be very demanding and more complicated than Alexis could’ve ever imagined. However, it’s been a challenge that Alexis readily takes on. In fact, Alexis is actually happy to have her new found responsibilities. For the first time in her life she has a purpose.

  So far, Alexis and Jason have invested several months of their time into building a buzz for their label. Alexis is in charge of selecting the best songs from her steady growing library. Jason is in charge of producing Alexis’ works, promotional dealings and handling other important business aspects. Such aspects include: meeting with possible endorsers and finding ways to bankroll their studio time.

  From the first day the two shook hands they’ve practically lived inside the studio. Alexis has been so busy her presence around the shelter has been like that of a ghost. She stays gone for days at a time and when she does return, she’s either sleeping or trying to write a new song. Although this may seem like a rigorous and unruly life to some, Alexis has adored and enjoyed every minute of it. Even though she hasn’t really had time to spend with her friends or Mrs. Hobbs, they continue to support and encourage her to the fullest extent.

  One day in between her napping and song writing, Alexis decides to spend some time with the person who helped set her on the right path, Mrs. Hobbs. Alexis walks into Mrs. Hobbs’ office and takes a seat at her desk, waiting for her return. While sitting there, Alexis happens to observe a document on Mrs. Hobbs desk that noticeably stands out from all the others. Upon closer inspection, Alexis notices the document has the words FINAL NOTICE stamped on it in bold, red print. Before Alexis has a chance to read any further, Mrs. Hobbs enters the office. Mrs. Hobbs’ upbeat manner quickly turns to shame when she sees Alexis holding the Final Notice slip.

  “You weren’t supposed to see that,” Mrs. Hobbs said to Alexis, taking the sheet of paper away from her.

  “What’s going on?”

  Mrs. Hobbs walks the sheet of paper over to her file cabinet and tucks it away inside one of the steel drawers. “It’s nothing,” she responded. “It’s just a payment that’s past due, that’s all. It’s nothing that you need to worry about.”

  “It’s this place, isn’t it?” Alexis pondered. “They didn’t give you the funding, did they?”

  “No. No, they didn’t,” Mrs. Hobbs regretfully stated. “It was decided that this shelter is no longer eligible to receive financial backing. My husband and I took out another mortgage on our house to keep this place open for a little while longer, but then he got laid off from work a couple months ago and that’s when the bills started to pile. He’s back at work now, but we’re having the damndest time trying to recoup. And with late fees constantly accruing, we’re falling deeper into a financial hole.”

  “You shouldn’t have done that, Mrs. Hobbs. You shouldn’t have risked putting yourself in debt over us,” Alexis told her.

  “I had no choice, Alexis. If I wouldn’t have done what I did a lot of these g
irls would’ve been thrown back out on the streets. They don’t have your talent for writing and singing, and they don’t have the courage to face some of the things you’ve dealt with. Going back out on those streets for some of these young women would be tantamount to a death sentence.”

  Alexis answers back, “There are homeless shelters and battered women shelters out there. You don’t have to take on the burden of trying to save every troubled woman there is, Mrs. Hobbs. Especially if you can’t afford to.”

  “You’re right, there are other shelters. Shelters that only house battered and homeless people, but don’t do a thing to help them rehabilitate. Shelters that make people stand in line for hours just to turn them away when there’s no more room. There are plenty of shelters out there, but this is the only one that makes people actually feel at home. The only place that makes them feel like someone cares.”

  Hesitant to ask, Alexis forces herself to raise another question, “So what’s going to happen next?”

  “Well, the first thing I’ll do is get an extension on this past due bill. Then I’ll have to see how much money I can scrounge together to try and keep this place up and running for as long as I can.”

  “Is there anything I can do,” Alexis asked in a concerned manner.

  Mrs. Hobbs simply answers, “Pray.”

  Alexis’ focus towards the conversation is interrupted when the doorbell rings. Alexis redirects her attention back to Mrs. Hobbs. “I think we might need a little more than prayer to solve this problem.”

  “No matter how bad things seem, all you’ll ever need is prayer. Prayer is a direct line to God’s ear. And as long as you’re willing to talk, He’s willing to listen. I don’t want you to ever forget that, young lady.”

  “Alexis!” someone yelled from another room. “Alexis, Jason’s here!”

  Alexis turns to Mrs. Hobbs and says, “I can tell him to come back later. This is something we really need to brainstorm over.”

  “No, Alexis. This is something I need to brainstorm over. You go ahead and tend to your business with Jason. Who knows…Maybe you’ll become rich enough to loan me enough money to keep this place open for a few more years.”

  Feeling sorry for the state that Mrs. Hobbs is in, Alexis fails to find the humor in her joke. She leaves out of Mrs. Hobbs office and makes her way through the narrow hallway and towards the front area, where Jason is awaiting. As she enters the front room, she notices a deeply bothered look on Jason’s face.

  “What’s the matter with you?” she asked. “You look like you just lost your soul or something.”

  “In a way I did,” Jason retorted. “We can’t get back into the studio...At least not for awhile, anyway.”

  “Why not?”

  Jason takes off his jacket and tosses it on the couch. Appearing to be drained of energy and looking to be suffering from an oncoming depression, he plops down on the couch. “There’s no more money. Studio time isn’t free and it damn sure isn’t cheap.”

  After hearing the bad news from Jason, Alexis plops down on the couch beside him, sharing the same look of depression.

  “I sunk every single dime I had into our project,” Jason confessed. “I even resorted to pawning shit to keep us working. I sold my car and everything. I’m completely tapped out. Shit, I was barely able to afford the cab ride over here.”

  “So that’s it, huh?” Alexis bleakly asked. “Damn! We were so close to finishing the album.”

  “I know…I know. There’s nothing we can do about it. I ran through the entire list of possible endorsers and wasn’t none of them trying to fuck with us. Guess they figured it’s too much of a long shot.”

  “How long do you think it’ll be before we can get back in to work?”

  “As soon as we rally up the ten-thousand dollars we owe, plus an extra ten to twenty thousand dollars to finish up and put the final edits on the album. I’m sorry, Alexis. Give me a little time and I promise I’ll find away to get you recording again.”

  Sensing that all-too-familiar feeling of impending failure and hopelessness resurfacing, Alexis doesn’t have enough optimism left in her to believe Jason’s promise. For the first time in a long time, Alexis is beginning to question if she’ll ever be able to rise from the slums and showcase her talents to the world.

  CHAPTER 28

  FADING DREAMS

  As they’ve done all throughout their strengthening friendship, Greg and Alexis are meeting up once again at a local restaurant to update each other on their personal lives. Despite both of their busy schedules, the two faithfully get together every week, no matter how hectic their schedules are. Normally this would be a delightful event for them both, but with all that’s going on in her life, Alexis is finding it hard to enjoy Greg’s company. It had only been a day since she received the bad news from Jason that they wouldn’t be able to return to the studio because of their unpaid tab.

  The two have been seated at their table for over twenty minutes, during which time, Alexis has been completely unfocused and distracted. Paying close mind to Alexis’ uncharacteristic behavior, Greg takes it upon himself to inquire.

  “Alright, Alexis, what’s the matter? Talk to me.”

  “Nothing,” she answered softly.

  “Don’t give me that. I can tell when something’s bugging you. What is it?” Greg insisted.

  Alexis leans back in her seat as she prepares to air her grievances to Greg. “There’s a lot of crazy shit going on right now and I’m having trouble clearing through it all. I’ve been racking my brain over the shit since yesterday and I still don’t have any answers.”

  Greg probes deeper, “Shit like what?”

  “A lot of money shit. I found out a yesterday that Mrs. Hobbs is on the verge of bankruptcy because she’s trying to keep the shelter open for us. Then I found out that me and Jason can’t get back into the studio until we pay not only our past dues. Even then, we’ll need another ten to twenty thousand just to put the final touches on the album. That doesn’t even include how much we’ll need to market the album and any other promotional fees that might come along. The shit is just crazy.”

  Greg sympathizes, “That does sound bad. Aren’t y’all almost finished with the album?”

  “Yeah, that’s the fucked up part. I mean it’s not Jason’s fault. He tried his best to get us a few financial backers, but none of them wanna take a chance on a no-name song writer and a producer from a mediocre record label. To be as close as we are to finishing and then have the fucking plug pulled is bullshit. It seems like every time I try to do something positive, it always turns out bad.”

  “I know things may seem bad, Alexis, but you gotta keep your head up. Shit always gets to its worst point right before it gets any better. To me, that ain’t nothing but the Devil’s last desperate attempt to make you fall back into his plans. He knows you’re on your way to something more righteous and he’s trying to stop you. You gotta push through that shit.”

  “Maybe. Look, I’m sorry, but I have to go,” said Alexis. “I have too much shit on my mind to be good company tonight. Thanks for dinner and all. I’ll talk to you later on, okay?” Before Greg can tell her anything, Alexis has already stood up, grabbed her belongings and made her way toward the exit.

  Greg contemplates going after her, but decides it the best possible thing he can do for her right now is to leave her alone.

  A few days later, Alexis’ mental status is beginning to take a toll on her physical condition as well. Without the daily inspiration she normally gets from singing and songwriting, the energy and liveliness she once possessed seems to have disappeared, leaving nothing behind but a moping shell of what she use to be. Lying despondent in her bed, she hears someone yell her name out from downstairs.

  “ALEXIS! YOU GOT COMPANY DOWN HERE!”

  Alexis sluggishly gets up from her bed and slowly heads downstairs. When she enters the living room she spots Jason standing by the front door holding a briefcase. She is slightly curious as to wh
y he might be there and even more curious as to why he has a high-spirited smile on his face.

  “What are you so happy about?” Alexis asked, moping her way over to the couch.

  Jason readily replies, “Get dressed. We gotta get back to work.”

  Puzzled by Jason’s statement, Alexis responds, “Get back to where? The studio?”

  “Where else would I be talking about?”

  “You got the money?” asked Alexis, her demeanor slightly re-energized.

  “We got the money,” Jason beamed.

  Alexis screams in excitement, quickly jumping up from the couch. She rushes over to Jason and embraces him in a congratulatory hug. The two cheerfully hop up and down, spinning in circles for several seconds before they finally release each other.

  “So how did you get the cash together?”

  “You wouldn’t believe me if I told you,” said Jason.

  “Try me. I’m likely to believe anything at this moment.”

  Jason recalls, “I was just getting back to my crib after a hard day of ass kissing and sponsor searching. I get inside my apartment, which is completely empty since I sold off all my damn furniture…Anyway, a few seconds after getting in I hear someone knocking at my door. I go to answer it and find this briefcase sitting outside my door.

  “Now, normally I wouldn’t touch shit like that. I mean, as far as I know there could be a pipe bomb in this damn thing. I started to close the door, but I’m looking at this case and I noticed it was made of real leather. So I’m thinking to myself, this could be worth something at the pawnshop, so I pick the damn thing up and take it inside with me. I open it up and what do I see…A hundred thousand dollars—cash. Now I’m thinking, let me turn this shit in to the police before I get murdered over it. But then I see a note inside the case that said if this isn’t enough to finish the album, leave an empty envelop on the outside of my door a month later marked ‘MORE’. I realized right then and there that this money was given directly to us.”