“Super.” Jo did not sound as if she actually meant the superlative. “You mean we're likely to see some fireworks?”
“Better than Old Man Carson's bonfires. I guarantee it.”
Joanna laughed and rubbed her hands gleefully. Then she stopped and looked serious.
“But Danny's such a little guy. He wouldn't be stupid enough to upset the whole band would he? Surely?”
“He would, he has and he will, no doubt, do so again. In case you hadn't noticed, Daniel Gordon is somewhat akin to your neighbour's crazed Jack Russell terrier. Wind him up enough and he'll tackle anything, even if it is three times his size. Mind you, we could have some real problems this tour. I don't think it's going to be a very smooth ride. Danny is still very angry about losing our last bass player and, even though we've got Kelly, Danny is determined to hold Kit responsible and to rub it in as much as possible.”
“Why?”
Avi shrugged his shoulders and spread his hands wide in a gesture of genuine incomprehension.
“I don't know. Danny's just a creep, I guess.”
“So why keep him in the band, if he's such a creep?”
“Two reasons, I guess. He's a damn good guitarist and vocalist and he sells records.”
“Garbage! The band sells records, not Danny Gordon. 'Charlotte Jane' was selling records before Danny joined you guys, and who the hell was he? Some two-bit wanna-be from Geraldine! Come on, Avi, he might be a good guitarist but they're ten a penny. If the man is a jerk you've got to have a better reason than that for keeping him on.”
Avi ran his hand thoughtfully over his unshaven chin. He shrugged again.
“You know something, Jo? I don't have a decent answer. I guess we've got so used to Danny being a prize prick we just take his temper tantrums for granted. I mean, nobody's perfect, and if we started throwing out band members who had personality problems there'd be bugger all of us left. Poor old Kit would be at the top of the list, he's completely scrambled, and I don't think I'm always the easiest musician to work with. Anyway, whatever Danny is, he's a good businessman. He's got a pretty watertight contract, so we're stuck with him for the duration, at least.”
“The duration of what?”
“The cd, the tour and the next single. It could be an exhausting few months.”
About the Author
J. L. O’Rourke has worked as a journalist, sub-editor, free-lance writer and office administrator. When not writing, she enjoys being in a theatre, either onstage as a singer or backstage where she has been everything from floor crew to stage-manager. She lives in Christchurch, New Zealand, with an assortment of hairless dogs, fluffy cats and grumpy guinea pigs.
You can email her at mailto:[email protected]
or follow her on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/MillwheelPress
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