Chapter One
Three Years Ago…
“I am telling you Melanie, if you want someone who really knows what they’re doing as far as recording and doing demo tapes right, Anthony is the guy.”
My friend Sara and I were sitting outside at a local coffee house during our lunch break. Sara was the one who had gotten me the job as a receptionist at the doctor’s office she was working at over a year and three months ago. Even though it was a job and it helped with paying the bills, it really wasn’t what I’d wanted to do with my life.
I wanted to sing.
“How did you hear about him?” I asked her.
“My roommate Aliana let me listen to her demo tape. I asked her who did it cause it was great and she told me about another friend of hers in the music business who suggested this guy name Anthony. She recorded six songs and he only charged five hundred to do it. How many are you going to do?”
“Probably just six too.”
“I’ve also heard that he works with you to improve your work. Give you pointers and everything on how you sing.”
Even though I didn’t like tooting my own horn, I never really thought that I needed any help. I considered myself a natural but when I was growing up but my mom decided to have me hone in on my talent by taking singing lessons in which I excelled.
“I can call Aliana up and get his number for you right now if you want.”
“Of course I want you to, if you say that he’s as good as he is, then of course I want his number.”
With that, she grabbed her phone to call up her roommate as I grabbed mine when I heard it ringing. “Hello?”
“Hey there hon, how are you?” It was my mom, she would call me up during my lunch break sometimes to check up on me.
“Doing just fine as usually I’m having lunch with Sara.”
“Tell her I said hello, I was calling to see what your plans were for this weekend?”
“Um, I don’t know, why is something going on?”
“Well, there is a lovely sermon going on at church this Sunday and we invited some folks to come to the house for Sunday dinner, thought you’d like to come join us as well.”
“Now you know I couldn’t pass up going to church with you and Dad, much less could I pass up having Sunday dinner too. Do you want me to meet you at the church or maybe we could just drive together?”
“Spend the night over here on Saturday and that way, we can all go together.”
“Sounds like a plan, I’ll see you Saturday then. Love you mom.”
“Love you too baby, goodbye.”
That was when Sara slid over a piece of paper after I had watched her write down the number. “Here is his number. Aliana said that you can call him anytime except during the weekend. He has gigs during the weekend so even if you leave a message, he won’t get back to you directly.” I glanced at the number before slipping it into my purse as we continued on with our daily gossip going on around the building.
The weekend couldn’t have come any sooner and I needed Friday night. After dealing with annoying patients day after day, time for me was what I desired the most. Even though I could have gone out to the clubs during the weekend, which I did from time to time. Mostly, I would stay at home with a glass of wine and my thoughts of music, because as always, I would have a song rambling in my head. I always had to wait until I got home to write it all down. On the weekend, I would turn off everything from the phones to the television, so I could have complete quiet in my apartment. These were the moments I treasured most of all when I was able to create songs from ideas. Mostly, my songs dealt with love, acceptance of self from others along with other things, depending on my mood. Usually, it would take me between two weeks to two months to complete an entire song.
But with this one it seemed like it was coming along much slower. I didn’t know why, maybe it was because I had been so busy with things like work and family. Or maybe it was just because my heart wasn’t in it. Staring at the matte colored pages of my leather bound book, all I had were words, phrases and sentences. If anyone else would have looked at them, they would consider them as nothing more than nonsense, but for me, they were words to a song that just wasn’t complete yet.
“I guess you just don’t want to come together until you feel like it, huh?” I put the book down before grabbing my wine glass to take a long sip. Looking around my four walls, I realized I needed to get some fresh air to help clear my mind. Maybe some inspiration would come my way while I went for a walk around the block. I grabbed my bohemian satchel bag that I often carried with me when I wanted to go for a walk, putting my book and pen along with my wallet because I knew I would want to grab something along the way.
Whenever I got the chance to go out for my walks, I always took my time, taking in everything and everyone around me. I always took them in the park, the most peaceful place I knew of. Sure, there were kids playing around and everything but I had a particular spot to where I could sit back and reflect on my thoughts. There was an old oak tree set off to the side of one of the trails. No one ever bothered it and there was no telling how old the thing was but it still stood there strong and tall with its branches reaching out into the sky. I had even given it a name…Walter.
But Walter as well as the park would have to wait another time because I planned on enjoying my time out.