STP

Being In The Band

Being In The Band
©1999-2000
By Sarah
Chapter 2

        Tommy sighed as he hung up the phone and picked up a pen, crossing off yet another of his friends off the list in front of him.
        ‘Previous commitments, inability to play, doesn’t know the songs well enough, hasn’t practiced in ages…is there any other excuse they can come up with?’ He asked himself as he dialed another number.
        "Sorry, Tom, you know I would, but I can’t. I can’t devote my time like that, I have to be back here before December, so there’s no way that I can cover for the next two months. Besides, I can’t get there. Sorry, man."
        Tommy slammed down the phone in frustration and crossed the name off his list almost viciously, tearing the paper. He picked up his day planner with his good hand and set it in front of him, opening the clasp and flipping through the phone book pages for what seemed like the hundredth time. He reached the back and sighed, flipping again to the front.
        ‘There’s gotta be someone I overlooked, someone that can play all those songs. Someone that I’ve known for a long time, someone who…’ He froze in his train of thought, his eyes resting on a name almost long-forgotten. Someone who could help him, someone that owed him a favor from a long time ago.
        ‘Let’s just pray they can do it,’ Tommy reminded himself as he picked up the phone and dialed the long-distance number quickly. He bit his lip as it rang once, twice, three times. Just as the machine picked up, the person picked up also, anxiously calling out a hello and telling him to hold on.
        Tommy waited until the machine’s outgoing message stopped and the person breathlessly said hello, then a smile spread across his face.
        "Lizard, its Tommy. Long time no talk," he said. He chuckled at the reply and turned his head to look out the window of the apartment he lived in.
        "I know and I’m sorry, I’ve been really busy. But my job is one of the reasons I’m calling you." Tommy took a deep breath, praying over and over that his friend could do it. "Tell me, what are you doing for the next few months?"

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