Most likely to burn the house down. You'd think that was more suited to my sister who did burn down the kitchen, but apparently, you'd be wrong. I had no idea what the reason behind this was, but thought it might have been one last prank. Rock stars were infamous for these things, right? Trashing hotel rooms, destroying guitars on stage... Burning their house down... Maybe that was taking it a little far?
The first day after my birthday I had gotten right on the job search. There was an opening as a singer, and I was thrilled when I first saw it - until I read the small print. As it turned out, "singer" was a slight exaggeration.
A sing-a-gram? Wow. I had been prepared to start low down, but a sing-a-gram? With a sigh I accepted, and my advert was placed online and into our local newspaper.
Disappointed, I resigned to the fact that no one would phone me since I wasn't well known yet. The only people who had ever heard me sing were the few people in the karaoke bar, and Danni. When she had been with me in said karaoke bar.
Oddly enough, I didn't have to wait long for my first, erm... assignment? Some woman called me, asking if I'd mind singing for someone called Gloria Garland. I did mind, but it wasn't as easy as just turning her request down. Slowly, I would become known, and she was willing to pay. A rubbish sum of money, but it was pay nonetheless.
It was already past 8pm when I accepted, and wasn't too thrilled about the idea of having to drive to the other end of the city to some apartment block, but I didn't want to seem ungrateful. I was happy to start somewhere, I just hadn't imagined it'd be this low down. You know that saying "getting a foot in the door"? I was the door mat.
Gloria Garland lived on the 46th floor. According to her friend who had phoned me, she was upset for reasons I didn't know, and needed cheering up. With my confetti thrower and a cuddly bunny toy I got into the lift, and knocked on her door.
I started singing right away since she gave me a suspicious look. Considering what my work uniform was, I couldn't blame her. I looked like one of these guys who carry your suitcases to your room so you don't have to.
I sang her a short happy song, and was pleased to see that she was smiling. Although, I was convinced that her smile had more to do with the bunny I gave her at the end of my song, and less with my singing.
She clutched it happily, looking, well, cheered up. My job was obviously done. She thanked me, and I made my way back home.
By the time I arrived it was gone midnight.
And that was the start of my glorious career. People would phone me at all hours of the day and night, some of them with very ridiculous requests. Cheering someone up was one thing, and made sense, but singing for some spoilt brat because they had finished their homework? Some people in this city obviously had too much money.
It didn't take long until I was used to doing everything in my uniform. That way I was always ready to accept a job, no matter where I was. It saved me a lot of time, especially when I was at the park singing for tips.
After the first few request I was called into all parts of Brooklyn Hights. Often I had to drive to one end of the city, only to be called all the way back for my next customer. All the travelling was tiring and stressful, so that I often collapsed into bed at night.
Also, I really missed Danni. She hadn't graduated yet so I couldn't see her during the morning. Some days I couldn't see her at all, and we'd just talk on the phone in the evening. After the first few weeks I mainly worked in the morning, and then tried to meet Danni in the afternoons and evenings.
Of course, I also had next to no time for my chemical experiments. I didn't miss it as much as I had thought I would, but I still wanted to try and make that potion for my sister.
Over time I did less and less sing-a-gram jobs. I still did the occasional job, but didn't sing for spoiled kids any more. I made more money singing for tips than I did from all my jobs combined, and it got my name out there faster and to a larger crowd.
Although, it did bother me a little that most of my audience consisted of women. I did want to be heard by both genders, and I definitely didn't want to be like those boys who sang like girls, looked like girls and whose fanbase consisted solely of nine year olds.
I figured out pretty quickly that I earned more tips when I sang sad songs. Again, it wasn't my dream come true, but it was better than being a sing-a-gram. At least here I had an audience and the pay wasn't bad, either.
I really appreciated the time I got to spent with Danni. She often came over after school and stayed until her curfew wouldn't allow any longer. The weekends were great, because I got to take her out on dates.
I wanted to treat her well, especially when it became obvious how the rest of the city talked behind her back. She hadn't been kidding, witches really were outcasts here. Thankfully hardly anyone knew, and no one believed them when they tried to spread the word. But I felt bad for her. I didn't have the money to take her away, but it gave me something to save up for.
Until then, I had to make due with what the city had to offer. Going to the cinema and out for dinner would have to do for now.
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