RetroGirl
10-26-2010, 08:02 PM
The State Songs skit was going well, and Fatz had just put in a little plug for his own composition when Dook interrupted with his impromptu attempt at an a cappella sing along.
"Oh, when the saints go marchin' in," Dook belted, happily. "Oh when the saints go marchin' in…"
"Wait! Wait!" Billy Bob interrupted.
"What's the matter?"
"That's not a state song!" Mitzi exclaimed.
"it's my state song! I'm from the state of New Orleans!"
Mitzi laughed. "More like the state of confusion! Look, I'm going to give you a chance to redeem your intelligence with us, you know. We're kinda thinking of you as a dingbat, now. Try to guess what state this song is from. Okay?"
"Oh, I'm good at guessin'!"
Mitzi started a chorus as Fatz joined with a little piano accompaniment. "Georgia, Georgia. No peace do I find. Just an old sweet song keeps Georgia on my mind."
"Cleveland!" Dook shouted. As the others snickered, he frowned in thought. "Innit Cleveland?"
"Close, Dook," Fatz commented. "Close!"
With that, Billy Bob segued them into Beach Bear's rendition of "Born to Run" and they closed out that segment of the Crazy Colander Head show. When the final song ended, the curtains came to a close and they called it a day. The dining room had been packed, and the Colander Head promotion was proving to be a great success.
The band was in high spirits as they exited the stage and headed for the greenroom. Taking their everyday clothes from the racks, they took their turns in the dressing rooms, still going over the details of the night's performance.
"That was a great skit," Beach Bear said, a chuckle in his voice. "The whole State Songs mix-up really worked."
"Yeah," Fatz agreed. "But, you know what was the best? When Dook identified Georgia as Cleveland! You just can't write that stuff!"
"What? What do mean?" Dook asked, a frown chasing across his features. "What'd I do?"
Earl blinked at Rolfe, who laughed out loud. "Come on, Dook!" Earl chided. "Everyone knows Cleveland's not in Georgia."
"Who said anything 'bout Georgia?"
Mitzi rolled her eyes as she hung up her costume. "That's what I was singing about, Dook! That was the whole point of the song." Mitzi smiled indulgently as she crooned the lines, emphasizing the state question. "Georgia, Georgia. No peace do I find. Just an old sweet song keeps Georgia on my mind."
Dook shrugged. "I just thought it was a girl's name. Don't have to be a state. I knew a girl named Georgia who lived in Cleveland, so I said 'Cleveland'. Nothin' wrong with that."
"Except, Cleveland's not a state, either," Beach Bear pointed out.
"Yeah. But, Ohio wouldn't have been as funny!" With that, Dook took his clothes from the rack and entered the dressing room, giving the door a little punctuating slam behind him.
Beach Bear shook his head. "Well, that was some convoluted reasoning, there."
"Dook can be hard to follow, sometimes," Billy Bob agreed.
Fatz chuckled. "A regular space cadet, that boy. Now, what are we eatin' tonight?"
The band was gathered around the table, going over take out menus, when Dook emerged from the dressing room. Carefully, he hung his space suit up on the costume rack, smoothed out a few wrinkles, and placed the colander version of his hat on the rack above it. Then, turning on his heels, he headed for the door.
"Dook, we're thinking about Mexican tonight," Fatz informed. "What do you want?"
But, the only answer was the decisive click of the door as it closed behind the drummer.
"So. Is he eating with us, or not?" Fatz asked.
An hour and a half later, the burrito they'd ordered for Dook had grown stone cold as Rolfe, Beach Bear, Fatz and Billy Bob unwound with a gin rummy tournament. Mitzi leaned her elbows on the table and, with a little sigh, put the burrito back in its bag. Getting up, she put it in the fridge, then came to stand behind the big gorilla who served as her guardian and advisor on band matters.
"Fatz?"
"What, Mitzi?"
"I'm going to see what Dook's doing, okay?"
"All right. Just don't leave the building," Fatz cautioned.
Mitzi wandered down the hall to the main dining room. After signing some autographs and posing for a few pictures, she found the night shift manager, Dave, and asked about Dook. After consulting his staff, he reported that no one on the floor had seen him.
"He must still be here, Mitzi," Dave encouraged. "Someone would have seen him if he had left."
Mitzi sighed. "Thanks."
"Is something wrong?"
"I don't know. I'd just like to find him."
"Why don't you check upstairs. If the board room's open, he might have gone up there to relax or something."
"Thanks. I'll check."
Mitzi made her way back through the dining room, signing autographs all the way. When she got to the elevators in the back hall, she pressed the button for the second floor and took a deep breath as the car climbed up, and the door opened on the darkened halls of the administrative floor. All of the business staff had gone home for the day, and every office was locked up tight. The soft illumination of the emergency lights on the walls and at the exits cast deep shadows down the hallway. Mitzi could see the big double doors of the board room at the end of the hallway, and with some hesitation she softly padded down the carpeted corridor and gently pushed them open. Peering into the darkened room, she took a deep breath.
"Dook?" she murmured. "Are you here?"
"Can I help you, Miss Mozzarella?"
The sound of the voice behind her made her jump, and she whirled around to see the smiling face of Sid, the night custodian.
"Sorry, miss. Didn't mean to scare you."
Mitzi let out a long, tense breath. "It's okay, Sid. I was just looking for Dook."
"Ah yes. Dook LaRue. Best dog drummer to ever play for a pizza place. Is something wrong?"
"Maybe." Mitzi sheepishly hung her head. "I don't know. I think we teased him a little too much, tonight. That's all."
Sid chuckled. "Ah. Well, if I know Dook, he'll get over it pretty quick."
Mitzi shook her head. "I don't think so. He didn't eat supper, and he's been gone from the greenroom for an hour and a half, at least."
"Well, that doesn't mean he's mad. That just means he's…" Sid broke off, as if he was reluctant to share something.
"What, Sid? Do you know something?"
"Well, yeah. I know that songs can tell you a lot about someone."
Mitzi frowned in puzzlement. It was obvious that Sid was trying to tell her something without actually saying it, but Mitzi was confused. Sid turned away, and with a sideways glance, began whistling as he dusted the railings on the doors. Being the singer that she was, Mitzi soon found herself picking up the tune of the familiar song, softly singing the lyrics under her breath.
"When this old world starts getting me down
And people are just too much for me to face
I climb way up to the top of the stairs
And all my cares just drift right into space
On the roof, it's peaceful as can be
And there the world below can't bother me"
Sid turned and winked at her, and Mitzi's eyes went wide with realization. "Say, Sid. Is there a fire escape around here?"
Sid nodded and smiled. "Stairwell. And, if it comes up, I didn't break my promise."
Mitzi gave him a happy little hug, then ran to the door leading to the stairs. A window on the landing was half open, and she stuck her head out to see a fire escape that led down to the ground and up to the roof. Slipping through the opening, she climbed up the ladder and swung her legs over the ledge to slide down to the flat rooftop. Tugging her shirt down, she was sure glad she wasn't in her cheerleading costume.
The stars were brilliantly burning that night, and the moon was clear and full and white. The stark industrial nature of the commercial rooftop was transformed by the shimmering moonlight into a silver fantasyscape of geometric shapes and deep shadows. It was strange and peaceful in a weird, otherworldly way.
Mitzi glanced around her but didn't immediately see Dook. A blanket was spread out on the roof, with soft pillows scattered around. A plate and a half empty bottle of soda seemed to indicate that Dook hadn't quite skipped supper, after all. A large trunk, or rather, a metal footlocker, sat nearby.
Now that she was here, Mitzi wasn't quite sure what she should do. Obviously, this rooftop retreat was something Dook had given some time and attention to. A quick inspection of the trunk indicated he was well equipped to enjoy it, with snacks, blankets, a sweater and a small telescope tucked inside. She halfway thought she should just leave, feeling as though she was intruding in something very personal and private; but, her conscience told her that she owed her bandmate an apology.
Mitzi sat down on the blanket, pondering her next move. As she settled onto a pillow, her eyes caught sight of something she hadn't noticed before. The corner of a book stuck out from under one of the pillows, and Mitzi pulled it out, her curiosity getting the better of her.
It seemed to be a journal, and a pen was marking the place of the last entry. It wasn't a diary entry, but rather, a creative work in progress. Mitzi could easily read it by the light of the shimmering stars.
"Space Cadet, by Dook LaRue
I dream I'm floating through the night
to make music in the stars
I dream I own the Milky Way
with a vacation home on Mars
But as I dream, the world goes on
leaving me behind
"He's a Space Cadet," they always laugh
"He's only lost his mind."
But, stars are good for wishing on
There's magic in their glow
And until the day my dreams come true
I'll make my music, here below."
Mitzi softly closed the book and slid it back under the pillow. She wasn't going to intrude on Dook's private thoughts any more than this. She didn't know where her friend was, right now, but she knew she had to leave him alone. She rose to leave, but the nagging at her conscience wouldn't let her go without some effort at restitution. Taking Dook's book, she scrawled a few words from the song that had led her here.
"Right smack dab in the middle of town
I've found a paradise that's trouble proof, up on the roof
And if this world starts getting you down
There's room enough for two
Up on the roof"
Below the lyric, she added, "I'm sorry, Dook. If you ever need me, I'm here for you. Love, Mitzi." Slipping the book back under the pillow, Mitzi Mozzarella quietly rose and went back the way she came. As she emerged into the hall from the stairwell door, Sid turned to give her an encouraging smile.
"Did you find him?" he asked.
Mitzi returned his smile with a pensive one of her own. "Yeah. I really, really did."
****
The next day was all hustle and bustle in the greenroom, as the band got ready for the second half of the evening's show. Dook had been relatively quiet through out, but even though he stumbled a bit on the intro to the Spanish Elvis medley, he was, as always, right on the money with his music. Fatz had given him a bit of a hard time on stage, but Mitzi refrained from joining in, this time.
"Okay, is everyone here?" Fatz asked, as he started to hand out the set list for the rest of the evening.
"Everyone but Dook," Billy Bob informed him.
Mitzi bit her lip in consternation, worried that Dook was still upset with them, but her fears were quelled when the subject of her thoughts slipped quietly into the room. Without speaking a word, Dook poured a glass of water from the pitcher and sat down to await instructions.
"Well. Now, that we're all here," Fatz continued, "in the second half of the show, we've got a 'Letters to Looney Bird' spot. What'cha got planned for us, tonight, Looney?"
Looney tapped the letter in his hand. "Well, I have a fan letter that includes a trivia question about Beach Bear."
"Ooh, deep dark secrets revealed," Beach Bear crooned, mysteriously. He was obviously pleased to be the subject of fan attention, even though he tried to play it cool and detached.
"And, it also has a little question about Dook!"
"Oh." Beach Bear was a little put out. "Really?"
"Me?" Dook wasn't nearly as pleased as Beach Bear. "A question about me?"
"Yep! We'll just read them to the audience and answer them as we go."
Dook frowned. "This ain't gonna make me look stupid, again, is it?"
Rolfe opened his mouth to take the cheap shot, but was stopped in mid-sentence by the withering stare Mitzi directed his way. Billy Bob glanced over Looney's shoulder to read the question.
"No, Dook," he assured him. "No one's going to make you look stupid. The writer just wants to know about your hat."
Dook unconsciously reached up to straighten one of the antennae. "My hat? Oh. Is that all?" Dook was obviously relieved.
"That's all."
"Well. What should I say?"
"Say whatever you want, Dook."
Dook stood up and went over to the mirror. Reaching a gloved paw up, he straightened the slightly askew space hat.
"Ummm. My Hat, by Dook LaRue," he practiced. "Nah. That ain't any good. Uh, The Deelie Bopper and Me, by Dook LaRue."
Dook shook his head and sighed in frustration. He didn't get much further before the stage manager, Calhoun, called the band back to the stage. All the way to his place at the drum kit, Dook rehearsed potential speeches to answer the trivia question. As Mitzi threaded her way between the drums and keyboards, she gave him a little pat on the shoulder.
"It'll be okay, Dook."
"Oh, I know. But, I need a catchy title so I won't look stupid, you know?"
"You won't look stupid," she said, in a subdued voice. "Just speak from your heart."
"I will," Dook said. "But, I got to get the first part right."
As Looney read the letter from Beach Bear's fan, Dook seemed to relax and enjoy participating in the show. He joined in the onstage banter, making silly guesses about the color of Beach Bear's eyes, and laughed as Beach Bear gave them the Captain Obvious hint. As the segment shifted to the second question, Billy Bob directed the focus to him and Mitzi gave him an encouraging smile. With confidence, he spoke out loud and clear.
"What Is This Thing on My Head? by Dook LaRue."
Dook proceeded, reciting his thoughts almost like they were a school piece, and Mitzi could hear the mild snickers from Fatz and Beach Bear. But, Dook ignored them and happily continued on, telling the audience about the two things he loved the most: the stars, and playing drums with his band. But, this time, he didn't stumble, and this time he knew exactly what he wanted to say. And, this time, instead of laughing at their resident "space cadet", Mitzi Mozzarella turned to give her bandmate a warm, approving smile. Fatz and Beach Bear laughed, she thought, because they just didn't understand. But, one day, she hoped, the whole band would discover what she had only just learned: Dook LaRue spent his evenings dancing among the stars, and sometimes it just took him a while to get back home.
The End
*******
RetroGirl
"Oh, when the saints go marchin' in," Dook belted, happily. "Oh when the saints go marchin' in…"
"Wait! Wait!" Billy Bob interrupted.
"What's the matter?"
"That's not a state song!" Mitzi exclaimed.
"it's my state song! I'm from the state of New Orleans!"
Mitzi laughed. "More like the state of confusion! Look, I'm going to give you a chance to redeem your intelligence with us, you know. We're kinda thinking of you as a dingbat, now. Try to guess what state this song is from. Okay?"
"Oh, I'm good at guessin'!"
Mitzi started a chorus as Fatz joined with a little piano accompaniment. "Georgia, Georgia. No peace do I find. Just an old sweet song keeps Georgia on my mind."
"Cleveland!" Dook shouted. As the others snickered, he frowned in thought. "Innit Cleveland?"
"Close, Dook," Fatz commented. "Close!"
With that, Billy Bob segued them into Beach Bear's rendition of "Born to Run" and they closed out that segment of the Crazy Colander Head show. When the final song ended, the curtains came to a close and they called it a day. The dining room had been packed, and the Colander Head promotion was proving to be a great success.
The band was in high spirits as they exited the stage and headed for the greenroom. Taking their everyday clothes from the racks, they took their turns in the dressing rooms, still going over the details of the night's performance.
"That was a great skit," Beach Bear said, a chuckle in his voice. "The whole State Songs mix-up really worked."
"Yeah," Fatz agreed. "But, you know what was the best? When Dook identified Georgia as Cleveland! You just can't write that stuff!"
"What? What do mean?" Dook asked, a frown chasing across his features. "What'd I do?"
Earl blinked at Rolfe, who laughed out loud. "Come on, Dook!" Earl chided. "Everyone knows Cleveland's not in Georgia."
"Who said anything 'bout Georgia?"
Mitzi rolled her eyes as she hung up her costume. "That's what I was singing about, Dook! That was the whole point of the song." Mitzi smiled indulgently as she crooned the lines, emphasizing the state question. "Georgia, Georgia. No peace do I find. Just an old sweet song keeps Georgia on my mind."
Dook shrugged. "I just thought it was a girl's name. Don't have to be a state. I knew a girl named Georgia who lived in Cleveland, so I said 'Cleveland'. Nothin' wrong with that."
"Except, Cleveland's not a state, either," Beach Bear pointed out.
"Yeah. But, Ohio wouldn't have been as funny!" With that, Dook took his clothes from the rack and entered the dressing room, giving the door a little punctuating slam behind him.
Beach Bear shook his head. "Well, that was some convoluted reasoning, there."
"Dook can be hard to follow, sometimes," Billy Bob agreed.
Fatz chuckled. "A regular space cadet, that boy. Now, what are we eatin' tonight?"
The band was gathered around the table, going over take out menus, when Dook emerged from the dressing room. Carefully, he hung his space suit up on the costume rack, smoothed out a few wrinkles, and placed the colander version of his hat on the rack above it. Then, turning on his heels, he headed for the door.
"Dook, we're thinking about Mexican tonight," Fatz informed. "What do you want?"
But, the only answer was the decisive click of the door as it closed behind the drummer.
"So. Is he eating with us, or not?" Fatz asked.
An hour and a half later, the burrito they'd ordered for Dook had grown stone cold as Rolfe, Beach Bear, Fatz and Billy Bob unwound with a gin rummy tournament. Mitzi leaned her elbows on the table and, with a little sigh, put the burrito back in its bag. Getting up, she put it in the fridge, then came to stand behind the big gorilla who served as her guardian and advisor on band matters.
"Fatz?"
"What, Mitzi?"
"I'm going to see what Dook's doing, okay?"
"All right. Just don't leave the building," Fatz cautioned.
Mitzi wandered down the hall to the main dining room. After signing some autographs and posing for a few pictures, she found the night shift manager, Dave, and asked about Dook. After consulting his staff, he reported that no one on the floor had seen him.
"He must still be here, Mitzi," Dave encouraged. "Someone would have seen him if he had left."
Mitzi sighed. "Thanks."
"Is something wrong?"
"I don't know. I'd just like to find him."
"Why don't you check upstairs. If the board room's open, he might have gone up there to relax or something."
"Thanks. I'll check."
Mitzi made her way back through the dining room, signing autographs all the way. When she got to the elevators in the back hall, she pressed the button for the second floor and took a deep breath as the car climbed up, and the door opened on the darkened halls of the administrative floor. All of the business staff had gone home for the day, and every office was locked up tight. The soft illumination of the emergency lights on the walls and at the exits cast deep shadows down the hallway. Mitzi could see the big double doors of the board room at the end of the hallway, and with some hesitation she softly padded down the carpeted corridor and gently pushed them open. Peering into the darkened room, she took a deep breath.
"Dook?" she murmured. "Are you here?"
"Can I help you, Miss Mozzarella?"
The sound of the voice behind her made her jump, and she whirled around to see the smiling face of Sid, the night custodian.
"Sorry, miss. Didn't mean to scare you."
Mitzi let out a long, tense breath. "It's okay, Sid. I was just looking for Dook."
"Ah yes. Dook LaRue. Best dog drummer to ever play for a pizza place. Is something wrong?"
"Maybe." Mitzi sheepishly hung her head. "I don't know. I think we teased him a little too much, tonight. That's all."
Sid chuckled. "Ah. Well, if I know Dook, he'll get over it pretty quick."
Mitzi shook her head. "I don't think so. He didn't eat supper, and he's been gone from the greenroom for an hour and a half, at least."
"Well, that doesn't mean he's mad. That just means he's…" Sid broke off, as if he was reluctant to share something.
"What, Sid? Do you know something?"
"Well, yeah. I know that songs can tell you a lot about someone."
Mitzi frowned in puzzlement. It was obvious that Sid was trying to tell her something without actually saying it, but Mitzi was confused. Sid turned away, and with a sideways glance, began whistling as he dusted the railings on the doors. Being the singer that she was, Mitzi soon found herself picking up the tune of the familiar song, softly singing the lyrics under her breath.
"When this old world starts getting me down
And people are just too much for me to face
I climb way up to the top of the stairs
And all my cares just drift right into space
On the roof, it's peaceful as can be
And there the world below can't bother me"
Sid turned and winked at her, and Mitzi's eyes went wide with realization. "Say, Sid. Is there a fire escape around here?"
Sid nodded and smiled. "Stairwell. And, if it comes up, I didn't break my promise."
Mitzi gave him a happy little hug, then ran to the door leading to the stairs. A window on the landing was half open, and she stuck her head out to see a fire escape that led down to the ground and up to the roof. Slipping through the opening, she climbed up the ladder and swung her legs over the ledge to slide down to the flat rooftop. Tugging her shirt down, she was sure glad she wasn't in her cheerleading costume.
The stars were brilliantly burning that night, and the moon was clear and full and white. The stark industrial nature of the commercial rooftop was transformed by the shimmering moonlight into a silver fantasyscape of geometric shapes and deep shadows. It was strange and peaceful in a weird, otherworldly way.
Mitzi glanced around her but didn't immediately see Dook. A blanket was spread out on the roof, with soft pillows scattered around. A plate and a half empty bottle of soda seemed to indicate that Dook hadn't quite skipped supper, after all. A large trunk, or rather, a metal footlocker, sat nearby.
Now that she was here, Mitzi wasn't quite sure what she should do. Obviously, this rooftop retreat was something Dook had given some time and attention to. A quick inspection of the trunk indicated he was well equipped to enjoy it, with snacks, blankets, a sweater and a small telescope tucked inside. She halfway thought she should just leave, feeling as though she was intruding in something very personal and private; but, her conscience told her that she owed her bandmate an apology.
Mitzi sat down on the blanket, pondering her next move. As she settled onto a pillow, her eyes caught sight of something she hadn't noticed before. The corner of a book stuck out from under one of the pillows, and Mitzi pulled it out, her curiosity getting the better of her.
It seemed to be a journal, and a pen was marking the place of the last entry. It wasn't a diary entry, but rather, a creative work in progress. Mitzi could easily read it by the light of the shimmering stars.
"Space Cadet, by Dook LaRue
I dream I'm floating through the night
to make music in the stars
I dream I own the Milky Way
with a vacation home on Mars
But as I dream, the world goes on
leaving me behind
"He's a Space Cadet," they always laugh
"He's only lost his mind."
But, stars are good for wishing on
There's magic in their glow
And until the day my dreams come true
I'll make my music, here below."
Mitzi softly closed the book and slid it back under the pillow. She wasn't going to intrude on Dook's private thoughts any more than this. She didn't know where her friend was, right now, but she knew she had to leave him alone. She rose to leave, but the nagging at her conscience wouldn't let her go without some effort at restitution. Taking Dook's book, she scrawled a few words from the song that had led her here.
"Right smack dab in the middle of town
I've found a paradise that's trouble proof, up on the roof
And if this world starts getting you down
There's room enough for two
Up on the roof"
Below the lyric, she added, "I'm sorry, Dook. If you ever need me, I'm here for you. Love, Mitzi." Slipping the book back under the pillow, Mitzi Mozzarella quietly rose and went back the way she came. As she emerged into the hall from the stairwell door, Sid turned to give her an encouraging smile.
"Did you find him?" he asked.
Mitzi returned his smile with a pensive one of her own. "Yeah. I really, really did."
****
The next day was all hustle and bustle in the greenroom, as the band got ready for the second half of the evening's show. Dook had been relatively quiet through out, but even though he stumbled a bit on the intro to the Spanish Elvis medley, he was, as always, right on the money with his music. Fatz had given him a bit of a hard time on stage, but Mitzi refrained from joining in, this time.
"Okay, is everyone here?" Fatz asked, as he started to hand out the set list for the rest of the evening.
"Everyone but Dook," Billy Bob informed him.
Mitzi bit her lip in consternation, worried that Dook was still upset with them, but her fears were quelled when the subject of her thoughts slipped quietly into the room. Without speaking a word, Dook poured a glass of water from the pitcher and sat down to await instructions.
"Well. Now, that we're all here," Fatz continued, "in the second half of the show, we've got a 'Letters to Looney Bird' spot. What'cha got planned for us, tonight, Looney?"
Looney tapped the letter in his hand. "Well, I have a fan letter that includes a trivia question about Beach Bear."
"Ooh, deep dark secrets revealed," Beach Bear crooned, mysteriously. He was obviously pleased to be the subject of fan attention, even though he tried to play it cool and detached.
"And, it also has a little question about Dook!"
"Oh." Beach Bear was a little put out. "Really?"
"Me?" Dook wasn't nearly as pleased as Beach Bear. "A question about me?"
"Yep! We'll just read them to the audience and answer them as we go."
Dook frowned. "This ain't gonna make me look stupid, again, is it?"
Rolfe opened his mouth to take the cheap shot, but was stopped in mid-sentence by the withering stare Mitzi directed his way. Billy Bob glanced over Looney's shoulder to read the question.
"No, Dook," he assured him. "No one's going to make you look stupid. The writer just wants to know about your hat."
Dook unconsciously reached up to straighten one of the antennae. "My hat? Oh. Is that all?" Dook was obviously relieved.
"That's all."
"Well. What should I say?"
"Say whatever you want, Dook."
Dook stood up and went over to the mirror. Reaching a gloved paw up, he straightened the slightly askew space hat.
"Ummm. My Hat, by Dook LaRue," he practiced. "Nah. That ain't any good. Uh, The Deelie Bopper and Me, by Dook LaRue."
Dook shook his head and sighed in frustration. He didn't get much further before the stage manager, Calhoun, called the band back to the stage. All the way to his place at the drum kit, Dook rehearsed potential speeches to answer the trivia question. As Mitzi threaded her way between the drums and keyboards, she gave him a little pat on the shoulder.
"It'll be okay, Dook."
"Oh, I know. But, I need a catchy title so I won't look stupid, you know?"
"You won't look stupid," she said, in a subdued voice. "Just speak from your heart."
"I will," Dook said. "But, I got to get the first part right."
As Looney read the letter from Beach Bear's fan, Dook seemed to relax and enjoy participating in the show. He joined in the onstage banter, making silly guesses about the color of Beach Bear's eyes, and laughed as Beach Bear gave them the Captain Obvious hint. As the segment shifted to the second question, Billy Bob directed the focus to him and Mitzi gave him an encouraging smile. With confidence, he spoke out loud and clear.
"What Is This Thing on My Head? by Dook LaRue."
Dook proceeded, reciting his thoughts almost like they were a school piece, and Mitzi could hear the mild snickers from Fatz and Beach Bear. But, Dook ignored them and happily continued on, telling the audience about the two things he loved the most: the stars, and playing drums with his band. But, this time, he didn't stumble, and this time he knew exactly what he wanted to say. And, this time, instead of laughing at their resident "space cadet", Mitzi Mozzarella turned to give her bandmate a warm, approving smile. Fatz and Beach Bear laughed, she thought, because they just didn't understand. But, one day, she hoped, the whole band would discover what she had only just learned: Dook LaRue spent his evenings dancing among the stars, and sometimes it just took him a while to get back home.
The End
*******
RetroGirl