BILLET-DOUX ✦ CLASSIC ROCK

61 - jeff lynne

For MarieAetheling ! Thank you for helping me fall in love with ELO all over again. My apologies for the wait, work burnout has really been hitting me.
❪❤︎❫
It was no secret that you were an absolute ace at the violin. You had been a virtuoso since you first picked one up and had been improving ever since. Your parents had always said that it was natural talent – something special. Of course, you took lessons to fine-tune your skills, but most of them came easy to you. Oftentimes, you gave yourself challenges to improve even further. How much of a piece could you memorize without peeking at the sheet music? Your fingers seemed to know all the right notes, the bow working from sheer muscle memory.

Once you finished with high school, you chose to continue your journey by playing upbeat tunes at local bars and standing on street corners for change as a performing artist. You knew all the classics, what people wanted to hear the most, though you had written a lot of your own original material as well. It wasn't anything special, just a few tunes that you thought sounded nice. Sometimes you wrote lyrics to accompany them. You weren't a big singer and you hoped that you could eventually find a vocalist to partner with.

It wasn't very long after you had began your "tours" that you caught the eyes of Jeff Lynne at a local pub. He had seen you propped up in a smoky corner, playing for anyone to hear. A few patrons had left you tips, others their number, and at times you would receive the occasional nasty comment. You put up with all of it with your head held high, wanting to just get through the night with a fair amount of cash. It hadn't been nearly enough to save up for your own little flat and you were growing frustrated with how slow things were going.

After your first set, Jeff had fought his way to the front of the throng of bargoers to meet you. He was unmistakable with his mop of thick curly hair and bright blue eyes. You thought he was quite handsome and dressed far too nice to be in a seedy bar such as this. Jeff introduced himself as if you knew precisely who he was and that he shouldn't waste much time on it. Actually, you had no clue who Jeff Lynne or ELO was, but you were polite enough to act as though you did as to not disappoint Jeff who had been so kind to you.

He was unlike any of the men you had come across in your line of work. Jeff was almost too sweet and borderline shy in his dealings with you. Hurriedly offering up a handmade business card of sorts with his name and number scrawled across the front. You accepted it hesitantly as Jeff chattered on about his band and the style of music he played. For several minutes you allowed him to speak. Up until Jeff looked as though he was turning blue, you finally stopped him.

"Jeff?"

"Y-Yes?"

"Are you asking me if I'd like to tour with your band?"

"Yes. If you'd want that, of course –"

"I'd love to."

That was all it took to be added onto ELO's entourage of musicians and directed to board a bus at 8am the next week. The situation was far too surreal for you to believe. You spent the weekend celebrating with family and friends and, in your brief free moments, practicing like crazy. Though you knew that you had more than enough talent to spare, this was the big time like you had never known before. This was your first shot at something real – something more than playing for meager pennies at sleazy bars.

The day before you were set to leave, you were feverishly packing all of your things in two small suitcases. You didn't want to forget anything, so you made sure to bring just about three-quarters of your wardrobe along with you just in case. It was as you were stuffing three winter coats into the pockets of your luggage (despite it being in the middle of July) you startled at the sound of the telephone ringing. Abandoning your current task, you wandered into the sitting room to retrieve the phone from off its cradle.