The Devil on Kazoo

10: Kathy's Lease on Life

"And I couldn't find the words
I couldn't think of what to say
And all that I can do is stop
And think about the day"

"I Think I Like When It Rains" by  WILLIS

Kathy had never been more excited in her life. Despite the debacle two days ago, it was like a distant nightmare she was more than willing to forget.

Now, she had the present. And what a gift it was.

All of her costumes. All of her hard work. All of her talents. Finally being put to good use.

Syl was the hardest to convince about the concert, even though everyone had to admit she brought up valid points like; how would they ferry a large crowd onto the boat? What if a concert brought the wrong kind of attention from the authorities? And Kathy didn't even have a drumset. Surely she couldn't just play on her old buckets in front of people. Where would they get the money to buy her one?

The last part niggled at the back of Kathy's mind as well. Of all the horrors of the world, being onstage in a splendid costume while playing a beat on three greasy plastic buckets would be the worst of all.

Kathy had decided not to think about that today. Because, today, she was on a mission.

The Crumbs wasted no time in delving into preparations. The way Bash saw it was that there was no harm in starting to prepare, even though they didn't know exactly when the concert would be.

That meant swabbing the deck, repairing old electrical outlets, remodeling several parts of the boat, and redecorating the visible bits.

Kathy's job was to begin designing fliers to advertise their concert and radio station. She hadn't slept in two days because her brain was too busy trying to come up with the perfect layout. Should they have more emphasis on the concert or the radio? Should their slogan be the same as their station's? Should the colors be attention-grabbing or tasteful?

It was a daunting task, but Kathy was more than happy to oblige.

On this rare occasion, Kathy had been sent into town on her own. Syl had offered to accompany her, but Kathy was only coming to pick up stationary and paint. That is until her feet began to slow involuntarily as she passed by the fabric store.

"No," she said to herself, out loud. "Not today."

As fate would have it, a rack of brand new green velvet was displayed outside the front window. The air smelled of sewing machine oil and fresh cloth. The Saturday morning brought crowds of customers bustling in and out of the store, which only made it more alluring to visit.

Before Kathy knew what had happened, she was looking at the velvet, checking the price tags, and imagining sewing a curtain for the backdrop of their stage.

At least she didn't go inside, she thought.

"Kathy?" a voice said, startlingly close by.

Kathy, who would only remain blissful for the next few seconds, turned with a smile.

That smile immediately turned into a frown. "You."

Jim, in his baggy American pants and collared button-up, was standing beside the fabric cart looking like a half-drowned cat with his brow all furrowed and his shoulders all slumped.

Kathy spun around to walk away, but Jim easily stepped in front of her.

"Wait," he said. "Please. Just hear me out."