Benjamin and Elliot Gavrin would be the last people to say they had the hardest lives in the history of the world, after all, living in rural-suburb Litchfield with both their parents Arthur and Jeonga, and having their schoolmates, friends like Mic...
In the neighborhood of Little Tokyo, Los Angeles, California, a dimly lit community hall was filled with nervous energy.
A string of acts were auditioning on the stage, each competing for the attention of a talent scout, Canet Levit. None of the acts actually liked him, they thought he was patronizing and insincere, but they also thought they could use him to get into places where there were talent scouts that they did like, as success at the event would guarantee them an appearance on Levit's Internet show and resulting fame.
The audition stage show (Web Show Star Search) was presented by Canet Levit, and the announcer was Jackie Collins.
Performers did not receive a fee for taking part, but it was seen as a good opportunity for new acts to hone their craft and potentially, be discovered.
There was a tap-dancing troupe, a magician whose rabbit seemed perpetually on the verge of escape, and a folk singer who droned on about lost loves and ecological disasters.
Standing back stage, were Bill Hairy and Cat Valentine, an excited, unusual duo ready to unleash their acoustic rendition of Buddy Holly's "Think It Over".
Beside them was the soft-spoken Taffy Courtman, known for his gentle nature and quiet encouragement, despite the fact that he always seemed lost in thought. Bill brought him along as a cheerleader, offering moral support instead of performing.
The group traveled to Little Tokyo by train.
Bill wore a grayish-blue button up shirt and brought his archtop guitar with him.
Cat, the most energetic of the trio, wore a black sleeveless dress with a relatively short hemline, consistent with her youthful and playful style. The dress had a a vibrant floral print, featuring red, purple, yellow, and pink flowers, and green stems and leaves. A red tank top was worn under the dress, and her feet were clad in her signature pink Converse Chuck Taylor All-Stars.
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She was a walking, talking art project, radiating an infectious, if slightly unpredictable, energy.
"You ready, Cat?" Bill asked.
Cat, who had arrived guitar-less, simply grinned, her eyes sparkling with wonder. "Born ready, Bill! Let's show 'em what we got!"
Their turn arrived, and butterflies fluttered in Bill's stomach as they took the small stage.
The audience numbers at the show were well below capacity. Their audience consisted of the Canet Levit, Jackie Collins, about 18 disinterested locals, and a few overly enthusiastic parents.
