D.M.S.R. (BOOK 1) || PRN

(16) Pink Skittles & Moonbeam Levels

We were in his basement. Yup, we were in his basement when I made history.

Prince sat in the swivel seat with his engineer next to him. He introduced me to her as Susan. She was a nice woman. I thought she was really sweet but I didn't know her and the song I wanted to work on felt too personal. I sucked it up and spoke up. I told both of them, No disrespect but I'd really rather be alone with Prince for this one. I didn't say it exactly like that but pretty close. Susan gladly left. It was funny because she looked as if she was dying for a break when Prince dismissed her. I didn't realize how sickly his work ethic was at the time. Susan said she'd be back in a little while to finishing recording Prince's song but for the rest of that time it was my turn.

Prince twirled around in his swivel chair. "So what is it?" My confession of the lyrical content being personal only intrigued him more. He was clearly dying to know something. I chose to continue dosing him.

"Be my engineer for a day? Jeff is slammin', I love him I really do but I could never do something like this with him there..." He gave scanned me, a unique flame of interest in his eyes, and sat up. I don't think he liked my statement that boiled him down to being nothing more than an engineer. I reached into my bag and pulled out the sheets filled with my scribbles and scrabbles of arrangements. "This too," I hand him the papers. "I just can't play the drums... Actually, it's about two more instruments I think you'd sound better doing but... Yeah."

Prince looked at the arrangements with a blank expression. I had no idea he couldn't fluently read music. It was never something that crossed my mind. Maybe if I did know, I would not have been so bewildered when he sat down and played nothing that was written on my paper. I watched Prince closely. He said nothing. Instead, he waltzed into the booth and picked up the bass. "Press the record button... On the right, second to last." I followed his directions. So much of the experience was dioriented and unique, partially because this was one of the last times I'd seen him in the booth. "Sorry, I had to get that out," he said as he changed the entire recording station to fit his comfortability.

That moment had nothing to do with my song.

In fact, it took an entire twenty minutes for him to rearrange everything from being based around how Susan liked to work behind the board to the way he preferred. It was a process he clearly wasn't too fond of as he whined and complained until he was finished. I knew she was getting in trouble. Nothing really got started until I handed him the demo of what I'd put down for the instrumental. There were no drums because I couldn't play and I wanted my demo to be authentic like a live band was playing. Prince refused to play them for me. Instead, he pushed me back into the booth.

"Now..." He grabbed my wrists and position them in the correct manner. He was teaching me to play the drums. "Relax your wrist." He gripped my hands that held the sticks, adjusting them to be more exact.

"Dude, your hands feel like a lavender bliss and rose petals!" I felt my chest cave in with how hard I laughed. I was trying to hold it in but I completely failed that assessment. Prince laughed as his head fell into my neck. I feel the air being released from his chuckles until he lifts his head back up.

He spoke with a slight bite though a hint of laughter was still in his voice, "I'm only showing you once." His words were a warning to pay attention. They were a warning I had to heed. He pointed to my foot to keep tempo. When I messed up, he'd squeeze my hands. It took him about ten minutes to teach me the basics. I could never tell if it's that easy of a skill, he's that good of a teacher, or I'm that fast of a learner. Prince stood up from hovering over me and I turned around to look at him. Satisfaction rested in his partial smile. "Now don't tell me you cain't do something." He exited, leaving me there with an drum set but he pressed play on the demo before he left.