The Show Must Go On | Randy

5 | How To Tame a Snake

Andy's mood seemed to drop after our conversation. His sadness only made me want to try harder to show him how wonderful I thought he was, yet somehow I could sense that was the exact opposite of what Andy wanted. So I dropped it.

I played him the song I had begun writing that morning, keeping the flirtatious remarks to an absolute minimum. Of course, that didn't mean I couldn't still admire Andy as he sung along, making my words come to life instantaneously even in his tired, somewhat moody state. Even without trying, everything he touched became better, every note more beautiful. Yet I couldn't praise him out loud for fear of upsetting him. Instead, we simply settled into a comfortable work regime, me sitting at the keys and Andy leaning against the piano next to me, occasionally leaning over to peek at the music in front of me.

That was where the others found us when they joined for the next phase of the rehearsal, which was to run more of the dramatic scenes than the music. Mikey had felt it was important to figure out the story concurrently with the music, allowing each element to influence the other as the show progressed.

The others stayed quiet as they filtered into the room, as Andy was mid verse in song. As they watched him, I noticed Andy subtly notch up the intensity of his performance. It was yet another thing I admired about him, he was such a natural performer. Even uncostumed in front of a small audience of friends, the Songbird was magnificent. 

"You loved me 'cause I'm fragile

When I thought that I was strong.

But you touched me for a little while

And now all my fragile strength is gone."

The song I had chosen to write that morning was inspired by Andy's unwillingness to give in, when clearly some part of him wanted to, the fragility he hid behind his confident facade. If Andy noticed my obvious metaphor- which he almost certainly did- he chose not to mention it. I could only write from truth, and Andy's lack of objection to the lyrics emboldened me to develop a chorus that spoke to Andy's own fear of falling in love. A fear I still didn't fully understand. 

"Set me free, leave me be,

I don't wanna fall another moment into your gravity. 

Here I am, and I stand so tall,

Just the way I'm supposed to be. 

But you're onto me

And all over me."

"Bravo," Mikey said sincerely as he Jack and Brooklyn gave a small but enthused round of applause for Andy's performance. The blond boy's lips twitched into a smile as he took a little bow. He was so adorable. 

"I'm impressed by what you've come up with in such a short time," Mikey praised, "where does this song fit in to the story?"

"It's for when the courtesan realises he's falling for the poor farmer boy, but he's afraid of the feeling. He's afraid of feeling anything, really." I looked cautiously over at Andy as I answered, seeing him tug his lip between his teeth, unsurprisingly refusing to meet my eyes. 

"Of course, it's very fitting. The way he views falling in love, like falling into a trap," Mikey inferred.

"Precisely," I agreed.

"And you sung beautifully as always, Pigeon," he praised Andy, causing him to look up from the ground and smile a little. "Now let's get into my area of expertise. The dramatics."

***

"Ahh! A snake! It's going to bite me!"

"Calm down, if he sees you're afraid, he'll attack."