Book 4- 1968 (Michael Jackson)

Chapter 12- The Key?

                Chapter 12- The Key?

                Date: Friday, July 12, 1968

                Time: 5:24PM

                MICHAEL'S POV

"Stop it, Joseph! It's too tight!" I yanked at my ugly tie irritably. "And it's not pretty, either."

"You're not supposed to be pretty; you're supposed to play good!" He took one large hand and held me in place as he tightened the tie up once more.

"Play 'well'," Marlon corrected, "not 'good'."

"Who are you, the grammar police? Shut up, Marlon!" Joseph chastised. 

It was evident that Joseph was not in a decent mood at all. He had been like this ever since the huge dispute he had with Mommy and Rebbie. He wouldn't even really talk to anyone, unless it was to scold or ridicule. He barely even talked to Elijah anymore, and I think it was starting to get on Kayla's nerves, too. 

In my personal opinion, Joseph was setting himself up for a lot of anger. If we happened to not get farther in our path to Motown soon, I knew he would probably retaliate, especially on Rebbie. In the end, no one would want to be around him and he would be miserable. In other words, it was imperative that we got to Motown fast. 

"I'm not here to interrupt your fightin', but when do we start performing?" Jermaine slung his guitar over his shoulder casually. "I'm getting kinda bored."

"Aren't we all?" Kayla breathed. "We've been waiting for the past half hour, wondering when we're going to play. We have another three groups to wait on before it's our turn."

"Who're we playin' for again?" Johnny questioned, putting his drumsticks down. "I can't remember a thing."

"Bobby Taylor and the Vancouvers, they say. Well, we're being judged by them. We should be opening for them in a couple days, if everything goes the right way," Jackie explained.

"And everything will," Joseph added shortly after.

I turned away from Joseph so that I could discreetly tug away at my dumb tie. As I was working at it, I noticed a pretty lanky man with sunglasses strolling towards me. I looked up to get a clearer view of the man. After a couple seconds, I realized that this was no ordinary manager or performer among them all.

It was Bobby Taylor. 

We were gonna perform for him! I was ecstatic. He was one of the greatest Motown singers there ever were. I mean, I had already met a couple people- Gladys Knight and Sammy Davis Jr.- but Bobby Taylor was different. It would be like meeting one of the Four Tops or the Chi Lites. Either way, I was excited.

I straightened my posture as he approached me in particular. I pretended like I wasn't looking his way by staring at and mentally critiquing a poster to my right. I slowly tapped my foot as he finally stood in front of me and peered over my shoulder.

"So, you're the midget one, I hear?" he chuckled. "You don't need to hide from me, lookin' at that photo. Say, she's got a little thing there, doesn't she?" He pointed at her backside, silently laughing.

I chortled nervously, a little surprised. I couldn't believe that Bobby Taylor, one of the coolest Motown singers and performers, looked at a girl the way he did. He gawked at her the same way that Jackie gawked at all of the photos in the Playboy magazines. He even had the same googly eyes and dumb facial expression.

I blushed profusely. "I guess."

"Aww, are you shy, little buddy? Hey. what's your name?" 

"Michael." I pushed my shoulders back, trying to appear more confident than I was.

"Michael. Hmm, I'm liking it. Well, Michael, I'm Bobby. You can call me whatever you like. So, you and your brothers are performing tonight?"

I nodded. "Yeah, me and my brothers over there, and Johnny and Kayla, too." I pointed at everyone as I went along the list.

"Well, Michael, would you be so kind as to introduce me to them?" He questioned, quickly taking off his sunglasses.

"Yeah, sure thing," I replied in agreement. I began sauntering in the direction of everyone. When I was facing myself away from Bobby, I widened my eyes in pure astonishment. What in Sam Hill am I doing?! I'm introducing Bobby Taylor to my bandmates... Not just anyone, but Bobby Taylor, from Bobby Taylor and the Vancouvers!

"Hey, Marlon!" I half-shouted. He turned my way swiftly, not saying a word. His eyes widened to the size of hail balls when he realized that the Bobby Taylor was standing next to me, waing at him.

"It's Bobby Taylor," I explained. "Bobby, this is Marlon." I leaned up closer to his ear, and whispered, "I think he's a little starstruck, but I don't know."

"I heard that," Marlon accused indignantly.

I smirked before turning to Kayla. "Hey, Kayla!"

She faced my way after resituating a pin on her uniform shirt. "Yes? Oh my gosh... Is that-"

"Bobby Taylor," I said, finishing her sentence. "And Bobby... this is my bestest friend, Kayla. Kayla, this is Bobby, but I bet you knew that." I waited for the two of them to shake hands.

Unlike Marlon, Kayla really didn't feel starstruck when she reached for his large hand. He held a firm grasp on her as they shook hands, and after they were finished, Bobby still had his hands clenched into a loose fist. 

I introduced Bobby to everyone else. Apparently, he and Joseph had met a couple months ago and neer told me about it. I was a little upset over the fact, but I didn't want to get beat in front of someone like Bobby Taylor, so I kept my lips zipped.

I really think that Bobby had taken an interest in Kayla. Every couple people I had him meet, he glanced over his shoulder as unobtrusively as he could. I spotted him nearly every time, though, and by the time we were finished, I called him out on it.

"Whatcha doing, looking at Kayla like that?" I narrowed my eyes, suspicious of what he could possibly say.

"Oh, nothing really. But you know, she kinda looks like a young version of that girl in the poster, huh?" He crossed his arms casually.

"Hmmm.... Maybe. I dunno." I half-answered. "But, um... When are we gonna perform?"

"Tonight," he responded, still staring intently at the poster. He took a long, deep breath of air before saying, "Well, I think I gotta go. Tommy said something about dinner tonight. I guess I gotta skidaddle. But, uh, hey! Make sure that you do your darnedest out there. I'll be watching." He secretly winked.

I nodded. "Mm-hmm! Sure will, Bobby." I was definitely warming up to him.

He reciprocated by nodding himself, and walking away. That left me all to my lonesome. I began to contemplate over what just happened between Bobby and I. 

I tapped my chin absently. I just met Bpbby Taylor!... He's a cool guy. I didn't even know that he and Joseph were friends with one another! Isn't that something else?... You know, he's not like any of the other Motown people we've met so far. I wonder if that means something big. He may just be helpful to me and the band and Joseph and the family and the whole Motown industry!

"Michael!" Joseph barked, his hands on his hips, full of manly sass. "You're performing now!"

"Oh!" I yelped, snapping out of my state of mind. "Yeah, okay, Joe. I'll just be going now..."

"Wait a minute," Joseph interrupted, eyeing my outfit closely. "... You messed up your tie. Get back here for a minute."

                ***A/N: I apologize for not being here earlier and uploading this. I had to go out and participate in a cookout (as odd as that may sound in December). Anyways, I hope you enjoyed this chapter. I'll probably be here tomorrow, but in the case that I'm not, I want to wish you all a merry, merry Christmas. Have a blessed night.

                        -GotToBeThereMJ