Despite All Obstacles Part V

Singing In The Choir

Thursday, November 1st

This evening.

Momma drops me off in front of the auditorium building for the school choir. It's 6:28PM.

"I don't understand why you would join the school choir, if you're already in the church choir. On Thursdays at five to seven p.m." Momma says, concerned and confused. I get why. It's because both choirs collapse to each other between 6:30 to 7PM, and Inglewood is a little further away.

"Momma, I'll return back to the choir, after this one's over. I'm not giving up on our church. I'm doing this for the winter concert that's coming up before winter break," I explain to her. I'll still sing once the school choir is finished for this season.

Momma seems to get it a little. "Okay. I'll let Melody, momma, KiKi, Sisi, preacher and Bishop know this evening. I'll still take you to dance rehearsal, tomorrow."

I hug momma and she hugs me back. I'm so excited. "Thank you, momma."

I leave the car and rush in the building. "Break a leg, honey," momma calls out and drives off.

I'm inside the auditorium and see the school choir in the chairs, practicing their song. I know what song it is. Shortcake told me. I see her.

I happily walk to her. "Hey."

She's happy to see me too. "Hey! You made it!" We happily hug.

"Treasure and Bryan, this is Barbara," Shortcake introduces me to the choir members. They happily greet me.

"All right, choir of Palm Trees Sr. High. Welcome back to the Tropical Island's Auditorium Building. I'm so excited that you all showed up, right on-time. It is now 6:30PM," the choir director announces. Everybody already in the choir gives everybody else a round of applause for it. I join them.

"It seems like we have some new members. In case I don't have you for Business Management at all and if you're new in this school, my name is Ms. Clark. I have been doing this for eight years for the marching band competitions, the winter orchestras, and the school choir competitions. Will all the new members please come up to this stage and sing us a good song, without cursing," Ms. Clark orders. Ms. Clark seems like a tough white lady, who's thick like me.

Three new members walk up in front of her. "All right, newbies. You're going to sing me a clean song. You must have an amazing voice, if not, you are wasting my time. I'll start with the first person at my left. Missy, what is your name and what song?"

"Cara Welsch. I'll be singing 'Lady Marmalade' by Christina Aguilera, P!nk, Lil' Kim and Mya. The original singer was actually Patti Labelle."

"Oooo," Ms. Clark comments. Everybody claps for her. "Well, I'll play the instrumental on the computer." She uses the mic. "Daryn, turn on the instrumental of 'Lady Marmalade' by Christina Aguilera."

Daryn plays the instrumental. Everybody starts bobbing their heads. Cara's about to sing as she gets the mic from Ms. Clark.

She has soul in her voice and even raps to Lil' Kim's lyrics. We have a Fenimen here. I clap for her, too.

Everybody claps and gives her a standing ovation.

"Very impressive, but do you know what 'Voulez-vous coucher avec moi, ce soir?' means?" Ms. Clark critically asks her. Cara doesn't know what that means. Neither do I.

"Who speaks French, or takes French, or took French?" She asks the audience. Most of them raise their hands. She picks Bryan.

"Bryan, tell her what 'Voulez-vous coucher avec moi, ce soir?' means." Wow. She's scary, but for a good reason. I hope.

"It means 'Do you want to sleep with me, tonight?' and just 'Voulez-vous coucher avec moi?' means 'Do you want to sleep with me?' Basically, wanting to have sex," Bryan translates the meaning of those lyrics. Now I feel dirty for singing it with KiKi and Sisi.

"Yes, but since she didn't know until now, she's proven innocent. You're in the choir. I do a little rapping too, to 2 Chainz, Biggie Smalls, Tupac and 50 Cent. Join the audience, Cara. Good job," Ms. Clark congratulates Cara and makes Cara happy as she gives Ms. Clark back the mic. She steps down and joins the choir.

"Next. What is your name and what song?"

"Jiminy Stones, also known as Jim or Jimmy. I'll be singing 'Dynamite' by Taio Cruz."

"'Dynamite' by Taio Cruz." The instrumental plays. Jiminy dances while singing after grabbing the mic.

He omits the f-word by covering his mouth, since Ms. Clark said no cursing. He's dancing to the whole song. He can really dance. He sounds a lot like Taio Cruz, but as a white teenager. Everybody claps for him, too.

He poses at the end with one knee up and his elbow onto it, with his fist up and his face hanging down at the floor with his eyes closed, while his other leg is laying on the floor with his hand still holding the mic on his leg.

"I'm impressed. A clean song, this time. And you omitted the f-word, like the radio," Ms. Clark compliments. Everybody laughs, including him. "Congratulations, Jiminy. You're in the choir. Please, join the audience."

He bows, gives back the mic, and happily runs to the choir as everybody claps for him. I'm the only one left. She sizes me up.

"Last person standing. What is your name and what song?"

"Barbara Steward. I'm actually gonna sing a gospel song, called 'Imagine Me' by Kirk Franklin," I tell her, almost stutter.

"Okay. I know I don't listen to gospel and not all of us are Christian. I'm a pure atheist, by the way. Shocker. Anyway." She uses the mic. "'Imagine Me' by Kirk Franklin."

Daryn plays the instrumental. I sang this song many times in choir. I sing the song.

After I finished, everybody else claps for me, too. A standing ovation this time.

"What a beautiful voice. Do you sing in the church choir?" Ms. Clark asks me, interested.

"Yes, I do," I'm eager to answer. She nods with a smile.

"Brilliant. You sound more angelic than everyone else in here. We mostly have tempos and altos. China Xi is another soprano in here. She was singing in Chinese. Welcome to the choir, Barbara," she congratulates me. I give her back the mic and happily join Shortcake.

I'm in the school choir! Yes!