© John Robinson
UCLA’s campus lay deserted, shaded dorm windows honeycombing out like cells in a beehive. A quiet break from the push and pull of students searching out tiny grains of knowledge, buzzing here and there, carrying each nugget carefully back to their cell at night.
His sneakers made little noise on the pavement, hands stuffed in jean’s pockets. He’d be gone soon, a semester at Julliard, a dream since forever. The band thought they’d lost him, or would lose him, once he arrived to the esteemed halls.
Who cared if the band he’d inherited here was called The Pink Marshmallow? Names changed all the time (and this one would). What if they only played tiny clubs and dark basements? Venues changed.
They would be famous one day. He wouldn’t allow otherwise.
The band met him at the curb.
“We wanted to wish you a good trip,” Jay said.
Chris hugged each one. “See you after Christmas.”
He’d given up convincing weeks ago. It was enough he knew he’d be back.
A taxi pulled to the curb. Giving them a thumbs up, he slid inside. Julliard might be a dream, but those four, they were his future.
Leaning back in the seat, he began to hum.
I really like the bee imagery in the first paragraph – spot on! I also like how Chris is confident that he knows his own mind. I hope he’s right; experiences like that do change people, and his band mates might move on themselves while he’s gone. But it’s nice to think that he could bring some new techniques and ideas from Julliard back home to spice up the band and launch them toward bigger venues.
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Thanks so much. He does come back and they move onwards and upwards. No longer named The Pink Marshmallows, of course:)
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Oh good, I like a happy ending!
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I like the positive outlook of the main character. It reminds me of those superstars that remember their humble beginnings and return to help their small towns survive.
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Thanks. He actually does end up helping his home town and most of the towns he lives in after.
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I had a look to see if this was based on something real. A good story
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Well, if you count the characters living in my head as real….. GRIN!
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