Save the Day

I stood in the hallway with four, extremely heavy bags of Chinese take-out, waiting for the red light to go off which was situated on top of the doorway. I sighed as the light just stayed lit, mocking my struggle to keep the bags off the ground. My feet were throbbing and I made a mental not to NEVER wear heels to work ever again.

All day, Uncle John had me running around the office getting coffee, making copies, everything. Every time I came back from doing one task, there was a sticky note on the door saying to leave the items at the door and go do another thing. I haven’t been inside the studio since this morning.

It was around two o’clock in the afternoon and he (finally) asked me to get everyone (who ever ‘everyone’ was) lunch. Uncle John also put a small smiley face on the note to make it seem less demanding. It was cute.

Finally, after what felt like hours of waiting, the red light went out and I knocked on the door with my food (my hands were full, sue me).

A man with glasses and a partially balding head of brown hair answered, “May I help you?” He asked eyeing me, obviously not recognizing me.

“Hi, I’m John’s intern. I have the lunch he requested.” I answered meekly, shifting my weight awkwardly under this man’s intense glare.

“What’s the password?” He asked seriously.

“Excuse me?”

“I said, what is the password?” He repeated with a harsh edge to his voice. “If you’re really John’s intern you would know.”

“Paul, it’s okay. She really is my intern.” I heard Uncle John say behind this Paul man before opening the door wider to let me in. “Sorry about that Morgan, I forgot to tell them that you were here.” He ushered me inside the room which was now filled with people. He grabbed the bags of food and placed them on the table that was between the glass wall and the control booth. “Food’s here.” He said.

Instantly, everyone flocked to the table and grabbed their orders. I waited before everyone was finished before grabbing my own sesame chicken and sat in a chair away from everyone else.

I watched the people eat their food, chatting casually with each other. There were a total of twelve people in the room, not including Uncle John and I. Every one of them was male. I felt seriously out numbered.

“Gentlemen,” My uncle said loudly as he walked over to me. “This is Morgan, my niece who is also my intern. So, she’ll be here with us for the duration of this summer.” He said placing a hand on my shoulder.

I waved awkwardly as all twelve pairs of eyes landed on me.

The balding man from the door rose and walked over to me. “Nice to meet you Morgan, I’m Mr. Jonas. Sorry about the misunderstanding before.” He said, extending a hand for me to shake.

I smiled and took his hand, shaking it firmly. “No problem; and nice to meet you too.”

Uncle John gently lifted me off my chair and walked me over to the rest of the group. “Those three are Ed, Michael, and Steve; they are a part of my recording team.” He said gesturing to three guys who looked about thirty or so years old. They each smiled and nodded in my direction. “That’s Matt, he plays the trombone, Joe plays the sax, and Zach plays the trumpet.” He said pointing to another group of guys who also smiled and nodded.

Mr. Jonas continued the introductions, “That’s Ken, he plays the keyboards, percussion, and does some programming. That’s Dorian, he plays the drums and that’s John Taylor, he plays the guitar.” He said pointing to each guy separately. “And that’s Joe, Kevin, Nick, and Big Rob.” I smiled to the only people in the room that seemed around my age (with the exception of Big Rob).

“Nice to meet you all,” I said, nodding and smiling to everyone. “Do you need anything else, Mr. Boss Man?” I asked, turning my attention towards Uncle John.

He smirked, “Not at the moment Morgan. You can sit and watch if you’d like.”

I simply nodded and returned to my seat and my chicken.

“Okay, ready to run through it again?” My uncle asked the group of guys.

The guy with thick, black rimmed glasses and a small fohawk, Joe, complained, “Again? We just ran through it fifteen times.” He sighed and sank further into his seat.

“Joseph!” Mr. Jonas yelled. “You know how this process works. There is no reason for complaint.”

“Sorry Dad,” He said sadly. The youngest of the guys, Nick, pat him on the back and started walking to the door that led to the recording booths.

Dad? I thought to myself. That means his name is Joe Jonas… it all clicked in place. They were the Jonas Brothers. That’s why they looked so familiar. Fantastic…

I sighed and sank back into my chair, waiting for the pop sound to start raping my ears. I am not the biggest Jonas fan (I’m not one at all actually). Granted, I’ve never actually listened to any of their songs. But I didn’t know they were a part of that whole Disney tween scene, and all that stuff sounds the same – generic and over produced. And I thought Uncle John was above all that.

However, I was familiar with their enormous (mostly female populated) fan base and the whole password thing at the door became more understandable. They thought I was a crazy, stalker fan. As if…

“Ready guys?” Ed said into a microphone that protruded out of the sound board. I broke myself out of my daydream to see everyone in the band studio, with the exception of Nick who was in the solo booth, all with headphones on their ears. Even Uncle John was in there, holding a base guitar.

“All set,” Nick’s voice rang through the room.

“Alright, Dorian count us off.”

The drummer raised his sticks in the air and counted off four beats before he started to pound on the drums. The guitar and base joined in and started to shape the melody as another four beats progressed, the horns joined in soon after.

Nick opened his mouth and began to sing:

I just got back from the doctor
He told me that I had a problem
I realized it’s you
I tried to scratch away the issue
All I ever get is tissues so I can wipe away my tears

Joe sand the chorus as Kevin joined in for some harmony parts. But Nick controlled the verses.

The bridge came and everything slowly stopped. It was only Nick, the guitar, and the drums.

I break out and I start to shake
When I hear your name, I can’t walk away

The horns burst in for a short time before Nick continued.

I can’t stop even if I try
I lay down my pride
I can’t walk away

Horns again. And then everything picked up and the music got angry, frustrated as Nick continued the bridge.

I get burned and I have to learn
That the court’s adjourned, can’t walk away
Tied up in my tangled thoughts
I’m trying just can’t walk away

Joe and Kevin joined in for the final two choruses and the song was suddenly over.

“Good take guys. Nick and Joe switch before we run through it again.” Ed said into the microphone before fiddling with a few knobs on the board in front of him.

They ran through the same song four more times before taking a five minute break. I sat in my seat trying to figure out what was wrong. It was a decent song, but there was just something missing.

Uncle John walked over to me, “So, what do you think?”

I shrugged, “It’s certainly not what I expected, that’s for sure.’

“Anything you would add?” He asked noticing I was holding something back.

I sighed and rubbed my face, “That’s what I was trying to figure out. It ends so abruptly and there’s something missing at the beginning…” Then it hit me. “At the beginning, before anyone starts. The guitar should play like a whammy A note or something, just to ease you in. You know what I mean? And then, and then at the end there should be like some improv or something before the big bang.” I said energetically, a smile growing on my face as I imagined the song in my head.

Uncle John patted my knee and smiled, “This is why you’re my intern.” He said and ran over to the band. Before heading back into the studio, he yelled over to me, “Who should be in the box?”

I shrugged, “Whoever’s good at improv I guess.”

“That would be moi,” Joe said before moving his way into the solo studio. His brothers just rolled their eyes and go into their spots.

They ran through the song again, but with my suggestions and it (to me) was perfect. After the big bang Uncle John walked up to his microphone, “So?” He asked, looking at me.

I simply smiled and gave him two thumbs up. Everyone smiled widely and high fived each other. If this is the way the rest of the summer will go, it won’t be too bad after all.