Yeah, no, I meant it in a more general manner—… well, nevermind.
I know it isn’t that easy, hotshot. Well, not that I would know personally—I don’t write music. But nothing worth anything ever comes easy. You’ll figure it out. Maybe in ten minutes, or in ten years. Who cares? Who’s giving you the time limit? Yeah, popular stories. I think I’ve read about every possible love story on the planet—supernatural or otherwise. I’m starting to doubt the notion of it altogether. I don’t even want to start talking about fanfiction. Thanks, but yeah—no thanks. Not exactly a fan of Red Bull, but don’t let me stop you.
Yeah, you're certainly right about that. Nothing worth anything ever comes easy, I know that. But, sometimes... I feel like I have to settle for good enough. I mean, there's no way I'm going to make any money off of my music, so... It's just a hobby. Maybe, one day, I'll end up finishing one of these compositions. Heck, maybe I could end up becoming a modern Mozart or something, who knows? With music... Sometimes, you have to wait for the inspiration. Oh, the supernatural ones are popular nowadays, right? Inspired by Twilight and all that other stuff, that must be good literature. Yeah, yeah, I understand.
Oh, piano. Right. No, that makes sense. You have to work to earn, and earn to live, so as long as you’re not teaching kids to harm themselves or others, and not harming others as well, you should be fine.
Yeah, Funfetti—that stuff. It’s apparently really tiring to make at one thirty in the morning. Well, finish a composition by all means. You only fail if you stop trying. Fun, for the most part. Sometimes you get the good stuff, and the most often the bad. I’ve read through about a million cliche badly written stories about love. I’ll pass on the Red Bull, though. I’ve never had it but I hear it can’t be too good for you the next day.
Yeah, I'm definitely not teaching them to harm themselves or others. Piano playing is a rather non-violent activity, unless you have enough strength to push the piano on top of somebody, that is.
Really? Wouldn't guess it. You know, it isn't all that easy. The beginning and the end... Those are pretty clear to me. It's the middle part, the part that connects the beginning and the end, that's really tricky. I have a lot of half-finished pieces lying around. Well, those are the popular stories, right? People just can't stop reading badly written stories about love. Yeah, you definitely shouldn't overdo the Red Bull, but when you need a whole ton of energy for just a couple of hours, a small sip will do the trick.
Why are you racing from one suburban home to another? I figure that it’d be easy to forget, yeah. But why are you running from one home to another? Better get your schedule fixed.
Yeah, uh—Funfetti. It’s good food. Try it sometime. Yeah, I guess that’s true. Oh, you write music? No, but I understand. I read manuscripts—not the, uh, musical ones—really late at night, and most of the time, I fall asleep reading them. I would recommend coffee. Lots of coffee.
Well, it's a bit of an exaggeration, but, you see, I tutor kids in piano. It's apparently quite the popular activity for kids, and well... I don't exactly like saying, uh, no to the offers I get. Keeps me pretty busy, which is a good thing, because I'm not the kind of person who can sit on the couch for a long time.
Yeah, I've had Funfetti. Good stuff. It was definitely a birthday party staple growing up, couldn't have avoided that stuff even if I tried. Well, I haven't ever completed an entire composition yet... But, yeah, I write music sometimes. Manuscripts? Oh, that must be fun. Oh, yeah, coffee helps a lot. It's my lifesaver. That and Red Bull.
Maybe you don’t eat enough in a day? Are you skipping meals? That’s probably why you get so hungry. Not the only reason why but probably one factor. The other night, I had the weirdest urge to cook at midnight, and I ended up making Funfetti for my friend. It was weird because I didn’t even eat it right after it was done. I just fell asleep. There are just some things you have to get out of your system, I guess.
Yeah, maybe you're right. I try not to skip meals, but when you have to race back from one suburban home to another... Well, it's easy to forget that you need to grab lunch. I have a weird meal schedule. It's probably a big factor in my whole getting-hungry-at-three-in-the-morning thing. Funfetti? Well, that's strange, but I think that when we feel that something needs to be done, we just do it. I mean, I always find myself getting out of bed to write compositions... And then falling asleep at my piano as soon as I finish writing down the twelve measures.
I'm not even talking about a midnight snack here. I need a full-on midnight meal to make me happy. Thank the heavens that my neighborhood pizza place was still open... A slice of pepperoni has never tasted so good.
Gavin wore the gentleman cloak with finesse and dedication, that much was obvious. Callie smiled and shook her head as he pushed the money back into her hand. She knew better than to argue further though, and instead focused on his comment that he’d be happy to play with her again. Back in Baltimore she’d collaborated with artists before, but she’d not felt as at ease with it as she did playing with Gavin. The blonde found herself looking forward to playing with him again. And it was that feeling, the excitement and the sense of bonding with someone over melody and rhythm that gave Callie the most satisfaction. A payday and the ability to keep a roof over her head did matter to some degree, but it had never been her main motivation.
At his insistance that he would pay for the drinks, Callie decided to let him win that battle as well, and told herself that dinner would cost more than the drinks and she’d still be able to fulfill her need to give something back to him. “I know just where to go for good dinner and drinks,” she said with a nod. Her taste buds always felt more adventurous when she was in the presence of others, and the blonde loved an opportunity to go to places she wouldn’t normally trek to on her own. “There’s a little greek food place down the street a ways that is amazing. How does that sound?”
Gavin smiled widely when she finally took the money out of his hand, letting his arm fall back to his side when the weight was lifted off it. He really loved playing with Callie. Sure, he didn't have much collaboration experience - he accompanied singers back in Nashville quite often, but never really collaborated with them. Still, he could sense that there was a real ease between the two of them when they went up on stage, a sort of chemistry that really worked. It couldn't really be explained, it just worked. He, too, found himself looking forward to their next performance. Bonding with someone over beautiful music - it was a wonderful thing, especially because he didn't get to experience it all often. It wasn't everyday that he would find a person as interested and committed to music as he was. Even teaching kids how to play piano wasn't quite the same. He needed to be able to feed himself and pay rent, of course, but sometimes, he just wanted to enjoy playing music - and he felt like he could do that with Callie, no problem.
"Oh?" He questioned, tilting his head to the side in curiosity. Honestly, he didn't really know the neighborhood too well - in fact, he had almost gotten locked on his way to the venue. Therefore, he trusted Callie's judgement. He wasn't too hard to please, after all, and most of the time, up for anything. Food was food - some forms of food tasted better than others, but it would fill his stomach all the same. That's what he had learned living on a meager student's budget back in Nashville, forever eating ramen noodles and macaroni and cheese out of the box. A grin formed on his face as he nodded, replying with, "Well, that sounds good to me! Lead the way, Callie."
She nodded vigorously, widening her eyes and raising her eyebrows subconsciously, nonverbally insisting that that was precisely what his laughter had been. “I’m sure you are. You should be begging for forgiveness.” Though she poured faux seriousness into her tone, Kendall was grinning and there wasn’t any way she could wipe that off her face. Occasionally, Kendall would come off as mean or abrasive due to her tendency to fall into a pattern of sarcasm; the problem was, she didn’t know how to be anything else anymore. The girl had trained herself to appear cold and unaffected, and she did quite well with the image she portrayed. “I think wings would be more of a hassle than anything.”
"You should." She repeated for good measure. "You never know what people are going to find funny." She pointed out, including herself in the category of people who had rather strange senses of humor. She supposed that it was a personality thing, and that there wasn’t any definition of a normal one, but nevertheless - Kendall was a little odd herself. "There must be. A tiny little camera, or a camera disguised as some mundane decoration. The investment in one will be worth the payout with a viral video."
Kendall let out a contented sigh, nodding in agreement. “Yeah. When I think about how long it’s actually been, I feel pretty old.” The years had passed on by quickly, high school a four year blur with only memories to hold onto yet. Graduation, once the goal and focal point of her life, was now quite unremarkable when compared to where she and her band were headed. She was close to true fame, a place many people wanted to get to in life but never quite got there. Artists who painted, but their paintings never sold well enough. Writers who spent all their time polishing a novel they never got the courage to send in. Her bandmates had taken the initiative and worked hard to get to this point - and Kendall, not knowing much else, rode along. She was now finding that she wanted off. “Isn’t that the truth.” She murmured quietly.
She smiled back in response and focused a bit more on her food after the duration of this marathon had been established, quite content now to just sit on this couch and just be, absorbing the movies in their entirety. “Very true. When you’re a kid, you hate naps and going to bed, but then you grow up and seem to need them even more.” Quite honestly, Kendall had a love-hate relationship with sleep itself - it could be an escape from nightmarish reality, or it could put a whole new, surreal spin on what she dealt with daily. It all depended on the night, really.
Kendall began to giggle when he began jiggling his feet, the image presented to her funnier than it would normally be due to drowsiness. “Having some troubles?” She inquired, barely getting the words out between laughs; though it was easy to dull them down when she realized that her own legs were a little numb and prickly-feeling, as well. “I agree. You’re a good movie-watching partner.” She told him honestly, shakily getting to her feet, holding onto the shoulder of the couch for a moment longer. “Gonna be able to get home okay? When you’re so stuffed with soda, and ten thousand pounds of junk food?” She exaggerated, but that’s what it felt like in her own stomach - she hadn’t eaten that much in a very long time, and now she was experiencing the aftereffects of it.
He couldn't stop himself from chuckling, shaking his head a couple of times before saying, "Well then, I'm incredibly sorry. That was absolutely terrible for me to do, horrid manners. May I please have your forgiveness, Kendall?" He too tried to portray a faux air of seriousness, but the grin that was growing on his face didn't quite match. Usually, Gavin was seen as the 'mature' one, wise beyond his years. He was generally quiet and observant, calm enough to handle difficult situations with mothers and bridesmaids alike. Still, he was a twenty-six year old man, and sometimes, he just needed to act his age. Keeping his mouth shut and following people's every command got tiring, at least for him. Hanging out with Kendall was really quite the breath of fresh air for him. "Really? How come?"
"Yeah. I mean, who knew that people would find the Kardashians so entertaining?" Gavin pointed out, chuckling lightly at his own joke. He really didn't understand the appeal of reality shows, but he had to admit that the antics of the Kardashian were pretty hilarious. Pop culture as a whole intrigued him. Sure, it didn't really make sense to him most of the time, but it was intriguing all the same. "Yeah, there must be something out there. I should look into it. Maybe I'll be able to find cheap ones on EBay." He had some money saved up, after all, perfect for making impulsive buys. Sure, he had been saving the money up to buy himself a marimba and it wasn't as if he was going to visit his family any time soon, but really, buying a tiny video recorder actually sounded quite appealing.
"If you feel old, then I must be absolutely ancient." Gavin joked, a small chuckle escaping his lips. It had been eight years since his high school graduation, four since his college one and almost three-and-a-half since he had left Nashville. Time had passed rather quickly, no doubt about. Eight years ago, he hadn't imagined that he would be where he was today - playing for weddings in a small town miles away from home and tutoring spoiled kids in piano playing. He imagined that he would be on stages all over the world, making millions of dollars and playing whatever he wanted. Still, sometimes dreams didn't come true, and honestly, Gavin content with his job. He liked it, even loved it on some days. Others may have found it boring, but it worked for him. Fame and fortune was just not written in the stars for him.
"Oh, definitely." Gavin replied with a nod, proceeding to stuff a handle of chips into his mouth. As a kid, he would be able to stay up for hours, playing and attempting to write songs into the wee hours of the morning. Sure, staying awake at school was difficult, but he did it. He could also sleep all the way till twelve noon on the weekends. Nowadays, he found himself falling asleep at eight when he wasn't out doing a wedding, and he couldn't wake up past nine. In his mind, it was one of the many sucky parts of being an adult - something he just had to deal with.
"Just the usual. My foot fell asleep." Gavin replied, cringing as the pain increased, sighing when the feeling finally returned to his foot. His feet always fell asleep - even if he just sat in the same position for fifteen minutes, his foot was likely to fall asleep. Finally, he got up, dusting the crumbs off his jeans as he slipped his feet into his shoes. "Well, thank you. You're not so bad yourself." Chuckling slightly, he shrugged, a small smirk forming on his face as he said, "I think I should be able to get home okay. The fullness of one's stomach don't usually affect their driving."
"But, Gavin, you have to sing!" The bride - he couldn't remember if her name was Isabelle or Isabella - exclaimed.
This was one of the worst weddings he had ever had to play for. It was a Disney themed wedding, which meant that he had been playing Disney songs all night, and for some reason, they had decided to stick him in some cheap prince costume. He didn't know which prince it was - he had heard people say things about a Prince Philip and a Prince Eric and a Prince Charming all night long, but Gavin didn't really care. All that was on his mind was that it was made out of some really cheap, itchy fabric, and he was already starting to develop some sort of rash. And now, they wanted him to sing?
This was not his idea of fun.
"No, really, I don't, um, sing..." Gavin explained slowly. He had been arguing with these women for the last fifteen minutes, and currently, it looked like he was losing - badly. The groom gave him a sympathetic, look, but did absolutely nothing to help. "I'm just a piano player, that's what I do for a living. You really don't want to hear me sing, I'm not very good..."
"Oh, but there's nothing wrong about trying!" A perky blond pointed out, a wide and almost devilish - at least in Gavin's mind - forming on her face. He was pretty sure she was dressed up as Cinderella, updo and all. She even had the glass slippers on. "You could be an amazing singer! You just don't know it!"
"Yeah!" Another bridesmaid exclaimed. She, on the other hand, was dressed as Minnie Mouse - it was pretty obvious, with the polka dots and the mouse ears. "You could sing Out There! You know, from The Hunchback of Notre Dame. You'd make a cute Quasimodo, actually... Even though you're also a great Prince Adam."
"Yeah!" The entire population of girls in the room exclaimed in unison, making him almost fall off his chair in sensory overload.
If he wanted to survive, he knew that he would have to sing this entire damn song. Sure, it was degrading, and he didn't really want to, but he had no choice. Honestly, he wasn't in the mood to argue. He just wanted to go home and forget that he had ever been a part of this wedding. A microphone was shoved into his hand by one of the waiters, which he slipped into the microphone holder that was attached to the keyboard he had been given.
This was really not going well for him.
"Um, so this is from The Hunchback of Notre Dame..." Gavin started nervously, flexing his fingers and adjusting the microphone holder to kill some time. He wasn't really sure what he was doing, as he had never sang in front of a crowd before. In fact, he rarely ever really sang. Still, he knew that he had to get it over with. If he didn't move quicker, a riot was going to start, and Gavin did not want to be in the middle of that. He had been scarred enough for one night. "Yeah."
Thankfully, he was able to start with a little bit of a piano intro, but sooner or later, he knew it was his time to sing. He opened his mouth, trying to remember the lyrics to a song he had only heard a couple of times. Sure, he knew the tune pretty well, that part was easy enough.
Living in Nashville, where music could be heard on every corner - it was Gavin’s version of Disney World. For four and a half years, Gavin was living the dream. He met people just as interested in music as him. He was able to get a piano - a good-quality one, that is - for dirt cheap. People didn’t look at him like he was crazy when he said he wanted to be a pianist. His future in music looked bright. He could do anything.
But just like with most wonderful things, the magic faded after those wonderful four and a half years. Reality hit. He wasn’t making tons of money, he still hadn’t gotten his big break, and it didn’t look like it was coming any time soon. For four and a half years, he was lost in a world of dreams, and finally, he had woken up.
Even Disney World loses it’s magic touch after awhile.
"Gavin, what are you going to play for me today?" His mother asked sweetly, sitting herself down beside him on the bench.
"Hm…" Gavin hummed, looking down at the black and white keys as he tried to quickly think of something. Finally, a spark in his eye began to gleam as he searched through his file of sheet music, pulling out a handful of sheets and spreading them out on the music rack. "Well, I just got the music for Symphony Number Three in E-Flat Major. Maybe, I should play the first movement? It’s called Molto Allegro."
"Go for it, bud!" His mother declared encouragingly, a wide smile on her face.
So, Gavin jumped right in. His fingers moved quickly across the keys as he glanced a few times at the sheet music. The piece began softly, a rather delicate quality to it. Then, he had to play a series of quick sixteenth notes, hitting a number of delicate rhythms as the movement progressed. The piece went on for quite awhile, with his mother constantly flipping the pages and Gavin never missing a beat. He ended it with a few heavy quarter notes, the heavy beats still managing to sound quite elegant.
"That was beautiful, Gavin. Absolutely beautiful." His mother said when the last few notes faded into the background, clearly trying not to cry. "Mozart would have been proud."
Gavin couldn’t help but grin as he flipped the pages and jumped right into the second movement.
"A one man band then? Talented." His tone was a bit more dry than he’d meant it to be, the sarcastic lilt to his words left to hang in the air as he took another slow pull from his drink. He really should actually wonder what the hell the bartender was pouring him, the last thing he needed was to suddenly go darting for the spotlight because he was inebriated. Setting the glass down, he looked again in the direction the man had pointed, at the piano he’d barely given more than a glance towards previously.
Curious now, he moved around the edge of the room to avoid conversation, leaving his empty glass on a table he passed before standing next to the instrument. He’d never learned to play one himself, not after the disastrous attempt at playing guitar that had ended with his grandfather setting it on fire, but he could appreciate people who could. It was one of the few art forms that held him in thrall. A person could get lost in music, in the notes alone were a million stories, movies that played behind the eyes, whispers of an experience you either had, or wish you could. His mother had played a piano, for church, but there were days she’d sneak off to play it during the week, notes rolling out of it like little crystal balls each holding their own vision. As much as he’d hated her disinterest he’d loved to hear her play, and at least in that moment she was happy to see him, and on the rarer occasion would brush back his hair and kiss his forehead.
Shaking off the memories, he yanked his hand back after realizing his fingers had been brushing along the keys while he’d been traipsing down memory lane. Fingers curling slowly, the white scars that littered his knuckles caught his attention, turned his hand over to look over the small lines that cut through those on his palm. His mother had tried to teach him, in one of her happier moods, but even as a child his fingers hadn’t had the dexterity, or his mind the flexibility, to play. He’d never understood what the pedals were for, his mind locked on the fantasy of a manual transmission run truck making it difficult to concentrate on the actual function as his imagination took off. The music never left him though, his mother had never played gospel, or classic music when she thought she was alone. No, she’d played folk music, the songs she’d learned as a girl at her grandfather’s knee, in the kitchen with her grandmother as the older woman baked. Those were the songs he heard now, the din of the crowd fading from thought, as he hummed one of the bars.
It took longer than he wanted it to to shake off more memories, recognizing the inability to do so for what it was, a dark mood. Clearing his throat irritably, he made a move to card his fingers through his hair only to be stymied by the borrowed jacket. Unable to follow through with the nervous habit, he felt an instant wave of frustration fill him before ruthlessly tamping it out.
"What the hell kind of wedding doesn’t have a proper band?" The words were muttered to himself, focusing on something other than the cool wood of the piano hovering just beneath his fingertips.
"Yeah, I guess you could say that." Gavin replied with a shrug, looking straight ahead of him as he crossed his arms against his chest. He could sense the sarcasm in the man's voice, almost hear the laugh that he had managed to suppress. Gavin couldn't blame him - he knew he wasn't really all that talented. If he was, he wouldn't be performing at weddings in a small town like Annapolis. He would be travelling to some of the biggest cities around the world, playing on actual stages with people in the audience who actually knew his name. He would be able to pick his own set list, and own the most beautiful grand piano money could be. He would be able to show his father that he could succeed in the music industry. That was his dream as a child, at least.
When he was little, he would always play with his mother at his side. His mother was the one who introduced him to the instrument, after all. Without his mother, Gavin would not have known where to start. Day after day, his mother would sit beside him, teaching him scales and simple nursery rhymes. As time progressed, they moved on to more difficult scales and complicated pieces until finally, Gavin's mother had taught him all that she knew. Yet, even when he had surpassed her in skill, she continued to sit by his side, listening as he played songs over and over again until he got it just perfect. Music was always there to comfort him, to guide him in the right direction. The smooth keys grounded him, the pedals kept him focused and the music always managed to soothe his mind.
That's why he went into piano playing in the first place. Piano playing just worked for him. It was the only thing he could really see himself do, the only thing he had ever been truly passionate about. That's why he did these weddings and performed cheesy love songs. That's why he stuck with it. At the end of the day, Gavin couldn't see his life without his music or playing piano. Music was a part of him, music was what kept him going. Even though the work wasn't particularly great and at times, rather demeaning, he still did took most of the offers that came his way. He just wanted to play, after all.
It was almost his time to play, so Gavin followed the man to the piano, setting himself down on the bench. It was always difficult to get comfortable on it, seeing as the bench had no back, but Gavin always managed. He flexed his fingers a little bit, getting ready for the next two hours of play. His mind was clear, his fingers were stretched, and he was ready to begin his warm-up. Then, he would jump right into the set list, filled with all of your typical love songs with a few interesting rock numbers thrown in - at the groom's request, of course.
Having caught the remark that left the other man's lips, he replied with, "You'll just have to hear it to believe it. I'd like to think that they hired me for a reason." He paused for a moment, double checking the set list that he had placed on the music rack. "Sometimes, a single pianist can be better than a band... If done right, that is."
My personal belief is that we shall try to look everything through a brighter light. Maybe this so called disasters aren’t as bad as they seem. Of course, they will seem at a first moment, but maybe they happened so something better can come. I think If the couple wants to stay married, it doesn’t matter how they got married, but their desire of staying together and work it out. I don’t know, maybe this big wedding was just an impulse or a long-life dream, but it doesn’t mean they don’t share the same bond of someone who elope - and people that elope can do impulsively. Vegas is there to show us that, don’t you think? Oh, if I could choose a place to a fairytale wedding, I’d pick somewhere in France countryside. I believe that the small town atmosphere is also intimate. But I am sure I can make a big list. 101 places to get married, by Pollyanna Malone.
In my case, it isn’t just the money. I believe that I use it as an excuse in most of cases. I just… I am not sure if I can leave my family to travel the world. Sounds silly when I put this out there. But I believe I always can come back from small trips like that one you suggested. Maybe because I don’t put many expectations on it, so I get pleasantly surprise other than disappointment. Yes, life is much more than just your job, although some people transform their job into their everything. And even the things you like have their moments, which you won’t like, but you have to live with it.
Yes, so much can say about that topic, like how families that have that mindset make women have a double journey, or the fact that some women will never be good housewives and that men can be great “housewives”. See, after the coming of the washing machine, I didn’t mind much, but I wasn’t the biggest fan of doing my baby siblings’ laundry, especially the fabric diapers. Yikes. That wasn’t cool. Oh really? Pleasant surprise, although they are rivals. My brother plays for Chicago… Bears. I think that is the animal. But he hasn’t been in any games yet. Ouch, your father sounds delightful. I’ve always thought that being artsy meant to be a little messy as well, but maybe because I am thinking about a studio or something.
Hey! I hope that you aren’t implying that is something wrong about tiny people, I mean, you just have to look at me twice before replying. And yes, yes I am. I am not sure if my mother gave me the name hoping I’d be positive or if she somehow knew I’d be and named me. Well, maybe someday we figure this mystery out.
Being optimistic, huh? I like it. Yeah, maybe. They do make for happy memories, after all. When you look back, some things you thought were so embarrassing in the moment are actually down right hilarious. Yeah, marriage is tough. You really have to like your spouse and be willing to work things out when times are tough. Some couples are meant to stay together for life, others are not. Sure, you're right. I mean, a lot of people in Vegas just get married for the heck of it, and they get divorced two weeks later. The French countryside? Never been, but from what I've seen in pictures, it does look... Well, pretty. Small towns, too. You have good taste, Polly.
An excuse? Well, yeah, leaving behind your family down... That can be tough for some people. It was tough for me to leave my family, you know, for college. And, anyways, even if you do go on a big trip, you'll be able to come back to your family, at least every once in awhile. I doubt you can spend your entire life travelling. Yeah, there are people who put their work above their families and their personal lives. It works for some, I guess, but I think that most people would want a life outside of their jobs. We all need a break sometimes. Yeah, of course. Things will always be tough, but you just have to work with the tough moments in order to experience the good things.
Yeah! Some men can be great stay-at-home dads, and some women can really make quite the difference in the workplace. It just depends on the person, really. Well, my mom was a firm believer in leaving things out to dry - it wasn't exactly fun, grabbing things out of the machine and hanging them up. Fabric diapers? Oh, yeah - I was also on diaper duty when I was a kid, that was the pits. I was changing diapers up until I was in middle school. The Chicago Bears? Pretty good team. You guys must be proud. Hopefully they'll put him on the field soon, right? Ty's made a few appearances - apparently he's pretty good, but I wouldn't really know. Yeah, my dad was just delightful. Still is. Well, I am messy in some aspects... My sheet music, for one, is all over the place. I haven't figured out a good system for organizing all of it... That's being messy in a more artistic way.
No, I wasn't trying to imply that there's anything wrong about tiny people! There ain't nothing wrong about being tiny, nothing at all. Tiny people tend to be adorable, after all. Really. Well, I guess that parents give their kids names based on definition or the people they admire and hope that they will grow into that name. Yeah, some day, maybe.
Eh, if that’s what it takes to be a bride, I’d be a horrible one. Bless my future husband’s heart, if I ever have one. I don’t know, maybe I am just not like the other girls, but big ain’t better. And big doesn’t mean it will be like a fairytale. Or maybe it is just because I was born and raised in simplicity. I watched my parents marriage be based on it and it worked, better than some others that come with great parties, you know? But dreams are dreams, and who am I to tell they can’t dream with it, right? It is quite a big wedding, though. Those big parties. Not only simplicity, but intimacy. Besides, I’d be crazy to get married in Annapolis when I always wanted to see more.
That’s what I’ve been telling people. I think when you know it, you know it, right? You feel it in your guts or heart. And I have so much to see. I really want to travel around the world, but I haven’t had money enough yet. I am sure it will happen sooner than later. Oh, but life takes me by surprise everyday. Yes. I’d rather happiness over money at anytime. I mean, my jobs aren’t the source of my happiness, but I am content with it?! I don’t know what I could do that would make me completely happy. It goes back to the passion problem that I don’t think it will be solved at anytime soon.
I really don’t like when people think women are responsible for the house chores. We aren’t in the fifties anymore. Besides, the dishes were always my hell. Well… I have ten siblings. Oh, nice. My brother too. He was signed for the NFL just this year though. You got the artsy side, which is not bad. At least you keep it clean, better than some other guys I know, so I can picture worse apartments. In our capitalist society, money is way too important, unfortunately.
Of course. Would I lie? Good that you agree. I am sure she’d agree with me as well. How would is she? Really? I don’t know… Well, Pollyanna, have you heard about the book? That’s why I think it suits me. It seems to have so many of those, right?! I suppose if there is some invisible guidebook that only parents can look at it.
Sometimes, big weddings can turn into complete nightmares. Disasters with the cake, the dress not fitting, the groom showing up late... There's almost always a disaster. It's kind of inevitable. Those who elope... They have a better track record at staying, well, married. I guess it's because deciding to elope means a bigger commitment, so their bond is usually much stronger. Yeah, getting married in Annapolis... I love living here, but there are definitely better places to get married.
Yeah. Sometimes, you just have to listen to your gut - intuition knows best, at least in most cases. Well, travelling around the world does cost a lot of money, so it's best to start saving up early. But, you could start with little trips for now - maybe travelling to Baltimore, or out of the state, perhaps? You don't necessarily need a ton of money or a lot of time to be able to have adventure. Oh, it does? Well, life is rather surprising. You're certainly right about that - there is hardship in every job. Plus, I think it would be rather sad, having your whole life revolve around your job. There's so much more to life than working. Even if you love your job, there are times when it will be stressful and other times when it will be boring, but you have to do it for the money. I can certainly vouch for that. C'est la vie - that's life.
People's whole mindset about women only being good for household duties... That's just bull. I mean, we're in the twenty-first century! The times have changed, things are different now. You know, I didn't mind doing dishes... What I hated was laundry duty. Really? Hey, my brother is in the NFL too... Got drafted about three years ago. He plays for the Carolina Panthers. I guess being artsy isn't that bad... Though in my dad's mind, it's equivalent to being Satan's spawn. Yeah, I'm more neat than most guys my age... I guess that's another thing about being artsy, I actually want to keep things fairly clean.
She's about seven years old, if I remember right, but she looks like she's five. She's really tiny. Yeah, I've heard of the book - I actually read it when I was younger too. You seem like a pretty positive person, so you're right - you are definitely a Pollyanna, through and through. There's got to be some kind of guide book out there, though - too many children have suffered through the same experiences for there not to be one.
Warren could count on his hands how many weddings he’d been to, and still have a few left over even after adding in the couple he’d snuck into as a teen for the moonshine. The idea of going to even triple that number made his stomach twist, there wasn’t enough liquor in the world to put up with that many false smiles and overly cheerful voices. He still had nightmares from the one he’d slipped into when he was twenty, and apparently the mother of the groom had mistaken him for an estranged son. The shirt had never dried either.
"Can’t really blame her for that, she raised her girl right, taught her all the right tricks and she went and landed herself a groom." The glass in his hand twisted lightly to mix the watered down liquor with the rest that was settled at the bottom. Finishing it and toying with the melted ice that landed on his tongue as he set the empty glass on the bar behind him. A wink and a slow smirk had the bartender laughing as they refilled his drink and slid it back to rest near his elbow. "That dress isn’t doing her any favors though, ain’t matronly by half. Unless she’s on the hunt at her daughter’s wedding?"
Winking at the woman across the way that had been eyeing him for the past fifteen minutes, he started mentally preparing an escape route. He’d been careful enough slipping into the mix that he didn’t arouse suspicion by standing at the edge of it, but not outrageously so like he would given his own wants. Life of the party was more his speed, but he didn’t feel like being thrown out on his ass when it was discovered he didn’t know a single person. Shoulders shifting in the too small jacket, he figured he had about twenty more minutes before discovery.
"You ain’t caterin’, those poor bastards look haggard as hell, so what’s your role? I assumin’ with the band but I didn’t see any guitars or anythin’." Taking his drink from the bartop, he lifted it to take a slow sip. "Unless you were one of the unfortunate plus ones that got dragged along, though that don’t seem likely."
Honestly, Gavin didn't dream of being an event and wedding pianist when he was younger. He didn't really attend many weddings when he was younger, and when he did, he hated them. Sure, he liked getting dressed up in a suit, but weddings were always so boring and so long, and many times, he didn't even know the couple getting married. He could have cared less. When he was a youngster, he thought he would have taken the world by storm with his piano, playing at concert halls all around the world. Of course, that hadn't quite worked out as planned. Reality hit and here he was, playing Celine Dion and Disney numbers at banquet halls in Annapolis. Not exactly the stuff of dreams, but it was alright. At least he was still playing piano.
"Yeah, I guess you're right. I'm sure she's overjoyed that her daughter ended up with a good guy." Gavin shrugged, holding the can of soda at his side. He looked out at the crowd - they looked like they were just finishing their appetizer, not very far into their meal. "Eh, who knows? Maybe she is on the prowl, maybe she just wants to look good. I've seen a lot worse. At least she's not making a fool of herself - yet." It wasn't much of a surprise that the mother of the bride had chosen such a dress - most of them wanted attention, the spotlight placed on them, at least for a moment. The bride was always going to be the star, but the mother of the bride usually wanted a supporting role in the production.
Judging at the speed they were eating, Gavin had quite a bit of time before he would have to start playing, at least forty minutes. Honestly, Gavin wasn't really looking forward to playing - the set list was sort of boring, and it was long. He would be playing for at least an hour and a half. Still, he'd been given a good enough instrument and watching the smiles on people's faces... That made it kind of worth it for him, at least. It was a job, and he had to do it well.
"Nah, I'm not a plus one, nor am I one of the catering guys. I'm actually the pianist for tonight." Gavin explained simply, placing down his now empty can on the bartop. He pointed over to the black piano that had been placed in other end of the room, the piano he would later play. From where they were standing, it looked rather minuscule, so Gavin was not surprised that the other man hadn't seen it. "Basically, I'm the one and only musician."
Sounds like the recipe for a disaster, you know? They should just be glad to marry the love of their lives, right? Maybe everyone should just elope, they’d be substantially more happy, because there wouldn’t be so much stress to make that perfect party, but to each their own. If they like the big party, what can I do? I am just a waitress.
Oh, surely, but I don’t plan on so soon. There are too much to see and do before marriage. And I don’t know, I suppose. I’ve never put much thinking into fate and its misfortunes. I am not sure If I want to. I might not like what I find out, but I am quite satisfied with my point of view of it for now. And I agree, happiness is the main focus, right? Alright, hopefully I’ll catch you there sometimes, I am always around parks with the small ones.
I am the oldest girl and my mom still had that pretty sexist idea that I should help more than my brother - not that he doesn’t help, but yeah… And have… Too many siblings. Sports crazy huh? I suppose it is your father’s influence? Yeah, but it also can keep you too fresh and naive. I don’t know, I just… Nevermind. Yes, yes. Born and raised in Annapolis. I feel like this place is too small for me now. I can sense it. Do you have pizza boxes around? If you do, I think I’ll have to consider it a masterpiece of decoration. I see… Because of money or time?
Gavvy sounds… cute. I am sure she’s just to classy to call you by something everyone else does too. And alright, Gavin it is. I always liked mine, Pollyanna suits me completely, but it is kinda long and you know, my mom used to yell that when she was mad at me. I suppose every child goes through that.
I think some brides actually like to be stressed out on their wedding day. I know that sounds crazy, but it's true! They actually enjoy being stressed out about the whole thing. Some people just want to have that fairytale wedding, I guess, with the big ceremony and the big reception and the big, well, everything. That's what they've always dreamed about. If I were to get married, I'd probably want to elope too. It's much simpler and, if you think about it, it means a lot more because of that sense of simplicity.
Yeah, it's a good idea to take your time in settling down. I mean, some people get married straight out of college, but I don't really see the point in that. You should see the world, do some crazy things, enjoy being young - settling down can wait. Oh? Well, then, I guess you could just let your life take you by surprise. Just follow it's path and see where it takes 'ya. It certainly is the main focus - if you're not happy in what you do, why do it? Sure, having lots of money is great, but that alone won't really make you happy.
Well, we were four boys, so that meant my poor mother was in charge of almost everything. I tried to help out as much as I could, but my brothers didn't really care about doing chores. To them, our mom was like their personal slave. They made their beds and came down to the dinner table, but that was about it. Wow, how many siblings do you have? Oh, yeah, my dad... He was a college football player, so I guess it runs in the blood. It skipped me, though. I ended up being the black sheep. Pizza boxes? Depends on what day it is. Most days, I manage to keep it pretty clean, but on weekends... Yeah, the pizza boxes usually make an appearance on Sunday nights. Eh, it's more about time, but I guess it's a little bit of both, if I'm completely honest. A guy has to make money, after all.
It does? Well, huh. I guess it's cute, then. Yeah, Emily's just way too classy to do that. It is kind of long, but it does suit 'ya. Polly suits you too, but Pollyanna suits you just a little bit better. Oh yeah, all moms yell at their kids using their full names - it's like some unspoken rule among them. It definitely gets their message across.
