"Hello there! I'm here for the audition?" It wasn't a question so much as he was just stating his intention. We all looked up to see this tall, slender, slightly older gentleman strolling towards us with his hand outstretched and a guitar on his back. He shook all our hands and we introduced ourselves. "I'm Doctor Disco!" he grinned, but his smile faded as that was met with blank stares, "You can call me the Doctor, that will do nicely,"

Our singer was the first one to speak, "Well, Doctor - I'm sorry to say that the auditions ended about an hour ago and we're going to pack up. If you want to come back..."

"No, let him play," I piped up. The Doctor propped his Ray-Bans on top of his mess of salt and pepper curls and met my gaze. His light gray eyes seemed so familiar yet so completely alien. I felt like I had met him before somehow, somewhere, but there was something that was unlike anyone or anything I'd ever encountered in my life.

Our singer protested, "Come on - we've been here for hours, if he couldn't be bothered showing up on time then..."

"Time is a very relative thing," The Doctor interjected. We watched him walk over to a Marshall amp and plug his guitar in. The guitar wasn't in a case - it was just strung on his back like they did with their guns in the Wild West.

Our singer wasn't having any of it, "Look, I'm sorry dude but..."

Then the Doctor started playing. More like shredding. He played a fury of notes - all perfectly syncopated, on key and seamlessly flowing together. Our singer and drummer watched, dumbfounded and frozen. I put my bass back on, flipped on my Ampeg and started jamming with him. He looked over at me, grinning, and locked my gaze. Suddenly I saw notes in my head, what to play next - what key to go into - how long to play each riff - when to go into E, then back to G which wouldn't have sounded right but it did - it all sounded immaculate. One by one the others joined in, our drummer - then reluctantly, our singer. It was as if we all had the same sheet music in our heads. The singer was singing about a girl who was lost - impossible - she was falling - falling into the stream - the stream of time. It didn't make any sense but it made all the sense in the world. And the whole time the Doctor was locked in with me, the bassist, helping me keep the rhythm going, willing me to be steady yet keep up the groove.

Then just as suddenly as it all started, we stopped. The Doctor unplugged his guitar and strung it on his back again, and he put his Ray-Bans back over his eyes. "Thank you all very much for the audition. I'll be in touch," And he turned to walk out the door.

The three of us stood there in amazement - wondering if that really had just happened.

I took off my bass and barely set it down next to my amp before I ran out after him and into the street.

He was walking towards a big blue Box on the corner that I had never noticed before - even though we practiced at this same spot twice a week for the past year.

"Hey!" I called out "Hey - Doctor Disco!"

He spun around and smiled, taking off his sunglasses, "Yes, bass player?"

"We practice twice a week and studio time is booked for the next two months. We have a show coming up that..."

He put his hand on my shoulder and shook his head, "Thank you but I'm afraid I'm going to have to decline your offer,"

I was genuinely confused, "But - I don't really understand what happened back there but that was the best we've ever played, you're the best we've ever played with and..."

His smile turned into a huge ear-to ear grin, "You would be surprised how often I'm told that, still - it's always lovely to hear and I thank you, but I must be on my way,"

"I don't understand? Don't you want the gig? We're leaving for..."

"Good luck, I'm sure you'll find someone suitable, you're all very excellent musicians," He tipped his imaginary hat at me as he opened the door to the big blue box. A bright yellow light emanated from it - as I tried to get a better look inside, the door closed and there was a loud whiring noise as the box seemed to fade.

Then, suddenly the box seemed the re-appear and the Doctor stuck his head out, "Oh, pardon me Bass Player, would you like to come with me?"

I stammered, still not really understanding everything that was going on, "Come with...?"

He grinned, "Yes, come with me - I can introduce you to some of the greats who taught me, Beethoven, Brahms, Tchaikovsky, Hendrix...I'll have you back before you even left!"

I tried peering over his shoulder into the box -it seemed to go on endlessly - like there was a whole world inside it. The Doctor propped his Ray-Bans up and winked, then I followed him inside the box.