"Mark, let's go. I can't be late." Roger called out carrying his guitar in his hand.
"I'm coming, what are you in such a hurry for? We don't have to be there for another hour." Mark asked coming out of his room.
"The new manager of the club called a meeting with everyone we gotta be there for." he told him opening the door to the loft.
"Do you know who the manager is?" Mark asked as they began to walk to the club.
"No, all I know is his name is Charlie something and he's gonna be making a lot of changes." he said as they entered the club.
"Can I help you guys?" a young woman asked as they walked in.
"Um yeah, I'm Roger Davis. I perform here and this is Mark Cohen. He films the shows." Roger said looking down at the woman. She had long golden blond hair and blue eyes. He was taken at first. Her eyes reminded him of Amanda's.
"OK well, Mr. Davis, Mr. Cohen I'd suggest you get over the with the others because the meeting is about to start and I'd like to open the club some time tonight. Unless you don't feel like performing tonight." she told them directing them to the tables in the corner.
"Sure." Roger said looking down at Mark before going to the tables to sit down.
"OK, since we were only waiting for Mr. Davis and Mr. Cohen, we can get started now." she told them joining them. "Some of you may or may not know, I am Charlie Spade and I am the new manager of The Spot and I have a lot in mind for this place. Some you may agree with and some you may not agree with. But either way, I'm fair and like to hear your input. Are there any questions before we get started?" she asked standing in front of everyone.
"I have a question." Roger said raising his hand as if he was in the 7th grade.
"Yes Mr. Davis, how can I help you?" Charlie asked looking over at him.
"It's Roger actually. My dad is Mr. Davis. But my question is where does the band fit into your changes?" he asked smiling up at her.
"Well Roger, I was thinking you guys could play maybe 3 nights a week rather than just 1. I mean, our busiest nights are the ones when you guys play, so I would like to take full advantage of you guys." she said as Roger began to smile over at Mark.
"Cool. Thanks." he told her beginning to feel more comfortable with him.
"Don't thank me yet. I also want you doing longer sets. The more you play, the more people drink. And I'd like some cover songs thrown in with your original songs. Don't get me wrong, your songs are good and the regulars seem to love them, but I'd like you to play some other songs also. Just to pick things up. Maybe towards the middle of the sets. Some Wanted Dead of Alive or something." she suggested as Roger stood up.
"I am not playing Wanted Dead or Alive. Every band in the city plays that damn song. I'm not playing it." he protested as she put her hands on her hips.
"So find a better song and we'll do that. Otherwise, I want Wanted Dead or Alive. It's a crowd pleaser." she told him leaning on one leg as he sat down, less than happy. "Now that Roger has taken all the time we have, it's time to open. Roger, why don't you take your band up to do soundcheck and we'll open up? Unless you have any other questions?" she asked looking at Roger.
"No, I'm good." he told her getting up from his chair and going to the stage. "What a bitch? Wanted Dead or Alive, yeah if we want to be like every other loser band in the city." he muttered as Mark followed him.
"Roger, what is your problem?" he asked as Roger put his guitar case on the stage to get his guitar out.
"Did you hear her? Wanted Dead or Alive. I do not play Bon Jovi. Especially that song. Everyone plays that song. If I have to do a cover song, it's gonna be a rocking song. Not that lame ass song. She obviously knows nothing about music." he told him strapping his guitar on as he climed onto the stage.
"Roger, it was just a suggestion. Why are you getting so worked up over this?" he asked looking up at him.
"Because my play list with my songs were always good enough. Now she comes in here and wants me to play Bon Jovi. I do not play Bon Jovi." he said looking down at him as the patrons began to file into the club.
"Roger, calm down. She said if you came up with another song, she'd let you do that." Mark told him as Roger stared at he.
"Yeah, she'll let me. That's mighty big of her. It's only my damn band." Roger said as Charlie looked up at him.
"Roger, just calm down. You got soundcheck." Mark said looking up at him.
"Whatever." Roger said plugging his guitar in to do his soundcheck.
"What's Roger's story?" Charlie asked Mark as he sat at the bar.
"What do you mean?" he asked looking at her.
"Does Wanted Dead or Alive remind him of an old girlfriend or something?" she asked drinking a bottle of water.
"No, he just doesn't exactly like to sound like every other band in the city. That's why he writes his own song and stuff." he told her as she watched him play.
"It's nothing personal. I do like his songs. I just think people would like to hear them play some cover songs. You know, songs they know?" she told him leaning on the bar.
"He'll come around. He's just a little rough when it comes to meeting new people." Mark told her as Roger took his guitar off and jumping off of the stage.
"I'm going for a smoke. I'll be right back." he said passing Mark on his way out the door.
"I gotta go. It was nice talking to you Mark. I want to talk to you more in depth about the work you've been doing." she told him stepping out from behind the bar and going outside. "Can I talk to you for a minute, Roger?" she asked looking up as she took a cigarette out of her pack.
"Sure." he said lighting her cigarette.
"I'm sorry about before. I was only using the song as a for instance, you know. I didn't mean to insult you. I like your music, I really do. I just thing adding some cover songs could liven things up a bit. You know bring more attention to your stuff." she told him puffing her cigarette as she folded her arms across her chest.
"I just don't like being like everyone else. I like to be different." he said taking a drag off of his cigarette.
"OK, you don't have to do Wanted Dead or Alive. You could do any songs you want, but I want at least 2 for each set." she told him throwing her cigarette into the street.
"OK deal." he agreed smilng down at her.
"I gotta go inside. You're on in 10 minutes." she told him opening the door to go inside. He still did'nt like her, but at least she was being reasonable. He couldn't believe how much she reminded him of Amanda, except for the fact that she had a way of pissing him off. The way she came in and just took charge like that. Wanted Dead or Alive, there was no way she could have been serious when she suggested they do that song.
"Roger, were on." Gene said coming out of the bar. Roger threw his cigarette into the street next to Charlie's and went inside.