Eli waited patiently in the large leather chair observing Geoff Morris's swanky office.
"Did I say that?" Geoff said coldly into his phone.
Eli glanced over at him; it looked like one of the distinctive veins in his forehead was about to burst!
He was a stout, white-haired, balding man in his late forties.
He wore several thick gold rings on his stubby fingers, but dressed nicely; in a blue fitted suit, white shirt and green tie.
"I repeat- that is not our problem!" Geoff said, trying hard to keep from yelling at the idiot he was talking to, and scaring the hell out of the young man sitting before him.
Geoff made a quick glance at Eli and flashed him a toothy smile, Eli grinned back; too ecstatic to even be here to care what Mr. Morris of Blue Collar records was saying to whomever on the phone!
"Well, that's you're problem isn't it?" his face was turning a scarlet red as his temper flared "-and who's going to fix it?" a long pause "That's right, you are Mr. Fisher!"
Eli sat back in the chair and looked around the large office.
Everything seemed very 'cutting edge', the main theme being a metallic blue. Even Mr. Morris's desk was made of some sort of steel, and he sat in a suave deep navy leather chair.
There were a few posters on the walls, of a few bands and singers that Eli hadn't heard of.
But out in the waiting room, where more metallic blue drowned the room, there were posters on the walls of artists that were quite familiar to Eli.
Not extremely famous, and world renowned- but who had real talent, and were well respected by independent musicians like Eli.
"Well as pleasant as the conversation has been Mr. Fisher, I have a talented young man waiting for me put to his nagging questions at ease-" Eli glanced over at Mr. Morris as he heard himself being mentioned, and Geoff gave him another big smile.
"Goodbye Mr. Fisher" he said hanging up his silver phone.
As he did so, he pressed an intercom button "Debra, hold ALL my calls- and if Mr. Fisher rings again-" Geoff paused while he thought "-tell him he's fired!" he said happily.
"Yes Mr. Morris" the aging receptionist said, and he beeped the intercom off, adjusting himself in his chair.
"Mr. Eli Sammler" he said smiling, and Eli sat up straight, staring Mr. Morris right in the eye.
Blue Collar record's wasn't a big company. But Eli had heard a few stories here and there about independent muso's being recognised by them while playing in Café's and Bars- so Eli had thought sending them a demo tape would perhaps get him started.
"Yes sir" Eli replied, smiling slightly as Mr. Morris stared him square in the eye.
"You're demo-" Mr Morris glanced away for a moment, while he rummaged in a drawer, pulling out Eli's small tape, holding it up for Eli to see.
"Yes sir" were the only words that seemed appropriate; and suddenly Eli became very nervous.
ELI should I say something witty and charming? Does he expect me to behave a certain way- -?
Mr. Morris smile "relax kid" he said calmly, and sat back in his chair, still staring at Eli.
Eli tried slumping his shoulders, but straightened them again quickly- and shifted uncomfortably in his chair "You liked it?" Eli asked with a shaky tone.
Mr. Morris laughed, a warm 'jolly old man' kinda laugh, and Eli felt his shoulder's loosen.
"Why else would I invite you here?" he asked calmly, and Eli smiled, realizing it was a stupid question.
Mr. Morris examined the tape in his hand, turning it over and over again, not looking at Eli he asked; "You know any of these people on the walls?".
Eli glanced at the posters he'd been observing a moment ago "not really, Mr Morris" he said in a small voice.
Mr. Morris let out a simple laugh "Call me Geoff" he said glancing up at Eli "nah, I didn't think you'd recognise em!" he added, and put the tape down on the table in front of him.
"Do you know why you don't know them?" he asked, and Eli slowly shook his head.
"Because they are only small time musicians. Talented, very talented indeed-" Geoff nodded his head slowly, agreeing with himself; "-but nothing became of them. They may be well known names in a few swanky café's and bars around town" he stared into Eli's eyes again "-but that's it" he sat back in his chair and rubbed the back of his neck.
ELI what the hell is he talking about!
"I like you Eli Sammler" Geoff announced, after leaving a gap of silence "I like struggling artists. I think they have 'charisma' and 'flare'" he used his hands with great expression as he spoke "people like you have more talent and genius than people like Britney Spears and NSync could even possible dream to have!" he smiled happily.
"Thankyou" Eli mumbled once Geoff seemed to be done talking.
Geoff smile wider "I'll make a confession" he said, raising his hands "-I have churned out one or two Britney wannabe's and Hanson never gonna be's!" he laughed at his own wit "But I realize now. That what I like, is also what the PUBLIC likes! They aren't interested in lip-syncing phonies. Bubble gum pop is OUT and REAL talent is IN!" He began speaking seriously now.
Eli nodded along, having a vague idea of where all this was going.
"Sir" Eli began, leaning forward, but as he Geoff shook his head, Eli corrected himself "Geoff- I agree with you about the whole 'genuine artists' thing, which is actually what I consider myself to be- but" Eli needn't say more, Geoff raised his hands and Eli became quiet.
"I'll cut to the chase" Geoff smiled "You DO have talent kid, and while you may be sitting before me, hopeful of getting a record deal and living you're dreams- touring the world, making big bucks doing what you clearly love-"
ELI here comes the 'BUT'
Geoff continued "-BUT that aint going to happen" he saw as Eli's face became cheerless "-not, TODAY atleast" he added.
"So why am I here?" Eli asked, suddenly wanting to leave the big 'swanky' office, and get back to the real world where there was no chance of him ever becoming anything more than what he was.
"Now, now Eli Sammler" Geoff said, trying to lighten his tone, but be firm at the same time "The world doesn't end just because you don't land a deal as a musician-" Geoff left a hint of mystery in his voice, that gave Eli hope.
"What do you mean?" Eli asked, leaning back in his chair.
Geoff glanced down for a moment, rummaging through his drawer again- this time pulling out the big Yellow envelope Eli had sent off.
Geoff pulled out the sheets of paper that Eli had scribbled his details on, and the lyrics to the songs on the demo tape.
Geoff flicked through them, pulling out two particular sheets of paper.
"These-" he began, handing them over to Eli "-These are gold" Eli took them from Geoff's hand, and glanced down at them.
It was the lyrics to two of his songs- 'let that be enough';
ELI I wrote that about – surprise, surprise! Grace- -I didn't think it was that good though.
Eli aired his thoughts "Let that be enough?" he asked, a little amazed.
Geoff laughed "didn't think it was that good, eh?" he asked, and Eli shook his head, looking down at the other song that Geoff had called 'gold'
"No, it's a great song- good melody" Geoff said, and watched as Eli's face lightened as he looked down at the second song-
"Heart" Geoff said quietly, and Eli looked up at him, a smile on his face.
"You must really have a lot of love for whomever that songs about" Geoff said happily, leaning back in his chair, taking in Eli's happy face.
Eli smiled to himself;
ELI you have no idea
There was silence for a moment, and then Eli looked up at Geoff, who was smiling widely
"I still don't understand-" Eli began, his mind suddenly clouded, all common sense leaving his thought-
Geoff smiled wider "we have two artists who would be more than happy to make those songs you're holding in you're hand- number one on the U.S chart." Geoff picked up Eli's demo tape again "-these artists have only just signed up with us- and while they are contracted to write their own songs, we've arranged for their first hit to be written by us" he glanced over at Eli.
"These are the 'hits' I want them to sing" he added, a twinkle in his eye.
Eli was breathless, was this really happening? He needed to pinch himself, but he was too numb with disbelief.
"Because you are the author of these songs, whatever profits we get from it will be split with you- that means, you will get 25, roughly, of whatever these songs make on the market" Geoff put on his 'business' voice.
"When they perform these songs, live, on television- whatever- you will be paid money aswell- and you will also keep the rights to these songs. You're name will be on their album as the soul writer" Geoff's words went in and out of Eli's thoughts-
ELI everything I have ever wanted.
Geoff continued to talk shop, but Eli didn't need any more convincing- "Do you mind if I use you're phone to call my lawyer?" Eli asked in a small voice- and Geoff let out a bellowing laugh.
"Of course not! Let's get this show on the road" He laughed, and handed his phone over to Eli, who shakily pressed the numbers………..
AUTHORS NOTE
Ok, let me just say, I have no idea about what kind of 'privileges' and profits song writers get- so I may have been totally off the mark saying that he gets 25- it's probably a hell of a lot more- in which case, don't laugh at me for being so in the dark about such things.
The second song chosen (Let that be enough) will appear in one of the next chapters- so I wont tell you which band sings the song just yet………..
Hmmmm, once again a bit of a nothing chapter, but I wanted to get Eli's big dream coming true out of the way.
And his song 'HEART', which is his and Grace's song- you all know that's by a band called 'SECRETS"- just to refresh you're memory.
Next chapter coming soon.
Thanks, as always, for reading my story.
And let me just say, a huge, ginormous, AMAZING thankyou to all of you who are reviewing me- you are SO kind.
But be careful, cause with all this praise for being a supposed good author- I am getting an inflated head!
