Jimmy was sitting nearby in the hotel room, reading a comic on his bed. He lowered it when Les came over. "Was that Felix saying you needed me? Jimmy at your service." He grinned.
Les had to smile. "Want to go somewhere we can talk?"
Jimmy stood up. "Sure."
The two best friends left the hotel and walked down the dark city streets. It did feel better already, outside in the open air. When they reached a small park, empty at this time of night, Jimmy sat down on a bench and Les followed him.
"Now. I'm always ready to help my best friend. What's up?"
Les took a breath. "I'm scared of going back on stage tomorrow. It's been too long since we've done this, and what if I mess up?"
"Then I'll mess up too, and everyone will think we meant to do it." But when Les still looked sad, Jimmy became serious too. "Seriously, Les, it's not a big deal. Everyone messes up. Our fans love us. They love you. No one's going to care."
"Yes they will." Le's voice was beginning to tremble again.
"No one ever has cared before, have they?" Jimmy tried again. "Except - oh, wait a minute." Suddenly his face was serious, even a little angry. "Les - is this anything to do with your dad?"
Les shrugged. "You know he didn't like it when my grades weren't perfect. Or if I hadn't cleaned my room or done my chores well enough. He used to cane me for that especially." Les's voice was barely a whisper.
Jimmy looked very angry for a few minutes, but he composed himself. "Well, if any fans come up there with canes, I'll chase them off with my drumsticks."
Les laughed a watery, shaky laugh in spite of himself.
"Les, your dad's not here anymore." Jimmy placed a hand on Les's shoulder. "You're way above anywhere he could touch you. And hey, even if he was here, he'd be ashamed of himself for not seeing how far you were going to come."
Les let out a long breath. Somehow he felt lighter. "You know, you're right."
He stood up, tall and confident again. "Thanks, Jimmy. Come on, let's go back. We need to be ready for our show tomorrow."
Les had to smile. "Want to go somewhere we can talk?"
Jimmy stood up. "Sure."
The two best friends left the hotel and walked down the dark city streets. It did feel better already, outside in the open air. When they reached a small park, empty at this time of night, Jimmy sat down on a bench and Les followed him.
"Now. I'm always ready to help my best friend. What's up?"
Les took a breath. "I'm scared of going back on stage tomorrow. It's been too long since we've done this, and what if I mess up?"
"Then I'll mess up too, and everyone will think we meant to do it." But when Les still looked sad, Jimmy became serious too. "Seriously, Les, it's not a big deal. Everyone messes up. Our fans love us. They love you. No one's going to care."
"Yes they will." Le's voice was beginning to tremble again.
"No one ever has cared before, have they?" Jimmy tried again. "Except - oh, wait a minute." Suddenly his face was serious, even a little angry. "Les - is this anything to do with your dad?"
Les shrugged. "You know he didn't like it when my grades weren't perfect. Or if I hadn't cleaned my room or done my chores well enough. He used to cane me for that especially." Les's voice was barely a whisper.
Jimmy looked very angry for a few minutes, but he composed himself. "Well, if any fans come up there with canes, I'll chase them off with my drumsticks."
Les laughed a watery, shaky laugh in spite of himself.
"Les, your dad's not here anymore." Jimmy placed a hand on Les's shoulder. "You're way above anywhere he could touch you. And hey, even if he was here, he'd be ashamed of himself for not seeing how far you were going to come."
Les let out a long breath. Somehow he felt lighter. "You know, you're right."
He stood up, tall and confident again. "Thanks, Jimmy. Come on, let's go back. We need to be ready for our show tomorrow."