Westpoint Tales
by Kiwi
Entangled Tales - 33 - Toddy & Daniel
Toddy said no more to Daniel about the group, but he made his plans. He disappeared at lunchtime, leaving Daniel with Jinks for company. After school they all went around to the Square to kick a ball around for a while. (Well - Jinks went to watch the others kick a ball around.)
There was another new kid in school that day - Jonathan Shaw, Superboy's brother. Daniel had been stuck alongside him in classes all day, and they got to talking. He seemed all-right, and he was keen on football too. Good thing he didn't have a busted foot like his brother.
Toddy was delighted to discover that he had his own car too. Jinks was even more pleased as it meant that Jonathan could drive them all up to the Square. They played around there for a while, then Jonathan said that he had to get back to the hotel, and did they want a ride home?
Toddy replied, "Not this time. We're not going home just yet. I've got something I want to show Daniel first. We're just going around to my friend Jay's place for a few."
"You want a ride around there then?"
"No, it's just around the corner. Don't worry, you'll get plenty of chances to drive us around. See you tomorrow then, Jonathan."
"Okay, great. See you all at school. Thanks for the game."
"No problem. We can always do with more talent, especially when they've got their own car."
Toddy, Jinks and Daniel collected their bags and walked up the road, around the corner and into Peel Street.
"So, who's this Jay person, Toddy? And what have you got to show me?"
"Ah, Thees is the meestary," said Toddy in a really bad French accent. "Jay's just a friend. He's my best friend actually."
Jinks protested, "Is not, Barney Todd. I'm your best friend, Jay's just a casual acquaintance."
"Oh yeah, that's right. We've only known Jay for about 10 years, he's new in town."
"Yeah. And we're not. Our mums used to wipe our shitty bums together."
"I'd rather not think about that thank you Mr. Jenkins. Hey, here's Dee Jamieson. Hey Dee. Have you met our new friend? This is Daniel."
"Yes, I know that - Daniel O'Brien, and you're the new kid at Tom Peter's place aren't you? Hello Daniel."
"Hello Dee. That's right - Tom Peters is my uncle, I'm living there now."
"Yes, I know that too. Here's Jay's house. Come on in guys."
Dee and Jinks headed down the drive, but Daniel stopped. "Wait a minute. Dee Jamieson, and this must be Jay Kynnersley's place - the one she's getting up a group for. This looks like a set-up to me. I told you Toddy, I don't want to."
"C'mon Daniel. You don't have to do anything, just come and meet our friend. Jay's a good guy, you'll like him. Come on - we're here now."
They walked down the drive and around to the rear of the garage, following Dee and Jinks in there. They could hear music playing as they approached. The others went straight through to the room at the back of the garage, Toddy stopped Daniel and stole a quick kiss. "Relax Man. If you're nice, we'll continue this later."
Daniel grinned. "Okay then, let's get this over with. And, yes, we will continue that later."
"Cool. We're on a promise then. Hey Guys, meet my friend Daniel - he's new in town. Daniel O'Brien - this is Jay, that's Peter on the keyboard and that's Sandie behind that enormous guitar."
"Hello Daniel."
"Hey Dude"
"Hi guy."
"Hey, Jay, Peter, Sandie. So you're the famous rock group eh?"
"Yeah, that's right," said Peter. "Or we will be. Might be - could be."
Jay played a drum roll. "Yeah, we are (da dit dit da da da!) Whozzat. World famous here in my bedroom - we've never played anywhere else."
"We will, Big Guy, we will. Daniel, Toddy, sit up on the bed with Dee, (You lucky, lucky, fellas), we'll show you."
They sat on the bed and watched and listened as Whozzat played 'I Love Rock and Roll', Sandie 'Suzie Quatro' Evans on the vocals. They finished and Peter asked, "So? What do you think?"
"Great!" said Daniel. "I love it. You, Peter, need to lower the keyboard, or stand on a box, but you're good. I love the bass and the skins are outasite Jay!"
"We'll take that as a compliment from a music-man. But not so much cheek about standing on boxes. Jay does the 'big' thing. Me, I'm compact."
"Don't scare him off, Elf. Play music."
They played a couple more tunes. Daniel sat grinning, nodding his head and quietly clapping along, fingertips of his left hand dancing on the palm of his right. They stopped for a break, Jay passed around glasses and a bottle of OJ.
Daniel was still grinning, "You guys are great. I wish I had my guitar here."
"Funny you should say that," said Toddy pulling Daniel's guitar out from behind the bed.
"My Baby! Toddy - I knew this was a set-up."
"Okay, Guitar-Man, just do your thing. You can spank me later, okay?"
"Maybe I will too. Okay Guys, you got me." He took the lead that Peter was holding out and plugged it in to his 'baby'. A couple of runs up and down the scales, then, "Can we do I love Rock and Roll again?"
And, away they went, all grinning like Cheshire cats. When they finished, they looked at each other, then Sandie started the same song again, and they played it a second time.
Jay said, "So, do we have a lead guitar then? Great! Thanks Toddy, we owe you one."
"Right," said Sandie. "Enough mucking around. Don't be shy, Guitar-Man, show us what you've got. You know any instrumentals for lead guitar?"
"Do I know any instrumentals! You guys know 'Cry for a Shadow'? It was one of the Beatles' first recordings and the only instrumental they ever did, I think."
He launched into 'Cry for a Shadow', the others started to play along, but soon stopped and just watched him. He didn't really need them anyway. He was used to playing on his own - and he was good! He finished and looked around, shyly, but Toddy was beaming and bouncing up and down on the bed.
"Told you so! Told you so! What did I tell you? My boy's the Guitar-Man. Eric Clapton, eat your heart out. Great stuff, Daniel."
Congratulations and thanks all around, and Whozzat were now a four piece band. Dee soon went home to start dinner. Toddy and Jinks left them there playing and went around to Jinks' place for a beer. Jinks was delighted. Daniel said he'd be around to spank Toddy later. (Jinks, '???')
A couple of days later, they were joined by two more players - both girls, both aged 15 and members of the Westpoint Country Music club. They were both pretty cute, pretty good guitarists, adequate singers and both very keen to try Rock and Roll music for a change. Kadie Green came at Dee's invitation, and she brought her friend, Shelley Buckingham with her.
The others were a bit hesitant at first, but they decided, 'What the Hell', Why not have two rhythm guitars, and acoustic ones at that. It would make their sound a bit different and the two new members were very welcome.
Shelley's father was secretary of the Country Music club and Kadie's mother was their promotions officer. She also had a regular 2 hour country music show on the local radio - so that might come in handy too.
They decided that it was getting too crowded in Jay's room, so they moved his mother's car out and took over the garage. After the three girls had gone home, Peter, Jay and Daniel were sitting around talking.
Peter said, "Well that's the guitars covered. We've gone from one to four in the space of a few days. We're in danger of getting top-heavy with girls though. First Sandie, and now Shelley and Kadie. And, Jay and I are - well, you know - so that only leaves you to be the male pop-idol, Daniel."
Daniel blushed, "Well actually it doesn't."
"What? You mean you are - you and Toddy?"
"Yeah, me and Toddy. Just like you guys."
"Oh well, that's cool. All the more reason to recruit Justin then. I wonder if Jonathan can sing?"
Peter was still worried that they didn't have a decent male singer. Daniel's voice was no better than Jay's or his own. Justin still wasn't interested and neither was his brother. Jonathan hung around them a bit, but he was really only interested in the girls.
However, Whozzat were now a six-piece group, and they were having fun. They still had three more members to come, but they didn't know that yet.
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