Title: Lucky Stiff

The three of us worked on the song the rest of the night. We realized we’d need another recording session with the House Band in order to get the song to fit in the new format that we worked out.

I never realized that writing a song would be as easy as it turned out. I agonized for almost a year with the melody that Mr. Proilet said reminded him of Canon, but this song really cooked and it didn’t take that long for it to progress from the “dum dum dum da-da dum dum” bass riff to a full blown song just by jazzing things up a bit.

I was now sure that I found my destiny, and I was very happy that both Kristen and Lynette could be a part of it.

Afterword

I was half, not whole,
In step with none.
Reaching through this world,
In need of one.

Billy Preston & Syreeta

With You I’m Born Again

As I mentioned many times, I knew that I was lucky. In the year or so that I had the tickets, my life had changed dramatically, and I truly believe that the tickets had a lot to do with that. After all, there was no reason that Kristen would have ever given me a second look if I never found them.

Not only was I living with Kristen and Lynette, but I found myself the object of admiration from my fellow students, and now I had a band that I could use to pursue my dreams.

All this great stuff was happening, and… somehow, I was still waiting for the other shoe to drop.

For instance, if the tickets changed my life, then was I living the life that I was supposed to? I’ve heard of the term “karma” from the popularity of Eastern religions, which is supposed to be the sum of a person’s actions in this life and previous lives, and decides one’s fate in this and future lives. Could these tickets somehow be interrupting this natural order, and would this interruption affect the karma of other people? These were really pretty heady things for a seventeen year old to be thinking!

A year before, I learned enough about the tickets to know that I wanted to avoid them for the most part. Since then, I learned more about them, including that other people had access to them or may still have them even now! I was warned about the tickets by Camille and her sister, and discovered some of the despicable things that Tim Hawking did with them.

So… despite the fact that it looks like I have everything I need… love, friendship, music, and happiness, those tickets are still there as well. What will happen next?

Obviously, there is still more of the story of the tickets to be told, and the finale will be coming soon!

* * *

A FINAL NOTE FROM THE AUTHOR

I wish to thank Terry and Mike for working tirelessly in the editing of this story. They have met just about every deadline that I requested in order to get this story out in a timely manner. When chapters were late, it was always my own fault!

To everybody that has sent suggestions, compliments, pointed out errors, and otherwise sent me feedback, I would like to once again thank you. YOU are the reasons that I post my stories on the Internet. Your feedback is my only form of payment. In addition, seeing the random comment on USENET about my stories always gives me a nice feeling inside.

There will be another sequel to this series. I will start writing it in the beginning of 2006, and it will be posted on StoriesOnline.net first (as usual).

Once again, thank you for making it this far into the story. I know I’ve ended the story a bit abruptly again, but the story of the tickets is a long one taking place over a period of years, and I’d rather have the story at a manageable size rather than as one humongous story of a hundred or more chapters!

Peace!

JiMC (an author’s pseudonym), Somewhere in the USA

Cast of Characters

The following is a list of the characters that appear or are mentioned in this story. Since the story takes place over a period of two school terms, the grades of the students mentioned are their grades during the school year that starts in September, 1974, when the story begins.

The characters are sorted by last name.

Jim Crittenhouse — The hero of the story and the main point of view character. He’s a gifted musical prodigy, and can play most non-stringed instruments passably, although he excels on trumpet and piano. He’s also the leader, conductor, and arranger of an extra-curricular “jazz band” at his high school, despite the fact that he’s only in tenth grade.

Margaret Cummings — Jim’s mother, who divorced Jim’s abusive and alcoholic father when Jim was eight years’ old.

Meredith (Merry) Cummings — Jim’s younger step-sister who is almost exactly a year younger than Jim. Merry’s mother passed away, and Jim’s mother married Merry’s father after her divorce.

Roy Fennel — Sophomore and close friend of Jim’s, who is a gifted singer and soloist in the school chorus and jazz band.

Megan Gallagher — Junior flutist in the orchestral band.

Lynn Graham — Sophomore singer and soloist in the school chorus and jazz band.

Amy Grant — Extremely shy eleventh grader that plays classical piano. She’s a confidante to Kristen.

Dale Hardy — Influential student leader and the “brains” behind Kristen’s former gang. Dale was thrown out of school and given a “scholarship” to a private school after she tried to blackmail Kristen during the first story, Lucky Tickets.

Tim Hawking — Sophomore class “nerd” who hangs out in different circles than Jim, but who finds himself the subject of Jim’s attention.

Sam Howard — Eleventh grade bassist in the jazz band.

Archy (“Tiny”) Jonas — Black boyfriend of June Rodgers’s. He’s an imposing and record-holding linebacker on the football team and the star of the school’s wrestling team. He’s known affectionately as “Teddy Bear” to June, and as “TB” to Lynette and Camille.

Wendy Jones — Friend of Patty and Camille, who has dirty blonde hair and enormous breasts. She dates Gerry, a member of the jazz band.

Sherry Jordan — Brunette gymnast who has carried a torch for Jim for years, although Jim was never aware of her feelings until after he was dating Kristen.

Marla LaGruzio — Doreen Peterson’s cousin, who lives in Orange County, CA. She visits her cousin and her Aunt Virginia (Aunt Gin) during the summer.

Camille Lombardi — Patty Nadal’s best friend, and a blonde Marcia Brady lookalike. She used to baby-sit Jim with her sister, Debbie. She’s co-captain of the cheerleaders, the school valedictorian, and self-described “slut”.

Debbie Lombardi — Camille’s older sister, who currently lives in New York City.

Jackie Lombardi — Dark haired cheerleader. She’s a junior in school, and a cousin to Camille. She was a former member of Kristen’s “gang” before she dated Jim.

Toby McConnell — Twelfth grade trumpet player who works hard at playing, but who isn’t really gifted. He dates Patty on and off.