Hi everyone...
In order to accommodate people who are asking me about notification lists, I've finally created an YahooGroup (Gods, Yahoo is like the Borg!) to do so: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Dale_writings
As always, Gabriella is my main cheerleader. Mark has also been great. I've even inspired him! Check out his story "Blind Date", it's also here in the Boyband section.
I love email, so feel free to drop me a line with your thoughts on the story.
DISCLAIMER: The names of the people are fictional (well, except for the members of the group). This is a fictional story that came right out of my own mind. I have no knowledge if any member of N Sync are gay or whatever. That being said, please enjoy the story and remember-- write me!!! (Especially write me if you're a member of the group! GRIN)
Thanks guys and gals, Hope you like it.
Dale
--NO DAY BUT TODAY--
"Trust me Dale. If you start singing along with the cast I will throw a beat down on you right in the theater."
Dale laughed. "Oh yeah that's how I want to spend my visit in New York. Arrested for disturbing the peace! You're such a dork Jimmy." Dale noticed a bunch of teenage girls giggling and pointing at the cast list inside the front door. "Hey Jimmy, what's with all the girls?"
Jimmy frowned. "They did some stunt casting, so we have to deal with a pop singer in the show now." He obviously wasn't happy about it... he sounded upset. "RENT is supposed to be full of unknowns so they get the shot to make a name for themselves... and they bring in a fucking boyband person!" His volume had risen, so a bunch of girls heard him. They turned and glared in their general direction.
Dale put his arm around Jimmy and led him into the auditorium. "Calm down bud...I really don't want to get torn apart by the raving horde of fans. Which boyband is it?"
Jimmy pointed to their seats, and talked as he went. "N'Sync. This guy doesn't even look like the original cast member... that's what kills me. I auditioned and got nowhere and he just walked right in!" Jimmy sat with a plop, and put his hand on his chin.
Dale laughed as he stood there. "I seriously doubt that. Besides, isn't pop music a bit different than the Rent songs? Maybe these guys' sing songs in a similar beat and style?"
"God Dale... don't you listen to any pop music? These guys sound NOTHING like the stuff that's sung in this show."
"I've told you before Jimmy. Most modern music I listen to is stuff from the 40s and 50s. Since I'm studying ethno-musicology I don't have time to pollute my eardrums."
"HA! You don't like pop music! If you did you wouldn't use the term 'pollute'." Jimmy sat back with a smile on his face.
"Okay, not pollute. How about 'confuse'. I'm lucky I have any hearing at all. All those damn ear operations when I was a kid played hell on me."
The orchestra began warming up, and the bell sounded that it was five minutes to curtain. The two friends fell silent as the houselights dropped, and the opening chords of the show started...
Dale felt his heart skip a beat. He pulled out his Playbill magazine and thumbed through to the cast bio sheet.
"Joey Fatone."
Jimmy turned to look at Dale, who'd said something softly. He noticed Dale staring at the guy on stage playing Mark. Shit, he'd forgotten Dale had a thing for Italian guys.
Dale sat rapt through the entire performance. At the closing of the show they went outside. Dale said he was going to try and get the cast to autograph his Playbill.
"Dale, hate to break it to you... but he's like a celebrity. He's got a bodyguard and probably goes out a back entrance after the show. You can maybe get a couple of the others, they usually just come out the front doors."
An hour later Dale had gotten five autographs for his collection. Jimmy had gone around the corner to get a soda and some cigarettes, when Dale saw him walk out of the Nederlander.
"Excuse me?"
Joey looked up. "Yeah?"
"I liked your performance tonight. Would you sign my Playbill?"
Joey was kind of sarcastic in his reply. "Oh, you gonna put it up on E-Bay?"
"No! I've been collecting autographs for a few years now. I'm branching out to Broadway now and I've been a fan of RENT for years. Now that I've finally seen it on Broadway I want to remember it. I've got all the rest of the principals already. You'd make it a complete set."
Joey reached for the Playbill and signed it. "Look, sorry for the snappy reply. I just got trampled by six girls who 'HAD TO MEET ME'. So who do I personalize this to?"
"Oh shit. I'm sorry. I'm Dale."
"Nice to meet you Dale, I'm Joey." He waited a couple of beats, and didn't get what he expected to get. "Joey Fatone."
Again nothing. Then Joey began getting mad.
"Oh come on. Don't tell me you haven't heard of me."
Just then Jimmy came back from the store. "Holy shit!" He began running towards Dale but Joey's security guy stopped him.
"Can I help you sir?"
"That's my friend! Let go of me you fucking walking house!"
Dale didn't even look over. "I'll meet you back at your house Jimmy."
"You sure Dale?"
Dale smiled at Joey. "Yeah. I'm sure. I have the address in my pocket so I'll catch a cab."
"Okay... if you're sure." Jimmy turned and went home.
Dale watched him leave, then turned back to Joey. "That's my friend Jimmy. He said you were some kind of popstar?"
"Yeah. N'Sync is the name of the group. I know you've heard of it."
Dale shook his head. "Actually... I haven't. I'm studying ethno-musicology specializing in European countries. I do have a fondness for stuff from the 1940s though. Love those Andrews Sisters!"
Joey looked at the big black guy who was his security guard... and laughed. Finally he looked back at Dale. "Are you for real?"
Dale got offended. "I tell you a bit about me and you laugh at me? That's rude." Dale turned to walk away but Joey stopped him.
"Do you want to go get a cup of coffee or something? You can tell me about this 'ethno- musicology' you're studying."
Dale thought about it for a second. "Okay, but it's my treat."
Joey grinned. "Deal."