Chapter 5
Phillip called early the next morning and Taylor answered because the phone was right above his head. He didn’t seem to happy about it and was gruff. I drug myself out of bed to get the phone from him because he refused to get up and walk the 3 steps across to me.
“Hello Phillip. Do you know what time it is? Do you also know how much we hate you right now?”
“Ahh yes and yes. I have to get up and meet the guys in our group for a photo shoot and I thought you’d like to know where it was so you could come see. That guy could come too…to make it up to him for bothering his “much needed rest” since I guess I made him stay up last night too. Remind me never to call early again.”
“Oh don’t worry I will remind you. Let me get paper and pen so I can write the address down. I’m sure we’d love to come see your shoot.” I shot a look across at Taylor.
“It’s at Central Park near the petting Zoo. We can go out for a bite after that if you want. I made arrangements for tickets to a play tonight. I hope you don’t have other plans. If you do then I can change it, but I do want to see and spend time with you.”
“Ok ok I get it. Cut the sweet talk. That seems fine. Just give me a few minutes to do my hair. You’ll be going to church with us tomorrow, right?”
“Yeah. So I’ll see you later?”
“Uh huh. Bye.” And I hung up. I wasn’t in the mood for long goodbyes. I didn’t really want to see him get his picture taken, although I could take some myself. I hadn’t had a chance in a while.
“So we have to go see him strut his stuff. I was going to clean today.”
“Oh yes you have to come with me. I would die of boardom because even though it starts early you know it will go on forever. I’ll take pictures to so we won’t be so board. And we don’t have to watch all of it.”
“I propose going back to bed for a while then we can get Isaac and Zac to come along too. More fun that way.”
“Ay ay captain.”
(Day 16)I awoke around what I thought was ten minutes later to the sound of someone banging on our door. Taylor jumped out of bed and ran to the door. A stupid move considering it could have been a mass murderer, but it wasn’t and mass murderers ususally don’t bang on the door to be let in. Zac came barging in followed by Isaac.
“Wake up call. It’s time to wake up and do things with your brothers who have been neglected.”
“I didn’t negelect you. You’ve been working along with me too. Homework hasn’t taken up that much time, so don’t whine. We actually have your day planned out. We’re going to a photo shoot for Melissa’s friend, Phillip. Doesn’t that sound like fun.”
“Look I can’t help it if he wants us to come so thanks for that Mr. Sarcasm. You’re both going to have to come so we won’t die of boardom. Phillip will be to busy to notice anything, like ususal so it won’t matter if I invited extra people. Besides you can pose for some pictures for me.”
“Fine we’ll go, but next week we go to the music thing that’s here. Why does you friend have a photo shoot in the first place?”
“It’s a long story, we’ll explain later.” Taylor and I got into the bathroom and started our routine for getting ready. Brushing teeth, washing faces and he slipping in the shower while I put my hair in rollers. I slipped out to pick out clothes for both of us and found the boys sprawled all over our bed watching Sally do makeovers to hoochie mothers.
“Is that the way the mothers look backstage,” Zac said pointing to me.
“They only wish they looked as good as I do,” I laughed in mock supieriority. When I gathered clothes I packed my camera bag with rolls of black and white and a few color. Then loaded the zoom lense I worked all summer to get.
(Day17 free) (Day 18)I took the clothes back in the bathroom and changed then proceeded to unroll my hair. Taylor got out and I closed my eyes as he got dressed too. Sharing the bathroom like this was born out of necessity so we just tried to be semi modest and get things done quickly. Getting up in the morning was progressivly harder so sharing was becoming the norm. He started blow-drying and I finished.
“Now we have to wait on Princess Taylor to finish his beauty regimine.” Isaac quiped, “He takes forever, and it’s worse on ‘special’ days like this.”
“Surely he’s not jelous and wants to look better than your friend.”
“I think he’s just taking his time, do you really want to sit at a photo shoot for five thousand hours? I don’t. Of course being brothers does give you the right to rag on him. Actually being his friend gives me that right too…but I have to live with him.”
Around ten minuetes later Taylor immerged looking bright and ‘special’, as Isaac put it. No apoligies, he grabbed my arm and tugged me off the bed. “Let’s get this over with. I hope he pays attention to you, because if he doesn’t I’m personally making him leave you alone. I hate sitting through shoots.”
“Well let me remind you this wasn’t my idea, but at least he’s making an effort and I have to as well.” We set off on foot for the subway when Zac asked,”What’s all this business about him treating you right? Y’all went out didn’t you?”
“We went out for a while, but music was more important than seeing me once a week. I got fed up and ended it by leaving for college. He came here to work on an album and try to win me back. No doubt trying also to get me to go to school back in Texas. My family was not to happy for me to leave and go far away and they love him and our relationship.”
“And now he’s trying to show her that he will pay attention to her and music stuff which brings us to the current task of going to this dang photo shoot. Melissa, he’s not going to change. Musicians either can handle relationships or they cant. Everyone trys, but as you see on Behind the Music it doesn’t work out until they give something up.”
“Well Taylor, at least he’s trying, maybe he’ll give up before she has to.” Isaac countered. “I have hope for all music relationships.”
“Thanks I guess I need to be blown back into reality once and a while.” We showed our passes and boarded the train to Central Park. “You know I’ve never been here. All these months and I pass by it but never went. I really want to see the Imagine thing. My friend’s say it’s awe inspiring
(Day 19)”"We’ve been there. It really is cool…you never really see the entire park in one visit. You have to go back.” Taylor commented, he’d been silent for a while after his spouting of words. “I really didn’t mean what I said.”
“You really did Taylor, and you’re right. Maybe he’s the kind that can’t love both music and me but I guess I have to give him a second chance. It’s in my blood. The Gilmore’s are notorious forgivers, we always give the men second chances. That’s how my mother and I survive each other.”
In a muffled loudspeaker/fastfood speaker voice,”Central Park stop.” Then the train jolted and door opened with the sound of compressed air. We all ambled out and tromped up the steps to daylight that stung my eyes. And across the street in all its glory was the famed Central Park. All those Baby Sitter’s Club books could not do it justice. Still suprisingly green after the winter had started to set in and just inviting you to take your shoes off and run through. I’m sure taking your shoes off was agianst the law and kind of dangerous, not to mention cold in this weather, but one could dream.
“Now how do we get to the place they’re shooting?”
“Well I’d look for the crowd…that’s usually where it is. Or we could just ask for directions.”
“I say follow the crowd.” I squinted across the lawn to look for a large gathering and spotted one half way down. We set off and my breath was coming in short gasps when we arrived. Phillip spotted us and waved, which angered the photographer and the person in charge.
“Phillip stop waving and act serious. You want to get this done soon right?”, an angry director yelled.
“Yeah right, don’t believe them hun. You’ll be here forever and never want to be a rockstar again, until the next exciting part is dangled in your face.” I mumbled under my breath. “That’s for sure.” Affirmed Zac.
“Well we’ve made our appearance so let’s set up for my photo shoot.”
“At your service madam.”
(Day20)“Let’s see. They have good light here and it’s not too windy. We’ll just stay here, but please dahlings ignoah all the on lookahs,” I said in my best bostonian/southern accent. They moved in perfect sequence to the camera naturally smiling and clowning around without me having to even say anything. It was like they knew how to capture the light in their hair while being fun for my camera. I adjusted the f-stop for fast action and started shooting. I ran out of film before I decided to change locations, or atleast have them change positons. “Why don’t you lay down in the grass, if you don’t mind…with your fancy clothes and all.”
“Oh that’s allright, nothing some shout can’t fix, eh? Beside it’s your week to do the laundry.”
“Just wait until next week when I get my clothes really dirty…I think I’ll change at least 3 times per day.”
“Alright,” Taylor laughed while laying back on the grass with his brothers,”how’s this?”
“That’s great.” I captured a few shots of them separatly and then wide angled together. “Now get in a circle, with your heads and feet almost touching…wow that brings déjà vu.” I shivered, it was like I’d seen myself do this before, but it couldn’t be. “Now altogether with your heads as the axl to a radial thing…yeah that’s great…it’s like you read my mind.”
“And what a pretty mind to read.” Phillip layed his hand on my shoulder and I slipped while taking the picture.
“Well that’s ruined. Can we try that again?”
“Oh sorry.”
“Are we finished I’m hungry.” Zac pointedly rubbed his stomach.
“Oh yeah that was amazing. I hope these rolls work out. The lighting was perfect.”
“So you can eat lunch with me?” Phillip asked pointedly.
“Ahh, I guess so. Why don’t y’all join us?”
“Sure, we’re up for it if you are Phill?” Zac sneered.
(Day 21)“Mmm yeah whatever Melissa wants.”
“Ok I want a pony and a house in Oklahoma and a big bowl of real mashpotatos. And I want to once again see my sister’s ponytail dance in glee. It’s not exactly John the Babtist’s head on a platter so I think that I can expect you to do that.”
“John the Baptist I can give you, but your sister I do not know. Your other demands will be met in due time, but release the prisoners unharmed. And don’t jump, put the gun down too.” Taylor grinned. It’s possible for him to grin words with that unreleased smile he gives in moments of pure joking. It makes the hairs on my arms stand up. He hums in his sleep too. It’s this same distinctive sequence of notes that plays over in my mind as I sleep but never comes to me during the day. I wish I could figure out what it is because he must be obsessed over it.
“I’ll settle for a lunch with some of the luckiest guys I know.” We walked to a café and ate. Not many snide comments were exchanged and few feelings were hurt. Everyone walked back to the dorms with me. “If I want to be pretty for the show tonight I need some time. So disperse and let me do my thing.”
I retreated into my thoughts as I methodically washed and dryed my hair. I know this charade with Phillip couldn’t last much longer because I’m growing tierd of seeing if he can pass or fail. It’s unfair to him…wait I’m rationalizing this like I did before I left. That made me go without even a word to him. I could leave now and just go into hiding under my bedcovers or take a train to somewhere and be a bum. But then Taylor would worry and I don’t want to put him through that. He’s a better roommate and friend than Phillip ever was. I have to let him have a chance maybe he really changed. I hope he did. Memories of the “good ole days” are wonderful. We hung out at coffee bars with great live bands and stalked the downtown to find great music. It was all about the music. That’s what ruined us.
(Day 22)A knock interupted my analyzing. “Who is it?”
“It’s me, Phillip. You know dream-date Phillip like movie date Ben.”
“Yeah yeah. We’ll see if you’re dream date material.”
“Madam take my hand and be lead to a wonderful night. First a play and then dinner. Oh and roses for m’lady. Purple.” He offered his hand full of lavender roses the kind he gave me at my prom.
“Oh Philip you remembered (that’s so trite, but it had to be done at least once). We don’t have a vase, but I’m sure a Dr. Pepper Bottle will do. You look wonderful. Like prom night.”
“And you look better than ever.” He took my hand and twirled me around. “A new woman, very confident. You’re soaking up this New York attitude.”
--Ok this is getting boaring for everyone. They had a wonderful night and rest of the time Phillip was there. He was once again her perfect music man, but as Robert Frost says nothing gold can stay.—

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