Part 6 (1/2)

But the good news was that WSTO had already received some mail and calls about the show - all raves! Mom and Dad had promised to take Janine and me out for dinner on Sat.u.r.day evening. As usual, I was late getting dressed. Mom had already called me twice from downstairs. I could hear the car starting in the driveway.

Rrrrrring! Oh, great. Of all times for a phone call.

I thought about letting the answering machine take the call. But I didn't do it. Quickly I picked up the receiver. ”h.e.l.lo?” ”Claudia, it's me, Kristy.” ”Oh, hi. Listen, I need to - ” ”I think I've got it!” ”Got what?” ”An act. A great one. When can we audition?” My heart sank.

I should have let the machine answer it.

Chapter 10.

”Knock, knock,” said Jackie Rodowsky.

”Who's there?” I asked.

”Lena.” ”Lena who?” Jackie grinned. ”Lena little closer and I'll tell you!” Hahahahahahahahaha! That was a laugh track. Bob was sitting with us in the conference room and fooling around with sound equipment.

We were halfway through our Tuesday auditions. The turnout was even bigger than last time, but the talent wasn't as good. (Bob said that when a show becomes popular, everybody wants to hop aboard.) Jackie was giggling so hard at the laugh track, he could barely deliver the next joke.

”Knock knock,” he finally said.

”Who's there?” Ashley, Bob, and I all asked.

”Hatch.” ”Hatch who?” ”Gesundheit!” Hoo hoo hee hee ho ho ho! Bob was now playing a recording of one man bellowing with laughter. Well, Jackie laughed so hard at that, he fell off his chair.

He grabbed onto the table on his way down. Unfortunately, Ashley's and my half-filled plastic water cups were on it.

The table tipped and wobbled. Cups, papers, and pens went flying off the end.

”Whoa!” Ashley yelled.

Bob bolted out of his seat to help Jackie, who had been bopped by a flying cup. ”Are you okay?” he asked.

His face was red and his hair was wet. ”Oops,” was all he said.

”It's my fault,” Bob said. ”Those laugh tracks are too distracting.” It wasn't his fault. He just doesn't know Jackie. ”The Walking Disaster” is how the BSC members refer to him. Falling and spilling are two of his greatest talents. I keep hoping he'll grow out of it, but he hasn't yet.

After Ash and I helped clean Jackie up, Bob thanked him for the audition and guided him safely back to the waiting room.

I sat down again and gathered my notes. Next to Jackie's name I wrote, Cute, but where to fit?

Ash and I had become much smarter about these auditions. We had decided on the themes for our next three shows in advance - ”It Ain't Easy Being a Kid,” ”My Favorite Place in the World/' and ”What Are You Reading?” ”Guys, we have a return customer!” Bob announced as he entered the room again.

Behind him was Kristy, clutching a few stapled-together sheets of white paper.

And behind her, also holding sheets, trudged Adam, Jordan, Byron, Vanessa, Nicky, Margo, and Claire Pike.

”Claudia-silly-billy-goo-goo!” Claire called out.

”h.e.l.lo, everybody, we are the Thomas-Pike players!” Kristy announced.

”Pike-Thomas,” I heard Byron mutter.

Kristy read from the papers: ” Today we present the story of a very . . . neat monster.' ” She looked at each of us and grinned, as if she'd told a joke.

Then Jordan began reading in a mumble so low I could barely hear him. ” The monna nimwa Oogelbee and he luvva be clean.' ” ”Speak up!” Kristy whispered.

But before Jordan could repeat it, Vanessa shouted, ” 'EVERY TIME HE DID SOME-~ THING SCARY, HE WAS JUST UPSET ABOUT THE MESS.' ” Mar go held up her sheet in front of her face. ” 'Like . . . the time . . .when he ... um, arrived home . . . and he ... he saw Rr . . . Rrroo style - ' ” ”Rustylocks, you dummy!” Nicky hissed.

Margo stuck out her tongue. ” 'Rusty-locks,' ” she continued. ” 'And ... he - '” ”Hey! My turn!” Adam said. ” 'And he said, ”You ate my food but you didn't put the plate in the dishwasher.” ' ” Kristy laughed. ”Great, Adam!” Ashley gave me a sideways glance. She had this tense, little smile on her face.

Bob looked totally bewildered.

And I knew I was going to be making another painful phone call.

After the auditions, Ashley and I carefully pored over our lists.

”I liked the kid who knew sports trivia,” I said.

Ashley made a face. ”I hate sports.” ”I do, too. But I think kids will like him.” ”Well, that's probably true.” ”A keeper?” ”Yup. How about Jackie?” I just gave her a Look.

She sighed. ”Yeah, I feel the same way.” You know what? Ashley was improving. Either that or I was being more tolerant. What- ever. The thing is, I didn't feel like strangling her every two seconds.

Maybe every two minutes. (Just kidding.) A moment later Bob poked his head in the room. ”You guys hungry? I'm on my way to the snack machine to get a Milky Way or something.” I reached into my shoulder bag. ”Is a Snickers okay?” ”Sure. But what about you?” ”I have more.” I tossed him the Snickers and began rummaging through my bag. ”Milk Duds, Peppermint Patties, and I think a box of Raisinets.” Ashley laughed. ”What, no Heath bar?” ”Ohhhh, sorry,” I said. ”I ate it on the way over.” ”Man, I would love to be your dentist,” Bob remarked, biting into the Snickers bar. He plopped himself into his chair. ”Maybe that's what I should do, become a dental a.s.sistant.” ”Right,” Ashley said.

”I'm serious. I may need the work soon, the way things are going here.” ”Uh-oh,” I said. ”Are they going to fire you?” Bob shrugged. ”You know what they say: 'Last one hired, first one fired.' Mr. Bullock tries to be positive about it all, but he's been dropping hints.” ”What'll you do?” Ashley asked.

”I don't know. I'm only paid a small stipend here, but I really need it. It goes right to my tuition. Maybe I'll leave college for awhile.” I didn't know what to say. Neither did Ash-ley. He looked so sad.

Over Bob's shoulder, I noticed that the clock read 6:27. My dad was supposed to pick up Ashley and me at six-thirty. ”Um, we have to go,” I said.

”I'll walk you to the parking lot/' Bob volunteered.

We gathered our stuff and began heading down the hall toward the front door.

”I just can't imagine Stoneybrook without WSTO/' I said. ”I remember listening to it when I was a kid.” Bob nodded. ”Me, too. And my parents heard the end of World War Two announced on WSTO when they were kids. Our listeners are going to be shocked big-time if the station goes down the drain.” ”Don't they know about it?” Ashley asked.

”Nahhh,” Bob replied. ”The station policy has been to keep it quiet. If our advertisers find out, they'll want to desert us. No one wants to stay aboard a sinking s.h.i.+p.” I waved to Max and pushed the front door open. ”That's dumb. If you get more people to listen, then the advertisers will want to put ads in the show. Right?” ”Yup,” Bob said, holding the door for Ashley.

”So let everybody know,” I went on. ”The listeners care about the station. Maybe they can write to advertisers. Or donate money. Like an emergency fund.” ”True,” Bob said. ”I mean, it's not the way things are done in commercial radio, but - ” ”I think it's unfair not to tell the listeners,” Ashley remarked.

”I suppose I could broadcast an editorial,” Bob said. ”But I'd have to get Mr. Bullock's permission.” ”Write an article for the Stoneybrook News, too,” I suggested. ”That way you might reach some new listeners.” Honk! Honk! Dad was parked in a spot at the other end of the lot. He waved at us.