Month: March 2024

Songbird: The Rise and Fall of Jimmy B. Chapter V

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CHAPTER V: VH1 Behind the Music

“Is your homework done?” Amanda asked her daughter Millie even though she knew the answer.

“I am just getting to it,” Millie replied rolling off the futon.

“I bet,” her mother said and picked up the remote.  “Let’s get rid of the distractions, shall we?” she aimed it at the television but stopped before turning it off.

“Whatever happened to Jimmy B.?” the unseen announcer in the television show asked.  “This is VH1 and you are watching Behind the Music, stay tuned.”

Amanda sat down on the futon.

“Mom?” Millie asked.  “What are you doing?”

“I loved Jimmy B.!” she said.  “You know, he was my very first concert.” She looked at her daughter.  “I was probably about your age.”

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Songbird: The Rise and Fall of Jimmy B. Chapter IV

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CHAPTER IV: Descent

Jimmy B sighed and closed his eyes. He hated playing this particular venue.  Two years ago he played at this arena and his whole life changed.  That was his first big concert with 20,000 screaming fans.  Nothing could have prepared him for the whirlwind that night thrust him into. 

For starters, his mom and his manager Pete drew definite lines after that concert.  Neither one was willing to give an inch on Jimmy’s future.  Pete was concerned with the bottom hard line: money and profit.  Namely his.  Jimmy’s mom was more motivated toward making sure her son was healthy and happy.  The two lines never crossed and Jimmy was stuck in the middle.  He often felt like a rope in a tug of war. 

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Songbird: The Rise and Fall of Jimmy B. Chapter III

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CHAPTER III: The Rise

Jimmy B’s knee bounced nervously.  He swallowed and swallowed again.  His mouth felt dry.  How was he going to sing with a dry mouth?

His new manager was looking over some forms and sat next to him on the couch.  “Son, you need to stop that thing from shaking.  I’m trying to read our agreement here.  I need to focus.”

Jimmy put his hand on his knee to get it to stop moving but it didn’t work.

“Jimmy,” his mother said, “why don’t you get yourself some water?”

He nodded and stood up.

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Songbird: The Rise and Fall of Jimmy B. Chapter II

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CHAPTER II: Discovered

Jimmy swept the floor dutifully.  He worked as a janitor for one of the small music studios that had opened during the disco fad and performed his duties with exactness and precision.  In this instance, his methodical and precise ways helped him excel.  Unlike when he went to school.  He managed to graduate a year after the rest of his class  but it was a struggle. The only way he made it was with his mom’s help.  That first year of junior high was particularly rough.  At least until his mom and him developed a coping system.  Every day he came home and discussed some new social situation he was unfamiliar with and together they developed a plan.  Armed with a memorized script of what to say if the situation arose again, he would go to school the following day.  Of course, what was rehearsed the night before rarely occurred two days in a row but after several months, he had enough scripts and practiced scenarios he was able to navigate school. 

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Songbird: The Rise and Fall of Jimmy B. Chapter I

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CHAPTER I: School

James Bernard Peternelli sat in the chair quietly.  Just as his mother instructed him to do.  Of course, everything James Bernard did was donequietly.  That is why he was sitting outside the junior high school’s principal’s office.  He could hear his mother’s raised voice as she spoke with the principal and guidance counselor.  Did he understand the meeting concerned his fate at the school?  The school officials didn’t think so but his mother certainly did.  That was why the two of them were at the school.  His mother was determined to prove he had every right to be taught in the public school.

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