Milajua 56265

“You heard the news, right, Proud Mary? Prince is calling for tryouts. New band. He calls it “NPG”. New Power Generation. That’s big.”

“Tryouts? For real? In Minneapolis?”

“Where else, Mary? He’s not coming to Milajua, honey. We have to drive two hours, maybe more.”

“I’d drive twelve hours, Flowers. This is it. This is the moment.”

“Moment for what, Chrys? You think he’s looking for backup singers from a town with one stoplight and a cobblestone road on Main Street?”

“Prince is an experiment waiting to happen!”

“Don’t start, Flowers. Proud Mary’s got pipes. You know she does. Why you think we gave her that Credence Clearwater Revival-Tina Turner nickname?”

“Thank you. At least someone believes.”

“I believe in reality. Reality says Prince already has ten dozen women lined up in sequins and heels.”

“Reality also says he likes talent. And we got that, especially with Proud Mary on lead vocals.”

“Me? Please. I sing in church. That’s not the same as singing ‘Purple Rain’ out in front of the man himself.”

“It’s not about ‘Purple Rain.’ It’s about something new. Something bold.”

“What about me? I can’t sing as well as you two, but I can move. Dance is half the battle.”

“Half the battle is getting there. Who’s got a car that won’t die on I-94?”

“Mine will make it, Chrys. Barely. But it’ll do.”

“Barely isn’t good enough, Mary. We need to pull up looking like we were meant to be there.”

“Looking like we were meant to be there? In Milajua, that means Eucharist church white, mantillas, and gloves.”

“Not anymore. It can work, even if we had to use that for a theme. Sexy Chapel Girls, SCG for the NPG! We’ll make it work. I’ve got sequins from prom for those white spike heel boots we saw at Chapman’s. Flowers, you’ve got those mantillas at the shop, right? White lace bras…we’re in.”

“The boots that pinch and two of them are shorties, with only one pair of thigh highs? Sure.”

“You two are insane, Chrys.”

“Insane is staying here forever, watching the snow pile up while life happens somewhere else.”

“She’s right, Flowers Jo Brown. Don’t you ever wonder what it feels like to be seen? Really seen?”

“Seen by Prince? Fantasy.”

“Every dream starts as a fantasy.”

“So what? Are we doing this? And how are we going to tip out of a one-horse town looking like church sluts in pristine white and spike heeled boots, ‘Maranatha Jones’!?”

“I didn’t say that, girl.”

“You didn’t say no, Mary.”

“I didn’t say yes either.”

“Proud Mary, without you, we got nothing. You’ve got the voice that makes people jump up and shout. You hide it behind hymns.”

“Hymns are safe, Chrys.”

“Safe is boring, honey chile.”

“Safe is Milajua. So what’s wrong with Milajua?”

“Nothing, Mary. It’s home, it’s a small town, except it’s not where dreams come to live or stay very long.”

“Dreams live in Minneapolis. At Paisley Park.”

“You sound like a recording company ad.”

“Point and she scores! Crowd noise. Maybe I can sell that as a slogan to Warner Brothers.”

“So we go. Saturday. Early. Auditions start at 3, we can be there, by noon.”

“I’ll pack my heels.”

“I’ll pack my doubts.”

“Pack your voice instead, Flowers.”

“And maybe a little courage too, Flowers.”

“Then let’s go.”

“Let’s go.”

“Fine. I’ll go, but I reserve the right to chicken out at any moment.”

________________________________________

“This car smells like old fries, Chrys.”

“That’s the smell of hunger and ambition.”

“Ambition is greasy?”

“Better than smelling like stuck.”

“Now you two sound like a motivational poster.”

“And you sound like someone who’s scared, Flowers.”

“I’m scared, Chrys.”

“Good. Fear is good. It will push you to do your level best. Sing like you do in church. Dance like hot coals and snakes are under your feet!”

“Sing something Aretha Franklin now, Mary.”

“What? While we’re driving?”

“We’re not driving. Chrys is.”

“Okay, but no laughing. This means YOU, Driver Girl.”

“I’m still working on that look we got from The Black Widow when we was loading up in Jack’s car behind the barn. That was funny as hell!”

“How can you just leave me standing… alone in a world so cold…”

“Girl. That ain’t Aretha. That’s playing with purple fire, and we gonna get purple burnt.”

“I’m not thinking clearly at the moment, that’s the first thing that came up.”

“Can’t crash and burn now, chile, we’re on the way in.”

“Crash and burn in white sequins.”

“Speaking of sequins, Flowers Jo, hand me that bag on your left side.”

“This one? Lord, it’s heavy.”

“Dreams are heavy.”

“Yeah. Dreams and too much hairspray.”

“And heels that pinch.”

“I’m trying not to think about it. Besides, we won’t put them on until 15 minutes before we get called up.”

“I need 20 minutes. The boot zipper gets stuck. We’re almost there.”

“Paisley Park?”

“No. 2300 Jackson Street, Gary Indiana. 46407.”

“Ooooo, you’re too funny, Mary!”

________________________________________

“This carpet got spilt beans.”

“Don’t start. I’m already nauseous.”

“You’ll be fine, Flowers Jo.”

“What if we see him tonight?”

“Prince? Here? In Heartbreak Motel on the bad side of Chanhassen? Gril, puh-lease.”

“What about tomorrow?”

“Thought that was the point, Mary. We’re parked and put up now, so let’s hear it. Watcha got?”

“What if he gives us something and we’re all practiced up on Natural Woman.”

“He might. But let’s go with him asking us to just give it what we got.”

“What if he throws one at us and expects us to know it on demand?”

“Then we’re going big, or we’re going home.”

“Name something he might toss Chrys.”

“ADORE?”

“We got that one. Let’s do it, Melt Ice Voice.”

“Stop.”

“Then we will sleep after. Tomorrow’s big.”

________________________________________

“Look at those lights, Mary. They’re… perfect.”

“Uhm, I’m getting snails in the larder. I think we don’t belong.”

“We do belong. You can’t show up and back out, you was s’posed to back out before we left.”

“Showing up ain’t gonna cut it. Look at the competition, Chrys…taller and leggier than us, wearing outside black garter belts too. Hot Church Girl Virgin might not have been a good idea.”

“They look like the women who cheat with the pastors behind the First Lady’s back. At least we’re clean. Besides, I can’t breathe. I’m having a panic attack, Flowers!”

“Breathe. And smile.”

“Listen. I hear his voice.”

“Prince?”

“No. Michael Jackson, girlfriend. Talking to his other four brothers and Papa Joe.”

“Okay smart ass! Either way, I’m going to faint.”

“Don’t. You’ll ruin your makeup and smudge that sequined white lace bra.”

“Focus Mary. When they call our names, we go in like we own the room.”

“Own the room? I can barely own these damned heels, or this damn bra! How in the hell did I let you talk me into this outfit! Damn sequins!.”

“What if he hates us?”

“What if he loves us, Flowers?”

“What if he doesn’t even look up, Chrys?”

“Then he’s listening for sound, sight unseen.”

“You’re crazy.”

“Crazy got us here, but we need insane to get through it.”

“Milajua gals? You’re up.”

“That be us.”

“Oh God!.”

“We prayed and had church on the way here already. Let’s go!”

________________________________________

“Stand on the purple line, ladies…Milajua, huh? Never heard of it.”

“You will tonight.”

“Confidence. I like that. Who sings lead, or are you a three-way sang gang?”

“We all do, but Proud Mary has the lead on this.”

“Why you call her Proud Mary? Is that her real name?”

“She pulls vocals like Tina Turner, and melts ice into clear water.”

“Hmph! Let’s hear it then.’”

“Looking out on the morning rain, I used to feel so uninspired. And when I knew I had to face another day, Lord, it made me feel so tired. Before the day I met you, life was so unkind. But you're the key to my peace of mind…'Cause you make me feel, you make me feel...You make me feel like a natural woman (Woman). When my soul was in the lost and found You came along to claim it. I didn't know just what was wrong with me 'Til your kiss helped me name it. Now I'm no longer doubtful of what I'm living for…And if I make you happy, I don't need to do more…”

“Stop!…interesting.”

“Interesting good?”

“Interesting enough to keep you here for Round Two, but you got them over there to compete with. Think you’re up to it?”

“You mean—”

“Don’t get ahead of yourself. There’s work tonight. Lots of it.”

“We work hard.”

“Believe it or not, I also hear very well. Welcome to the next round.”

“Next round?”

“Tomorrow. Be ready. Same time, same station. And bring your best ADORE.”

“Toldja….”

____________________________________________________

“I can’t feel my feet.”

“That’s because you danced like your life depended on it, R.E.S.P.E.C.T.”

“I DID? I don’t remember it, but I guess my feet aren’t hurting for no reason.”

“We’re in the next round. Or did you black out after he said it? That’s something.”

“He said, ‘Be ready, Chrys.’ That’s practically a yes. You ready?”

“No. But I will be.”

“Let’s stir it up and get that harmony on point. This is the big leagues, not a church play.”

“Purple and gold, Flowers Jo Brown.”

“And sequins, Mary Proud Mary.”

“And sweat, Chrysalis June Roberts.”

“And sweaty hope.”

“Hope in a bottle—three small town women in a gross motel room, dreaming big.”

“Dreaming while freezing. Turn up the old coils.”

“The heater’s humming.”

“Let’s hum along with it. I’m not tired. I’m still wired. I can’t stop replaying the look on his face.”

“Behind those sunglasses?”

“Yeah. Did you see him smile?”

“In your dreams, Mary. He stayed neutral blank the whole time.”

“No, he smiled at you.”

“I think he doesn’t want to get our hopes up.”

“The Milajua Tritet. How’s that for a name?”

“Sounds like a jazz band playing 'Ray’s on the River' in Atlanta, or 'Sambucca Cafe'. Remember Sambucca when we took our vacations together in Georgia a few years back?”

“Sounds like a Flowers Brown joke.”

“It’s not a joke, Chrys. He heard us and told us to advance forward.”

“We made him stop.”

“Stop and say ‘interesting’, Flowers.’”

“So, we’re ‘interesting’. What’s wrong with that? We didn’t get put out with that Dancing Man cane from Showtime at the Apollo!”

“Interesting is not good! Or great! Or fabulous! It’s dangerous.”

“Danger is exciting.”

“Chrys, you are always looking for the Big Leap into whatever-have-you.”

“Predictability is death. In slow motion. We want more, right?”

“More than lake snow and a 200-year-old hymn book? Sure.”

“Hymns are beautiful.”

“So is punk funk. And freedom.”

“What if we falter?”

“Then we falter loud and proud.”

“With sequins on. He didn’t even say nothing about our outfits.”

“He sees models in underwear all day every day. What’s new? Prince is a man. A brilliant Afro-Latino man...”

“It had a bad church girl theme.”

“What if he picks only one of us?”

“Then the other two get to go home.”

“Then the other two stay and cheer. We’ve seen it before, auditioning for church plays and community social skits.”

“Would you really cheer for me this time?”

“Who says it’s you, Mary? Chrys has the lead on ADORE.”

“Even if it’s me?”

“Especially if it’s you, girl. Fire in sequins.”

“You and your sequins.”

“Sequins are my armor, Flowers.”

“Armor shines, it don’t sparkle and glitter.”

“It does if you put sequins on it.”

“I just choked on my epiglottis!”

“Just don’t choke on your vocal cords. You’ll be alright.”

“Not if I’m dead from choking. You and your damned armor with sequins on it!”

“Now we sleep.”

“Sleep with sequins.”

“Shut up, Chrys!”

“Tomorrow, we shine.”

“Or burn.”

“Or both.”

____________________________________________

“Alright. Milajua trio. Let’s hear it.”

“We’re ready.”

“Oh, baby, oh, yeah! oh yeah! Until the end of time, I'll be there for you; You own my heart and mind Truly I adore you. If God one day struck me blind Your beauty I'll still see. Love is too weak to define. Just what you mean to me. From the first moment I saw you…I knew you were the one. That night I had to call you, I was rappin' 'til the sun came up…”

“Full stop. Give me the track without the vocals, man…Music. Match it, ladies.”

“Oh, baby, oh, oh yeah! Until the end of time, I'll be there for you; You own my heart and mind Truly I adore you. If God one day struck me blind Your beauty I'll still see. Love is too weak to define. Just what you mean to me. From the first moment I saw you…I knew you were the one. That night I had to call you, I was rappin' 'til the sun came up…”

“Stop.”

“Already?”

“Yeah.”

“Was it that bad?”

“No. It was… good.”

“Good? Yesterday it was interesting…”

“Good isn’t great.”

“We can be great.”

“You can. Just not today. I need sharp cuts like an obsidian steak knife. But your butterknife is working out, just not for me.”

“We can cut.”

“Not deep enough. That’s a wrap. Call the next group, please.”

“We failed.”

“You showed up. That’s not failure.”

“It feels like it.”

“Feelings lie, Chrysalis. Keep singing. Isn’t that what your name means—an emerging butterfly. You know I like those.”

“For?”

“For yourself, and the future.”

“Ours just shattered.”

“Next! Goodbye Ladies. And good luck.”

________________________________________________

________________________________________________

“I can’t feel my feet again, Chrys.”

“That’s because the ground’s gone from under us, Mary.”

“Hey! We tried. He said showing up is not cause for failure. Besides, at least he gave us a Round Two.”

“So, what now?”

“So, we head home.”

“I got the car freshener while we were out having lunch.”

“Stop.”

“What do we do for a non-encore?”

“We keep singing. He would want us to.”

“For who?”

“For us. For Milajua.”

“For a broken dream?”

“Especially if it’s broken.”

“Broken glass shines and sparkles. Like sequins.”

“Still true.”

“Was it worth it?”

“Of course it was. We made a memory out of dreams. We made a manifestation of silk purses out of a sow’s ear. We took a road trip two hours away to Chanhassen. We don’t get out enough. What you ladies think?”

“We’ve got work to do.”

“The sun’ll come out, tomorrow. So we gotta hang on til tomorrow, when there’ll be sun…”

“TOMORROW! TOMORROW! WE LOVE YA TOMORROW! YOU’RE ONLY A DAY AWAY!”