Gaby Book 28 ~ Balancing Trick ~ Chapter *32*

Gaby Book 28  Balancing Trick by Maddy Bell Copyright© 2023 Madeline Bell

"Well hello there,” I offered as Drea tugged her mother towards the hatch, "Wasn’t expecting to see you again today.”
"Me either,” Bern noted, "The Express has a problem, cows on the line or something, so it was either sit and wait for who knows how long or call for a lift from here, so daddy,” she ruffled her daughters hair, "Is on his way down, thought we might as well come and see you while we wait.”
"Pwincess!” Drea enthused.
"Coffee?”
"I could murder a cuppa to be honest but, I’ll wait ‘til we get home, just a carton of juice for this one please.”
"Orange or blackcurrant?”
"Orange I think.”
"Go sit, I’ll be right over, I’m due a break anyhow.”

I passed the boxed drink down to Drea who happily grasped her prize.

"How much?” Bern opened her purse and started shuffling coins.
"That’s alright, my treat.”
"If you’re sure?”
"I’m sure, go, I’ll be over in a mo.”

"Looks like money’s tight,” Kris opined.
"Yeah,” I agreed as I sorted out a couple of cups, "Do us a favour, put out a couple of slices of that lemon torte and one of those kiddies cake things.”
"Sure, so how do you know Bern?”

Of course, Kris wasn’t one of the Angels, she doesn’t know the real back story.

"Not a lot to tell really,” I started as the coffee machine dripped my beverage into the cup, "We were in Grundschule together back in England with my cousin.”
"The one that looks like your twin?”
"Uh huh, Maddy, then we were at the same Realschule until we moved here. We used to do Cheer together and stuff.”

Yeah, loads of ‘stuff’!

"So how come she came to Germany?”

I replaced my coffee cup with a fresh one and pressed for hot water.

"She had some issues at home so she came to stay with us for a bit, met Mart and the rest is history,” I concluded.
"Bad luck getting caught with the Kind.”

I’m certainly not telling her that bit of the tale.

"These things happen,” I noted.
"I guess,” she allowed, "You want these on a tray?”
"Please.”
 

"Here we go,” I announced as I slid the tray onto the table, "One tea and lemon torte for mama and a special cake for Drea!”
"Gaby,” Bern admonished, "You shouldn’t have, I mean.”
"Can’t I treat my friends? Max was here nearly every day last summer scrounging his lunch.”
"He is your boyfriend.”
"And you’re my girl friend, can’t I treat my friends once in a while?”
"Gaby,” she sighed.

"So how did the shopping go?” I prompted once cake and beverages were distributed.
"Not well, have you seen the price of kiddies shoes?”
"Not something I usually shop for.”
"Guess not,” Bern agreed.
"Not cheap then.”
"Could’ve got two pairs for me for the same as one for madom.”
"But you did get some?”
"After a bit of a hissy fit, someone wanted Patent which, I’ll admit, did look kind of cute.”
"But not very durable?” I suggested.
"They’d be wrecked in a day with this one, Drea, show Aunty Gab your new shoes.”

After a fight to get the box out of her cute Diddl back pack, the excited toddler opened the box, tore open the tissue to reveal a pair of sparkly pink ballerina style shoes.

"Oo, they’re lovely Drea, did you pick them yourself?”
"Wiv mummy.”
"Have you got a dress to match?”

The question seemed to throw her as she turned at looked at Bern.

"She’s got a sparkly princess dress haven’t you?” Bern supplied.
"Pwincess ‘ike Gaby!”

I am not encouraging that, nope, not happening. I did cop a look at the size, twenty five and the price, almost thirty euros. Sheesh, I see what Bern means about the prices.

"Oh, while I remember, you fancy doing a few shifts here over the summer?”
"Can I let you know, what are we talking?”
"Maybe a couple of days? It looks like Nena will be away a fair bit so we’ll be short just when we start getting busy.”
"If I can sort out something for this one and getting here of course, the extra euros would come in handy.”
"Well let me know eh?”
"I will, thanks Gab.”

By the time I got back to Chez Bond it was nearly five which left me, sugar barely an hour to get fed, showered, changed and on my way to tonight’s gig down in Bad Neuenahr. Plenty of time I hear you say, which it should be but you know what its like, time just flows away and suddenly you should have left five minutes ago. On the plus side I already had my gig ‘outfit’ out and I only had to feed myself as Dad and Mand had an invite to the Pingers.

"You need a lift kiddo?” Dad called out from the lounge.
"I was gonna go on the Mofa.”
"Your choice, the offer’s there.”
"When are you leaving?” I asked poking my head around the door.
"Er,” he checked his watch, "Half an hour?”
That sealed it, "Done, I can get a taxi back.”
"We’ll pick you up, no point in paying out when we’re just round the corner. Do you know what time you’ll be done?”

Good question, I scanned the grey matter, what did Stefan say, two sets eight thirty and ten.

"The second set starts at ten, its supposed to be thirty minutes, probably packed and done by eleven?”
"Okay, that’s fine, if we’re not there we won’t be far away. So what’s the theme of this disco, eighties? Nineties?”
"Nothing like that just over twenty one’s.”
"So what’s with the, er, outfit?”

I moved into the room proper.

"Just thought it’d be a bit sort of disco-ey.”
"Back in the eighties,” Dad noted.
"Geez Gab, what’re you going as?” Mand enquired arriving to join us, "Very retro.”
"Thats sort of the idea,” I pointed out.
"Have to do something with that hair though,” she stated.
 

We got to the Kursaal a bit early but a five minute wait in the car saw Animal arrive in the BlauHase van with the others in close attendance in Big Jo’s car.

"Well this is me,” I opined.
"Got everything?” Dad queried again.
I made a show of checking my bag, "Handy, purse, microphone, cuddly toy.”
"There’s always a cuddly toy,” Mand stated.

I gave her a pained look.

"Have a good time,” Dad offered.
"I’ll try.”
"We’ll see you about eleven.”
"Thanks Dad.”

I felt a complete idiot as I tottered across to where the lads were starting to unload the van. Mand had attacked me with her curling tongs leaving me with a head of hair several times bigger than its usual smooth condition. Combined with the rest of my outfit, shiny black dance tights, oversize pink jumper and my stiletto boots I sort of looked like Sandra Dee at the end of Grease!

"Erd?” Stefan sort of greeted.
"Hi guys,” I offered, "I know, bit over the top.”
"Well its a good disguise,” Little Jo stated as he loaded one of the amps onto the trolley.
"Very disco,” Marcus added.
"I didn’t know what to wear.”
"Don’t mind them,” Animal told me, "I think you look great.”
"Thanks.”
"Come on in,” Big Jo suggested, you can give me a hand with the desk.”
 

I’ve been to the Kursaal before of course, we have had team stuff there and its the go to place for fancy do’s in the valley. Big Jo led the way inside to the main room where we were greeted by a middle aged woman of substantial proportions wearing copious makeup and a glittery dress that was struggling to contain her ample bosom.

"Yes?”
"We’re the band,” Jo replied.
"Blue Cheese is it? just the two of you? We were expecting more.”
"The others are outside,” I interjected, "And its Blau Hase not Käse.”
"Hase, Käse, I don’t suppose the guests will be bothered.”
"So where do you want us?” Big Jo enquired.
"On the right hand side of the stage, Sammy has his decks and stuff on the other side, he’ll show you where the power and stuff is.”
"Angela!” a voice yelled, "How many of these do you want?”
"Have to go, Sammy will look after you.”

And with that she was off in a whirlwind of dubious dress choice and clattery heels.
 

I’ve been on the Kurhaus’ stage before, its not the biggest space and with ‘Sammy’ and his disco gear occupying a goodly chunk, our residence on the other side will be quite cosy. I guess we’ve played one or two venues where the stage was of less than generous proportions, its not like we move about much so as long as there’s room for Animals drums and Marcus’ keyboards we’re fine. The DJ was older than I expected, a bit overweight and sporting an impressive walrus moustache, by the kit he had I’m guessing he’s a seasoned pro or at the very least a committed amateur.

I stood staring out at the ballroom whilst Jo talked to the man on the decks, it was a hive of activity as the finishing touches were made to the evenings decorations. It might not be themed as such but what disco is worthy of the name without a glitter ball, flashing lights and copious quantities of balloons. Hmm, I wonder….
 

Sammy, or Sammy G as the board in front of his desks proclaimed, was doubling up as compere for the night’s proceedings, he hadn’t spent the last half hour exactly whipping the crowd into a frenzy so much as attempting to get them to actually get on the dancefloor. It’s supposed to be over twenty ones only, looking out there I doubt there was anyone under thirty, well I guess they might at least recognise some of the covers we are doing tonight.

Our DJ was on the mic as the latest bit of pop faded and the obnoxious lighting settled to a more ambient gloom.

"And now a slight change of pace for you all, our live band tonight, BlauKäse!”

Seems we are doomed to be cheese tonight. Animal hit his skins with some fervour and we went straight into our first number, a rendition of Prince’s Let’s Go Crazy.

'Dearly beloved
We are gathered here today
To get through this thing called life
Electric word, life
It means forever, and that’s a mighty long time…’

Not exactly BlauHase’ usual material but for BlauKäse, well it’s not too sickly and our audience seemed to enjoy it. I’m sure I mangled some of the lyrics but hey, what can you expect when I’ve only been memorizing them for a few days.

"Hello Neuenahr, welcome again to the Sommer Discotheque, we are BlauKäse tonight, you can either love us or hate us but we are here to entertain you!”

I segued straight into the next number, some classic Queen

‘Okay, you wanna get crazy?
Come on, let's do it
Whoo!
It's now, yeah
Let me welcome you ladies and gentlemen
I would like to say hello
Are you ready for some entertainment?
Are you ready for a show?
Gonna rock you, gonna roll you
Get you dancing in the aisles
Jazz you, razzmatazz you
With a little bit of style
Let me entertain you.’

And so our first thirty minute set went on. I think we did what we were being paid for, entertaining and getting even the more reluctant attendees away from the walls and onto the dance floor. We finished with Bowie’s Let’s Dance, yep Stefan certainly had a theme to this evenings set list.

"We’ll be back later but for now we’ll hand you back to your DJ for tonight, Sammy G!”

The night’s host had Gloria Gaynor screaching out of the PA before we’d left the stage.
 

We had best part of an hour before our second appearance was due and whilst there was a room we could sit in, if we wanted refreshment we had to use the public bar.

"What’ll it be Erd?” our leader enquired as we gathered at the bar.
"Weissbier?” well I fancied something with a bit less alcohol than wine.
He raised a brow, "The hardstuff eh?”
"What would it look like if I had cola?” I joked.
"Point taken, one Weiss coming up.”

We stayed around the bar until the ‘vision’ in glitter that was Angela found us shortly before ten, time for the second set. And no, we weren’t the worse for alcohol, none of us had gone beyond the first, there would be time for more after we’re done for the night – we are professionals – yeah right. Back on the stage a now quite warm Sammy G cued us in and we were off for a slightly more rocky part two.

The bodies on the dance floor were a bit more active now, inhibitions reduced no doubt as alcohol levels increased. Sammy had reset the lighting so that it reacted to the music, simpler than the set up we had on the BlauHase tour but quite effective nevertheless. The songs this time were generally a bit less saccharin and more familiar, we’ve played them all before at least and I think you could tell everyone on stage was more relaxed.
 

"Well we’re nearly done for the night, we hope you’ve enjoyed the music as much as we have playing.”

There was a hearty cheer in reply.

"So, just one more before we pass you back to Sammy, please sing along, I’m sure you all know the words to Nena’s greatest hit, Luftballons! We have been BlauKäse, thank you for having us!”

The guys started the intro, the lights dimmed and I started my rendition of the pop anthem.

‘You and I in a little toy shop
Buy a bag of balloons with the money we've got
Set them free at the break of dawn
'Til one by one, they were gone
Back at base, sparks in the software
Flash the message "Something's out there"
Floating in the summer sky
99 red balloons go by...’

The next verse opens up somewhat and both band and audience were rockin’ by the time we got to verse three. I made a chopping motion with my hand as we reached the grand finale and the net of balloons above the dance floor released its load. Okay, they weren’t all red and there might not have been exactly ninety nine of them but as a metaphor it worked pretty well.
 
Maddy Bell © 15.06.2023