Drabble - War Concert
Yet another drabble not related to the chapter, as part of my simspiration goal. Can be considered a spoiler, as it takes place in the future. I'm undecided as to whether or not it will actually feature in a future chapter. Not my best work by far, but it did help me get to know Alice a little better.
Cindy was standing on a chair in what was known as the sewing room as Alice carefully pinned the hem of her skirt. It hadn’t been easy to find khaki material to make Cindy a costume that resembled an Army uniform, but they’d done it, using the pictures of Nick in uniform from the wedding for inspiration. The Simsfield Red Cross chapter was putting on a concert to raise money for the war effort, and encourage the citizens to purchase war bonds. Cindy, coaxed out of retirement, was headlining, and Alice would be accompanying her on the piano.
James came into the room, and whistled at his wife.
“Damn, woman. You still got quite the set of legs on you.”
“Really, James,” Cindy said in a scolding tone, but the smile on her face betrayed her.
James placed his hands on Cindy’s waist. “Ready to get down?”
“Yes, the hem’s all set,” Alice said, straightening up. “Be careful getting down; I don’t want you to get stuck with a pin.”
“Don’t worry - I know how to handle precious cargo,” James said as he helped Cindy down from the chair and dipped her into a kiss in the process.
Alice looked away, feeling the heat of a blush creeping into her cheeks. James and Cindy were always acting like lovesick teenagers, and it made Alice feel oddly uncomfortable. Her parents had never behaved like that, not that she’d seen. She shook her head gently, trying to shake the thoughts away.
“Sorry about that,” Cindy said, handing Alice the pinned skirt. Alice blinked; she must have been zoned out longer than she had thought, if Cindy’d had time to change already.
“I’ll get it hemmed right away. I can’t believe the concert’s tomorrow night.”
“You’re not still nervous, are you?” Cindy asked. “You’re going to be great.”
“I’m just not used to playing a song with as quick a tempo as Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy.”
Cindy grabbed Alice’s arm and dragged her into the music room. “We’ll go through it one more time. Come on.”
Once seated at the piano, Alice looked over the sheet music even though she could play the song from memory now. She let her hands hover over the keys, and waited for the signal from Cindy to begin.
Cindy tapped her foot three times, setting the tempo, and Alice began to play.
He was a famous trumpet man from out Chicago way
He had a boogie style that no one else could play
He was the top man at his craft
But then his number came up and he was gone with the draft
He's in the army now, a-blowin' reveille
He's the boogie woogie bugle boy of Company B
They made him blow a bugle for his Uncle Sam
It really brought him down because he couldn't jam
The captain seemed to understand
Because the next day the cap' went out and drafted a band
And now the company jumps when he plays reveille
He's the boogie woogie bugle boy of Company B
Alice continued to play, not noticing that Cindy had only sung the first two verses. When the song ended, she was startled when James whistled at her.
“You play as well as the pianist that we had at the speakeasy. He and Cindy used to play off each other so well. Listening to you two brought me back to those days.”
“Thank you,” Alice replied. “I hope…”
“You two will steal the show tomorrow night,” James assured her. “Stop worrying.”
“I’ll try,” she promised. “I just wish that Nick was here to see it - he told me once that he’d always wanted to see you sing.”
Alice’s comment left everyone speechless for a moment.
“We’ll have a celebratory concert when all the boys come home,” Cindy said, breaking the silence.
“That’s a great idea,” James agreed. “I bet I could get Sterling to have the store sponsor the event, so it would be free for everyone.”
Alice only nodded, a forced smile on her face. It was sweet, really, how everyone pretended around her that everyone would come home. She wanted to believe it herself, but sometimes, she wished that everyone would stop pretending, if only for a moment.
Cindy was standing on a chair in what was known as the sewing room as Alice carefully pinned the hem of her skirt. It hadn’t been easy to find khaki material to make Cindy a costume that resembled an Army uniform, but they’d done it, using the pictures of Nick in uniform from the wedding for inspiration. The Simsfield Red Cross chapter was putting on a concert to raise money for the war effort, and encourage the citizens to purchase war bonds. Cindy, coaxed out of retirement, was headlining, and Alice would be accompanying her on the piano.
James came into the room, and whistled at his wife.
“Damn, woman. You still got quite the set of legs on you.”
“Really, James,” Cindy said in a scolding tone, but the smile on her face betrayed her.
James placed his hands on Cindy’s waist. “Ready to get down?”
“Yes, the hem’s all set,” Alice said, straightening up. “Be careful getting down; I don’t want you to get stuck with a pin.”
“Don’t worry - I know how to handle precious cargo,” James said as he helped Cindy down from the chair and dipped her into a kiss in the process.
Alice looked away, feeling the heat of a blush creeping into her cheeks. James and Cindy were always acting like lovesick teenagers, and it made Alice feel oddly uncomfortable. Her parents had never behaved like that, not that she’d seen. She shook her head gently, trying to shake the thoughts away.
“Sorry about that,” Cindy said, handing Alice the pinned skirt. Alice blinked; she must have been zoned out longer than she had thought, if Cindy’d had time to change already.
“I’ll get it hemmed right away. I can’t believe the concert’s tomorrow night.”
“You’re not still nervous, are you?” Cindy asked. “You’re going to be great.”
“I’m just not used to playing a song with as quick a tempo as Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy.”
Cindy grabbed Alice’s arm and dragged her into the music room. “We’ll go through it one more time. Come on.”
Once seated at the piano, Alice looked over the sheet music even though she could play the song from memory now. She let her hands hover over the keys, and waited for the signal from Cindy to begin.
Cindy tapped her foot three times, setting the tempo, and Alice began to play.
He was a famous trumpet man from out Chicago way
He had a boogie style that no one else could play
He was the top man at his craft
But then his number came up and he was gone with the draft
He's in the army now, a-blowin' reveille
He's the boogie woogie bugle boy of Company B
They made him blow a bugle for his Uncle Sam
It really brought him down because he couldn't jam
The captain seemed to understand
Because the next day the cap' went out and drafted a band
And now the company jumps when he plays reveille
He's the boogie woogie bugle boy of Company B
Alice continued to play, not noticing that Cindy had only sung the first two verses. When the song ended, she was startled when James whistled at her.
“You play as well as the pianist that we had at the speakeasy. He and Cindy used to play off each other so well. Listening to you two brought me back to those days.”
“Thank you,” Alice replied. “I hope…”
“You two will steal the show tomorrow night,” James assured her. “Stop worrying.”
“I’ll try,” she promised. “I just wish that Nick was here to see it - he told me once that he’d always wanted to see you sing.”
Alice’s comment left everyone speechless for a moment.
“We’ll have a celebratory concert when all the boys come home,” Cindy said, breaking the silence.
“That’s a great idea,” James agreed. “I bet I could get Sterling to have the store sponsor the event, so it would be free for everyone.”
Alice only nodded, a forced smile on her face. It was sweet, really, how everyone pretended around her that everyone would come home. She wanted to believe it herself, but sometimes, she wished that everyone would stop pretending, if only for a moment.