“Hey! We have five minutes”
He did not move. He could hear his own heartbeat over the din, rising into a wave, rushing as though it would crash into him. He waited but nothing happened.
“We have four minutes more, are you coming?”
He and Richard had been doing this for years and every time, there was always a need to hurry. The contents of his stomach threatened to empty themselves over his clothes.
“Move like you can hear me! Richard yells.”
The irritation in his voice, clear as a whistle, or hard as a whip, he wasn’t sure. One minute later fully dressed; Shoes, tie, hat, gloves, everything as it should be, he took deep breaths. Counted to ten and moved with the pace of a man who was sure of himself.
The hush of the room sent a cold sweat down his back. He paused in front of the microphone and sent a nod to the pianist. The music washed over him, now these were waves he could swim in.
On cue, he opened his mouth and the most glorious sound rang free, touching everything in sight; a slow slow belt.
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