Drippy and The Drops

by m.s.wardrip

This band is comprised of four musicians. They live on the road, playing one night stands. Sometimes it’s a struggle to get from one town to the next. Sometimes they travel in style and stay in the finest accommodations. Sometimes it’s easy, sometimes it’s hard. Why do they do it? They love it!

An agent books their gigs on a circuit. A dispatcher alerts the band on an hourly basis as to bookings, potential bookings, TBA To-Be-Announced bookings, schedules and scheduled vacation time. Plenty of arrangements must be made and managers can replace band members who can’t be present at certain gigs. Stand-by performers are a phone call away. Many things must be considered to produce a quality performance. There is risk and there are rewards. Cooperation and team work is what makes it happen. It is a family of experts in their field. Each provides their own solution.

“Bring me coffee and nobody gets hurt.”, Comes the muffled cry from beneath the covers of a burnt out road dog in the motel room.

From across the room comes the reply, “Goin’ to the lobby for breakfast. I’ll bring some coffee back. Want anything else?”

“Yeah, bring me a new body. This one is worn out.”, The sleepyhead musician replied.

“Only thirty-two more shows and then you can go home and vegetate!”, The encouraging come back.

“Yeah, what the hell. It’s only another month of grueling, balls to the wall touring.”, He grumbled.

“Let’s do “Geraldine” in the key of E minor!”, As he picks up his Gretch acoustic 6-string guitar from the corner by the bed and starts to tune it.

“K, sounds good, but can you sing it in that key?”, Comes back a hearty reply.

“Does a Bears fan drink beer while golfing with number 9 woods?”

“Just shut up and get the waffles and joe to go, moe.”

“I’m holding your backpack hostage. Bring coffee and we’ll negotiate it’s release.”

“You harm that backpack and the sins of millions mosquitoes will descend upon your back!”

“Rog-O, Roger. Over and out, up and away and never fear, I’m goin’ in.”

“Just shut up and get the damn coffee…. Oh, Geraldine…”

As he walks on down the hall, he sings to himself, “Geraldine was a bullfrog, a very good friend of mine, and every time we drink her wine, we always have a mighty fine time, singing, Boys chase the girls, Girls chase the boys, Boys are like the stinger on the bee, and the girls just run like fleas.”

A maid with a hangover struggles to push a laundry cart past him as she snarls as if to say, “Don’t even ask me what kind of day I’m having!”

He burps at her and she rolls her eyes, jerking the cart on down the hall.

A little flimsy cardboard cup holder holds two coffees two donuts and two bagels. His shirt pocket is full of jelly, honey, butter, knives, forks, cream-cheese packets and a couple of peppermint candies.

The roommate says “What, no napkins?” and gulps his coffee.

Tonight’s show is in Jacksonville.

“How big is this dive we’re driving to?”, The bassman says to the keyboard player.

Replies the keyboard player, “It’s the biggest stadium in town.”

“Well, if it’s the best they’ve got.”, Bassman states.

“We get paid either way, right? It’s a job whether it’s in a biker bar shootout, at a wedding, cruise ship, lounge or full blown concert.”, Says Keyboard man.

“I like full blown.”, Says bassman.

“That’s because you are fully blown.”, Keyboardman hurls at Bassman.

“My damn speakers in my bottom stack are fully blown. I keep telling roadyman that. He laughs at me and says he’ll spray some fix-a-flat on them. HaHa, not funny, roadyman.”, Says Bassman.

Guitarman walks back from the front of the bus with his Les Paul Studio Six-String Guitar, Black with White Mother of Pearl Inlay trim, Gold Humbuckers, Bixby tremelo, Grover tuners, customized by Fritz. He sat down next to keyboardman and layed his guitar on the seat by the bassman.

“If we hit a bump, grab that.”, Guitarman says to Bassman.

Bassman says, “Ain’t grabbin’ nothin’.”

Guitarman says, “You’ll grab that guitar if we hit a bump, or I’ll grab your throat and choke the living hell out of you.”

“Well, now that you put it that way. Okay!”, Bassman smiles, placing his hand very near the guitar neck.

“So, here’s the setlist and the only change is last set first song. We usually open with “Time Never Forgets” but this show is for the local radio station and they want us to sing a local favorite, “Shackin’ Up With Joe(and his crabs)”. It’s a 1–4–5 with a boogie beat. The deejay is gonna sing it. It’s an easy little ditty. I sent it to your phone. It’s ok to mess up… they do on the record.. on purpose. haha… anyway, there’s that. I’ll play it again for you backstage just before we go on for the last set. What’s that ya’ll are drinkin’?”, Says Guitarman.

“Smartoff and grapefruit juice.”, Says keyboardman.

“Oooh, can’t do that. No grapefruit anything with Cholesterol meds.”, Says guitarman. Got any beer?”, Guitarman asks as he sits up straight.

“Comin’ atcha!”, Drummerman hollers from the kitchen and a beer suddenly appears in guitarman’s hands.

“Thanks sweetie, but no tip ’cause you’re too damn ugly!”, Guitarman belts out.

“No patootie for you, cutie!”, Replies the drummer in the kitchen.