[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
"I was just going to say the same thing about you."
"I wish the newspapers could get clearer pictures."
"I brought my camera."
"Look," said Adam. "Everyone seems to know everyone else in this club.
Page 78
ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.html
They're having a big conversation back there."
Bugs shrugged. "Maybe it's a convention in town and they've all come to see
Plankton."
The lights flashed and went out, bringing all conversation to an end.
Plankton ran onto the stage, all four of them wearingBUGS T-shirts. They began
to play furiously, and Adam's head started pounding in time with the heavy
beat as one song followed another: "A Whale Is Here."
"Out With the Tide."
"The Ballad of Al The Moray."
"Ocean Minestrone," a special rendition of "Under the Microscope," which
included a ten-minute drum and guitar duet, and the group's biggest hit,
"Seaweed Rhapsody."
Finally intermission arrived. Bugs scooted backstage where the lead guitarist
noticed him and called, "Hi, Bugs! Glad you could make it!"
The group made Bugs comfortable in a large easy chair. He was flushed with
pleasure. "Hey, do you think I could do a number with you guys? I know all
your songs."
"Sure!" exclaimed the drummer. "But why stop at one number? Play the whole
second half. They've got an extra set of drums here. I'll use it and you can
use mine."
"Gee, thanks!"
"Say, Bugs," said the bass guitarist, "you can tellus . Who are you?"
Bugs looked surprised. "Me? Bugs Potter."
"Who do you play with?"
"Don't ask!" groaned Bugs. "Please don't ask!"
"Okay, okay, anything you say."
"How do you want us to introduce you?" asked the lead guitarist.
"Gee, that's up to you. You don't have to introduce me at all, just so long
as you let me play."
"Let him play," muttered the drummer. "I would have gone down on my knees for
this."
"Well, we'll start with a drum roll," decided the lead singer. "How long can
you sustain one?"
"Well, gee," said Bugs thoughtfully, "I never clocked it. Someone always
tells me to shut up after the first five or ten minutes."
"Who'd have the nerve to tellyou to shut up?"
"You don't know my mother."
"What a wit! Bugs, you're priceless!"
Page 79
ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.html
Bugs glowed with happiness.
"Okay, you guys," said the lead singer, jumping to his feet, "let's do it!"
He walked onto the stage and stood in the single spotlight. "We're going to
start with a drum roll!" he cried.
Bugs started drumming, and pandemonium broke loose. Confetti, streamers, and
even some flowers rained onto the stage. "Bugs Potter!" bellowed the lead
singer.
Plankton began to play, struggling valiantly to keep up with their guest
artist. Bugs was in true form as he twirled his drumsticks in the air and beat
savagely upon the snare drums and cymbals. His foot worked relentlessly at the
pedal for the bass drum, aad he bounced up and down, hair flying from the
sheer speed of his movements.
The audience began to chant, "Bugs, Bugs, Bugs!" in time to the music.
Plankton stopped in the middle of their song and joined in with the crowd.
Bugs never wavered. He played along furiously, to the rhythm of the crowd's
chant. For fifteen minutes he soloed, before Plankton burst back in, playing
another song any song, it didn't matter. There was no rest for Bugs; there
was not one instant when he was not drumming. And he thrived on it.
Plankton, however, were showing signs of stress. Finally they stopped and the
lead singer held up one finger to indicate that they were moving into the last
song. By the time the music crashed to a finish, the frenzy of the audience
was beyond imagination.
Bugs sprang to his feet, ran up to the lead singer and shouted into the
microphone: "Big night at Ontario Place tomorrow!"
As he flung his drumsticks into the turbulent crowd, Adam leaped onto the
stage. Out of the corner of his eye he saw a sea of fans storming through the
backstage exit from the alley. More were stampeding in through the other exit.
Desperately he scanned the Trap Door. No window, no skylight, no escape. How
was he going to get Bugs Bugs! Where was Bugs? He'd lost Bugs!
In horror Adam caught sight of his roommate, flushed with victory, in the
centre of a huge group of fans. He tried to push his way through the crowd,
but succeeded only in getting himself jammed in a bottleneck. Appalled, he
watched Bugs being hoisted onto a pair of broad shoulders.
In a desperate attempt to create a diversion, Adam jumped up onto a table and
shouted, "Look! There's Whirlwind von Helwick!"
The crowd was unmoved, but Bugs stiffened in excitement, wrenched himself
from the sea of hands and vaulted through the air to land on the table beside
Adam.
"Whirlwind von Helwick?Where ?"
"Come on!" Adam grabbed Bugs, and the two took off right through the club and
out the front door.
"Why are we running away?" screamed Bugs. "Where's Whirlwind von Helwick?"
"Shut up and keep running!"
Page 80
ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.html
* * *
It was well into the wee hours of the morning when BiBi, Claire and Charlie
finally made their triumphant return to the Hotel Empress.
BiBi was flushed with glory and champagne. "That was one of the best openings
[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]