Can I Have Your Autograph?

James occasionally tells me stories of when he played in bands. This is one.

After working a steady gig for two years, the band was finding work at various venues. They were invited to play one afternoon center court at a large mall.

They arrived early to set up their equipment on the small stage. The four band members were used to working together and the setting up was proceeding according to schedule. The mall manager hurriedly approached them, asking them to not make so much noise. They didn't think they were being noisy, but they finished their task and began playing their music. The mall manager scurried over to them again, asking them to turn the volume down, it was echoing down the concrete halls in the mall.

Attempting to keep the volume down and still play the jazz, pop, funk that they considered their signature music, there didn't seem to be many mall visitors. They were used to playing to an audience.

Lo and behold, a group of Girl Scouts decided they liked the music, so they sat in a semicircle in front of the stage, moving to the music and giggling as little girls do. One girl jumped onstage to ask the saxophone/flute player, Mike, for his autograph. At the end of the gig, the rest of the girl scouts lined up for autographs too.

After disassembling the equipment, the band was on the way through the mall toward the parking lot. As they turned a corner they saw a pile of papers on the floor, each one scrunched up. There were all the autographs. Mike wasn't famous. Just a good sax player.