withdrew from the bag over her shoulder. “Here are your keys. Prepaid cards for meals. It’s not like five-star cuisine so be aware of how much you spend. We don’t have bottomless pockets. But you should be comfortable. Of course, let me know if you need anything.”
In front of him stood a brick wall and floor-to-ceiling windows that offered a panoramic view of the cityscape, with varying buildings of all sizes and lots of sky. Nice. Not excessive. Furniture arranged in a quaint sitting pattern. There was a loft with a bed he could view from below. It had extra tall ceilings that made it very open and breezy. “Wow, it’s the quintessential artist loft, huh?”
Jody looked up from the pack of papers before her as a small smile touched her lips. “Yes. That’s part of the appeal.”
“Is this all for real? Not some creepy movie set where you plan to murder or torture me or something and capture all of it on film?”
She snorted. “Excessive paranoia? You signed up for it, remember? If you had any doubts regarding its legitimacy, why would you come here?”
“Well, it could be a good scam if you actually were a psychopath. And into theatrics. Think about it.”
She finally laughed and replied, “That’s quite an imagination you have. Dang. It might be an ingenious plan. But since you could literally pull me up with a quick internet search and find my picture right next to Rob Williams, you can probably consider yourself safe from any homicidal attack and subsequent filming of it.”
He shrugged. “Well, you never know, since this looks like a movie set.”
“Yeah. I guess the vision in our minds was a little clichéd. But it’s still a cool place.”
He shrugged. “Better than any place I’ve ever been.” Poking around, he wandered into the kitchen which was as sweeping and airy as the rest of the condo. Cooking pots hung from a rack that was suspended by the high, cathedral ceiling. The counters were spotless and the stainless-steel appliances gave it a stark, modern and functional vibe. Finally, he turned and asked her, “So, how does all this work?”
She finished shuffling through her pile of papers. “It never occurred to you to ask your questions prior to your arrival here? You signed all the pertinent information. We sent you everything necessary. Correction, I sent you everything.”
“So are you like my handler?”
“No, I am your liaison.”
“Liaison? What does that mean?”
She sighed. Audibly. “It means you will meet with me to decide what you intend to pursue as a career. I have a list of international organizations that either work with musicians and/or hire them. Opportunities from all around the world. We get regular notifications and links. The demand can change daily, or be called out consistently. We will review whatever interests you. Having access to your own instrument seems to be number one on my list. So I’ll look into that.”
“Don’t you need to hear me play first or something?”
She tilted her head and gave him a once-over. “You don’t have to prove yourself or perform for us. Being accepted means you passed your audition. We’re here to facilitate your chances of making a real career with your music. Again, we don’t guarantee fame or stardom and those who become rock stars are in a very exclusive minority. We try to help you find a way to make a livable wage while expressing your talent. We won’t judge you or require any standard of performance. We don’t tutor, teach or coach you in your actual musical skills. There are a million programs offered at the local community colleges and universities to provide for that. There are also private lessons and countless avenues to learn how to play an instrument or how to sing better. We offer the next step. We take people, like you, who already outperform any students at their level. Not that we don’t encourage continuous learning because we can all make improvements, right? We help you find your path. You, alone, decide what path you take. If we find a job or internship or even some temporary gigs, and it’s not something you like to do, then you don’t have to do it. Does that make sense? This isn’t about patting us on the back if we find you a huge, visible opportunity. It’s not about appearances. The only thing that matters is what you want to do. We succeed if we find new options that you enjoy, which end in