Seriously before the micro group commenced each nightly stint they had
their TWILIGHT TWEAK session.
Songs, gags, therapy, comic routines, and other matters where a faltering step or where hesitation could be lethal were subject to a speed bump defiant run through.
Errors aplenty had to be honed and perhaps some night sessions mightn’t be that punctual at the mutually agreed time so often the incidental laggard the culprit.
“ LET’S TWI-LIGHTEN UP when we do the rough versions and not be dour and dog faced.
Radiant the most smirk prone of this QUOTABLE QUARTET.
“Ooops … someone’s singing off key. “
Maybe a few illusory scans or recaps might swell crowd statistics on a graph but what transpired on the ground was pivotal.
But lumens and lambent always had to act prudently not prudishly.
They weren't pushovers in the process.
“Add change carefully. Stick within established procedure, that with the green stamp of sanction.”
But then likes large buckets from the sky unleashed which might to some be a rescue from some obscure deity or a devastating burden which might inconvenience procedure recent or earlier phase.
“Did I hear cats and dogs in the background yelping, whining or was it me?”
Not every rehearsal was bearing that burden of the elements.
But hail, rain or shine the STINT each night under one of the area lamp posts had to continue with the exception of an unforeseen calamity.
Even in harrowing cold temperatures, whining gusts etc
The dreamy brumous ethic the show must go on indeed must.
As a group they had gargantuan stamina and panache but that was contingent on an earthly factor surround because many observers viewed this innovative therapy and entertainment as little more than a mobile slow shunt from point to point minstrel clan as a glorified drop in centre offering limited alms, calms, psalms as palliative.
Radius and radiant were the ambitious ones for this out of this world wandering coterie of unique care givers and also the so restless of the four.
Though they basked in the spooky glow reams of mind altered alignment of streets lights they did yearn to move.
Never being in one stop had this allure for them.
Lumens and lambent were more stoic, staunch more likely to be moored to the dock.
Each night they as a group had to withstand their differences.
Because they had accumulated quite a few and found in some perverse way that bond between themselves which quite frequently siphon off into oafish guffaws that seemed to fill this mystery laden vacuum known as the darkness dimemension.
Skip loads of lachrymose tendencies and other earth core emotions had been gulped.
Did they as a group slyly detect this blue of the nocturnal entreprise and all its shenanigans was a drag or a drain?
But the camaraderie is still an impermeable seal, airtight and alloy anchored after what gave the impression of a dizzy dazzly eternity.
Did they live under cloud dust of humdrumness?
Is same as ever sequentialism that sinister shadow creeping up?
Out of the blue on impulse an ephemeral flit of being with a gaunt curved crescent type smile this clique shot off into void but did that appear like the iteration of something or someone!
Serendipity bonanza ballooned its way to this angelic band of individuals dispensing largesse from an opportunist spotter councillor who waved a ginormous zero bulging cheque, a fairy tale cash transfusion no one with a modicum brain cell count had the right to reject.
Post event housing for minstrels for the misfortunate
was a nagging disquiet for them.
No fixed abode induced a raw vitality into their transmundane phantasmic assignments though with strain as above mentioned.
No deep roots sunk yet lambent rueful in her reflection.
“Would it really be to our advantage?
Comfort can be the executioner of
vibrant flourish but of course there is the corollary?”
Lumens rounded off the repartee with this.
“Abject impoverishment can be that pierced block crusher too.
Decimating spiritless thing enveloping everything within its metal claws.”
Friend's houses were a haunt, a fleeting momentary dive into a dwelling,
as makeshift watch, spell, stretches, made mere meagre bystanders in the estimation of the Minstrels as occupants were.
On other occasions the balmy breezes of the more opulent areas posed as habitat from the elements of a different variety.
“We might be able to have a sound closed eyelid, afterall.”
Radius the down to earth betimes one.
“Napping in the open has become emergency under the light, under the bewitching starlight shelter for us, but the climate ACCOMADATES that.”
Groan emptying boomerangs into a smeared darkness, that quiet sponge absorbent that might erupt as the night marches on in eerie echoed steps.
The inaugural night at the SHINING HEAVEN venue some stage fright and jitters had to be allayed, tranquilised to some degree.
Leaving aside the intimidating perception of a more critical and astute audience they the minstrels launch into a medley of their drift moonlit canon spanning a fruitful decade.
“What is that feint figure …. somewhat drab .. “
Mystery! or is it.
However over a protracted period after embryonic first performance there were some anomalies.
Not every needy person could afford to attend this very laudable performance through a variable ticket hike event.
The band themselves had to go on expeditions each night scouting for the familiar visages they once had nurtured and pampered over the past decade.
“This is starting to look trite and preconceived.
I suppose we could change venues, make it less of spectacle and bring in folks from the roadside.”
Lambent spoke gingerly.
Everything possible was being done to ferry those so desperate.
But somehow the mixed strata didn’t gel.
The oft grandee attendee had this blue blood baronial objectives but as the wise cracking athlete runner might proclaim they have poor TRACK RECORDS.
There was a “concerted” effort by each party to this spectacle concerned but failure was a noble goal foiled inevitable.
The GROANS turned out to be unintended gaffes,
tunes, routines, ape quips collapsed like dunes in a sand storm.
Cancellation “EVENT”-ually was imposed
The only thing these four characters had was the relief concept nocturnal, showpieces turned languid and limp.
“SHOWPIECE TO “SHOWSTOPPER” in the widest arch of meaning.”
They, the minstrels had been coordinating their efforts for such a long time but overreliance on is a scurrilous ruse.
“Maybe we should have added extra variations, more VARIETY to our VARIETY ACT.”
Radius and radiant sheepishly conceded.
Their grandiose residency had one beneficial offshoot - the ONCE OFF PAYMENT.
But even that was a bounce and bounty that was on automatic bound to recede.
“Don’t know what the future will bring.
We’ve been on duty under several lights for three weeks since the termination of our contract.
No one has come within a whisker of us since the Shining Heaven ennui-infested debacle.”
Lambent morose now.
“Soon the us stricken four might be pleading day and night for breadcrumbs.
Not the other way around!”
Lumens.
“There is the option of a lighting company launch if a subsidy was available.
Those assisted by us who are now flush could be arm twisted for a return favour.”
Lambent shoving caution aside.
Within a fraction of a second this wet drip garment fellow suddenly presented themselves.
“Remember me …. the coin scrambler near the drain.
I got these coins you let fly but that’s a secret how I got them back.
You look as if you could do with them! “
Silence for a tick.
“I used to be a worker for the company who made these after hours lights but they sacked me.
Haven’t found work since.”
The four minstrels shivered visibly and visually.
“Any chance of me joining your group?
MANY HANDS MAKE LIGHT WORK.”
The post midnight four and this person cackled in the damp weave of pavement luminance that were shrinking, and not just that stroke of luck cheque.
“By the way, your name please?”
Lambent pried with incandescent face of the imp?
“John WATTS! “
He deadpanned or LIFEPANNED.
“VERY FUNNY. A name like that isn’t to be MADE LIGHT OF.”
The four square volunteers now chorussing in gigglish unison.
“Well, maybe everyone gathered here might do with something to eat but then someone has to earn their CORN and that’s presumptively me! “
Radius augmenting this improvised smart alec soloing as being the in situ chef.
“By the way, I used to work in the accounts and payments section of my last company.
You might refer to me as
John “Dough.”
Watts squeezing in a shaft of humour.
“At this point this group may perforce have to view things in a DIFFERENT LIGHT.”
Watts continued.
“The onus is on us to show our
METAL or METTLE.”
Lumens interjected.
“Now, WATTS that I said!! “
Perhaps, one day and night, the PENNY WILL DROP for each of these ENLIGHTENED characters!
Or the COIN!
Rumour has it that the SHINING HEAVEN is already accepting the homeless with the prospect of long term accommodation.
Wonder should any of the Minstrels For The Misfortune apply?
This “SHORT STORY “ is dedicated to my forever Beautiful, Brainy Einstein Sister
Jay A Pallen who has made me see the light and illuminated me with her eternal luminance.