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Part 4:

A P*lace to Remember

Flip stood by the door and looked up the street as far as he could.   When he saw a sedan round the corner, he gave the Kids the signal.  "All set, guys?" he asked.

"Yep." Somewhere on stage, music began playing, and soon the clatter of dishes accompanied the feedback from the amps.  It began to look as if The P*lace was back in business, especially to the elderly, scowling man approaching the doors.

Flip was ready for him.  "Mr. Martin, always a pleasure..." he schmoozed.

Mr. Martin was a set-in-his-ways type of man who didn't like being wrong and liked being disobeyed even less.  "Now see here, son, I don't know what all this foolishness is about, but you've promised me you'd shut this business down.   Why do I hear music?"

"Well, it's simple, really." said Flip.  "I've changed my mind."  Before Mr. Martin could complain, Flip blew him off.   "Now, if you wouldn't mind excusing me for a few minutes, I've got some inventory problems to straighten out, but hey, make yourself at home.  You need anything, ask the kids, they know their way around." He left Mr. Martin fuming at the doors.

"Hey! You can't just walk away!" Mr. Martin sputtered.   "We had an agreement!"

Laughter erupted from the storeroom, and a few of the older Kids came out with boxes and trunks, giggling and joking.  They said hi to Mr. Martin as they passed him.

"What's the meaning of this!" he shouted back.   "Where are you taking those things?"

"The stage." Stacy said as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.  She and the others continued on.

The music got louder.  The laughter continued.  Mr. Martin's temper was raging.  "This is outrageous, and I'm not going to stand for it!"  He stormed over to the door Flip had disappeared behind.  "Flip!   You come out here this instant!"

The door opened, but Renee came out instead.  "Hi there!   Flip sent me to tell you that he's very sorry he can't speak to you today, but he will be available tomorrow if you'd like to come back."  She took Mr. Martin by the arm and led him to the doors.

He yanked his arm away.  "I'll do no such thing!  Now, I suggest you round up your little friends and clear out of here before I am forced to take legal action!"

"No thank you," Renee continued, ignoring him, "but you're welcome to stay if you'd like.  The show's about to start, and there will be refreshments."

From behind the counter, Haylie trotted out, wearing Flip's apron and hat which were both ridiculously too big for her.  "Hel-lo." she said sweetly, brandishing a dangerously drippy ice cream scoop.  "What flavor do you want?"

"Isn't she just the cutest little thing?" gushed Renee.

"Are there ANY adults in this building?" Mr. Martin complained.

"Well, we're adults." Mickey said as he and Gloria came over.  "Can we help you with something?"

"And just what are you doing while these juvenile deliquents are ruining my museum?"

"Judging." answered Gloria.  "And it's not exactly your museum yet, is it?  C'mon, you two," she said to the girls, "we're starting."

"Hold this, please." Haylie handed the scoop to Mr. Martin and ran off.  He flung it with a groan of disgust and was forced to wipe melted chocolate ice cream on his pants.

"Listen to me, kids!  This is not a game!" he warned.  "I can have a police officer here in minutes!  Don't think I'll go easier on you just because you're minors.  You're in direct violation of the law!"

"Looks like we are gonna get arrested after all." observed Eric.

"Plan B, guys." said Ryan, and everybody clamored onto the stage.

"Now what are you doing?" said Mr. Martin.

"We're sorry, but we can't let you turn The P*lace into a museum." Devyn told him.  "We're not leaving the stage until you change your mind."

Flip finally emerged from the back with Riley.  "They're serious, sir.   They won't budge."

"Oh?  Even if I call their parents?"

On stage, Ana suddenly became worried.  "Are we really doing this?"

"I'm with her." said Eric.  "This is really getting intense!"

"If you new kids want out, fine.  The calvary came.  We'll fight it out from here." Richie said.

"Richie!" Connie scolded.  "You gotta understand," she said to Eric and Ana, "most of us have performed here so long that we are The P*lace."

"Well, I never have," said Haylie, "but I want a chance to."

"So do I." Ana said.

"Yeah, me, too." said Eric.

"So we're all together, then?" asked The Kid.  "If anyone wants to quit, you'd better do it now."  No one moved.

Mr. Martin watched the events played out on stage and was actually amazed at how unified the Kids were.  It wouldn't sway him, though.  He continued to throw his weight around.  "Your parents do know where you are, don't they?" he taunted.

"Well, yeah, they know we're always at The P*lace!" answered Kenny, and the Kids all laughed.

"Hey, you guys." Riley admonished.  "There's no need to disrespect anybody - no matter how closed-minded they are."

When he saw how the Kids respected Riley, Mr. Martin thought he'd found a potential ally.  "Yes, let's not be disrespectful." he chimed in.   "So don't make things any harder for Flip and your friend here by making me invoke the law." He turned to Riley.  "You'd be pretty upset with these kids if they interfered with the law, wouldn't you?"

To his credit, Riley actually laughed.  "Sir, I've seen these kids face scarier things than you, and they never backed down.  I stand behind them, whatever they do, 100%."

That really sent Mr. Martin over the edge.  "Fine!  You've left me no choice.  I'm getting the police." He turned to leave and took his time, waiting for them to see he was serious and give in.  He got all the way to the doors before realizing they weren't speaking up.  "You are actually willing to be taken down to the police station for this building?" he asked incredulously.   They nodded.  "I just can't understand you kids."

"You never tried." Richie pointed out.

"Yes, you're right." he admitted.  "But have you ever tried to understand us?"  They didn't know how to answer that.  "I thought so."  Then he had a new idea.  "Maybe it's time I make you understand."

"What're you going to do?" Robin asked.

"If you'll just come to one of our meetings," he said, "you'll see that this museum is clearly the best option for our situation here."  He felt sure they wouldn't try to stand up to a roomful of adults.

"On second thought, Mr. Martin," said Flip, "why don't we have that meeting here?  Right now, in fact?"

"Here?" echoed Mr. Martin.

"Yeah.  We're all here.  There's no time like the present.  Of course, if you and your colleagues need more time to prepare..."

"No." said Mr. Martin abruptly.  "Here will be fine.   Take a good look around, kids!" he called out.  "The next time you come here, you'll be paying admission!" He laughed heartily as he left.

"What, no discount?" Mickey quipped.

With only a short time to prepare, the Kids would really have to band together.   Now was not the time for any more power struggles.  They were all equals, and no one wanted to lose The P*lace.  While Mr. Martin was no doubt giving his committee a pep talk, Flip gathered everyone around.

"Well, guys, this is it." he said.  "We've got one shot to convince these people not to take our P*lace.  Now, I've already met these committee members, and they are dead set on this museum thing.  You thought Martin was bad. They also have the law behind them. But we have something better.   We have the truth, and I think it's safe to say that everyone who's ever graced this stage, well, they're all here with us today.  They'd be really proud of you.   I am, too.  No matter what happens here today, I'm proud of you all."

At that moment, the committee arrived.  Not including Mr. Martin, it was made up of 3 men and 3 women, middle-aged Mr. Martin-clones with their identical somber expressions.  Not one smile among them.  Of course, right in the thick of it was Mr. Martin himself, already conducting his own little tour as if he were in a museum, pointing out the ice cream scoop laying carelessly on the floor, props scattered all over the stage, dishes piled in the sink.  "And of course, you've met the current owner." he said to the committee members.  "I'd like to point out to you once again how he reneged on our agreement to voluntarily hand over The...P*lace." he said as if it were a 4-letter word.

One woman raised her hand.  "Have there ever been any attempts to replace the sign?" she asked.

"Not that I'm aware of." Flip answered.

"You see?  Negligence!" accused Mr. Martin.  "It is our duty to step in and preserve the memory of The Palace!"

"We remember!" Gloria said, leaping down from the stage.  "We always will!"  The others joined her.

"Yeah, and we don't need a sign to help us do that, either." added Kenny.

"A building as old as this couldn't possibly be up to code." one of the men brought up.

"If this place isn't structurally sound, you'll be up to your necks in lawsuits if an accident should happen." said another.

"All that can be handled if you just let us keep The P*lace!" said Riley.

The woman who spoke earlier sighed.  "We cannot, in all good conscience, entrust a crucial part of our nation's cultural history to children. They are notoriously thoughtless when it comes to things of value."

"That's not entirely true." Renee argued.

"Please!  Children live in the now.  They don't care about history!" scoffed Mr. Martin.

"Who says we don't?" Eric said suddenly.  His involvement even shocked the Kids.  He continued on. "History's only boring when you old people preach it to us.  This place is cool.  I'd wanna know more about it."

"Yeah, we're constantly learning more and more about the past everyday simply by reliving it ourselves." added Ryan.

"I don't understand." said another woman.

"All of us like performing on this stage because it makes us feel like we're a part of The P*lace's history." Mickey said.  "It's like an honor."

"That you feel you deserve?" Mr. Martin snapped.

"Maybe!  Maybe not!" Mickey shot back.

"We did put this place back on the map." The Kid brought up.  "It's a household name again."

"Yeah, we've met people who've passed through here, and they were happy to see that The P*lace was still around." Stacy said.

"And if you turned it into a museum," continued Robin, "no one would ever stand on that stage again.  All those old memories would just fade away."

"That's why The P*lace has been here so long." Devyn drove their point home.  "We've kept it alive."

A few of the committee members started murmuring to each other, spurred on by the Kids' moving comments.  Mr. Martin sensed he was losing control of his flock and tossed out one last-ditch effort.  "My associate here mentioned building codes." he reminded them.  "Do you want all these memories to fall apart on you?"

"People restore old buildings all the time." Ana told him.   "Like movie theaters and restaurants.  I've seen them in my old hometown.   Why not here?"

"The children do bring up some interesting points." argued Man #3, the first of the group to smile at the Kids.

"But Abe, we've already decided..." Mr. Martin began to protest.

Abe waved him off.  "When I was a boy," he said, "I would sneak out at night and come to The Palace to glimpse through the windows.  Sometimes, I'd camp out by the stage door just hoping someone would leave it open enough for me to sneak in.  I was enchanted by the lights and the music and the magic of it all.   When it closed, I felt like my childhood had ended."

"That's how we feel about The P*lace, sir." said Richie.  "We just want to keep it running the same way it's always been.  What's magical about a museum?"

"Very little, as I am beginning to realize." said Abe.   "Martin, I think we've made a mistake.  These kids are no more danger to The P*lace," he winked at them, "then we ourselves are.  I move we cancel the plans for the museum and let history repeat itself in peace."  The Kids cheered wildly.

"Well, I am the head of this committee, and unless someone seconds your motion, you can all go someP*lace else!" roared Mr. Martin.

Way in the back, the seventh member, a smaller woman who the rest seemed to overlook, raised her hand timidly.  "I...I second the motion." she said softly.

"Hear, hear!" said another man.

"Anyone else?" Mr. Martin grumbled.  One by one, the other members raised their hands.  "Oh, I'm surrounded by sentimental old fools!"

"Mr. Martin," said Haylie, "were you ever a kid?"

"Of course I was!  And I was an obedient boy who respected my elders and didn't cause any trouble with the law!"

"Didn't you ever have someplace where you could belong?"

"Well...no, now that you mention it, I never really, uh..."

"Well, we do." Haylie said.  "And we'd never want anything to happen to it, so of course we'd take care of it."

Robin stepped up and put her arm around Haylie.  "That's what we've been trying to tell you this whole time." she said to the adults.

The spotlight solely on him now, a very uncomfortable Mr. Martin attempted to redeem himself.  "Just how long have you young people, uh...utilized this building?" he asked.

"Almost seven years." answered Kenny.

"And I'd like to point out that it is still standing." added Riley.

"You know what you have to do now." said Abe.

It was time to admit defeat.  But Mr. Martin still stalled.  "I, uh, don't exactly have my gavel in my pocket, here." he joked.

Eric picked up the forgotten scoop.  "Here, catch."

For once, Mr. Martin kept his mouth shut.  He approached the counter.   Everyone held their breath as he raised the scoop high in the air.   "Motion...carried."

"What if no one comes?"

"Don't worry!  They will!"

"Hurry up!  It's almost time!"

"Shh!"

It had been a last-minute decision.  After all the good points raised on both sides, everyone agreed that it would be inappropriate to simply open The P*lace for business again.  Tonight, the marquee read A Performance To Remember, and framed posters of everyone who'd ever performed at The Palace and The P*lace surrounded the audience, who'd been assured by Abe as they walked through the doors that they were in for a treat.

Flip and Riley took the stage together.  "We'd like to thank you for coming out tonight and welcome you to a show like you've never seen here at The P*lace." Riley began.

"In light of recent events," Flip continued, "we've decided to pay tribute to all the men and women you see here tonight, because we truly would not be here without them."  He paused for acknowledgement and applause.  "And what better way to do that then with Kids Incorporated's own ancestors?"

"And," Riley added, "Kids Inc. would like you to help them welcome some new faces to the band."  That got a big round of applause as well.

"So without further ado..." Flip turned to Riley.  "Are you ready?"

"Absolutely." said Riley.

And together, they said, "Kids...In...corporated!"

The lights went on, and the curtains opened, revealing fourteen Kids literally covering the stage.  After waiting five whole minutes for the applause to die down, they treated the audience to a huge medley of new songs and old standards for the committee members, who were impressed by their vocal prowess.  Ana, Haylie, and Eric got the initiation of a lifetime as they tasted the limelight for the first time in front of a capacity crowd.  They brought the house down - without literally bringing the house down.  Not one person left that night without knowing the history of The P*lace, thanks to its most famous house band of all, Kids Incorporated.

The End