On That Note

Normally, after Kids Incorporated goes through a change in their lineup, the remaining members simply adjust until they can recruit someone else. This year, it seemed that the pickings were rather slim. Audiences had to get used to shorter sets featuring a slimmed-down Kids Inc. because all their attention had to be focused on replenishing the band.

Richie, Robin, Kenny, and Devyn spent every available moment on the hunt. Afterwards, they reconvened, tired and disappointed, on the basketball court.

“Any luck?” Richie asked,

“Nope.” said Devyn.

“I got nothing.” Kenny said.

“Me too.” added Robin.

Richie flopped, down on the bench in disgust. “I don’t get it.” he said. “We’ve all told everyone we know. There are flyers all over the P*lace. What’s left?”

“Do you think Stacy’s flight left already?” Robin asked.

“Face it, we’re on our own.” Devyn said.

“What are we doing wrong?” wondered Kenny

They were still sitting there when Flip arrived. “Hey, guys! I’ve got great news!”

“What is it?” Devyn asked him.

“Remember Pete, the guy who wanted to be a dj? Well, he did it! He got his own radio program!”

“It was a good idea to have a program for kids.” said Kenny.

“And, just like he said, he saved the best air time for you guys.” added Flip. He was certain this would bring smiles to their faces. He was wrong. “What’s the matter? Guys, this is a good thing!”

“Maybe when we agreed to do it, it was,” Richie said, “But not anymore. It’s just the four of us now.”

“But...” Robin realized suddenly. “it would be good advertising!”

“Yeah! Think of all the people we could reach!” Kenny said. Now they were all completely taken by the idea.

“So can we do it, Richie?” Devyn asked.

“All right, we will!” Richie decided. Quickly, they headed to the P*lace to call the station and confirm.

At a quarter to five the next day, Flip put aside his apron and turned on the radio. It was the Kids’ first broadcast, and he didn’t want to miss a minute of it.

An adult dj was just wrapping up the news and weather reports when the Kids got to the station. Pete waved them into a smaller room, and they crowded around the table.

“Okay, Pete.” the dj said. “After the break, I’m throwing it over to you.”

“Got it” Pete replied. He explained to the Kids how the show would work. “Now, I’m gonna do my little intro, and then I’ll ask you guys some questions. After that, we’ll take some requests. Okay?” “Sure.” they said.

The commercial break ended, and the jittery kids perched on the edge of their seats as the dj went back on the air. “And now, the moment you’ve all been waiting for! For the first time in the history of radio, the kids are taking over the airwaves in their own radio show, with a guy I’m afraid is after my job, Pete! Take it away!”

“That’s right, Mark. Oh, and by the way, what size headset do you wear? Just kidding!” Pete joked. “Well, kids, here it is! You wanted it, you got it. All kid-powered radio, created for kids, by kids...namely, me. Don’t let grown-ups tell you what you wanna hear! Get on those phone lines and send me your requests! And, as a special treat, because you told me you wanted them, we’re kicking off our very first broadcast with our hometown favorites, Kids Incorporated! Say hello to our listeners, guys!”

“Hi.”

“Hello.”

“Hey.”

“Um, hi .“ they said, each laughing at how silly they all sounded.

“Now, I noticed there’s less of you today.” Pete said. “What’s that about?”

“Well-” Richie began, a little too far away from the microphone. He leaned in. “Well, Pete-” he tried again, this time too close. He moved out just a little bit and tried once more. “Well, Pete - is this okay? -Well, Pete, one of our good friends just left the band, and now we’re looking for a replacement”

“Oh! You hear that, guys? An opening in the band! Too bad I’m mated to this microphone now, or I’d go down there myself! Oh, well, my loss is someone else’s gain! Well, right now I’d like to take the chance to thank the local companies who sponsored me by running their commercials, but don’t touch that dial, ‘cause Kids Inc. and I will be back for more right after this!”

“How can someone marry a microphone?” Robin wondered.

“Robin, it’s a joke.” Devyn explained. “It means he’s spending all his time with it.”

“Oh. I get it!”

“Thanks again, you guys, for doing this.” Pete said gratefully.

“No problem. We need the exposure.” replied Kenny. “Thanks for thinking of us.”

“Hey, I wasn’t lying when I said the public wanted you. I left a suggestion box outside the gym, and it was overflowing with requests for your band.”

“Well, let’s hope somebody out there listening comes to audition.” said Devyn.

The break ended, and Pete reassumed his dj persona. “Hey, hey, hey! We’re back! Pete here, Kids Incorporated is still here, and now it’s time for you to call the shots! The phone lines are open, and I’m playing your songs!” He consulted a list handed to him by an intern. “First up, a request by a little lady named Lisa who’s downtown. Hey, my grandma lives there! Seems Lisa’s a big Madonna fan, so turn up your radio, Lisa, and get, ‘Into the Groove’!” He covered the mic when Richie snickered. “You guys think I’m corny, don’t you?”

“Where’d you learn to talk like that?” Kenny asked him.

“I think it’s cool!” argued Devyn. “Someday, that’s gonna be my song you’re playing.”

Pete winked at her. “Here’s hoping.” he said.

The requests kept coming in, and Pete fielded them with the same glib attitude. He had definitely done his homework. When things started to get slow, he let the Kids choose songs of their own - and announce them themselves.

“This is actually kinda fun!” laughed Richie.

“Okay, loyal listeners,” Pete said, “our hour is winding down. No, no, don’t despair! We still have time for one last request, and it’s gonna be a good one.” His eyes went wide when he looked at his latest piece of paper. “And boy, is it! I’ve just been handed the ultimate request by an anonymous listener. He - or she - wants to hear...”, he paused for dramatic effect, “...a live performance by Kids Incorporated!”

They stared at each other. “Uhhh. ..we weren’t.. .really prepared for something like this.” Richie stalled.

“Well, how hard can it be? You’re a band, aren’t you?"

“But we don’t have any instruments, and we haven’t rehearsed.” said Devyn.

“The station’s got instrumentals of songs somewhere around here.” Pete told them. Off-air, he begged them. “Kids, c’mon, I don’t know what else to do! If the station heads get wind of this, I’ll lose my credibility!”

The Kids found the station’s music library and huddled in front of it. “What’re we gonna do?” whispered Robin.

“Well, Pete’s counting on us.” said Kenny. “We can’t just let him down.”

“You think this’ll work?” Devyn asked, picking out a song they’d done once before.

Richie looked at it. “It has to. We’re desperate, Pete’s desperate, and desperate times call for desperate measures. We’ll make it work.”

And it seemed to. Later, while the Kids were helping Pete clean up the studio as per his agreement with the station, Devyn learned why Pete was so intent on becoming a real dj.

“See, I’ve always loved music. I grew up with my ear to the radio.” he told her. “But I couldn’t carry a tune in a bucket, or dance if my life depended on it. So I figured the only way a person with no talent could get that close would be to play other people’s music as a dj. And there’s so much music here for me to get my hands on, it’s like living inside a radio!”

“Well, you’re really good at it.” Devyn said.

“You weren’t so bad yourself You know, your voice carries well over the air. Have you ever thought of a career in radio?”

“But I can sing.”

“You’d be amazed at how many recording artists were something else until they got their record deal.”

“Besides, I have Kids Incorporated.”

“Too bad. I could really use a co-star.”

It was pretty late, so all the kids were calling home, except Devyn, who was too preoccupied with what she’d just heard to notice Kenny holding out the phone to her, so Richie took her turn.

“Hey, Dev, are you in there?” Kenny asked Devyn.

“Huh?” she said.

“You seem distracted.”

“I’m sorry. I was just thinking.. .Kenny?”

“Yeah?”

“When we were singing in there, did you... like how you sounded?”

“How I sounded? Devyn, what are you talking about?”

“Never mind. It’s hard to explain.”

Luckily for her, she didn’t have to. It seemed another crisis was headed their way, and it was coming from Richie’s direction. “WHAT? No, not again, not now! Why?” he moaned. “Yeah, I understand. Thanks.” He slammed the phone down and kicked up some dirt.

“Richie, what happened?” asked Robin.

Richie put his hands in his pockets and sighed. “I just found out we’re moving. Again.”

“Aw, man! First Stacy, and now you!” Kenny griped.

“You’re telling me! They do this all the time! Every time I would start a new school, or try to make friends, we’d move! Only this time...” he drifted off

“This time you have friends to leave behind.” Devyn finished for him.

“It’s not fair! I finally find a place to fit in, and have some real friends for a change, and now they just want to take it all away.” He left in a huff.

“Poor Richie.” said Robin. “He really seems upset.”

“Well, I would be, too.” Kenny said. “It’s hard being the new kid once, but over and over again? That’s just awful!”

“Yeah. Some parents!” said Robin.

“C’mon. They’re his parents. They only want what’s best for him.” Devyn said meekly. She didn’t like the direction this conversation was going in.

“But they know how much this means to him, and they’ve ruined it! They’ve betrayed him!” Kenny declared.

“Betrayed him?” echoed Devyn.

“They let him down big time.” stated Robin.

“Well, we won’t betray him. Or each other. Right, girls?” Kenny asked them.

“Right!” agreed Robin.

“Yeah.” said Devyn nervously. “Right.”

It was the same old street. Richie could navigate it with his eyes closed. To his left was the garage, where Devyn crashed Kenny’s first rehearsal. Up ahead, the fire hydrant, where his “Win a Date With Renee” booth once stood. Okay, so it wasn’t exactly the brightest idea he’d had. He stood with his face against the cool chain link fence surrounding the basketball court, where he’d claimed the class presidency. Right in front of him, anchoring the neighborhood at the end of the block and proudly bearing “Now Playing: Kids Incorporated”, stood the P*lace. His P*lace. He’d inherited it, from everyone that had passed before him. Those names stood for something in this town, and he had been proud to be a part of it all. And now it’s over, he thought to himself Just as all the others must have done, he flopped down on a barstool at the counter, depressed.

“Boy, that’s a long face.” Flip said as he came out of the storeroom and down the stairs.

“Flip,” Richie sighed, “I’ve got a real problem.”

“Oh, well, maybe I can help.” said Flip. “One problem solver, coming right up!”

“No offense,” Richie told him, “but ice cream’s just not gonna cut it.”

Flip feigned surprise. “Richie doesn’t want ice cream? This must be serious!” He listened as Richie relived his phone conversation with his parents.

“So what do I do? This is the worst possible time for me to be moving.

“You know, I know it may not seem like it now, but your parents really do have your best interests at heart.”

“The band is my best interest, Flip!” Richie said angrily. “Why doesn’t anyone understand that?” He climbed up on stage for what he thought would be his last time behind the drums - which is why he didn’t see Devyn come into the P*lace in a manner similar to his own.

“Hi, Flip.” she said gloomily.

“Devyn! Let me guess, you’ve got a real problem, right?”

“How’d you know?”

“Just a hunch. So, what’s your problem?”

“It’s Pete.” Devyn said. “He wants me to work on his radio show with him.”

“And you don’t want to?”

“No, I do! But see, he didn’t ask anyone else, he only asked me.  Sound familiar?”

“Oh, and you think the kids are gonna be mad at you for hogging the spotlight like you did the last time.” Flip concluded.

“And with Richie moving, if I leave, what’s gonna happen to Kids Inc.?” worried Devyn.

“Well, have you talked to the kids?”

“No. I just know they’ll be furious.”

Suddenly a cymbal crashed. “What was that?” said Devyn, going to investigate. “Richie!”

“I - I was just.. .checking for loose screws! Yeah, that’s it!”

“Did you try your head?” Devyn retorted. “Were you eavesdropping on me?”

“I didn’t mean to!” Richie insisted. “Thought I’d say goodbye to the drums.” He looked at her. “What are you gonna say goodbye to?”

“Nothing.” she said. “I’m not going.”

“C’mon, Dev, you know you loved being in that studio.”

“And I love being in the band, but there won’t be a band if everybody leaves.” They sat down at a table.  “You’re moving. You don’t have a choice, but I do! I won’t abandon my friends when they need me the most.”

“It sounds to me,” Flip interrupted them with a tray of sodas, “that you’re both in the same boat.” He joined them at the table.

“But neither one of us can solve our problem.” Richie added.

“Well, two heads are better than one, aren’t they?” reasoned Flip. “Devyn, you’re afraid to tell everyone about the radio show. Richie, you can’t seem to get your parents to understand how important the band is to you. Why don’t you help each other?”

It hit them both simultaneously. “Yeah!” they exclaimed. “Richie, I can talk to your parents for you!” said Devyn. “And I’ll explain everything to Kenny and Robin!” said Richie.

They leapt up and tore out of the P*lace. “Hey!” Flip said.

They ran back in, said, “Thanks, Flip!”, and ran back out.

“Now that’s more like it!” Flip said to himself.

Deciding to try the basketball court first, Richie headed there to try to find Robin and Kenny. He figured Devyn had the harder job trying to talk some sense into his parents.

Robin saw Richie coming and hurried to his side. “Richie, are you okay?” she asked, concerned.

“I’m fine,” he began, “but Devyn? She needs our help...”

It took her forever, but finally, Devyn had reached an understanding with Richie’s parents. He wasn’t going to like all of it, but it would definitely help things. When she came upon him on the basketball court and realized he wasn’t alone, she hesitated a little. They were smiling, though, so she crept closer.

“...and she didn’t want us to think she was dumping us.” Richie was saying.

“She must have felt really bad when we started talking about betraying people.” said Kenny.

“But she didn’t say anything.” Robin pointed out. “Why?”

“Because I didn’t want to lose my friends again.” Devyn finally said. “Are you mad at me?”

“No. Just sad.” said Robin.

“If you’re leaving, and Richie’s leaving, it’ll be just the two of us.” Kenny said.

“Maybe not! Devyn, did you talk to my parents?” Richie asked hopefully.

“Yes, and they do understand how much the band means to you. They don’t like dragging you from place to place, and they wish they didn’t have to leave, either.” She took a deep breath. “But there’s some good news, sort of”

“What is it?”

“You’re not going to move until this summer! So now we have time to put the band back together.”

“And I’m not leaving until we do!” Richie declared.

“What are you going to do, Devyn?” Kenny asked her.

“I guess I’ll call Pete and tell him that I’m very flattered, but it’s not a good time right now.” she said.

But Richie stopped her. “No, wait, Devyn.” he said. “I’ve got a plan.”

“So you see, Pete,” said Devyn, “it’s really in the audience’s best interest that I stay with the band. Of course, if we could find a replacement for me...”

“That means you, people!” hollered Pete. “Fire up your vocal chords and get to the P*lace!”

“Exactly.” continued Devyn. “Especially since now we’re having an Open Mike Night. Anybody can come in and sing.” To make the offer nearly irresistible, she played their trump card. “And if you mention this radio show, you get a free sundae!”

In Richie’s vision, once they got them through the doors, keeping them there would be as easy as pie - which they were also prepared to offer. Devyn had no idea how he’d done it, but he’d been on the morning announcements at school for the past 3 days. And it didn’t stop at their school. They took it into surrounding neighborhoods as well. They planned to flush out every possible candidate by any means necessary. It all seemed a little much to Devyn, but it would be a tragedy if Kids Incorporated became yet another passing trend the P*lace had seen throughout the years, which was probably why Richie was so dead set on replacing Devyn and himself before they left. This may well be the only town where he would actually be remembered.

The other Kids were waiting for her outside the studio. “It’s all set.” she said to them. “Pete’s gonna keep a chair empty for me from time to time, and I left him a message to read during commercials.”

“If they’re out there, we’ll find them.” said Kenny.

“Yeah.” Richie agreed. “And now I can finally move with a clear conscience.”

“Do you think the band will still be around in 20 years?” Robin asked.

“Probably.” answered Devyn. “As long as the P*lace is still standing.”

“And as long as there’s kids like us.” added Richie, secure in the knowledge that he had kept the tradition alive for many years to come.

The End