(John Doe) Unfortunately, George

When I entered the café, there was barely any room to get settled. I’ve never seen this many people in here, I was kinda amazed. I could see an area for who I assume the competitors are, and unfortunately the stupid DJ was here too. Beside him was a teenage boy (he looks oddly familiar), some small child, and some other teenaged boy that I did not recognize. He sat next to a blond-haired girl who seemed to be ignoring him.

I walked up to the counter and was greeted by a bald man, I’m pretty sure he’s the owner. He gave me a welcoming smile and said, “John, right? Here for the competition?”

I nodded and he brought me to the back room to lay down my stuff. “So John, you’re going to go first. You can unpack your stuff here, there’s not much space out there. I will be the one to come to get you when we start. After you finish, you can take a seat with the other participants and enjoy the show. Once everyone is done, we will take a 10 minute break to choose the winner. By the way, I am the only judge. I wish you the best of luck!” He winked and quickly sashayed out of the room.

Right. Maybe I should have been a little nicer to the owner considering he’s the judge. Anyways, I have 30 minutes to cool down and mentally prepare myself. I pulled out my guitar and began to tune it. The vibrations of each string soothes my nerves, and I cannot wait to give this audience the show of their life. Honestly, it’s a shame I didn’t get put last in order. Chances are, when I play, the audience will cheer for so long, we won't have time to see the other contestants.

I couldn’t choose which song to play, I was stuck between two songs. One was titled “Fortress,” an original composition of mine. It was one of my best works to date, and it completely embodied the concept of ‘Mysterious Intentions.’ See, this song is upbeat, no syncopation (which is unheard of for jazz), but the lyrics are all about loss. It’s the perfect juxtaposition. The other song I have in mind is titled “George.” This song is your regular jazz song about a mysterious man named George, but of course George is another name for me. Although there is a vast difference in quality between these songs, I do not know if these people truly appreciate the art of jazz. ‘Fortress' requires an educated palette to appreciate, and I don’t want to waste it on people who won’t truly understand.

Once I was done tuning, I poked my head out of the back room to see the audience. I wanted to see if these people were like me. You may think I have no way of knowing, but trust me. I can read the atmosphere very well.

I took a step out of the back room and closed my eyes. I listened to my surroundings, but all I got were normal people vibes. I sighed. I guess I have no choice but to sing ‘George.’

It’s fine, though. Even my worst of songs can win this competition.

Before I retreated into the back room, I was approached by none other than the annoying DJ guy. He had a serious face, and when he stopped in front of me he held out his hand. Being the nice guy I am, I shook it and gave him a tight-lipped smile.

“Nice to meet you. I am Dazzle, full name Ian Dazzle, but for tonight I will be referred to as Disk Jockey McDizzle. I presume you are the performer John Doe?” The words barely processed in my mind, I was too off-put but the unusually long time he held my hand.

“Yeah, that’s me. So you’re the DJ that has rave events at the café. You must be popular, huh?” I stifled my chuckle, as much as I wanted to laugh in his face.

“I believe I am,” he deadpanned. Was this guy serious? What a cocky bastard.

“Oh really? So how many people frequent your events?” There's no way he could beat me, my personal record was 35. I counted.

He paused in thought. “By my calculations, my average number of guests is approximately 50.”

What? This guy can’t be serious.

I couldn’t hold it in and I laughed out loud. So not only is he cocky, but he’s also a liar. I see how it is.

“Damn, you should be a comedian with these jokes!” I clutched my stomach, laughing this much makes me cramp up.

Dazzle kept a straight face. “I am not sure why you are laughing, Mr. John. If there is a joke I missed, please do explain. I love jokes.” His face did not move besides his mouth.

I laughed harder. This guy is either the biggest dunce I’ve met, or incredibly hilarious.

Suddenly, the owner slapped his hand on Dazzle’s shoulder. What the hell, where did he come from?? I jumped at his sudden presence. It was almost like he came out of nowhere.

“Hello, John. So sorry to interrupt your riveting conversation, yes I was listening, but I need to borrow Monsieur Dazzle if you don’t mind.” There was a glint in Scanta’s eye, and it felt predatory. I backed off a bit and cleared my throat.

“Ah, of course sir! Go ahead!”

Scanta smiled and manhandled Dazzle to turn around and walk with him. For the first time, Dazzle’s face broke into something other than serious. He looked… anxious.

Oh well, not my problem.

I’ve got a competition to win.