What if No One Shows Up

Daniel Faller
English 150-61
Dr. James Hepworth
October 15, 2009

Note: The following is an edited version of my instant fiction assignment which was tied for 3rd place with three other students in the class when voted on for the "best of the best."




It is ten minutes until the show starts. The singer has been waiting for this date for months. It is the first time that he has played to the home town crowd in over three years.
But that is the big scare! What if no one shows up? What if the home town crowd has forgotten all about him? If the hometown crowd has forgotten him, the situation could wind up being completely humiliating.
Now it is five minutes until show time. The singer peeks out at the dimly lit theatre seats. The theatre is not filling up very fast. The seats are maybe a third full at best. O.K., so what?! He will go out on to the stage and do his best even if his performance is for twenty people.
He tunes his vintage guitar and begins to warm up his voice. The stage manager gives the thirty second call. He and the band step out on the stage and the vocal adoration from the crowd is overwhelming from the darkened seats.