“Sound Check” by K.C. Shaw

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You’re listening to The Voice of Dog.

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I’m Khaki, your faithful fireside companion,

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and Today’s story is

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“Sound Check” by K.C. Shaw,

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who writes both furry and fantasy fiction as K.C. Shaw and hosts

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Strange Animals Podcast as Kate Shaw.

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Her latest book is Skyway,

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a collection of short stories about a couple of lady airship pirates,

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available from Mannison Press.

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You can find more of her stories

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at kcshaw.net.

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“Sound Check”

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by K.C. Shaw

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Anna slumped against the bus window and stared at the unmoving traffic.

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She wasn’t sure what city they were in and didn’t care.

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It wasn’t her job to yell

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“Helloooo Tulsa! Are you ready to rock?”

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that evening, after all.

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She was just the drummer.

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The bus had been in standstill traffic for over twenty minutes,

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and to make things worse, the AC in the rear lounge was out.

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The band and their tour manager were crammed into the small front lounge where it was slightly cooler.

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Anna’s plans for the afternoon drained away

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with every passing minute.

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She wouldn’t have time for a long walk to stretch her legs,

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wouldn’t have time to find a coffee shop and spend an hour in blissful solitude.

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“We’re going to miss sound check,”

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Jasmine said in a flat, angry voice.

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She raked her fluffy fur with her claws

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as though that would help cool her down.

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Even sweaty and grouchy, the singer was gorgeous.

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With their guitarist, Evie,

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slouching next to her the pair might as well be posing for the cover of a music magazine.

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Jasmine’s black-tufted lynx ears

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and the vivid black streaks in her pale coat

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matched the black face stripes of Evie’s pronghorn markings.

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Anna thought about getting her camera out of the backpack at her feet,

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thought about just opening the camera on her phone.

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But it seemed like too much trouble.

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“We’ve got plenty of time,” Charlotte said.

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She looked at their manager. “Right, Gavin?

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Lots of time?” Charlotte was the band’s bass player,

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a petite bear with black fur like rough velvet.

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Ordinarily she and Anna were besties,

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friends since high school, but today

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Anna found herself irritated at the whiny note in the bear’s voice.

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“We’re fine,” their manager said without looking up from his phone.

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Jasmine narrowed her eyes as though about to go for the fox’s throat.

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Anna sighed. She just wanted a few hours all to herself.

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She thought of the coffee shop she still hoped to find, where she could

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sip a caramel latte in anonymity.

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Unless she was with the band,

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no one looked twice at her.

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Half the time she was mistaken for a scruffy wolf or some kind of dog,

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unless they were out west where coyotes were common.

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She peered at the flat horizon beyond the five-lane interstate

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and what looked like a bunch of warehouses.

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They might really be in Tulsa.

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The bus jerked as the driver put it in gear.

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It eased forward—barely walking pace, but farther than they’d moved in almost half an hour now.

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The band cheered.

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For a moment Anna felt good.

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Then the bus stopped again.

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Five minutes later

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Evie said, “Oh my God, Jazz, did you see the review of our show last night?

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This condescending guy called us a girl group!”

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Anna rubbed her forehead.

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She was getting a headache. ***

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They missed sound check.

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After three weeks on the road the sound crew had everything dialed in, so the band didn’t really need a sound check—but of course

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Jasmine and Evie complained to Gavin.

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Anna hung back until they were done venting

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and had left to find the green room, then said to Gavin,

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“That’s why we pay you the big bucks.”

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He didn’t smile,

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just said, “Remind the others we’ve got a reporter on the way who wants to talk to all of you.”

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“Radio or TV?” Anna asked.

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“Local podcaster. Radio is later, at six.

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Tell Jasmine the podcaster is a big fan.”

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Anna left to share the news that instead of relaxing with a drink,

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they all needed to be presentable and on their best behavior for the rest of the afternoon.

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But it was part of the job

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and they were professionals.

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Jasmine took the news with barely a sigh.

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“Fine, but I’m showering as soon as the podcaster’s gone and if there are no towels,

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I’m going to piss in everyone’s bunk tonight.” “We’re in

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a hotel tonight,”

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Evie said with a smirk.

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She popped something in her mouth and chewed loudly.

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Charlotte had already showered and was frantically blow-drying her fur,

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standing stark naked under the air conditioning unit.

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“Don’t eat ice, Evie. It’s bad for your teeth.”

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In answer, Evie popped another chunk of ice into her mouth and chewed even more loudly.

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Anna found she had no patience today for her bandmates’ usual banter.

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She didn’t even want a latte anymore. She just wanted to go home.

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She left the green room

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and wandered around backstage, getting in the way of the road crew. “Anna,

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there you are!” Gavin sounded cheerful, although his wide fox’s grin was slightly forced.

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“Our podcaster is here for that interview.”

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A blond dog stood beside him,

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her fur falling in elegant waves down her neck from silky,

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lapped-over ears.

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Anna was surprised at her sudden blaze of resentment.

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She schooled her face into a welcoming smile.

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The dog wore a T-shirt from their first tour six years ago, and a knee-length black skirt that billowed as she wagged her tail in excitement.

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Anna’s resentment faded into pity.

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The poor dog had probably spent all day deciding what to wear and fixing her fur,

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only to be met by the drummer, who was in a filthy mood.

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“Pleased to meet you,”

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Anna said. “The others are still getting ready. They won’t be long.”

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Before the dog could respond,

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Jasmine bounded up to them as though she had all the energy in the world, with Evie close behind.

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Charlotte followed,

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dressed now but still damp around the ears.

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Anna stood with the others while they answered the podcaster’s questions.

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The dog was a good interviewer, at least.

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She didn’t fall back on the usual

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“Tell us about your new album”

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and “How’s your tour been so far?”

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Unfortunately, almost all of her questions were for Jasmine and Evie,

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with an occasional polite question for the whole band.

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Anna’s mind wandered.

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She’d bought an actual house six months ago

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—nothing extravagant; they weren’t superstars or anything,

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but their last few albums had done really well and she actually had money for once.

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Her two-bedroom cottage

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backed up to a wooded area with hiking trails.

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With a job that kept her surrounded by people,

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Anna craved solitude whenever she could get it.

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She wished she was walking in the forest right now,

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through dappled sun and shade, with just enough of a breeze to keep her cool.

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The interviewer said,

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“I saw a review this morning that called you a girl group.

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Do you get that kind of dismissive attitude often?”

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“All the time,” Jasmine said with a snarl.

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“No one calls Metallica a boy band.

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They’d be laughed out of the room if they did, but just because we’ve got a female drummer suddenly we’re a girl group.”

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“It’s all my fault,”

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Anna said with a smile.

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“It’s the patriarchy’s fault!” Jasmine struck an angry pose

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—probably unconsciously

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—and Gavin snapped a couple of pictures.

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Next tour they’d probably rate a band photographer, if their next album did as well as this new one.

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Anna sighed quietly.

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Maybe she wouldn’t be on the next tour.

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Maybe this was her last one.

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Maybe she’d retire from music entirely and get a real job—doing what, she didn’t know,

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but her parents would be happy.

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She was relieved when Jack, her drum technician,

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approached the group with a diffident set to his ears.

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She gave the interviewer a smile and broad wave that she hoped conveyed

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regret that she had to duck out for a really important issue with her gear. “Hey,

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Jack,” she said as soon as they were out of earshot.

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“What’s up?” “Sorry to interrupt,” he said.

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“No no no no no! I was bored solid.

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Something wrong with the kick pedal?”

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Jack was holding the pedal in both paws.

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He was a dog of indeterminate breed,

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as different from the golden-furred interviewer as Anna was.

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His brown and white fur had wiry guard hairs like a terrier,

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but his big triangular ears looked plush and his tail was almost as fluffy as Gavin’s.

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He was soft-spoken

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and soft-eyed, a little jowly, and only Charlotte knew that Anna was

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desperately in love with him.

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Since Jack was happily married with two pups,

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she kept her feelings to herself.

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Besides, a really good drum tech was worth his weight in gold.

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She didn’t want to risk losing him.

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“I thought something felt off earlier so I took a closer look,” he said.

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“See what’s wrong?”

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He held the pedal out to her.

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She frowned at it. “What am I looking for? It seems okay.”

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“Here.” He pointed with a stubby-clawed finger.

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“The beater shaft.”

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“Is it bent? I should have a spare.”

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Jack chuckled. Anna’s tail gave a wag without her meaning to.

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“The beater shaft is fine.”

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He unscrewed it to show her.

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“I don’t know how you managed it, but the beater hub is bent out of whack.

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I tried pushing it back into place but it won’t budge.”

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Anna poked at the hub,

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which now that she looked at it did appear askew.

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No way she had done that; someone must have dropped it,

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and possibly then ran over it with a truck.

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“Is there a music store in town? I can run out and pick up a new pedal,” she said.

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“The promoter’s gone to look through the house gear. If they have a decent pedal,

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that’ll get us through tonight.”

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A tall buck with antlers in velvet approached.

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He was wearing a neat black suit and stood out as a result among the roadies and musicians.

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He was definitely Evie’s type.

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Anna wondered if they’d met yet, and remembered the pronghorn’s smirk when she mentioned they were in a hotel tonight instead of sleeping on the bus.

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Yeah, they’d probably met.

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The buck said,

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“I found two pedals. Will either work?”

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Anna took them both.

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“We’ll try them out, thanks.”

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Her drum kit was on a riser onstage, gleaming under the bright house lights.

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Jack knelt stiffly to attach one of the pedals to the bass drum.

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“Okay, try this one out.”

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Anna slid onto the throne, and as always when she sat behind her kit onstage,

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she had a moment of pure excitement.

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She wanted to grab her sticks

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and fill the venue with noise.

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But her band didn’t go on until eight, which meant several hours of waiting

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—and not hours she could spend on her own, either.

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If she was lucky she’d still have time for a short walk and a latte somewhere nearby,

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but more likely she’d be doing interviews and meet-and-greets until their set started.

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She tried both pedals and settled on the Speed King. “Good choice,”

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Jack said, getting up with a grunt.

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“My first pedal was a Speed King.

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I’ve always liked Ludwig.”

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Anna’s ears pricked with interest.

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Jack didn’t talk much about his drumming,

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although she’d heard him play and he was good.

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“When was that? I’m trying to picture puppy Jack and can’t.” He laughed.

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“Long before you were born, that’s for sure.

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I think we’re all set here. I’ll call ahead to Tulsa tomorrow morning and make sure we’ve got a replacement pedal waiting when we arrive.”

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“Oh, I thought we were in Tulsa right now.”

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Anna followed him into the wings.

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“Hey, Jack. Can I ask you something?”

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“Of course.” Anna looked around for somewhere quiet enough for a conversation, without luck.

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Backstage at even a small concert was nonstop chaos.

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“You did a lot of touring back in the day, right?”

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she asked him. “A fair bit, yeah.”

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“How did you deal with the burnout?”

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Jack looked thoughtful.

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“I just kept my head down and did my job.

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That’s all you can do, really. I tried not to party too much, tried to get enough sleep.”

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Good advice, maybe,

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but not what Anna wanted.

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She waved a paw in frustration, trying to find

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the right way to phrase her question. “I mean

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—I guess I want to know why you decided to become a drum tech after you quit touring.

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You have even worse hours than the band does but you don’t get the high of playing.”

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Jack gave her a wry smile.

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“I didn’t quit touring on purpose, hon.

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It just happened.

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My band broke up about the time my oldest was born,

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so I didn’t hurry to find a new gig.

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A friend asked me to tech for his kid’s band a few years later and it turns out

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I really enjoy it.

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Low stress and I get to listen to great music every night.”

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“Don’t you miss playing, though?”

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Anna asked. “It’s the only thing that makes touring worth it for me—and I’m not sure it’s enough anymore.”

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Jack’s smile this time

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was kind and a little sad.

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“It’s the highs and lows that wear you out.

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You pour your soul out onstage, then crash afterwards and wonder why you’re so tired all the time.”

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“Yeah,” Anna said quietly. ***

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Late that night, after their show, Anna relaxed with her bandmates in the green room.

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It was their usual post-show ritual.

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They drank beer and ate whatever food Gavin had brought in,

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and people dropped by to talk about the show.

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Some of them were fans with backstage passes won from local radio stations,

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some were members of the sound and light crews checking in,

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some were label reps or promoters or fellow musicians in town

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—a parade of strangers who came to wish them well.

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After one beer, Anna switched to water.

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It was easy to get dehydrated on the road.

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She put her feet up on the battered coffee table

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and let the show’s musical high mellow into a weary contentment.

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Before long, though,

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the talk and commotion started to grate on her nerves.

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She just wanted to be alone.

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She found Gavin flirting with the blond podcaster, who was clearly having the best day of her life.

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Anna hated to interrupt.

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“How far is our hotel, Gavin? Walking distance?”

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He glanced at her.

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“Hm? Oh, it’s about half a mile away.

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Turn right on the main road and walk until you see a Days Inn.”

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He fumbled in his pocket

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and pulled out key cards in little paper sleeves.

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“Here’s yours. Luggage in your room.

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I’ve already emailed tomorrow’s day sheet.

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Bus call is at eight.”

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Anna thanked him, but he had already turned back to the podcaster.

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Anna caught herself smiling as she left the green room.

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Instead of ducking out the nearest exit, she went through the venue to the front doors.

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There were always fans waiting at the door nearest the bus,

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hoping to talk to the band or at least see them.

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She’d rather avoid them.

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A raccoon was wiping down the bar while a greyhound counted the cash drawers efficiently.

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Neither of them gave Anna more than a cursory glance.

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The entrance was locked,

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but after Anna rattled at it a few times a ginger tabby cat hurried in to unlock it for her.

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Anna stepped outside with relief.

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A few groups of people still stood outside, laughing and talking together,

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but no one even looked at her.

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Happily anonymous, she walked down the street by herself.

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The hot day had turned into a mild, cool night.

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The breeze brought an exciting combination of smells to Anna’s nose,

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from truck exhaust to cooking food,

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with the chilly scent of impending rain behind it all.

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As she walked, she felt her tension ease.

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Her ears twitched at the sound of light footsteps running toward her.

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She turned, ears flattened and lips pulled back from her teeth in a snarl.

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But instead of a mugger,

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a young mountain lion stumbled to a halt nearby.

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“I’m sorry I startled you,”

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the girl said. She had the slender,

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long-legged appearance of a teenager—surely too young to be out so late, Anna thought.

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“Um, could I get your autograph?”

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Anna forced her hackles to settle and her ears to unfold.

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“Sure. I didn’t mean to growl.

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It’s been a long day.”

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She accepted the pocket-sized autograph book the mountain lion handed her,

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and took out the Sharpie pen she always carried.

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The autograph book looked vintage,

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its cover decorated with stylized daisies in mustard yellow and avocado green.

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The edges of the cover were worn

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and the pages felt loose when Anna turned them.

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The ink on the signatures was faded.

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“Was this your mom’s or something?”

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Anna asked, interested despite herself.

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“No, I found it in an antique shop. I don’t know who any of those people are.

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Actors, maybe.” Anna read an inscription in elegant, old-fashioned handwriting:

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“To Mandy, my #1 fan.

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Keep the faith, sweetheart.”

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“I wish my handwriting was that nice,” Anna said.

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She found a blank page about halfway through.

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“What’s your name?

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Not Mandy, I hope.”

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The mountain lion laughed.

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“I go by Izzy. Um, could you write something about drumming?

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I’m a drummer too. I mean,

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I’m not as good as you are but I practice a lot.

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I just started a band with a couple of friends.” Izzy twisted

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one foot behind her other ankle in an awkward,

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nervous gesture. Anna smiled.

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“It’s always good to meet another drummer, especially female.”

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Izzy twisted her paws together too.

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“You were the reason I started taking drum lessons.

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I’d never seen a girl drummer before you.”

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Anna wrote, “To Izzy,

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my #1 fan.

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Keep the faith, sweetheart.”

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Then, still smiling,

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she marked “faith” out and wrote

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“beat.” After a moment’s hesitation she added another sentence:

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“Never forget why you started playing drums.”

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She signed her name

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and handed the autograph book back before the mountain lion twisted herself entirely into a pretzel.

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Izzy stammered her thanks,

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grinning so widely she showed all her teeth.

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Anna continued her walk to the hotel.

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No one else bothered her.

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Instead of thinking about home,

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Anna’s thoughts ran ahead

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to Tulsa, Detroit, Vancouver, Portland, and dozens more cities.

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If they kept getting good crowds, the tour might continue for the better part of a year.

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The thought didn’t dismay her anymore.

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Instead, she thought of a hundred venues across the world.

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She thought of a hundred girls like Izzy, picking up drumsticks for the first time

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because they saw her play.

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She was humming cheerfully

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when she reached the hotel.

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This was “Sound Check”

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by K.C. Shaw, read for you by Khaki,

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your faithful fireside companion.

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You can find more stories on the web at thevoice.

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thevoice.dog, or find the show wherever you get your podcasts.

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Thank you for listening

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to The Voice of Dog