Constructive Criticism – Wayne 51

[For a quick guide go here: Quick guide.]

[There's some back story here: Story so far at 30 Nov 2020 and read more recent Wayne episodes maybe this one.]

[Other back story through in-links.]

“I’m not saying we should do it immediately, like on June 21st or whatever, but it should be pretty quick, right? That way we grab the headlines, yeah?”

“It’ll take a bit of sorting out,” said Cath. 

“What kind of sorting out? I mean come on, it’s a really simple idea, that’s why I liked it.”

“You were pushing back on it not so long ago,” said Cath.

“Alright alright, so I’ve come round to the idea,” said Wayne. ‘Either way we should sort it out. Put wheels on it. Shove it over the cliff and let gravity take over.”

They were discussing the front room gig. The idea had been tabled quite some time ago, but now, with restrictions still on time to be lifted, Wayne was keen to get a definite date. 

“Besides, maybe the film will come out about then as well and it’ll all be this huge burst of ManzDown and…”

“Have you heard from MacCabe at all?” asked Cath.

“No, you?” asked Wayne, hoping she didn’t hear the slight crack in his voice.

“I’ll put him on my list,” said Cath. “What else are you up to today?”

“You’re trying to change the subject,” observed Wayne. “The front room gig. Come on. How many people have entered the competition?”

There was a pause. “I’ll just check,” said Cath in a small voice. “Are you doing anything special today? Working with Jezzy? Going out with Dave?”

“How many?” asked Wayne, controlled and clear.

“As of right now,” said Cath. “Three.”

There was a long pause. 

“Right,” said Wayne. “This is worse than Valentine’s Day. So we need to promote this. I mean, everyone will have forgotten about the idea by now, right? So they won’t be thinking about it and - we just need to promote it more.”

They swiftly cobbled together a scheme to get the information and application process out over Instagram and Twitter and everywhere else they could think of. But even as this part of the call was completed and closed Wayne felt the familiar sense of foreboding and let down taking hold.

He made a cup of tea and went to look at the city from the balcony. It was still sunny, bright and warm. The world felt like it was waking up and getting ready for the next chapter, but equally Wayne felt his place in it was uncertain. 

Only three people – three people – wanted him to play in their living room. Three people. He’d been packing out arenas less than 18 months ago. He’d been sent around the world to meet everyone who loved him. Well, maybe not around the world, but Europe was into ManzDown in a big way. Maybe that was it, maybe he was being too provincial in his intentions. What did a sitting room gig look like for someone who could fill arenas? What kind of atmosphere could you get on your sofa compared with a sweaty mosh pit? 

And MacCabe had been in touch. He’d sounded positive - sort of - but not full on enthusiastic. He was sure there was a film ‘in there somewhere trying to get out’, but he wouldn’t be drawn on what kind of film it was. And then Wayne had given him permission to get in touch with Phillis for an interview so somewhere out there, maybe even now, the guy was sitting down listening to whatever it was she had to say. And she could say stuff. And he doubted if it would all make any kind of sense. 

It was all about control. His career had been all about control, and that was something Wayne didn’t feel he had much of any more. 

As he stood on the balcony a solitary pigeon alighted on the hand rail in front of him and eyed him suspiciously. Wayne eyed him back, equally suspicious.

“What you want?” he asked.

The pigeon coo-ed.

“No for food you, you flying rat,” said Wayne. “No leftovers, scraps, nothing.”

The pigeon coo-ed again, apparently disinterested. Looking the other way it shot a white streak of a dropping straight down the glass panel under the hand rail and flew off.

Wayne looked grimly at the aftermath and nodded his head. Fair comment.

Stuff it, he thought, if he had no control then so be it. He would embrace the no control aspect of his life right now and take it wherever it went. If his film was to be a mish-mash, let it be a mish-mash. If no one wanted him to play in their front rooms he wouldn’t. He’d play the festivals and do his own front room - just like he did back in August when they got thousands tuning in. 

Let it be chaos, that was where he’d come from, that was what he knew. Pick your feet up, let the current take you and keep breathing.

And clean up the damned pigeon mess before Dave comes home.