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Should you accept, you’ll be leading the new project for a longtime client account that starts tomorrow. The client is Jax Slater, from 5 Leo Hearts. He is going to announce his new solo album and tour later this week. The tour kicks off next week and since Carlos is not available, we will need you to fill in as on-site media relations, coordinating press for each tour date. It’s a one month run across the country. You’ll have your own tour bus. We can go over further details after you—hopefully—agree to come on board. We look forward to your response.
I’m dead. I don’t think I’m breathing, so I must be dead. I also think that if I’m not dead, I am going to pass out, because my head is spinning and my heart is probably near having an attack. I debate going to the emergency room and then assure myself that I am not having a weird out of body experience, and this is real life.
I literally stopped reading the email after I saw the name Jax Slater. I first stopped breathing because all my teenage dreams came flooding to my mind. Cailin at age nineteen would be freaking out knowing that she was not only going to meet her favorite musician, but work on his team. That thought is exactly what made me begin to hyperventilate and nearly pass out.
Working with a celebrity of Jax Slater’s caliber is an immense amount of responsibility and pressure. Arranging media for the tour is going to be a beast of a job. There are going to be so many requests for guest passes to review the show, backstage meet-and-greets, and interviews. I’ll be in charge of granting people access to Jax and making sure his story makes it across all the major morning shows and news sites. If his tour fails to meet expectations from his managers, label, and pop culture, a brunt of that guilt will fall on his publicity team. My neck is on the line at a new company, where I haven’t proven myself. At the same time, I’m being thrown out for the biggest opportunity of my life. An opportunity beyond my wildest dreams.
I’m going to be working with Jax Slater. No, wait… I’m going on tour with Jax Slater. I don’t even care what the rest of the offer letter states. I could be agreeing to work every major holiday for the next five years and that’s fine, because I’m going to accept and I am going on tour with the guy whose shirtless poster lined my bedroom walls for years. And I’m going to play it totally cool and establish myself in the music publicity industry, just as I did in the healthcare PR sector. This can be the start of a career that energizes and inspires me. And the perks are already better than anything the HR department will offer.
I get to my car and sit there in shock for a few minutes. I’m in no condition to drive right now. But there is something I can do to see if I am hallucinating. I pick up my phone and scream into it.
Trash the Dress Online Chat
Cailin:Anyone else have a divorce tattoo? I just got mine!
Leila:I have a phoenix rising from ashes.
Cora:I should get a tattoo of the date I set myself free.
JAX SLATER, THE LONELY LEO HEART, HIDES BEHIND THE CURTAIN
JAX
The garbage binin my studio is overflowing with crumbled paper. I don’t like anything I’m writing. Maybe I’m not cut out to be a songwriter and I took on too much with this dream. I should just set aside my pride and call in a professional songwriting team. They’d have something for me to record by end of the day. Then, I can make the label happy and go on tour without this weighing me down.
The easy way out is tempting, but I’m not going to take it. I remind myself that I’m an artist and the path to creating art isn’t always easy. Sometimes the most beautiful things grow out of devastation. I just need to keep watering the dirt. I’m already at rock bottom. I’ve started to plant the seeds. Eventually something will sprout, right? Or whatever the self-help gurus spew.
Just as I’m about to go for a jog to burn this negative energy, Harry calls me. “Got some news,” he says.
“Hit me.”
“Marisol is hiring a new publicist for your account. Someone with a strong background and great reputation. Sounds like a force to be reckoned with based on what I’ve been told.”
“Awesome, just what we need. Is this dude going to come out on the road?” I don’t know why, but I assume this new publicist is a dude. When I hear ‘force to be reckoned with,’ I automatically think of a guy.
“As far as I know, yes. We’ll get the PR contact all set up on a private bus.”
“I’ll kinda miss Carlos,” I say. “He always trash talked the tabloids for posting about me and he kept things running smoothly.”
“Carlos is off to marry his partner, but he’ll be overseeing things virtually.”
“Good for him.” But I can’t help but hope that doesn’t bring me any added stress as I adjust to a new publicist.
“Since we’re talking about buses…”
Here we go. Harry is going to try to convince me to fly on my private jet between each show. He’s not exactly a fan of roughing it and has come to enjoy and expect the luxury that comes with representing the biggest musical stars.
I cut him off. “Not happening. We went over this. If I’m going to figure out who I am outside of 5 Leo Hearts, then I need to get outside the life I am accustomed to and change things up a little.”
“I know, I get it. Just worth a shot,” Harry says. “Anyway, we’ll get a video chat scheduled so we can meet the new publicist.”
“Okay, sounds good. Let me know when it’s confirmed.” It’s not like we have to work with my schedule. I’m always available. If I’m not working out, I’m getting frustrated with songwriting, and I can surely use a good distraction.
Harry and I hang up and I decide to start packing for tour. I need to figure out what I’m wearing. I could ask the stylist who worked with 5 Leo Hearts, but then I wouldn’t be authentic to myself. The whole point of this tour is to break my stereotype and redefine my reputation. I need to do that by picking out my own clothes because I’m a grown man. I can handle that. Can’t I?
In an effort to break out of my shell, I muster up the motivation to go shopping. A new tour calls for new clothes. I’m not looking forward to this. But I’m gonna go to my usual shop and pick up more of what I like. I don’t know how often we’ll be hitting laundromats on the road, but since I didn’t hire an assistant, I can guarantee that my clothes won’t get washed often. I better stock up and make sure I have enough to wear.
I drive into town, valet park my car, and head into the shop. Everyone here knows me by name. This is nothing new. I can do this.
