The Strongman
25
Getting It Straight
I WAS WATCHING television Sunday evening when my phone played an old familiar tune. I think I stared at it until it was near to disconnecting before I forced myself to answer.
“Hello.”
“Paul! It’s wonderful,” Tara said. “I’ve just received the list from the weekend shows and you made the cut. You’ll be going to the live broadcast semi-finals in three months. The judges loved the range you showed between your audition and last night. But the audience just went wild for you. You were the top vote-getter from the weekend.”
“That’s wonderful, Tara. Thank you for calling!”
“I couldn’t wait for tomorrow. I’m so excited to work with you on the next level for the semi-finals. The judges want you to take it up a notch again, of course, but there is a new element in the next show. In addition to your performance as a duo, they want to see you work with another group. It’s all about seeing if you can integrate into a full show or if you are strictly a one-act combo.”
“What do they want us to do?”
“It seems that they think you could do something with the trampoline act. Have you worked on the trampolines?”
“Yes, a little. I’m afraid I haven’t gotten very far. They really want us to do a trampoline act with guys who have been doing it for years?” I asked.
“It’s all about creating the ensemble,” Tara said. “Personally, I don’t think the trampoline act will make the final cut. What they want to see is if you can work with a group. Every position in the revue has its specialty, but is also part of the greater ensemble. It’s a ninety-minute show and they don’t want to have eighteen five-minute performances by eighteen different groups. There will be acts that might feature one group, but involve nearly everyone around them.”
“I guess I can see the sense in that. How soon do we need to start working with the trampoline people?” I asked.
“Not for another month yet. That should give you time to train on the trampoline with Nicole before you even meet up with the others. I’ll be telling them much the same thing. Their part of the act will be how well they can back you and Sydnie up. I’ll probably have them shadow your spotters, for example. Is there a way you can integrate the spotters a little more?”
“Sydnie and I worked with her other two partners when I auditioned at GAC. They were our spotters, and even though the focus was on what Sydnie and I could do, we had them in similar costumes and they tumbled and posed next to us.”
“That’s what I’m talking about!” Tara said. “We can cover the details when I come to the gym tomorrow.”
“Thank you, Tara. I can’t believe you called my phone to give me the news in advance.”
“Well, I don’t have Sydnie’s numb… Oh, my God! I’m so sorry, Paul. Please tell Sydnie I just called to give you both the news. I didn’t mean to invade your privacy. I’ll see you tomorrow. Both of you. Really. I didn’t mean to make it awkward. Goodnight, Paul. See you.”
“Goodnight, Tara.” I think she’d hung up before I got the words out. “I love you,” I whispered.
I thought about it for a minute but figured it would be awkward tomorrow if I didn’t call Sydnie tonight and let her know.
Sydnie and I were both dragging a little in the morning when we got to the gym. We stretched and got warmed up as we continued our talk from the night before. We’d spent three hours on the phone brainstorming with Eva. What the hell were we going to do on a trampoline?
Sydnie gave me a hug when we got together, but we were both too tired for a friendly kiss.
“I suppose if we have just the flat trampoline, we can treat it like the sprung floor,” Sydnie suggested as we stretched.
“Except that when you bounce on the sprung floor, the rest of it stays stable,” I said. “When a person bounces on the trampoline, the whole surface gives. We’ve spent all this time disciplining ourselves to work on the hardwood. I’d never be in position to catch you.”
“It worries me,” she said. “We did trampoline at the academy, but it was just an exercise, not for our show.”
“Well, with a month before we need to integrate with the other group, we should at least get comfortable with the tramp. What do you think we should be doing for the next performance of our act?” I asked.
“Eva suggested the rola bola.”
We paused our warm-up and just stood there talking for a while.
“It’s a good thing we’ve got three months to prepare,” I said. “I’m okay on it now, but I’ve never tried to work with another person on me while I balanced on it.”
“I don’t know how I’d mount you on it. I think I’d have to climb. I don’t think you could launch me or that I could spring to you. Hmm. Maybe. I foresee a lot of work for Jon and Steffan in this act. I don’t want to break any bones—or my neck.”
“What are you two talking about so intently that you aren’t warming up?” Nicole asked, approaching us.
“Oh! Tara called last night and said we’d made it to the next round with high marks. I guess we’re not supposed to let that out, though. The semi-finalists won’t be announced until the end of the current round of auditions is aired starting in a month or so. I still don’t know the exact schedule.”
“She called you on Sunday night?” Nicole asked.
“Mine was the only direct phone she had, but Sydnie and I were up half the night afterward. Tara said she’d be coming here this morning, but not to expect her before ten.”
“That’s very unusual,” Nicole said. “Paul, do you have a history with Tara?”
I figured she meant our history as lovers, but I wasn’t going to go into that.
“Oh. Uh… I partnered with Tara after her accident to do an exhibition at the 2024 Nationals to show how far she’d been able to recover after her accident. She was great to work with.”
“Ah. I see. Well, let’s get the staff together and get their critique of your performance Saturday before they hear Tara’s. Don’t say a word about being selected.”
We got the whole team together again and listened to what they had to say. Jon and Steffan, of course, had a unique perspective, having been on stage and up close to us. They identified a couple of missteps that the audience probably hadn’t been aware of.
“Yes, I almost overshot the platform on the last attempt to grab the moon,” Sydnie laughed. “It was such a relief to see you standing below to catch me if I lost my balance any further.”
“I liked the addition of dance to your routine,” one of the other staff said. I guess they’d all gone to watch the show. “I didn’t like it being the focus, though. I felt your acrobatics were lost or overshadowed in the dance routine. It should be more obvious that you are acrobats who dance rather than dancers who tumble a bit.”
“I think the danger level wasn’t perceived as highly as your audition piece,” another offered. “I know some of the things you did were pretty risky, but they need to look riskier. Even having to stop and get your balance before a move would let people know you are straining all your muscles to do this act.”
“I’d have to second that,” Nicole said. “The things you did were dangerous and risky and exciting, but they weren’t thrilling. That relates more to the showmanship than to the actual tricks. We need to work on making it look more thrilling, even if it is a simpler move.”
It was ten by the time the staff was through with their critiques and we’d learned a lot about the perception. Not only had they all been at the show, they’d sat in different sections, so we got a well-rounded view of the act. When Tara walked in, using her canes, our meeting broke up and she joined just the five of us.
“Well, the big news, if you haven’t heard yet, is that you are moving on to the semi-finals. I called Paul last night to tell him when I got the news. Sydnie, I’m so sorry I didn’t call you, but I didn’t have your number. Maybe we can correct that now, since we’ll be working more closely in the next three months preparing for the semis,” Tara began. “The word that you are moving on is to be closely held, by the way. The fewer people who know, the better.”
“How much more closely will you be involved?” Nicole asked.
“I don’t want to take any of your responsibilities as a coach,” Tara began. “My position with the company is as the artistic director of acrobatics. So, I’ll ask you for things and if they are possible, you’ll work on getting Paul and Sydnie ready to perform them.”
We all nodded our understanding.
“So, let’s go over the comments from the judges. They say only a few words after the performance, but they write up a pretty extensive report after the show.”
“Who are these judges, anyway?” I asked. “I’m sure I don’t recognize any of them.”
“No. You aren’t likely to. Sam Michaels is the president of The New Trop. He has utterly no talent at all, but he has the money. Money talks. Lee Remy is the managing director of the Revue. His responsibility is the overall theme, composition, and look of the show. If you just go around to shows in Vegas, you’ll find different themes. Water shows, ribald sexy shows, music shows, Old West shows, magic shows, and just about any theme you might imagine. He will give the framework to the artistic directors and will coordinate with the technical director and designer.”
“Does he have talent?” Sydnie asked snidely.
“Actually, yes. He has directed several hit shows and has worked with some of the top artists in Las Vegas. He was a dancer on Broadway at the start of his career. And he’s my boss,” Tara said. “Ariel Deneuve is a performer in one of the top revue shows in Vegas. She had a minor accident this year and got pregnant. She performed as long as she could, but it coincidentally allowed her to take the gig of judging this competition. In the words of the movie Sister Act, she is not a showgirl; she’s a headliner.”
Another of my mother’s favorite movies. I was reminded of Tara’s and my first date and our common taste in old movies. It made me a little wistful and I almost missed the last judge.
“You would probably know Donna Kapelle, but you might not recognize her by sight. She plays Delilah in the television western drama, Gold Rush. She has a long list of acting credits on stage, film, and TV. She’s known for having a keen eye for talent and has started several careers for young performers.”
“So, we have three months to put together a new act,” Nicole said. “Do you have some ideas?”
“Yes, but before we get to the artistic part, we should take care of business. If you don’t have one yet, you need an agent. It will not be long before you’ll need to negotiate your contracts. Nicole, you probably have better contacts in that department than I do.”
Nicole nodded.
“For the next three months, you will all five be put on a probationary contract that will give you a living wage while you are expected to all be working full-time on your next performance,” Tara continued. “That wage is set in the rules of the competition and is non-negotiable. Believe me, I think you will like the terms. It is, however, your opportunity to back out if you wish. Finally, as I mentioned to Paul last night, you will be working with another act for the semi-finals. This is in addition to your next dedicated performance. This is to show the judges and audience that you can work as part of an ensemble.”
“Is everyone required to do that?” Nicole asked.
“Yes. And it will be much harder for some of them. I feel especially bad for magicians. They will need to work with another aspect of the show in order to move on. They might be performing by making a dancer disappear or some such.”
“I think I’d rather have been working with dancers than with a trampoline group,” Sydnie said.
“A what?” Nicole exploded.
That got us into what needed to happen in preparation for the semi-finals. It was going to be a brutal three months. Thank goodness, we had a stipend that provided a living wage. We also had a stack of information regarding agent responsibilities to the performer and to the show, union information that was not needed until we were actually cast, and a list of names and responsibilities of the dozens of people supporting the performances. We’d have a lot to work on.
Tara said goodbye after lunch and was gone before I could pull her aside to talk to her.
“What are you going to do, Paul?” Sydnie asked. “We see her every week and you hardly speak to her. You must be dying inside.”
“I don’t know what to do. She keeps her distance and never gets into anything personal. I don’t think she wants to get close to me,” I answered.
“You don’t see what I see,” she responded. “I see her aching to get close to you, but afraid you’ll reject her. I can’t imagine going through what she must go through every day, coaching acrobats in moves she once did but can’t do anymore. She must think all anyone sees is her canes. She doesn’t even use them all the time.”
“She was always a little self-conscious about them. I’m surprised to see her use them as much as she does. Her legs are fine as long as she doesn’t stress them. When they get tired is when she needs support.”
“See, you know her better than she knows herself,” Sydnie persisted. “You have to talk to her.”
“How can I talk to her when she won’t stop to talk?”
“Good grief, Paul! Use your phone! She called you on a Sunday night. You must have her number. Call it!”
That might have been obvious to some, but I almost never made calls on my cell phone. I considered texting her first, but she’d just either not respond or would text back not to call. I guessed it would be better if I just called. But what would I say?
I looked up every reference to Tara White I could find on the internet to see if she was in a relationship. There were a few pictures of some guy or another escorting her to big gymnastic events, but never even a name. We’d been working together for five months and would be performing in the semi-finals in just a couple of weeks.
I finally just bit the bullet and called her Thursday evening.
“Paul? Are you okay? You aren’t injured, are you? Is Sydnie all right?”
“We’re fine, Tara. I just wanted to talk for a bit. Preparations for this event have really taken a toll on all of us, but we’re tremendously excited to perform week after next.”
“Oh, good. That’s a relief,” she sighed. “Well, what’s on your mind?”
You, I thought. Isn’t it obvious?
“Oh, we were just talking about how well we seem to be integrating with the tramp team. You don’t think they’d want us to just join that team and not do our own act, do you?”
“Not a chance. It’s your individual act they’re interested in. The team event is just to show you are able to work well with others. Your new act is going to kill,” Tara said enthusiastically.
“I’m glad you think so. As long as it doesn’t kill us. We’ve worked hard to perfect it.”
“Relax and enjoy the time. It’s your moment to shine.”
“Would you like to go out tomorrow night, Tara?” I blurted out. “Dinner? A show?”
“Paul! You know that’s not a good idea. What’s gotten into you?”
“I still love you, Tara. I miss you so much!”
“Well, that doesn’t do a lot of good now, does it?”
“Why not? Is it too late for you? Do I not mean anything to you anymore?”
“You’re with Sydnie! What kind of woman would I be to step between you? I’m not a cheater and won’t put up with one. Even if not, I wouldn’t do anything that might cause you to break up when you are at the doorstep of success!” Tara practically shouted. I jumped in before she could hang up.
“Tara! I’m not with Sydnie! I’m not with anyone. Sydnie is married. To a very nice woman and close friend of mine. I’d never do anything to hurt either of them.”
“But… I saw her kiss you!”
“You saw Madison kiss me once, too. Is that what this is all about?”
“It looked a lot more passionate than Madison’s kiss.”
“Sydnie expresses her excitement with ‘friendly kisses.’ Her idea of friendly is pretty intense. We kiss once, maybe in a month or two. I’m surprised she hasn’t planted one on you yet. She about blew my sister’s socks off.”
“Wait! You aren’t… Really… You aren’t living with Sydnie… or dating her… or making love with her… or anything?”
“Sydnie is a wonderful friend. Eva is a wonderful friend. Not only that, Sydnie is a fantastic acrobatics partner. But we aren’t lovers.”
“But you’re so connected in your acts. The fire and passion that you have. The way you look at each other.” Tara was panting out the words.
“You told me eight years ago I needed to establish a stronger connection with my acrobatics partner and I needed to show fire and emotion. Gosh, coach! I’m just doing what you said,” I laughed.
“I’ve been miserable working with you for five months and never having a minute alone with you to really catch up. I saw you with Sydnie and thought you were a perfect couple. I didn’t want to spoil anything for you.”
“Let me ask you again, Tara. Would you like to go out tomorrow night? At least to dinner so we can sit and talk for a while and really catch up with each other’s lives?”
“I… Yes. I’d like that.”
“Text me your address and I’ll pick you up at seven. I’d say six, but we don’t usually quit practicing before then.”
“Seven will be fine. I’m looking forward to it already.”
“So am I!”
I was pretty worthless during practice on Friday. I even face-planted once. Not fun when you aren’t working with mats. Stef felt terrible about not getting under me, but I rather took him by surprise.
“What’s wrong?” Sydnie asked when we took a break after my fall.
“It’s not wrong! I don’t think. I’m going out with Tara tonight,” I breathed.
“That’s wonderful!” she said grabbing me to hug me tightly. “I just don’t know why it has taken you so long!”
“She thought we were married. Or at least that we were involved with each other,” I said.
“What? What could give her that idea?”
“Our connection and emotion in the act,” I said. “And a friendly kiss she once observed.”
“Oh, my God! She thought that meant we were together? Like that? I’m so sorry,” Sydnie said.
“Don’t be sorry. You know I do love you, just as I love Eva. You’re pretty much my best friends in the world, and I feel incredibly connected with you. You’re a wonderful partner.”
“When Eva became my girlfriend—Gosh! I was fifteen!—it was a bit of a shock to Lena. By then, we had enough experience to know what it took to perform as a team, though. To watch us, you’d have thought all three of us were lovers. Eva and I both loved Lena intensely, but not as lovers. The same was true of her. We miss her so much! Just the other night, Eva said that you and I worked so well together, it was almost like watching Lena and me.”
“I’d give up all this if Lena and Eva could still be performing with you,” I said.
“No offense, but so would I. Paul, when we work together, I do feel a little like Lena is with us—maybe in you. But when I look at you and you catch me in the air, I think, this is my best friend and my partner and my safety net. Now, let’s do this thing again and try not to knock your teeth out.”
We headed back to the floor and I mounted the rola bola. This time, I maintained my balance as Sydnie flew from the springboard to my shoulders. To my knowledge, no other duo had ever performed a flying mount on the rola bola. This definitely upped our risk factor. Stef hung nearby to make sure I didn’t fall again and I reminded him that the number one priority was to protect Sydnie. Regardless, his assistance wasn’t needed as we did the move flawlessly.
Of course, just mounting my shoulders while I was on the rola bola wasn’t enough. As soon as I was steady with her up, she put her hands on my head and pressed herself into a handstand. That was pretty exciting, but from there, she lifted one hand so she was doing a one-handed stand on my head while she did a couple different poses like she would have in acro-gym competition.
Being centered on my head was easier to maintain my balance than what came next. I raised my hand and Sydnie transferred from my head to my hand as she did an incredible Mexican arch as I counter-balanced her on the board.
If that didn’t make people stand up and cheer, I wasn’t sure if anything would.
We worked on our portion of the trampoline act next. When the trampolines were in use, there was one on either side of the stage at an angle. The acrobats often flew between them. In the middle was a flat tramp. It was different than what you might have in your back yard. First, it was rectangular instead of a circle, and second, it had a lot more spring to it. It wasn’t unusual to find an acrobat turning flips twenty feet in the air.
Sydnie and I had just a small part in the combined routine. We jumped from a platform onto side-by-side springboards. That propelled us into the air far enough we could both do a double and land together on the tramp. We did a lot of side-by-side moves, then we altered our synchronization so Sydnie was in the air while I bounced on the tramp. We did a flying mount, so Sydnie landed on my shoulders as I was going up and she was coming down. We had a launch into a flip that might have exceeded the twenty feet we were supposed to stay below, and I caught Sydnie as she landed for our dismount. It was a pretty good bit and the other guys would be flying past us from one end tramp to the other.
“You need to go home and get ready for your date!” Sydnie yelled at me about five-thirty.
“I need ten minutes in the ice before I do that,” I said. “I’m picking her up at seven.”
“Don’t get in a situation of having to rush!” I was instructed.
“Yes, Mom,” I laughed.
“And have fun!”
I got to the therapy room and eased into the ice. That hurt, but it would feel better later. I got a shower and dressed.
As it turned out, I was in my car sitting outside Tara’s fancy house at ten till.
Please feel free to send comments to the author at devon@devonlayne.com.
