loralees-freshed-over-noodles

I have this regular gig that I do about 8 times a month. We've had the past two months "off" while they refurbish the place. No compensation. No nothing. Just, "Oh sorry. You won't have any work for two months." Okay.

Before we got this delightful news, a couple of the musician's there had been asking the band leader, for at least a couple of years now, to see if he could get us a raise. This is a prestigous Napa Valley Country Club, mind you, owned by a huge corporation that makes millions and millions of dollars. I've been there for ten years and have made the exact same money. No. No raise. Okay.

So on New Year's Eve weekend the bass player and myself devised this wonderful plan. Lets put out a tip jar and have some little fliers on the table promoting our tip jar. It couldn't hurt. You know. Drum up a little extra income for the broke musician folk. Well. I guess the "shit hit the fan" . . . so to speak.

I have been there for ten years, have covered the band leader's ass when he "forgot" to book a singer several times. I've shown up, for the most part, on time. I have a large group of regular customers who will actually leave the club if I am not singing. People come out to see me sing. They buy drinks. They bring their friends. I've been loyal and I've done a good job. In return, the band leader gives me whatever gigs I want. It's been an okay deal. And the bass player has done everything but walk on water to help out, he's good and he's such a pro. The band leader shows up about ten times a year and runs his little power trip on everyone and presumes to think that he's running the show while all the while we the band are running the show. Okay?

Today I was told by the band leader that he just couldn't continue his same working relationship with me. I asked him point blank, "Are you firing me?" He said, "I just can't continue having the same agreement with you that we've had in the past." So I said, "So basically you're firing me then." He then proceeded to tell me that, in all his twenty years of being the band's contractor, this was assuredly the WORST thing that has happened to him because we supposedly almost lost him his contract at the country club. Excuse me? Having someone put out a tip jar and fliers and debate it with you is the WORST thing that's happened? In twenty years? Your entire contractual life?

Worse than say, when that other singer took advantage of you on New Year's Eve that one year? You know, when you booked him a room and he emptied out the courtesy bar and ran up an exhorbitant tab that you had to pay out of your pocket? Or the same singer who would show up an hour and a half late for your gigs? You still hire him all the time. Or is it worse then the time that you, oh fearless band leader, got drunk and left the stage, while the band was still playing, to go and sleep it off in your car? I see you still coming to gigs.

And because what I did is SO awful it merits you taking a single mothers supplemental income away from her? You couldn't have just "warned" me? Or explained the country club "protocol?" You couldn't factor in that I've been nothing but professional for ten years? Does loyalty to your bandmates factor in anywhere? Well. Obviously not. The bass player and I are now both offically unvited to play any music out there. WTF? He did assure me, as we were wrapping up our phone conversation, that we were parting as friends. Oh yeah. Sure. The BEST.