“Yeah, that sounds like a good idea.”He said looking up.“Is that coffee?”
“Yup, fresh brewed, here, I’ll get you a cup.”I brought him one of my big white coffee cups full of strong black coffee and waved it in front of his nose.
“Thanks, man.”He took the cup and drank a big swig.
I walked back to the kitchen to fix my own cup.“I have a meeting at 10:00 but I don’t have anything else on my plate today.When I get back, you and I can figure out what’s going on.Okay?”
“Okay, yeah.That sounds good.”He puts his head down.“Thanks, Lee.”
“No problem, buddy.”I tell him and I pick up the business card for Pline Records from the counter.
At 9:50, I open the big glass door to the office building at the address from the back of the business card and I’m greeted by a bubbly receptionist.
“Good morning!”She says, with a little too much enthusiasm.“How can I help you?”
“Hi, I’m supposed to have a meeting with Marc Pline at 10:00.”I tell her.
“Sure, and what’s your name?”she asks.
“Lee.Lee McCormick.”
“Just a moment, Mr.McCormick.”She picks up her phone and speaks into the receiver, “Mr.Pline, I have a Lee McCormick here to see you.Okay.Will do.”She hangs up and looks back at me.“Mr.Pline will be right out; you can have a seat.”She gestures to the waiting area by a window.
I sit down and watch a few music videos that play on the TV in the lobby.Ten minutes later, an office door opens, and Marc Pline walks out with a big smile plastered on his face and his hand extended.
“Lee!I’m so glad you made it.”I stood and shook his hand.“Come on, I want to introduce you to someone.”
We walk through a dimly lit hallway and into a small recording studio where there’s a man with a guitar sitting in front of a microphone.Marc pushes a button and says into a speaker, “Shawn, come on out here for a second, I want you to meet someone.”
The man, Shawn, comes out of the studio and shakes my hand and says to Marc, “Is this him?The guy who wrote our new hit song?”
Marc smiles at me and claps my back, “This is Lee.Lee, I’d like you to meet Shawn.I sent him your song last night after we talked and he called me right away and told me he wanted to come in and lay it out this morning.We’ve been working on a few versions and added some lyrics, would you like to hear it?”
I’m speechless.
This is moving fast.
“Yeah.”I say and I sit back with a huge grin on my face while this man strums his guitar and sings my words just like I thought them.Just like I felt them.There was a new verse added and I liked it, I actually really liked it.I was nodding my head when Shawn and Marc came out and stood in front of me.
“What do you think, Lee?”Marc asked.
“Yeah.It’s great.Amazing!”I say.
“Sweet!”Shawn high fives me.
“I want to send this track to the radio stations this afternoon.”Marc tells me.
“Wow!That’s really fast.”I’m a little taken aback.
“The music industry works on speed and the next big song waits for no one.”He tells me.“I just have some forms for you to look over for the legal bits to this deal.”His assistant hands him a folder and he pulls out a few sheets of paper, laying them out on the coffee table in front of me.“Now, you own the rights to this song because you wrote it and this here says that as well as that you give permission for Pline Records to record, produce and sell it.You will receive ten percent of every record that sells with this song on it for the next twenty years.”He explained, then pointed to the next paper.“This here says that Pline Records will pay a one-time fee of $75,000 to you, Lee McCormick, for the right to record, produce and sell this song.And if you agree to those terms,” he points to the last paper on the table, “This last one here gives permission for Pline Records’ artist, Shawn Lane, to record said song.”
He handed me a pen and I signed all three papers.Afterwards, Mr.Pline handed me an envelope with a check for $75,000 and shook my hand.“Thank you for inspiring me, Lee.I think this song is really great; it captures the pain of heartbreak and the struggle to move on in a heartfelt way – it’s really going to resonate with our listeners.And … if you don’t mind my saying … I think you ought to just go out and find this woman from your song.Empty your heart out.You just might be surprised at the outcome.”He pats my back.“Heck, maybe she’ll hear it on the radio and memories will be sparked.I know they hit me pretty good last night.”He stood and walked with me to the lobby.At the door, he said, “When your words can bring someone back to a specific day and make them remember exactly how they felt, that’s somethin’ special, kid.”
He smiled and shook my hand, then he told me if I write anything else I think he might be interested in to just give him a call and we would work something out.
I left the office park feeling incredible – amazing – and full of hope.I swear I’m going to find you, Ellie!One of these days, I’m going to find you and I pray that you have waited for me.
Chapter Thirty-Six
