Caught in the rush
Chapter Nine
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Though Penny liked the bit of publicity she was getting, she hoped to God that her worst nightmare didn't come true. But when she turned on the television again and saw Kurt Loders face on the screen, she realized that it had.
If Kurt Loder, all the way in New York was reporting what was going on, the whole world was going to know about it in a matter of minutes.
Something that would make her publicist cream her pants.
"... Of everything that could possible go wrong on the day of their last big concert before going overseas to start the first leg of their joint European concert, Dirk Monahan of the Scottish rock group, Trouble, and pop singer Penny, who have reportedly been dating for the last two years…"
"Year and a half," Penny mumbled. "That's the press for you," Kathy chimed in.
"... have been trapped in what is being called the worst traffic jam in California's history, after an accident involving an overturned tanker truck. Authorities have been ordered by HASMAT not to move the tanker until they have been able to have the tank emptied and they can assess the situation. The first indications of Penny being in the jam, were when a newscopter from a local television station, picked up images of Penny's well known purple and green limousine. It was confirmed a while later the singer was in the vehicle when she placed a call to her publicist, Wendy Monroe…"
"I knew it," Penny hissed, as Kathy stared at the television screen.
"... who later informed newscrews outside the concert hall where she was scheduled to perform tonight. Dirk Monahans presence in the traffic jam was made public, when a young man placed a call to a local television station, coincidentally when Penny was telling the news anchor what was going on, because he was allegedly sitting right next to the singers limo. The mystery was how and why the two singers were there in the first place, until a short while ago, when Penny called into a local newsradio station to not only appeal to the other commuters to try and stay calm, but for Dirk Monahan not to leave the concert and return to Scotland.
The concern is whether Dirk Monahan is really going to turn his back on tonight's performance at the Santa Monica Amphitheater, and if not, will he and Penny be able to get back in time for the concert."
That's when the camera cut to a live shot of Wendy standing in front of the theater, surrounded by newscrews. "I have no doubt in my mind that no matter how long it takes, as tired and as worn out by this ordeal Penny is, that she will not turn her back on this concert," Wendy stated, "All authorities and other personal in charge of this situation are working as hard as they can to bring an end to this mess as quickly as possible. Dirk and Penny have been together for a long time, and as soon as they get a chance to see each other, everything will be worked out and they will be here tonight."
After Wendy excused herself from the reporters, she stepped back into the front gate of the amphitheater, hoping to God she was right, because she was starting to have doubts about Dirk. And whether Penny would actually show up and just let Dirk go.
She knew Penny better than to think she could just let him go. So Wendy prayed that Penny could get to him in time.
Meanwhile, back on MTV, they started showing scenes of fans surrounding the concert hall. Many of them were waving signs saying "We're on your side Penny" and "Listen to her Dirk". They cut to one teenage girl who pushed past the crowds towards the media. "No matter what you do Penny," she shouted, "we're all behind you. Don't let Dirk leave, please. If you don't make it tonight, we'll understand, but you've got to stop him, we love you guys so much!"
* * *
So, the tour was set.
Trouble would be opening for Penny, starting in Hawaii, working its way across Canada, heading in the New England states, and across the U.S. back to California before they headed overseas to England, then across the rest of Europe, ending in Australia. And they would be starting two months later, in June.
The public went crazy. They ate up the fact that the frontman of the band opening for Penny, was her boyfriend.
There were a serious number of photo shoots. Trouble appeared on the cover of Rolling Stone; Dirk and Penny appeared on the cover of Entertainment Weekly (him wearing a white shirt, slightly unbuttoned from the top, a pair of sunglasses and a pair of tight black jeans, she wearing a burgundy halter top and a pair of black dress pants, they stood close together but faced the camera with mischievous smiles.) and US Magazine (where they had a picture of Dirk kissing Penny on the cheek at one of their many press conferences. So far, it was Dirks favorite picture of them together). Penny was on the cover of Jane, and People. She was also the feature story.
The last paragraph of the story read as follows:
"As a child, Penny had to endure poverty, the public rejection of her father, and the humiliation that came with it. As an adult, Penny is now able to pay back everyone, in some way, that stood by her and her mother in the worst of times. She has the love and admiration of Dirk Monahan. As for her father, the lyrics of "Bigger than You" speak for themselves:
"You pushed aside a child,
rejected the little girl that I was
because you thought you were bigger than me
Where are you now?
Where are you now that I'm Bigger Than You?"
"Indeed."
In the article for Rolling Stone, Trouble's interview went something like this:
RS: So, how did you guys meet?
Val: Dirk and I were neighbors since we were both six years old.
Dirk: Val and I met Dave in high school..
Dave: That's right, I was playing the drums for the talent show.
Val: They said you were bloody awful, what did they know?
Dom: I'm Dave's cousin on his father's side, I met Val and Dirk through him
Lane: Dirk and I had gotten into a bar brawl a few years back. I met him again a while later when I auditioned for the band
RS: And you were hired, even after the fight?
Lane: That's right
Dirk: He played a damn good rhythm guitar, that and I thought it would be a funny story to tell later.
RS: How did the band eventually get formed?
Dirk: I had an uncle who had been teaching me bass when I was a lad, and I used to practice by trying to imitate John from The Who. Val played piano, eventually, she took up keyboards when we graduated high school
Val: Our parents heard us goofing around one day, and thought it was inevitable that we would be performing together one day, but we kind of put it off until we met Dave.
Dave: I come from a musical family. Dom and I used to practice together all the time, so when I met Val and Dirk, and they suggested hooking up, I suggested my cousin.
Dirk: Of course, it took forever. Dave was a bit younger than we were, so we had to wait until he graduated. Then of course, there were family issues, money issues. It took a long time to get someone to notice us.
Dom: One radio disc jockey gave us a listen and thought we were okay, but we needed another guitarist to balance Dirk and I out, that's when we started trying to look for someone else.
Lane: When I was hired, the same bloke gave us another listen, and tried to get us going. We played a few parties here and there, but nothing major, until we decided to go to England for a Battle of the Bands sort of thing. We didn't win, but people started to like us. We started getting gigs all over the place after that.
RS: What finally got you guys signed to a big label?
Val: Well, when we performed on Top of the Pops, we had recorded an independent album, about 5 songs long. Apparently, the gentleman who owns the record company that Penny was signed with was there in the audience, because she was performing, and she asked him to come along.
Dirk: He met with us after the show, and we were invited to the States, and we negotiated the deal.
RS: Is that when you guys met Penny?
Val: Dirk actually met her at the party celebrating our record deal. We didn't meet her until a few days later, when she met him at the studio so they could go out together that night.
RS: What do you guys think of her?
Dom: Charming
Val: Lively, outgoing
Dave: Very friendly, easy to get along with
Lane: I agree with them.
RS: Dirk, what's the best thing about going out on tour with her?
Dirk: We would actually be doing what we were meant to do, but we're not being kept apart. Plus, I always wanted to work along side of her; I think its going to be fun.