The Wages, An Illustrated Story | 11. Masterstroke | Pink Newsboy Cap
At the end of a long day in the studio Ben encouraged us by saying, “We are closer to finished than starting. It won’t be long until you’re holding an album with a photo of the two of you on it.”
Crystal said, “I don’t need to be on the cover.”
Ben kept bringing it up after that, but Crystal would not budge. I don’t think he knew what to make of this after Crystal had worked so hard to prove her place in the recording studio.
Ben called us to a meeting in his office on “the pictures topic.”
“The photo studio is booked. This guy has a great eye and a dynamite team. You will both look fantastic. We need to come to a decision about this now.”
“We are not a band. I don’t sing. The album sleeve is will have ‘Brandy Cinnamon Wages’ printed across the top. People will be confused if there is a picture of me on the cover too.”
“Crystal, baby, look at you! You will make sensational photos,” Ben whined with a pleading tone I didn’t know he was capable of. Crystal did look like she would make cool photos, with her hair cascading out of a pink newsboy cap and over a cream-coloured dress.
“If you’re not going to put the bass player on the cover, why have the drummer? I could be in a photo of all of the musicians if you like.”
“We’re not going to cram everyone in and make Brandy’s portrait small.”
“That’s my point. I just want my pay and credit as drummer and arranger. A cover without me will work better.”
I said nothing but hoped I looked enthusiastic. I was terrified that Crystal’s stubbornness would make Ben shout, “You know what? Fuck it!” and I would be out tromping through the ice and sleet to beg Nougat Barn to take me back. But there was just a long silence.
Ben finally said, “OK,” twice quietly then once loud so it sounded like the entire world was against him, even though he was in charge of a lot of stuff. I knew this repetition of OK as Ben’s lesser warning. I figured it meant it wasn't really OK, but it wasn’t worth firing anybody yet.
I was not going to jeopardize my shot at success by testing Ben for bluffs the way Crystal had. When the time came, off I went to Ben’s favourite photo studio.