Thirteen Letters. Chapter Five.

All contracts were signed. It was a relief. And in a way it turned out to be easy, easier than I thought it would be, because the T&C was all there in black and white, and seen by my friends and Maxine’s friends.

Maxine had gone to sponsors for every single item of my clothing, from my underpants, shoes, t-shirts, casual and smart trousers, jackets everything that I wore, and the good thing, with that was after a month or so they were laundered and given to various charities here in the UK. So, it was a win-win. I never got to choose any of the clothes, or their colours or materials, Maxine chose them all, there is a material that Maxine loves, that I don’t and that is leather! She also loves linens, that I didn’t mind, which is just as well.

I was given songs to learn, I watched the videos of the Artists or bands that sang each song, none of the songs I had ever heard in my life. This is it, I thought, now my job has finally started, I wasn’t going to let MJG down, I had asked her, on one of the occasions when I saw her, “Am I on a six-month trial?” She, reassuringly replied, “No, you are stuck with me for the next five years,” For that’s how long the contract is. I breathed a sigh of relief.

To help me learn the songs, I even listened to them, quietly as I went off to sleep, so that they would get into my sub conscious, I would have 1-1 meetings with Maxine, as she would go through each song and how she wanted me to stand, where to look, sometimes with my eyes to the ground, at other times, looking into the camera, what I did with my hand, holding the mic on the stand, with my right hand with my left hand raised. With another song, my hands at a certain point of the song, will be down in front of me together with my fingertips touching, almost facing the floor and for about six seconds my hands slide, my fingertips touching the heel of my palm and then, sliding up and then doing the same thing with the other hand, without my fingertips leaving contact with my hands, when, I do this with my hands, my head must be slightly forward with my eyes down, for the correct effect. I practiced this with Maxine, showing me exactly what she wanted, with each song.

A week later, after I had finished a singing practice, MJG said, “I would like to introduce you to someone,” I followed Maxine into a side room and in there was a young woman. Maxine said, “This is Lisa, from tomorrow, you will see each other once a week, for meals out, you pick the restaurants, one of your friends will be nearby at another table, with one of my Staff Anna,” Maxine went on, “There will be no touching, at all, get to know each other by enjoying your meals and asking lots of questions.”

Maxine introduced me to Lisa as, “Paul Anderson,” We looked at each other and smiled, I instantly knew what this moment meant, and who she is. I knew a lot about her, I did wonder if she knew anything about me? Maxine said, “I will be arranging your marriage to each other,” It was then, that I smiled and I’m sure the dimples that MJG loves SO much appeared, Maxine looked at me and smiled too, and said the predictable, “What’s so funny?” I replied, “You already know the answer to that,” I added, “That letter is in the bank,” Lisa asked, “What letter?” It was then I mentioned about the thirteen letters, to Lisa, but not all their contents, and I said, “At our meals I will tell you about the letters that I have taken out so far and how I met Maxine, and you can tell me how you met Maxine.” And it was then, I began to feel, everything indeed was going to be OK, for so far, everything seems to have fitted snugly into place, without a hitch.