About Heard on High

by Lee Benoit
17 pages / 5800 words
Available file types - html, lit, pdf, prc

Hal is a composer and director of the local gay men's chorus. Arlie's a young tenor who comes highly recommended, but his voice doesn't measure up to his reputation. Hal likes Arlie a lot, though, and decides to take a chance on him as something more than a singer. When he takes Arlie home, Hal finds out it’s not all about the singing, and that if Arlie can just find the right range, everything can work out.

Sample

“He sucks.”

“You’re not giving him a chance, Paulo,” Hal said to his friend, but he kept his eyes on the newest member of the Sister City Gay Men’s Chorus.  “Old Father Sheridan said Arlie was the best he’d had in a decade.”

Paulo snorted at Hal’s choice of words, but restricted himself to saying simply, “Pretty boy must have faked that rec.  That or St. Sebastian’s has the shittiest choir in the state.”

“Language,” Hal admonished automatically.  “You’re not giving him a chance,” he said again.

“And you can’t take your eyes off him,” Paulo said baldly.

Hal considered spluttering indignantly, but Paulo was already giving him his “I know you better than you know yourself” look.

“I’m ignoring you,” Hal said, stamping his foot and crossing his arms over his chest.  Paulo snickered.

“Paulo, I’m already on thin ice as it is.  The Black Concerts are a big deal and I can’t let dissension in the ranks jeopardize them.  These guys know me, but most of them think I’ve got the director’s position because I was Richard’s lover.”

“They also know you’ve got the D.M.A. to back it up.”

“They think I’m too young.”

“You are too young.”

Hal took a half-hearted swipe at Paulo’s artfully tousled curls.  Paulo artfully ducked.

The other guys were filtering back from break, bantering and laughing.  Hal watched Arlie, on the far side of the rehearsal space studying the mulch of announcements on the corkboard by the door, alternately sipping self-consciously from a bottle of water and absently peeling off its label.  He felt responsible for the kid.  Being the director, he’d be remiss in his duty if he didn’t help Arlie feel fully welcome among the other choristers.  With a wince, Hal acknowledged that if Arlie didn’t improve, didn’t start demonstrating those much-vaunted chops, he’d have to let him go.  And if it came to that, he’d have done Arlie no favors by smoothing his social way with his fellows.

“I’ll talk to him, Paulo.  Only, for tonight, help him along?  For me?”  Hal knew his coquetry, complete with exaggerated eye-batting, would crack Paulo up.

With the expected cackle, Paulo clapped him on the shoulder and ambled toward the little stage, calling, “All right, pretties, assume your positions!  Let’s warm up with a little ‘Spank My Balls with Boughs of Holly!’”