Paradise by the Dashboard Light

Some of this story is true. But some isn't. Which ones are. And which ones are?

Paradise by The Dashboard Light

     “You want me to produce this Rock Opera you two have written,” said PureSciFi. “Why did you come to me with this Rock Opera.”

     “Because you are a beginner Record Company,” said a young man. “We figured you would want to start ‘SpaceFaction Records’ off with a winner.”

     “I am also a scriptwriter,” said PureSciFi. “And I do admit that you have come up with a pretty good script here. The format isn’t perfect. But I could fix that – if I could back this Rock Opera.”

     “Why don’t you want to produce our Rock Opera? I don’t understand why you don’t want to produce this Rock Opera,” said a young woman.

     “Because I only started ‘SpaceFaction Records’ because of my dead brother,” said PureSciFi. “He was a Blues musician. And on his deathbed me and my older brother promised to start get his music out there to the world to enjoy.”

     “What was his name? We know a lot of Blues musicians,” said the young man.

     “BoJohns,” said PurSciFi. “His stage name was BoJohns.”

     “That name sounds familiar,” said the young woman. “I think I have heard some of his music.”

     “I don’t understand,” said the young man. “What does all of this have to do with you not wanting to produce our Rock Opera.”

     “It’s because me and my brother also promised our dead brother that if we could ever afford to do it we would start a Record company too,” said PureSciFi. “When we finally won the lottery we decided to started ‘SpaceFaction Records.’ My older brother wanted to call it ‘BoJohns Records.’ But he died soon after we won the lottery. So I decided to call it ‘SpaceFaction Records’ instead.

     “That’s all nice to know,” said the young woman. “But what does that have to do with you not producing our Rock Opera.”

     “I decided to call it ‘SpaceFaction Records’ instead of ‘BoJohns Records’ because I didn’t really want to start a Record company,” said PureSciFi. “I just want to write. But in honor of both my older brothers, who both loved the Blues, I decided to keep the company – but I also decided in honor of their love for the Blues I would only do Blues Records. That’s why I can’t produce your Rock Opera.”

<<<<*>>>>

Twenty-three years later

The newspaper heading for September 18, 2396 said:

     “Paradise by The Dashboard Light” still a big hit after almost twenty-two years.

     PureSciFi started to read the newspaper article. “No one can remember what inspired these two, whoever they were, to write this Rock Opera. The young man called himself Jim Steinman. But only a few, if anyone, believed that was his real name.”

     “I don’t think that was his real name either,” thought PureSciFi to himself. “What was his real name. He told me. They both did. But I can’t remember.”

     “Was Jim Steinman even part of Meat Loaf. I love that song that inspired them. But other than that I didn’t know anything about Meat Loaf. That’s why I did consider producing it. Why didn’t I produce it?”

     PureSciFi was about to start reading the newspaper again when he suddenly wadded it up. And through it at the Burial Bench were his big brothers were at. Where he would be soon enough. Thanks to his oldest brother, and the Blues Society who gave them that Burial Bench, he had a place to go too when he died.

     “I’ve never been a big fan of music. I didn’t even start listening to it until I was sixteen. And I never really liked the Blues that much. But I have always liked Rock ‘n Roll. My brothers were both dead. I could have produced it – I should have produced it. Why didn’t I produce it?”

     “That’s what I have been asking myself for the last twenty-three years. If I had I wouldn’t have lost ‘SpaceFaction Records’ four years later. I’m actually surprised it latest that long. My life went downhill after that.”

     “I gave up on everything – even my writing. Except for a few Short Story Contests, I won. At least one I only won because I was the only entry. I haven’t done anything with my writing. Maybe my ex-father was right about me? He never wanted me. And he always called me a loser. Maybe I was a loser after all.”

     “It all started after I refuse to Produce ‘Paradise by The Dashboard Light.’ If I hadn’t have refused that I wouldn’t be where I am now. Talking to my two dead brothers. I’m coming to be with you soon. I don’t have much longer to live. My health has always been bad. But in the last nineteen years it’s gotten steadily worse. If only I had produced ‘Paradise by The Dashboard Light’ after all. Maybe I could have gotten the health care I needed to live on longer. But I didn’t. And I am going to die soon.”

<<<<*>>>>

     “A lot of people believe that there are parallel worlds out there just like the ones they live on – only slightly different in a few ways – like records still being around all of these years. Some people, including Scientist, maybe even a lot of people, believe the same about parallel Universes. I am one of those people – who believe in both.”

     “Whatever happened to the two that wrote ‘Paradise by The Dashboard Light’ anyway. I can’t remember that either. All I can remember was that they died a few years after they got their Rock Opera on the big screen.”

     “I have trouble remembering anything anymore. That’s why I am writing this right now. Not only is it a last minute Short Story tribute to my life as a writer, but I wanted to let everyone know that it was me who was the idiot who didn’t produce ‘Paradise by The Dashboard Light.’

The End?