Rise To Stardom

Bringing the taxi to an instant halt, the cab driver swiveled his head backwards to stare at his passenger, a thrilling grin plastered on his face.

The passenger, a man in his mid-twenties dressed in a pristine and well-tailored black suit, had a similarly thrilled look on his face.

It had been one heck of a car ride that showcased the extreme skills of a seasoned taxi-driver who knew how to burn rubber!

"Damn! You are one mad lad sir!" the suited man excitedly said, fumbling to exit the cab with his luggage.

"Well I wanted to get that $100 tip you promised so hand it over." the cab driver, a surprisingly handsome man in his late thirties requested with an outstretched palm.

"And a fantastic job you did at it sir! Here you go!" the young man quickly retrieved his purse and fulfilled his own end of the deal.

"Thank you kid. Now ensure you catch that flight alright." he advised as the man in the suit replied while hurriedly making his way over into the airport.

"I will!"

With a light smile, the cab driver nodded and then proceeded to exit the airport drive way.

Driving out, back into the hustle and bustle of the city, the happy driver switched on his radio to listen to some good music.

"♩ Twerk that as- ♩"

"Nope. Too vulgar." he frowned and switched to another station.

"🎤 Who let the wolves out?! 🎤"

"Certainly not me." he instantly switched to another station.

"♪ Good Morning Darling, how was your night… ♪"

[A/N: Wherever you see the three dots (…) in a song, just know that part is either stretched or stressed].

"Haa~, just right." he finally settled on the 'Morning Blues' program on Cool FM.

It was early morning on a weekend in Florida and the sun was just dandy, casting a vibrant feel to the entire ambience of the lively city… sometimes, maybe too lively of a city.

'Wonder what a random Florida man is up to today…' the cab driver thought to himself, still humming along with the tranquil music from the radio.

'Well, that aside, better hurry on over to visit them.' he thought to himself while speeding up a bit, a destination now already set on his mind.

Ever since the cab driver had started going over to the place where he was headed to right now, his life had turned out so much more vibrant.

So much happier.

Previously, he had been a wreck of a human being with heavy financial debts, along with crushed hopes and dreams, just struggling to get by day-in, day-out, like so many others.

But meeting those people just a few years back had really shone a light upon his world.

One he never realized he had needed.

Reaching a busy road and parking in front of a fairly large electronics store, the thirty-year old man got out of his cab and walked in, purchasing a few cassettes containing a bunch of oldies.

Very old-man like in this day and age he knew but he couldn't care less.

After making his purchase, he then moved over to the cosmetics store just beside the electronics store and also purchased a few scented candles with calming effects.

Completely blowing off the entirety of his $100 tip, the man entered his taxi and then continued his journey to the countryside in a good mood.

Finally reaching his location after a long while, a place with greenery and pasture as far as the eye could see and a singular opulently built villa-like building situated right bang in the middle of it all, the cab driver drove in through the wide and ornately-designed black gates.

Halting the cab at the parking lot, he quickly got out while carrying all the things he bought and made his way into the retirement home while thinking to himself.

'I hope they're not sad I came later than usual…'

The moment he stepped in, one of the many nursing assistants who knew of him and his frequent visits gave him a warm smile while gesturing with hand signs;

< Kyle! Hi!>

<They've been eagerly expecting you! <strong>> she further motioned while pointing upstairs.

< Thank you Jane. I'll get going > Kyle responded with sign language too, a light smile on his face made his way up the stairs.

Upon reaching the first floor, Kyle soon found his way into a wide sitting room with five elderly people already staring at him, almost as if they had been waiting to welcome him.

"Oh would you look at that! Our prodigal son returns!" Ollie, a seventy-year old man with a very mischievous smile and piercing blue eyes spoke first while the other elderlies burst into laughter.

"Oh come on you geezers. It was only thirty minutes!" Kyle squinted at all the old people in the room.

"The entire week and thirty minutes actually dearie" Mary, Ollie's wife chuckled, her aged sixty-year old face showing how timelessly beautiful she must've been in her younger years.

Kyle just rolled his eyes at this and began taking out the scented candles, placing them around the room and lighting them up.

"Well, the good thing is that you're here" Rebecca and Joel chimed in together, both elderly couples and also friends of the previous two that had spoken to Kyle.

The last elderly individual, Paul, just nodded in agreement with a warm smile.

"Well I'm always glad to be here just so you know" Kyle responded with a warm smile of his own.

"You always say that every time~" the elderlies all chimed as if they had expected that response from him with another round of chuckles.

Although the Kyle wasn't related by blood to any of them by any means whatsoever, they had all come to see him as the son they never had.

Having transported all five of them a few times to various places in Miami as a cabby before they eventually ended up moving to the retirement home in the countryside, they had all grown to become fond of the respectful man in his late thirties and had formed an exceptionally close bond with him.

Whenever he was around, their weekends were always lively, far livelier than the average boring weekdays.

With a small sigh, a smile still on his face, Kyle then moved over to the piano situated in the corner of the modernly-designed and well-furnished room.

"Yes. Give us our weekend special son!" Ollie, Joel and Paul instantly cheered on while raising their wrinkled fists, the old women laughing at the antics of the old men.

'I wonder where they get that insane energy from…' Kyle thought to himself with an inward chuckle.

"This is your weekend special men! [Saturday Mornin'] by yours truly!" Kyle played along with them and began dancing his fingers on the piano.

A soft tune, easy enough for even an absolute novice to play, flowed out of the piano as Kyle began to sing.

🎹 ♪

I came along,

To play a song for you…

For all the things you do,

So don't stay so blue…

🎹 ♪

As Kyle sang the first verse, his diction clear and his expression warm, a bunch of other elderly people soon began to make their way into the room on their wheelchairs, almost as if used to it.

The elderlies who were previously present in the room too, didn't seem to mind either as they just kept gently swaying to the song, already anticipating the funny chorus from Kyle.

🎹 ♪

Often wonder if this is the life,

Shouldn't I be married by now…

But here I am with you geezers,

Singing on a Saturday Mornin'

🎹 ♪

Staring straight into the eyes of the old men whom had requested the song from him and were now laughing again, Kyle gave a mischievous smile of his own, moving over to the next verse.

🎹 ♪

Oh there it is,

That beautiful old smile,

Oh it warms my heart so…

So, tell me, have I made your day?

🎹 ♪

As Kyle completed the second verse this time, the now crowded room full of elderly people and their nursing assistants just let out even more chuckles as Kyle sang the chorus again.

🎹 ♪

Often wonder if this is the life,

Shouldn't I be married by now…,

But here I am with you geezers,

Singing on a Saturday Mornin'

🎹 ♪

The song wasn't a hard one by any means and Kyle's voice certainly wasn't sensational by any stretch of the imagination.

In fact, one could say Kyle's voice was subpar but he made up for it with the amount of heart and fun he put into every lyric.

That was what made all the people currently present in the room really love the song.

As Kyle ended the song though, applauses and cheers rang through the room and he basked in it with a smile while giving a small, graceful bow.

"Never gets old that song!" Ollie declared with another hearty laughter while the rest of the elderly people nodded in agreement.

"Yeah. I'd listen to it on repeat than most of those songs about profanity these days" one of the nursing attendants who had joined up, also added.

"Oh stop it you guys…" Kyle unknowingly blushed, believing that they were just trying to fan his ego.

"Kyle dear, you need to get better at properly masking your real emotions" Mary pointed to his blushing cheeks with a small smile.

Noticing this, the thirty-year old man, just sighed and stood up from the piano's stool.

Realizing he was done with his song, the other elderlies and nursing assistants soon left the room and once again, it was only he and the initial five left.

Soon, the five began to ask Kyle about the events of his week, and he was more than willing to share.

After chatting for about an hour or so, Kyle eyes soon caught wind of a popular star on the TV whom was performing on one of the best stages in the world.

'Now that's a real musician and a bonafide star…' he thought to himself.

Noticing how his eyes had become glued to and mesmerized by the performer on the TV, all five elderlies synchronously asked Kyle a question they had always been asking him since the day they came to know of his passionate love for music and acting.

"Do you want to be a star?"

The first time Kyle was asked this question in such a perfectly synchronous manner, he had been a bit weirded out by it.

Now though, not so much.

Especially since he now found it so normal considering they always seemed to ask him every time he came over.

"I've told you so many times that it's impossible for me" Kyle gave an answer with an expression that seemed like he was just stating the obvious.

Already expecting them to just nod their heads in understanding like they usually did, Kyle was surprised to hear them ask another question again today, in the same synchronous manner.

"Why do you want to be a star?"

Staring at all of them for a few seconds, Kyle sighed in resignation and then responded.

"Because I want to make my own music. One that has a lot of heart to it. One that can touch people's souls"

"As for acting, I want to be able to portray so many characters, so very well. I want to embody and breathe life into them"

"I get so excited at the prospect of it and I feel so fulfilled whenever I think about it"

"But then again, that's impossible for me. I barely even qualify as average in the singing department much less acting" Kyle concluded with another sigh while introspecting.

'I may be able to write nice songs, but what's the fun there if I can't even sing my own songs well…'

"But you are so passionate about it Kyle. You really are. Both singing and acting" Mary tried to let Kyle see that he could still give it a whirl despite the truth in his words.

"And you're also very handsome! That counts for something at least if you still venture into it now. Hollywood really loves their pretty faces you know" Rebecca chimed in this time and the others nodded their head in agreement.

"I don't think handsome will really get me anywhere if I'm not talented" he replied to all of them with an arched eyebrow, his arms folded across his chest.

Everyone sighed in resignation at his words while Kyle firmly stood his ground.

They at least wanted him to give it a try but their so called son, seemed adamant on believing he wasn't destined to follow his dreams.

And to a certain extent, considering he had just healed from a lot of baggage just a few years back, they understood why he still found it quite hard to believe in himself.

But if that was the case, they had all decided they would have to make it possible for him to follow those dreams, their own way.

"Say son, hypothetically, just hypothetically, do you think that if you did become a star, it would warp the kind of person you are now?" Ollie casually asked Kyle this time as the others waited for his answer.

Pondering over it for a minute or so, Kyle kept thinking, a range of complex emotions phasing across his face.

"No. I don't think it would. That just isn't me. I'd never do something untoward and improper just because I suddenly became a star. I'm better than that" he resolutely declared.

The moment he did, everyone in the room heaved a sigh of relief and Kyle couldn't help but just tilt his head in slight confusion while asking.

"Why do you all look so relieved? It was just a hypothetical question no?"

"Oh it's nothing dearie" Mary and Rebecca both smiled while Ollie and the other elderly men just chimed in.

"Yeah! Don't sweat it lad!"

Still not completely convinced, Kyle just let go of it and then, moved over to remove the audio cassettes from the other bag he had brought.

"Oh thank you love!" Mary gave a heartfelt appreciation as Kyle began to dish out the cassettes to all the others too, all of them giving their heartfelt gratefulness.

Each cassette the man handed over, contained songs from their favorite 80's and 90's musician.

After he was done handing the cassettes out, their day continued on like normal, with Kyle filling them in on more of the never-ending piles of unbelievable situations he had experienced as a cabby.

By the time the sun was slowly descending and early evening was just around the corner, it was Kyle's cue to leave the retirement home.

As he gave his goodbyes by hugging all five elderly people he had come to genuinely love over the last five years of his life, they all began to tell him a few words after accepting his hugs.

"When destiny seeks you out Kyle, you must be strong. Take your chance with it!" Ollie and Mary spoke first, which was then followed by Rebecca and Joel.

"We will not be with you then, but you have to go on…"

And then Paul concluded with a warm smile mirroring everyone's.

"Because in time you'll see, that we were really just a page in your story…"

Kyle took in those words with great attention and magnitude, feeling like there was a lot of hidden meaning behind it.

But at the same time, he was very, very, very wary about it and he instantly spoke.

"You guys are not planning to die on me anytime soon, are you?"

"Nope. Not at all dearie" Mary replied with a trusting smile and Kyle just nodded his head in response, seeing that the remaining four also gave the same smile.

"Good! 'Cause I know you're all very healthy and just dandy!" he squinted at them while pointing his finger in a motioning half-arc.

Seeing this, they all laughed again as Kyle finally felt relieved and then spoke again as he began to exit through door.

"I'll make sure to hold on to your words. Advice from old people are the best!" he smiled happily and the others chuckled once again at his words as he left.

And just like that, the man in his late-thirties, safely got home, came back the very next day and then found out, that all five had suddenly died of unknown reasons.

Staring at their cold dead bodies, Kyle could not even muster any words and neither was he sure as to how he was feeling exactly.

The panicked doctors and nursing assistants weren't even able to find out the cause and the man in his late thirties, unable to even process his emotions at the entire situation, just slowly got back into his taxi.

Staying in silence for about a few minutes as he sat in his taxi, he suddenly felt all of his emotions erupt at once and he began to bang his hands forcefully on the steering wheel!

-Bam! Bam! Bam!

Frustration, anger, pain, sorrow… he felt it all. To such an extreme degree in fact.

And then, after about two minutes of doing so, his expression changed into one of immense sadness and he broke down into a sobbing mess of tears and just cried his heart out for more than an hour or so.

Having calmed down after letting it all out, Kyle began to make his way back to the city, telling himself that all five would've never wanted to see him like that.

So Kyle did what he felt was necessary and decided to go buy a black suit so that he could honor them by attending their burials at the very least. 

Unable to properly focus on his driving though, an unfortunate turn of events soon ensued again.

Almost driving straight into an oncoming truck, Kyle tried maneuvering at the last minute on the short bridge they were on but it was too late.

The truck slammed straight into the sides of his taxi as he swerved sideways and sent both he and his vehicle tumbling straight into the small river below.

This, inevitably and unfortunately, sent Kyle, straight into the cold embrace of death.