Jack Of Arts

///// Hello dear readers. We've peaked at top 300 baby! Thank you all. Thank you for your power stones.

I just wish my novel will be featured once more at 'Weekly Featured' for huge exposure and therefore collections. We're slowly approaching 1000 collections.

Anyway, thank you again for following my novel and see you again in the next Chapter.

-Dagem

/////

This made the people present nervous again. Agent Ross, however, assured the people present. "Hey. Come on. You don't get to meet a famous author every day." Agent Ross said as he offered Tayaw his hand for a shake. Even though Tayaw was not comfortable with some of the questions earlier, he still shook Agent Ross' hands out of courtesy. Those questions cleared his name after all.

"It was a joke! I'm Eric McNab; my daughter loves your stories." Officer McNab introduced himself and he also offered his hand to Tayaw. "I'm glad to hear that." Tayaw said and returned Officer McNab's handshake,

"So, they know now?" Chala, who had no clue what happened, asked Tayaw. "Yep. I had no choice. Some *sshole reported me as an illegal alien." Tayaw explained. "Hmm. I think this was personal." Agent Ross offered his suspicion. "Yes. I think so too. There are plenty of foreigners here in Nashville, and targeting Mr. Dagem seems too specific." Officer McNab agreed.

"Well. It doesn't matter. I'm cleared anyway." Tayaw said. "Hmm. Well. It was pleasure meeting you, Mr. Dagem. I'll excuse myself. I still have to drive back to V.i.r.g.i.nia." Agent Ross bid good bye. "I also have to go back on patrol. If you need some help, just call the precint and ask for me." Officer McNab also excused himself.The duo soon left the bar and the bar staff and Strawberry band started chatting amongst them lively.

"Sorry about that, gentlemen. Y'all should have been home by now." Tayaw apologized to the people in the bar. As he said that however, he noticed that they're looking at him differently.

"Did I hear that right? So you wrote my daughter's favorite book." Rez was the first one to talk. "I read it to my grandson every night." Henry also said. "I read it for the gore." Bobby, on the other hand, read the a.d.u.l.t version. One thing is for sure, the three all know his fairy tales.

"Yes, gentlemen. However, I'd appreciate it if y'all would keep it a secret." Tayaw told the group. "Oh. Don't worry. Even if we slip up, there are a lot of people who won't recognize your book. I mean, I don't know your books." Aaron replied making the others chuckle.

"You know, it's funny. We thought he was a country musician. Then we found out he didn't start with country. Now, you're an author too?" John said, amused. "Oh. Don't worry. I just got lucky that my book sold. I'm still a musician." Tayaw said.

The next few minutes are spent with his buddies doing the questioning this time.

-

December 3, 2011 – Saturday 1pm –Centennial Park, Nashville

Tayaw is currently sitting by Lake Watauga, appreciating the view of Nashville's Parthenon. The building caught his attention while aimlessly strolling through the walking trail beside the lake after having lunch at Patterson Street. Nashville's Parthenon, from what Tayaw could remember reading in the internet, is a life-size replica of the Athenian Parthenon; the representative of Europe's classical architecture.

Even though it's just a replica, it still looks great in Tayaw's eyes. Tayaw could only imagine what the original looks like. "Oh. Maybe the actual Parthenon can give me those intense heart beats. Maybe I can put it away in the space just like Earl's guitar." Tayaw mumbled to himself. "Haha. That'd be ridiculous." Tayaw then laughed at the absurdity of the thought.

*Ring Ring* Tayaw's business phone rang and he picked up the call. "Henry. What's up?" Tayaw said, curious at Henry's phone call. "Hey Isaac. Can you come in earlier tonight?" Henry asked. "How early do you want me there?" Tayaw asked in return. Although he is willing to arrive earlier, he doesn't want to if it's too early.

"Can you come in at 8?" Henry asked. "Man, that's too early." Tayaw replied. "Hey, kid. This may interest you." Henry said in assurance. Even though Tayaw likes Henry, Tayaw found Henry and him share a small trait; baiting others to say yes to their favor. "Hey, I want a free bottle of Jameson, and I'll come." Tayaw replied. "Fine. Pour it yourself backstage." Henry agreed. After what happened in the previous night, Henry and Tayaw agreed that Tayaw can only be served beer and wine at the bar. No hard liquors.

-

The night quickly came, and Tayaw also arrived at the bar at the agreed time and went directly backstage. "Henry. No agents are here for me again, is there?" Tayaw asked Henry after finding him. "No. Some people are looking for you." Henry explained his reason. "Really? How come they didn't find me yesterday?" Tayaw asked. "They did but had not time to wait for you." Henry explained.

"Wait by my office up the stairs." Henry said as he asked one server to invite the people looking for Tayaw. As Tayaw climbed to the second floor of the building, he saw more country music memorabilia hanging on the walls. A few framed vinyl records, some photographs, and some clothes worn by country stars.

After waiting for a few minutes, four men joined him. "Good evening gentlemen, I heard you were looking for me?" Tayaw said as he shook hands. "Hello, we are …" Two of the four men introduced themselves as representatives of one of Nashville's music Agencies. They were looking for Tayaw to ask him to join sign with their agency. One man is a representative from a record label, and the last man did not introduce himself.

"My apologies, gentlemen, I think you have wasted your time. I'm not looking for an agent right now, and I'm in the process of talking with a label in Teungeb." Tayaw said. The three men could only give Tayaw their business cards before walking out of Henry's office empty-handed. The last man, who did not introduce himself, is the only one that has not spoken to Tayaw yet, and remained behind.

Tayaw just stared in curiosity at the man as he thought the man is with the others. "Hello. I'm Donald Harris, Don for short." Don finally introduced himself. "My boss and I became a fan of yours after watching you last week." Don continued. "Ah. That's good to hear. What can I do for you, Don?" Tayaw said, not really believing that Donald is fan.

"I want you to take a look at something." Donald said as he pulled out his phone. Looking at the phone, Tayaw raised his brow and internally slapped his forehead. Tayaw realized that he has missed the introduction of 4G technology in Tengueb. He's been using iPhone since last year because iPhones was the best he could buy at the time. He forgot that at this time, Android phones have basically caught up with iPhone and released 4G phones earlier.

Donald then passed his phone to Tayaw. Tayaw saw on the screen a YouTube channel. "Red Abbey Sessions. Are you from an internet show?" Tayaw asked. "No. My boss owns a beer company, Red Abbey." Donald said. "Ah. You're branching out into music?��� Tayaw asked. Donald on the other hand, took a moment to gather his thoughts.

"It's not that. How do I say this? I'll just leave it to my boss. Can you join us for a few minutes back in my car? He's waiting there." Donald scratched his head and invited Tayaw out. Tayaw, not feeling any hostility or predatory behavior from Donald, decided to indulge the man. "Let's go." Tayaw said.

A few minutes later, Tayaw and Donald stood in front of what looks like a luxury Dodge SUV. Donald then opened the door for the backseat for Tayaw, and Tayaw entered in hidden alert. No one grabbed him, no one pointed a gun at him, Tayaw's unease was unwarranted as he found a lone old man sitting in the backseat. Tayaw as he got a closer look at the old man was surprised. The old man sitting beside him is the same old man that cried when Tayaw first performed "The Devil's Suit and Tie" in Blackbird Café. The old man, turns out, owns a popular beer brand in America.

"Ah. It's good to see you again, sir." Tayaw greeted the old man. "Good to see you too, kid." The old man replied. *slam* Donald entered the SUV as well and sat on the driver's seat. Tayaw, despite feeling glad to meet the old man again, is dying to know why he was asked to have a meeting, quite shadily at that.

"Forgive me sir, but I find it unusual meeting like this." Tayaw joked, shedding the last of his nervousness. "Haha. Spare an old man like me in chasing you, alright?" The old man repled. "By the way. I'm Walter Strickland, owner of Red Abbey Brews." Walter introduced himself. "Isaac, great to meet you, sir. I've heard from Donald about your business. I wonder however, what a brewery owner wants with me." Tayaw said.

"Passion, Isaac. I like the passion I saw in you when you were on that stage." Walter said. Tayaw, from what he learns from his previous life, is that old people has stories. "Did you know that I too, was a poor hungry musician? But because I found out early that I had no gift in it, I turned to my second love, beer." Tayaw chuckled at that. "Fifty years later, here I am; the owner of one of the best beer brands America can offer." Walter said, pride emanating from his aura.

"It's a great achievement, sir." Tayaw sincerely said. No matter how many times he heard of 'pulling yourself up by the bootstraps' and the countless renditions of it, Tayaw knows that a very small fraction actually make it upward the economic ladder. Climbing up to the peak is even more difficult. Tayaw has respect for people like Walter who did just that, climb up to the peak of the beer business.

Even though Tayaw does not drink beer much, he knows of Red Abbey as it even made its way to Ouigab, where it's selling well. Tayaw also has a vague memory about Red Abbey having a brewery at Teungeb itself that's why its price in Teungeb competes with the local brands. If Tayaw had to guess, Walter is at least worth half a billion dollars, and a few billion at most. This estimation was supplemented with Walter's next words.

"Yes. It is. But I am even more thankful for having a happy family. Tell me, Isaac, as a billionaire, what else do I want more in life?" Walter asked Tayaw suddenly. "I don't know sir. Power?" Tayaw could only come up with that answer. "HAH!" Walter scoffed at the answer. "I've seen many friends and enemies fight for power. It was dishonest, dirty, and disgusting. I'm a God-fearing man, Isaac, I am not like those men." Walter said.