“Hey Carmen” she turned around and it was Joey.
“Yes”
“Nice performance on Saturday”
“What performance? I don’t know what you are talking about Joey”
“At Tabu you were in the paper this morning. Carmen Coleman winning the first ever karaoke gig at Tabu they made a big deal about this its kind of like I am dating a ‘superstar’ “ Joey commented.
“Joey you must have me mistaken. You know there are other Carmen Coleman’s out there,”
“But this IS you look,” Joey handed her the newspaper. Carmen couldn’t believe it she was in the newspaper,” I told you that is you! So how does it feel?”
“Joey I am telling you I wasn’t even at this place Saturday I was at a friend’s house so it couldn’t have been me”
“Oh well its kind of scary. Hey how about we go out Thursday night just the two of us?” Joey suggested.
“Joey, I cant I already have plans with someone else besides I am still just a little pissed off at you for laughing at me last week and really as far as I am concerned its over between us maybe we can get back together when I am done being mad at you” Carmen said.
“I wasn’t laughing at you Carmen I swear!” Carmen just walked off. She didn’t want to hear it anymore. She soon heard her phone ring.
“Hello?”
“Hey Carmen its Nick”
“Oh hey Nick what’s up?”
“I know you JUST started school and everything but me and the guys were talking and well we would like to already sign you to our record label I know this is all I guess kind of sudden but we’re taking a shot at you so what do you say?” Nick asked.
“Are you joking? I would love to!”
“Great! Come down to the club in about an hour…Oh! And if you have a song that you have personally written that would be even better…and I know you have some songs written Angel says you have a whole collection. Anyway so I’ll se you in an hour all right?”
“Yea see you in an hour” Carmen hung up the phone and turned around and started to walk the other way.
“Hey Carmen where are you going?” It was Angel.
“Your brother just called me and said him and the guys are thinking about already signing me to their label so I gotta meet then in an hour at the club with one of my songs”
“Wow! And believe me they usually just don’t sign anyone Carmen I am coming with you”
“Angel you should stay for school”
“No I want to see if you get signed you are my best friend”
“If Nick gets mad it’s your fault not mine”
“I know! What song are you going to sing?” Angel asked as they started to walk out of the school.
“I don’t know? I have so many you’ve seen them all you decide.” Angel sat there and thought about it,” I can’t decide Angel I think I even have too many”
“Wait what about that one with the solider or whatever?”
“The one about the soldier or whatever?” Carmen was puzzled.
“The one about being 18 or something?”
“Oh yea I guess I could sing that one that’s kind of different”
“Yea, I think you should do that”
“All right that’s something that I can just sing by heart that would just impress them even more” Carmen smiled.
~~~~~
“Hey Carmen I am glad you could make it”
“I am could I could make it too”
“Well this is what is going to happen. I am sure Nick told you to bring a song or some sort” Howie said.
“Yes I have a song that I personally have written”
“Do you have a copy of the song?” AJ asked.
“No, I just came straight here from school I didn’t have time to go back I know the song by heart its one of my favorite songs”
“Oh okay it’s all right if you don’t”
“Are you ready?”
“Yes”
“Go a head”
“Wait! What’s the song called?” Nick blurted out”
“Oh yes Traveling Solider”
“Okay you may continue”
Two days passed eighteen
He was waiting for his bus in his army greens
Sat down in a booth at a café there
Gave his order to a girl with a bow in her hair
He’s a little shy so she give him a smile
And he said would you mind sitting
Down and talking to me
I’m feeling a little low
She said I’m off in an hour and I know where we can go
So they went down and they sat on the pier
He said I bet you got a boyfriend
But I don’t care I have no one
To send a letter to
Would you mind if I sent one back to you
I cried
Never gonna hold the hand of another guy
To young for him they told her
Waiting for the love of the traveling solider
Our love will never end
Waiting for the soldier to come back again
Never more to be alone
When the letter says a soldier coming home
So the letters came from an army camp
In California than Vietnam
And he told her of his heart
He might be in love and all of
The things he was so scared of
He says when it’s getting kind of rough over here
I think of that day sitting down at the pier
And I close my eyes and see your pretty smile
Don’t worry but I won’t be able to write for a while
I cried
Never gonna hold the hand of another guy
To young for him they told her
Waiting for the love of the traveling solider
Our love will never end
Waiting for the soldier to come back again
Never more to be alone
When the letter says a soldier coming home
One Friday night at a football game
The Lord’s Prayer said and the anthem sang
A man said folks would you bow your heads
For a list of local Vietnam dead
Crying all alone under the stands
Was a piccolo player and a marching band
And one name read who nobody really cared
But a pretty little girl with a bow in her hair
I cried
Never gonna hold the hand of another guy
To young for him they told her
Waiting for the love of the traveling solider
Our love will never end
Waiting for the soldier to come back again
Never more to be alone
When the letter says a soldier coming home
“Wow! I am very impressed you really wrote that?” Howie questioned.
“Yes, yes I did”
“We could really use someone like you”
“Don’t we need Brian here too?’
“Brian will hear soon enough Nick…I think we have ourselves a new artist on our label just come by tomorrow and we’ll work out a contract now you are over 18 right?”
“Yes”
“Good we don’t need any parental consent or anything so we’ll see you tomorrow?”
“Yea I guess so”
Song Credit "Traveling Soldier" By: Dixie Chicks Album: Home
