Debut

  An audio version of this post can be found at:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IGEu9gNoWlY&feature=youtu.be


   Eb looked at my treadmill. "Do you actually use that thing?"
   "Shut up, Eb," said Hank, "I'm trying to listen."
   "I'll just play it to the end of this chapter,"I said.
   "I'd like to hear more," said Clara.
   "I'll stay here all night if Cheryl keeps bringing down the beer," said Uncle Billy.
   "I'd didn't plan on playing the whole thing," I said, "I just wanted you to get an idea of Headwind as an audio book."
   I turned up the volume and the little crowd around my computer quieted as Elliot Walsh's voice breathed life into the character, Tony Boccaccio."... I'm going to shoot those sonsabitches next time."
   Uncle Billy smiled. "That's what I'd do to those junk yard dogs."
   "Shsssh," said Clara.
   "... do you have the trucks and drivers lined up or what?" The nasally Brooklyn accent of Sheldon Issacs asked.
   I grinned proudly. "He really nailed Sheldon, don't you think?"
   "Do you want us to listen to this or hear your commentary?" asked Billy.
   I nodded at the screen.
   The narrator continued with Tony, saying, "... no problem with the drivers ... plenty of guys out there looking to moonlight ..."
   "Boy, I'll bet that's true," said Eb. "Especially in this economy."
   "I don't know if this will work, Chris," said Hank. "But I think we get the idea ... it sounds great."
   I sighed and clicked the pause button on the player. "You're right, Hank ... I tell you what ... I'll pay for a download for each of you so you can play it at ... well anywhere you want, whenever you want."
   Billy set his empty beer bottle on the desk. "Does that mean the party is over?"
   "No you can all stay if you want ... I just don't think we can listen to the audio book as a group."
   "You're probably right," said Clara. "But from what I did hear, it sounds like the narrator did a terrific job ... what did you say his name is?"
   "Elliot Walsh ... he has a production company called Spoken Arts," I said.
   "Yeah, I really like the voice he gave that Tony character," said Eb.
   "Tony sounds like an interesting guy," said Billy.
   "You didn't know that, William?" asked Clara.
   "How the hell would've I?" said Billy. "I would've had to read the book."