There may have been a cloud somewhere in the sky, but from their vantage point on the beach in front of Top Gear Surf Shop, Bo and Jimmy couldn't see one.

They were tuning up-- ten minutes until showtime, the beach packed-- and Jimmy was rating various sports.

"You take golf, for example," he said. "You're not forced to deal with anything the other guy does."

"Same with surfing, though," Bo said, strumming a G chord. "They have judges."

"Okay, but at least surfing's physical. You can wipe-out easy."

"Speaking of that," Bo said, "you notice the volleyball tournament going on over there?"

"I did," Jimmy said. "Our two favorite friends are in action. I got Lefroni keeping an eye on 'em, just in case they decide to come over this way."
   
"I knew you were always smarter than me," Bo said.

"Jen," said Jimmy, "You see anyone out there we know?"

"Are you blind?!" Jenny said. "There's at least a hundred Huckabee kids! Then you have all of Peabody and the parents.  Plus I see Mr. Riggins, Mr. Gustaf, Miss DePiazza, Mr. Hacker, Mrs. Matters and Mr. Camino, and I thought I saw Mr. Heffenstern a little while ago. And it's not even one o'clock yet!"

"That it?" said Bo.

"Oh, cut it out," Jenny said

"Good," said Jimmy. "For a minute I was worried we had the wrong day."

"Just ignore them Jen," Melissa said.

Five minutes later, Bo stepped up to the mike and turned to the band.

"Let's get this," he said, and The Z Street Band's first ever beach concert was underway.

Two and a half hours later, when the band played "Brown Eyed Girl" for the third and final time, nearly everyone was still there.

"I'd like to single out a couple people today," Bo announced. "First, an 8th grader from the Peabody Charter School, who I'd never met until a few days ago: Quentin Paris. He made this possible."

Bo waited while people applauded.

"And I'd also like to thank Mr. Stewart Riggins. We all know how strict Mr. Riggins is, and all the procedures he makes you deal with, and how there can never be an exception to any rule. But when you get to know Mr. Riggins--really get to know him--I can tell you this... he really IS that bad."

There was a lot of laughing. Mr. Riggins waved. Bo smiled and waved back.

"We're going to close with one last song," Bo said. "This is our first Z Street Band original song, and we've never performed it before.  It's called 'Dreaming of a Simple Tune'.  We'd like to dedicate this song to the student body of Huckabee Middle School!"

All the Huckabee kids stood up. The band played the intro and the first verse began:

"I sat there in English class, reading from some way old text..."

After the second chorus came the bridge that Bo had added:

"And, when I close my eyes
I can see the sunny skies
I can taste the ocean breeze
I can put myself at ease
I feel sand around my feet
I can put myself, at ease."

Everyone stopped playing for one measure.

Then Bo strummed a soft, rhythmic E, leading the band into the final refrain. The song ended on an A chord.

When it was over, many people came up to congratulate the Z Street Band: Allison Sturgeon, Becky Hamm, Jason Bruno, Richie Linares, Marty Zuckerman, Eva Loggerman, Makena, Ashley Rasmussen, Myers, Hale Blalock, Rachel Wainwright, Lefroni. Henry Pacheco from the "The Destroyers", along with Stanza and Denzell. Mr. and Mrs. McCoy. Quentin Paris with a group of Peabody kids. Some parents. Several of the Huckabee teachers.

And finally, Mr. Riggins.

"Absolutely splendid," he said.

"Mr. Riggins, we really appreciate it that you announced this all week, even though it wasn't an official school event," Bo said. "And about that little joke..."

Mr. Riggins was smiling and choosing his words carefully.

"Though you'll all be moving on to greater challenges, just remember, you'll always be a part of Huckabee," he said, and they watched him trudge off through the thick sand, carrying his beach chair.

Soon, it was the just the six of them, packing up the equipment.

"P.A. system worked great!" Adler said. "I'm glad the guy sold it back to you."

"What did you tell him?" Melissa said.

"I told him I made a mistake, and I needed it back," said Bo.

"And the guy understood?" said Mackie. "Simple as that?"

"He understood," said Bo.

"Well," said Jenny, smiling, "Mel and I are thinking of going in. Who wants to come?"

"You guys all go," Bo said. "I'll keep an eye on the stuff."

"Nah, I'll stick around too," said Jimmy. "Nick, you and Walter go ahead."

Bo and Jimmy watched the four of them run across the wide beach toward the water.
They soon looked small against the sky, and Bo and Jimmy could hear their faint laughter.

"They may be out there a while," Jimmy said. "Not that I'm in a hurry, though."

"I'm not in any particular rush myself," Bo said.

"But just so you know, B-dog--the next time you try and talk me into something pretty crazy?"

"Yeah?"

"I'll probably let you," said Jimmy.

"I'll remember that," Bo said.
THE END          More ↓
*Listen To "DREAMING OF A SIMPLE TUNE" here !*