Jumpin' Jack
Sunshine.
The rays of light pierce the eyes and into the soul.
It’s power is quickening to the pony who is lifeless and stale.
Feel it warm your heart and liven your spirits.
Come and feel what your weak and weary body has been missing.
Visit your local community park today!
“What a hock of loogie,” said Vinyl.
The scraggly DJ turned off the television set and slowly pried herself off the couch. She dragged her hooves across the dirty living room floor and plopped into her computer chair. After firing up her laptop, she began browsing through myriad music forums and websites looking for new material to play at her next gig. The front door opened with a smooth elegance as her roommate Octavia waddled in with grocery bags clenched between her teeth.
“Did you remember to vacuum the living room floor, Vinyl?” she asked after setting down her groceries on the table.
“It’s clean.”
The cellist rubbed a hoof on the carpet and cringed at the various crumbs tickling her hoof. “No, it’s not.”
“I’ll do it later. I’m busy downloading new tunes.”
Octavia closed the front door and began putting the groceries away. “Well, I hope it doesn’t take you long, Vinyl, because I have invited a guest over for dinner tonight.”
Vinyl craned her neck over the back of her chair and cracked a grin. “Is it a stallion?”
“Yes,” she answered. “However, it’s not what you think. He’s a musician and…”
“You like him, right?”
“He’s sixty-three.”
Vinyl shuddered. “Well, at least he’ll be into all the grandma stuff you like.”
“Vinyl,” she said. “I am not interested in him romantically. He’s a gifted trombonist and I’m interested in collaborating with him professionally. That’s why I invited him for dinner.” She pulled a pair of headphones off her roommate’s ears. “And that’s why you need to vacuum this floor.”
“Why don’t you do it? He’s your guest.”
Octavia pointed to a calendar hanging just above the kitchen sink. “And whose turn is it this week to tidy up the living room?”
Vinyl sighed and got up from her chair. “Fine, fine.” She dragged herself to the broom closet and wheeled out the vacuum cleaner with a frown on her face and a furrowed brow hiding behind her purple sunglasses. She plugged in the machine and it unsuspectingly roared to life. “Geez!”
Octavia laughed. “That’s for leaving a moldy, wet sponge in my cello case last week.”
Even the bothered DJ couldn’t keep a smile from forming on her face. “You got me there, Tavi.”
After doing her chores, Vinyl left the house and headed down the street to her favorite record store: Ponyman’s. She opened the front door and a blast of cool welcomed her sun-warmed face. A friendly old stallion standing at the register tipped his hat and smiled at the mare.
“How’s it goin’, lil’ lady?”
“Hey Gramps, whatcha got for me today?” asked Vinyl.
The old stallion walked her down the aisles of records, thumbing through each lettered section. He reminisced about the golden days of classic rock n’ roll, hoof-tapping jazz, and tear-jerking blues.
“Now this here’s a good one,” he said, pulling out a record from the “J” section. “Jumpin’ Jack was a wonderful jazz musician. Best player this side of Manehatten.”
“Why’s he called Jumpin’ Jack?”
“Well now, ol’ Jumpin’ Jack used to get so into his music, he’d start hip hoppin’ around like a lil’ ol’ bunny!” The old stallion laughed and hacked and slapped his thigh. He put the record into Vinyl’s cart and continued introducing his customer to other records.
As the old stallion rang her up, Vinyl looked over the wall right across from them. A line of antique horn instruments sat proudly on individual shelves. She noticed how they reflected the noonday light, shining like a brilliant smile. “You take pretty good care of these instruments, eh Gramps?”
“They’re my babies,” he said softly. He bagged the records and handed them to Vinyl. “Well, you have a good day, lil’ missy. It’s always a pleasure to do business with someone as young as you with the interest in the classics like you have.”
Vinyl stared blankly at the store owner and chuckled. “Oh yeah, right. Well, I better go. Have a good one, too.”
The old stallion waved a hoof and hollered, “Don’t forget to listen to Jumpin’ Jack first, okay?”
“Okay,” she yelled back. As she walked back to her house, she looked up into the sky and chuckled. “He really thinks I listen to this old garbage,” she said to herself. She reached into her bag and pulled out the highly recommended Jumpin’ Jack album. “I guess I could give this one a try, just to say that I did. Besides, a name like Jumpin’ Jack is sure to mean a good time, even if it did come out back in the Stone Age.”
“The apple pies are almost done, I hope they cool down in time…the salad is…soupy? Why is the salad soupy?”
Vinyl sighed. “Because, Tavi, that’s vegetable soup. The salad is over by the sink.”
“Oh right.” Octavia tossed the salad for what seemed a third time and pulled out silverware from a nearby drawer, bending down to pick up a dropped spoon.
“Geez, you sure you’re not in love with this guy?”
Octavia stood up with a disapproving look. “Just help me put these on the table.”
“Alright Tavi, chill! I was just pulling your leg.”
Octavia sighed. “I know. I’m just so nervous. I’ve never met a famous musician since I moved to Ponyville. In fact, I don’t think I’ve ever met a famous musician in my life.”
“Uh, hello?”
Octavia laughed. “Oh right, I met you!”
“What am I, last year’s chart topper?” Vinyl walked into the living room and picked up her bag of records from the spot where she left them before taking a shower. She browsed through the assortment of old music before pulling out the Jumpin’ Jack album. “Hey Tavi, you mind if I put on a record for awhile?”
“Sure, I don’t mind. What is it?”
She placed the record on the player and steadied the needle. “I don’t know. The guy at Ponyman’s recommended it to me.”
“You don’t usually listen to the records he recommends, right?”
“Well, no. I usually just use the records for drum samples, but he highly suggested I listen to ‘Jumpin’ Jack’, so I’m gonna do him the favor.”
“Jumpin’ who?”
Vinyl powered the record player and watched as the record lazily spun into speed. “Just listen, will ya? Maybe it’ll calm you down.”
The first song began with the typical crackle and pop before bursting into a big sound of a jazz band. After a few introductory measures, a trombone began to play a strong, playful melody. Vinyl bobbed her head to the beat. “Hey, this ain’t too bad. What do you think, Tavi?”
Octavia didn’t respond.
“Yo Octavia, you still alive?” Vinyl turned around and gasped at the sight of her classy roommate shaking her bottom with the music. “Wow, you serious right now?”
Octavia laughed. “This is…fun!”
Vinyl joined her friend, pointing two hooves in the air and shuffling the other two. They danced and laughed through the entire first side of the record, making preparations for Octavia’s special guest at the same time. When the needle finally dropped, Vinyl flipped the record and picked up the needle.
“Vinyl, can I look at the album cover for a second?”
“It’s on the couch.”
Octavia grabbed the cover and studied the front.
“Hey, what’s the name of the fourth song on the record? That was my favorite.”
“Oh my…”
“Come on Tavi, don’t leave me hanging. What was the fourth song called?”
“I believe that would be Canterlot Can’t What Ponyville Will,” said an old stallion’s voice.
The two mares turned their heads and gasped.
“Gramps?”
“I see you’re enjoying the record. I knew you would!”
Vinyl walked to the front door and removed her sunglasses. “So you’re the gifted trombonist Tavi’s been telling me about.”
“I s’pose.”
“And Jumpin’ Jack,” said Octavia, holding up the cover for Vinyl to see.
“What?”
Jack laughed. “Yes, ma’am! The one and only.”
Vinyl stood still as Octavia pulled out a chair for her guest. “How come you never told me you were a famous musician, Gramps? I mean, Jack?”
“I thought you’d see the resemblance on the cover, missy. Plus, I thought since you were a big hit around town, you wouldn’t give a spit valve about lil’ ol’ me.” He took his seat and smiled at Octavia. “Thank you kindly, ma’am.”
“Are you kidding? Dude, you’re amazing. And…well, I guess I was ignorant.”
“You listen to all the records I recommended you?”
“Not really. I just use them for drum samples. Jazz especially. They have some fantastic beats to build off of. Maybe I should listen to them more carefully from now on.”
“No.”
The sudden serious tone change shocked the two mares.
“Um, pardon my asking Mister Jack, but what do you mean?”
Jumpin' Jack relaxed into a smile. “What I mean, my ladies, is that you shouldn't always listen to music so carefully that you miss enjoying the sounds. That’s what I had to learn before I made it big. Like you, I got caught up in the specifics that I forgot to enjoy myself. Music is like sunshine, take time to bask in it's warmth and relax! Listen for fun, girls, not just for work, can ya dig it?”
Vinyl smiled. “I know what you mean. So, you and Tavi gonna 'collab' a little something tonight?”
Octavia nudged her chuckling friend. "Vinyl!"
Jack laughed. “Wanna join, DJ Pon-3?”
“You bet, Jumpin’ Jack.”