What if you started life as just an ordinary teenager who doesn’t have the greatest life or house in the world, and then, you just all of sudden come across something that could change your life forever?

I’m Mayson and I’m that ordinary teenager who doesn’t have the greatest life or house in the world. I was starting to think my life was the most boring, dull, messed up life anyone could ever have, when I ran into a huge line of people. I tapped a guy on the shoulder and asked, “What’s this line for?”

“You haven’t heard?” the man asked.“ Well let me tell you then. The American Eagles lost their lead singer a few weeks ago and they’re looking for a new one.”

“Why did Greg quit?” I asked.

“He didn’t quit, he died. He got hit by a bus.”

“Oh.” I sighed, “I had no idea. How is the rest of the band taking it?”

“Pretty hard. Their website is filled with pictures and articles about Greg.”

“Oh. Do you think they’ll let me be the lead singer?”

“I don’t know. How old are you?”

“Almost fifteen.” I said hopefully.

“They just might then.” Then he turned back around.

I waited in line patiently until it was my turn.

“Your name.” the bassist named Ryan said.

“My name is Mayson.” I said, making the mic squeak a bit.

“Kay. You can start when you’re ready.”

I sang the best I could. When I was done I looked at them and they looked pretty impressed.

“Good. We’ll let you know when we’ve gone through everyone. Just fill this out so we can get a hold of you.” I took the paper from Ryan, filled it out, and gave it back to him.

I went home and sat by the phone for three hours straight. I didn’t want to leave my spot because if I was somewhere else and they called and I didn’t hear the phone ring, I wouldn’t know if I made it or not. When the phone finally did ring, I grabbed it and put to my ear. “Hello?” I said.

“Hello, Mayson. This is Ryan from American Eagles. I just wanted to let you know that you made it.”

“Really? Thanks.”

“ No, thank you! We wouldn’t be a band still without a lead singer. Meet us at the park by the movie theater tomorrow at two in the afternoon and we’ll talk about what we expect from you. Okay?”

“Okay!” I hung up and fell of my chair because I was too happy to balance.

The next day, I got up at nine in the morning and got ready to meet the guys at the park. It didn't take too long. When I was ready I went out to go find the park. I have been there before, but that was when I was little before my brother joined the army and left home, so, I only had a vague memory of how to get there. When I finally did find it, it was already one thirty, so I decided to stay there and wait for the guys.

Ryan was the first to appear then the other guys came into view.

“All right, Mayson. We need you to be at every concert, if you can’t be there, then call one of us. Give me your phone and I’ll put all our numbers in it.”

“I’m sorry, but I don’t have a cell phone.” I said.

“You’re joking, right?” the drum player, Nathan asked.

“I’m not joking. I don’t have a cell phone. I can’t afford one.”

“Your parents won’t buy you one?” Craig, the guitarist, asked.

“My dad’s dead and my mom is barely home, so I just kinda do what I can for money. I have more important things then a cell phone to buy with the little money I earn by mowing lawns and doing other things like that for my neighbors. Right now I only have… thirty dollars and… fifty three cents.”

“Geeze, kid! I feel sorry for you.” Ryan said.

“Don’t be. It’s my odd predicament.”

“What does that word even mean?” Craig asked

“I think it’s a fancy term for situation.” I said, “Maybe not, but I like saying that word.”

“Okay, anyways, you need to get a phone. Wait, I have my old phone still. Maybe I can get it back in service. I’ll see. You need to show up at lessons too. If you give me your address, I’ll come pick you up. You also need to tell your mom about this. Because –“

“Ryan, my mom’s not going to remember I told her anything about this anyways, so it’s pointless to waste my breath telling her. Plus, she won’t even know I’m gone because she’s barely there. She just stays out and parties or works.”

“Just tell her.’

“Fine.” Then under my breath I said, “But she’s not going to remember.”

Ryan finished telling me what all was expected of me and I gave him all the contact information I could.

When I went home that night, my mom’s car was in the driveway, which surprised me. I went in the house and yelled for mom.

“What, Mayson?” she said walking to the door.

“Can I talk to you?” I asked her, putting my coat on the hook.

“Sure. Have a seat.”

We sat down on the couch that’s not really a couch. It’s not really a couch because the stuffing came out when our used to be dog, Amillio tore a hole through the fabric and kept taking out the stuffing every chance he got. I finally got fed up with having a flat couch, so I stuffed old newspaper in it.

I told mom everything. I told her about the band, which she was pretty happy about. I told her about how I’ve been living off the money I get from mowing lawns, and she didn’t seem happy about that. She said she was sorry for not being able to be here when I needed something.

When I was done telling her everything, she looked at me with a worried look and said, “Mayson, I went to the doctor today and they said I have lung cancer, and since it was there for a long time without being treated, I don’t have much longer to live.”

I stared at her. “Please tell me you’re joking.”

“I’m not joking, Mace.”

“It’s not fair! Why does it have to happen to you? Why can’t it be someone else? Someone I don’t know!” I felt a lump in my throat and couldn’t swallow it. I felt tears coming up in my eyes. I tried to blink them away, but they wouldn’t listen to me.

A few weeks later, Ryan got his phone back in service and gave it to me. My mom died a few days later, and I was taken away by social services. Ryan called my phone one day when I was sitting by a tree in the yard of a foster home. “Hello.”

“Hey, Mace, we got a gig tomorrow night at the park. Be there at six.”

“I don’t want to go. My mom died of cancer a few days ago and I’ve been put in foster care.”
There was silence from Ryan then he said, “Oh. Would you like it if the American Eagles adopted you?”

“Are you sure bands are allowed to adopt their singers?”

“Probably not, but we can try. We’ll find out and come by tomorrow.”

“Okay.” I hung up and a smile crept across my face.

The next day Ryan, Craig, and Nathan met me at the foster home and took me back with them to their house. A few months later, after a lot of legal paperwork, Ryan, Craig, and Nathan officially became my new family.
So, I guess I’ve learned one thing out of all this and that thing is, you can always find a piece of goodness in everything bad.