Page 293 - Demo

293%u201cSure. Why not?%u201d He said.They sat at a table in the pub in a the corner. It was Karaoke night. An overweight female singer was making a mess of a well known song. He drank a whisky and Jasmine held a small glass of wine.%u201cCan you sing?%u201d She asked him.%u201cHuh, like a wounded banshee ,%u201d he replied. %u201cYou?%u201d%u201cI have sung in a church choir,%u201d she said. %u201cI%u2019ve never tried that.%u201d%u201cKaraoke?%u201d He asked. %u201cI dare you to give it a go.%u201d %u201cN-o-o! I would embarrass myself,%u201d she replied.%u201cI dare you. If you do it, I will treat you to a Thai night next Friday.%u201d He told her. %u201cEverything paid for by me.%u201d%u201cNo. I will do it if you sleep at my flat tonight. I have a blow-up bed. We can talk into the late hour, and then you don%u2019t have to return to a cold empty home.%u201d%u201cDone,%u201d he replied and downed his whisky.She put her hand up and was beckoned.%u201cOh dear,%u201d she said to Ken. %u201cI was kind of hoping there was a queue. Okay. This one is to inspire you, Ken.%u201dShe went to the stage and spoke to the host. He nodded. Ken watched and ordered more drinks.She got up onto the stage. People more or less ignored her, chatting together and disinterested until she began to sing. By the time she had finished the second line lyric, everyone had stopped talking and were looking at her. She had a voice that could have charmed the devil%u2014clear, beautiful rich tones, and hypnotic. Ken was as enthralled as everyone else by Jasmine%u2019s performance. When she finished, nigh on everyone in the pub stood up and applauded with clapping, whistling, and shouts. The Devil Drops By