The boys: Willie, Ted, Nate and Bobby were rehearsing in the Smith living room. Larry, their father played as their manager. They rehearsed for their annual school talnet contest. Nate played as lead.

“No, no, no, no!” Nate cried. “You guys are too loud! I can’t hear mysel!”

“Well you lucky then.” Willie qiupped.”

“Shut up!” Nate barked. “Let’s do it again. Stop trying to sing over me. Remember, I am the one who started this group. You guys would be nothing without me.”

“We still ain’t nothin’ now!” Ted stated. “We are being oppressed by the white man. How can you think of fame?”

“Stop hanging out with those dang hippies and maybe we will get noticed.” Nate told him.

“Can we just rehearse?” young Bobby said.

“Come on you guys.” Larry said. “You got to prove yourselves to these people.”

“I will.” Nate said. “Just as soon as these guys stop trying to sing over me!”

They went on with rehersal, with Nate having a diva attack almost every minute.

At the talent contest, they went on after a few of the kids before them sung their bits of the Supremes, The Temptations, and the Four Tops.

“They ain’t nevr gonna get big.” Nate stated proudly.

They went with their rendition of Frankie Lymon and the Teenagers, The ABC’s of Love. Nate had such a great voice. He filled the auditorium with glee. He was much like James Brown himself: so wild.

After the contest, the judges announced the winner: Gladys Freeman, Sherry Knightly, and Elvira Combbs, for their rendition of  the Supremes, the Happening.

At home, Nate was fuming. “How dare they! They knew nothing about real talent! All those little heffas’ they chose have is leg. That’s what put them over us. We don’t have great bodies.”

“At least you don’t. “Willie quipped. “You’re so bony, you’re bonier than Bobby. And he’s eight, and your thirteen. And of course we didn’t win. We’re not gonna win with you being lead.”

“Watch it buster.” Nate snarled. “You heard that audience. They loved me.”

“Now now, you guys.” Larry said. “Don’t worry about that. I got you a gig at a night club. And ya’ll are gonna sing new songs. Songs by the Temptations. So you got a lot more work to do.”

They went on rehearsing the Temptations, with nate still having his frequent diva attacks. “SING LOWER DANG IT! DO AS I SAY!”