Categories > Celebrities > Simple Plan > Alone In The Dark
Picking up the bodyguards
1 reviewThe vacations are over soon and Simple Plan start choosing their new bodyguards before the tour starts over, but Pierre gets a real suprise to see the face of one of the guys who are trying to be h...
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That first week in Montreal was perfect. I could see Jessie every single day, I could spend time with my brothers and with my mom and I finally had some time to hang out with the guys, not only to play music with them.
But soon, that resting week was over and it was finally time to record the video of "I'm just a kid". We had been taken to a High-school in Ontario during the night and got there early in the morning to start shooting it. Jessie wanted to come together with us to see the recording process of our very first video and to take some pictures of it, so I took her with us. The only problem is that during the trip I started feeling not to comfortable on bringing her close to Adam. What made me persist in this idea was the fact that he would have to spend time together with her during the tour and I decided to see a little bit earlier how he would be like around Jessie. To my surprise and relieve, he treated her as a friend only. It didn't seem to be her the girl that made him loose his mind just 2 and a half years ago. Actually, he even brought his girlfriend, Amanda, to meet us. She was going to be the girl in the video on which all of us had a crush on.
Three days of shooting, sleeping in a local hotel and the video was finally finished and we were returning Montreal to a 2 months vacations.
Those 2 months off were awesome. Of course I love Simple Plan, I always did and I love to play some music, but 2 entire months to forget that I had a band were everything that I needed the most. Even though I was trying to forget about the guys and me as a band for a while, the people in the streets wouldn't let that happen. Six months before that WE were rushing after people to beg them to hear our demonstration album and most of them just pretended that wasn't even seeing us, time went by and when we returned Montreal those same people that we can still recognize started rushing after us to ask us to give them an autograph in our debut album, the same one we tried to show them a few months ago but they were just too busy to pay attention on us. Funny, isn't it?
Well, anyway, there came the day that our vacations were finally done. It caused me as much of pain as I could never imagine it would to say my very last goodbye to my mom and to the little ones. I kept remembering how happy they were when they saw me back home after 6 months recording the album and seeing them in the weekends only and that was the thing that made everything harder on me. It was really hard to explain to the little kids that I wouldn't come back in the next weekend, or in the next one, or in the next one. That I wouldn't come back in their birthdays, that I wouldn't come back for Christmas, that...that I just wouldn't come back in less than 2 years. We would only talk on the phone during 2 years. I mean, we would if I could find sometime to do that. According to the schedule, we wouldn't have much time to breath during the day and, during the night,...well, they would already be sleeping when I find sometime. It broke my heart when I saw those 2 crying and begging me to stay and to see my mom trying to look strong in front of us. In that moment I considered for real quitting on the band, but the guys were there and they didn't let me do that. They just leaded me to the taxi and I left home. This time, for real.
With Jessie and the guys, I arrived in Toronto at 3 p.m. Jessie went straight to the hotel to take some rest while the guys and I went straight to Lava to have a meeting with Adam. After that, we started choosing our bodyguards. They would be five. Each one of us was going to hire one bodyguard. Until that moment all of the guys had already chose their bodyguards, but I was having some problems with it...
"Okay, why not this one this time?" asked David as another rejected bodyguard was leaving the room
"Because I'm stronger than him. It would be easier for me to be his bodyguard." I replied trying to look convincing
"Pierre, the guy is twice your size and he has the double of your muscles. If you wanna be stronger than him you'll have to spend 8 hours of your day in a gym during the next 2 years, not missing one day only." Said Jeff realizing I didn't even convinced myself of my statement
"I don't think so." I lied "Asides, I wouldn't feel secure with such a weak guy by my side and that's what a bodyguard is all about."
"You said that in the last 200 times. We're not leaving here until you pick up a bodyguard and you can't imagine how bad we wanted to sleep this night, could you please rush? We have a show tomorrow." Said Seb in a begging tone, looking really tired from the trip
"I'm trying to, but..." I started answering, but Adam soon interrupted me with...
"Pierre, there's just one more guy here that wants to be your bodyguard. If you don't choose him, we won't take you to all of the gyms in Canada for you to choose one. You'll hire this guy or you'll hire no one."
"But, Adam..." I've tried to explain my reasons, but I have been interrupted by him again
"No `but' here. There's hours and hours that many guys that seem to be able to break a computer with the hands had been entering the room and you tell them they're not strong enough. I wish that at least one of those not strong enough guys had punched your face to show you how strong they are." He shouted and paused for a few, waiting for me to say something but, as I didn't, he proceeded "I'm bringing the last guy"
As he left that room, I just made him a face as a kindergarten kid normally does when the teacher leaves the room and started to wait for the very last guy. Of course I knew that the last guy that I rejected could break every single bone of my body with one hand tied behind his backs. Not only him but all the other guys I had seen in that afternoon could do that easily. He was way too stronger than me, but was he stronger than Adam? That was the question I made myself over and over again every time a new guy entered the room. I have to confess that I was way too afraid of having Adam around Jessie and me everyday. I needed the strongest guy in Canada to protect us, so I could finally let go on my fear, even though no one was strong enough to me.
Soon, Adam was back in the room but, there wasn't a guy with him, there was just a piece of paper in his hands.
"Adam, I won't hire this little piece of paper as my bodyguard." I said sarcastically
"Very funny, Pierre, but this piece of paper just has some information about the very last guy that still dreams of getting this job if you let him. He saw how many guys left here without a job thanks to you and that's the reason why he asked me to tell you a little bit about his problems before letting him in. May I?" he asked me more as a demand than as a question
"Go ahead." I replied gesturing the chair next to me
"Thanks." He said sitting down "Well, he's young, just one year older than you, that means he's about to turn 20 and he moved to Toronto a few months ago. He was naturally born in New York City, USA. The thing is that, a few months ago, his girlfriend got pregnant. Their parents forced them to get married as soon as possible and, still today, neither her parents nor his parents want to see their faces. He worked on a fast-food restaurant for a few months to support him and his wife, but he soon got a job proposition here in Toronto and they didn't think twice before leaving USA. After 4 months, he lost his job and there's over one month that he can't bring enough food home. Asides that, he needs to start buying some baby-clothes to the little one that will born in 4 months more. That's the reason why he needs this job and this is what he asked me to tell you. He said he has a few more problems but that the rest of them are not important to us and that he doesn't want to talk about them."
"Wow! That must be really terrible." I replied feeling sorry about the guy "Uh, well, bring him here. Let's see what I can do about it."
"Give him a job would be perfect. I'll be right back." He said standing up and leaving the room to bring the very last guy that still wanted the job
"Pierre, the man needs this job and you need a bodyguard. Doesn't it break your heart to hear what he's been going through these last months?" asked Chuck
"Yes, it does, but I...I won't hire the first poor guy I see. He needs to be strong." I stated
"He might be strong, Pierre. If he's here today, he has to believe he is strong." Replied Seb "You have the chance of helping him or finish on destroying his life. What will you do?"
I stood quiet for a while not knowing exactly what answer to give him, but the door soon started opening and Adam started coming in with the guy...
"Well, Pierre, this is the guy I talked to you about. His name is..."
"Brendan?!?" I shouted as amazed as when I discovered Adam was our manager
"Pierre?! Pierre Bouvier?!"
But soon, that resting week was over and it was finally time to record the video of "I'm just a kid". We had been taken to a High-school in Ontario during the night and got there early in the morning to start shooting it. Jessie wanted to come together with us to see the recording process of our very first video and to take some pictures of it, so I took her with us. The only problem is that during the trip I started feeling not to comfortable on bringing her close to Adam. What made me persist in this idea was the fact that he would have to spend time together with her during the tour and I decided to see a little bit earlier how he would be like around Jessie. To my surprise and relieve, he treated her as a friend only. It didn't seem to be her the girl that made him loose his mind just 2 and a half years ago. Actually, he even brought his girlfriend, Amanda, to meet us. She was going to be the girl in the video on which all of us had a crush on.
Three days of shooting, sleeping in a local hotel and the video was finally finished and we were returning Montreal to a 2 months vacations.
Those 2 months off were awesome. Of course I love Simple Plan, I always did and I love to play some music, but 2 entire months to forget that I had a band were everything that I needed the most. Even though I was trying to forget about the guys and me as a band for a while, the people in the streets wouldn't let that happen. Six months before that WE were rushing after people to beg them to hear our demonstration album and most of them just pretended that wasn't even seeing us, time went by and when we returned Montreal those same people that we can still recognize started rushing after us to ask us to give them an autograph in our debut album, the same one we tried to show them a few months ago but they were just too busy to pay attention on us. Funny, isn't it?
Well, anyway, there came the day that our vacations were finally done. It caused me as much of pain as I could never imagine it would to say my very last goodbye to my mom and to the little ones. I kept remembering how happy they were when they saw me back home after 6 months recording the album and seeing them in the weekends only and that was the thing that made everything harder on me. It was really hard to explain to the little kids that I wouldn't come back in the next weekend, or in the next one, or in the next one. That I wouldn't come back in their birthdays, that I wouldn't come back for Christmas, that...that I just wouldn't come back in less than 2 years. We would only talk on the phone during 2 years. I mean, we would if I could find sometime to do that. According to the schedule, we wouldn't have much time to breath during the day and, during the night,...well, they would already be sleeping when I find sometime. It broke my heart when I saw those 2 crying and begging me to stay and to see my mom trying to look strong in front of us. In that moment I considered for real quitting on the band, but the guys were there and they didn't let me do that. They just leaded me to the taxi and I left home. This time, for real.
With Jessie and the guys, I arrived in Toronto at 3 p.m. Jessie went straight to the hotel to take some rest while the guys and I went straight to Lava to have a meeting with Adam. After that, we started choosing our bodyguards. They would be five. Each one of us was going to hire one bodyguard. Until that moment all of the guys had already chose their bodyguards, but I was having some problems with it...
"Okay, why not this one this time?" asked David as another rejected bodyguard was leaving the room
"Because I'm stronger than him. It would be easier for me to be his bodyguard." I replied trying to look convincing
"Pierre, the guy is twice your size and he has the double of your muscles. If you wanna be stronger than him you'll have to spend 8 hours of your day in a gym during the next 2 years, not missing one day only." Said Jeff realizing I didn't even convinced myself of my statement
"I don't think so." I lied "Asides, I wouldn't feel secure with such a weak guy by my side and that's what a bodyguard is all about."
"You said that in the last 200 times. We're not leaving here until you pick up a bodyguard and you can't imagine how bad we wanted to sleep this night, could you please rush? We have a show tomorrow." Said Seb in a begging tone, looking really tired from the trip
"I'm trying to, but..." I started answering, but Adam soon interrupted me with...
"Pierre, there's just one more guy here that wants to be your bodyguard. If you don't choose him, we won't take you to all of the gyms in Canada for you to choose one. You'll hire this guy or you'll hire no one."
"But, Adam..." I've tried to explain my reasons, but I have been interrupted by him again
"No `but' here. There's hours and hours that many guys that seem to be able to break a computer with the hands had been entering the room and you tell them they're not strong enough. I wish that at least one of those not strong enough guys had punched your face to show you how strong they are." He shouted and paused for a few, waiting for me to say something but, as I didn't, he proceeded "I'm bringing the last guy"
As he left that room, I just made him a face as a kindergarten kid normally does when the teacher leaves the room and started to wait for the very last guy. Of course I knew that the last guy that I rejected could break every single bone of my body with one hand tied behind his backs. Not only him but all the other guys I had seen in that afternoon could do that easily. He was way too stronger than me, but was he stronger than Adam? That was the question I made myself over and over again every time a new guy entered the room. I have to confess that I was way too afraid of having Adam around Jessie and me everyday. I needed the strongest guy in Canada to protect us, so I could finally let go on my fear, even though no one was strong enough to me.
Soon, Adam was back in the room but, there wasn't a guy with him, there was just a piece of paper in his hands.
"Adam, I won't hire this little piece of paper as my bodyguard." I said sarcastically
"Very funny, Pierre, but this piece of paper just has some information about the very last guy that still dreams of getting this job if you let him. He saw how many guys left here without a job thanks to you and that's the reason why he asked me to tell you a little bit about his problems before letting him in. May I?" he asked me more as a demand than as a question
"Go ahead." I replied gesturing the chair next to me
"Thanks." He said sitting down "Well, he's young, just one year older than you, that means he's about to turn 20 and he moved to Toronto a few months ago. He was naturally born in New York City, USA. The thing is that, a few months ago, his girlfriend got pregnant. Their parents forced them to get married as soon as possible and, still today, neither her parents nor his parents want to see their faces. He worked on a fast-food restaurant for a few months to support him and his wife, but he soon got a job proposition here in Toronto and they didn't think twice before leaving USA. After 4 months, he lost his job and there's over one month that he can't bring enough food home. Asides that, he needs to start buying some baby-clothes to the little one that will born in 4 months more. That's the reason why he needs this job and this is what he asked me to tell you. He said he has a few more problems but that the rest of them are not important to us and that he doesn't want to talk about them."
"Wow! That must be really terrible." I replied feeling sorry about the guy "Uh, well, bring him here. Let's see what I can do about it."
"Give him a job would be perfect. I'll be right back." He said standing up and leaving the room to bring the very last guy that still wanted the job
"Pierre, the man needs this job and you need a bodyguard. Doesn't it break your heart to hear what he's been going through these last months?" asked Chuck
"Yes, it does, but I...I won't hire the first poor guy I see. He needs to be strong." I stated
"He might be strong, Pierre. If he's here today, he has to believe he is strong." Replied Seb "You have the chance of helping him or finish on destroying his life. What will you do?"
I stood quiet for a while not knowing exactly what answer to give him, but the door soon started opening and Adam started coming in with the guy...
"Well, Pierre, this is the guy I talked to you about. His name is..."
"Brendan?!?" I shouted as amazed as when I discovered Adam was our manager
"Pierre?! Pierre Bouvier?!"
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