Inside traxx: Diary of DJ Sisyphus

Ridin' High

The week passed with me in a fairly sour mood. I was bummed about seeing Keisha with that other guy, it rained all week, and Teresa was especially cranky with the flu. The only bright spot to my week would be my first day of broadcasting school, Saturday at noon.

A school that started Saturday at noon. I already liked the sound of this place.

The next morning, I set my alarm for eleven. In guy-time, this was plenty of time to prepare. I showered, shaved, kissed my sister, threw on my Pumas, and hit the road. I couldn't wait to get to broadcasting school and find out once and for all what radio station I would be working for.

When I got there a pretty receptionist named Lucy greeted me. "Have a seat, Simon," she said. "Nina will be with you in just a minute."

When I was summoned to her office a few minutes later, my palms were sweating. The person inside this office would pretty much make or break my broadcasting career. What if they didn't like me? What if I didn't like them? What if-

"Hi Simon, please set down," said Nina, the broadcasting school representative, but there was something in her tone I didn't like. On closer look, her eyes had a pained look and she was kneading her skirt hem nervously. "The thing is..."she trailed off.

"Yes?" I replied, my voice cracking like an egg over a frying pan. "Is there a problem?" I boomed, overcompensating in my deepest, I-am-an-adult voice.

"Well," said Nina, but again she was cut off.

"Yes Nina, is there a problem?" echoed a voice behind me, a voice that I had been listening to every night for years. A voice so smooth and buttery, it was like Reggie Jackson and Ray Charles all rolled into one. I knew that voice. It couldn't be. It just couldn't be.

"Hi there," said my broadcasting mentor. "I'm DJ Loco."

"So pleased to meet you!" I replied, shaking his hand. For the record, I sounded more like Chris Rock on crack. DJ Loco had his work cut out for him if he was going to make a DJ out of me.

Nina, for her part, was grinning from ear to ear. I couldn't believe my broadcasting school hooked me up like this!

"Welcome to your first day of broadcasting school," DJ Loco said.

Welcome indeed, I thought.

Ridin' high,

DJ Sisyphus