Chapter 18: CHAPTER 18: EXODUS
Life is sad when God's not in it
Going round in circles and you don't fit in and yeah oh yeah
No word of God, the winds will blow
Tossed like a reed in the desert floor and yeah oh yeah
Taste and see the Lord is good,
Fire in his eyes and the voice of hope is he
God is good, you never wanna doubt
Things he would do and he gave his life for us.
Fireflood, fill my soul, flood this body now with your blood and yeah! Whoa
Blue primuss, flood with your grace
Kiss me, Lord, now one more time on my face.
I know what it's like to be
Hit by the Spirit, and I've been set free and yeah oh yeah
Blind will see, deaf will hear, lame will walk,
and lift their hands up yeah oh yeah
Sinner man, you gotta leave your ways
You're gonna get drowned in the glory days and yeah oh yeah
God is good, you never wanna doubt
Things he would do and he gave his life for us.
Remember all the good times, forgetting all the bad times.
Fireflood, "Fireflood"
After a few music video shoots and live shows in Georgia were done, Jay and Marlen flew back to Dubai. They met almost every day as Marlen had a lot of ideas for the second album. They wrote about ten new songs and sent the files to the rest of the band to listen to and come up with new ideas.They were constantly in touch with the rest of "Esh Mabul"
Meanwhile, Marlen had been doing a lot of thinking and planning for starting a private business. He realized it would be better to start it in his hometown in Georgia. After some conversations with Jay, he decided after a month to go back to Georgia for good. Jay was very supportive of that because he always believed in entrepreneurship and people's dreams. Also, Marlen would be living in Tbilisi, along with the rest of the band. A few months later, he moved back to Georgia.
After Marlen left, it seemed to Jay like a good time for a job change. He decided to enter the food and beverage industry, which had always been a buried dream of his since childhood, when he watched his dad cook. . He contacted his old friend Evonne, and she helped him get his foot in the door through her contacts.
He started by working as an assistant manager in a café. He was now clad daily in formal, black shirt, black trousers and black shoes polished so that he could see his reflection in them like the days in log wood high. The next few months were all about learning the operations, menu, billing and mixology. He had a small staff he had to manage with justice and integrity. Having no formal training in the industry, he was suddenly dealing with sales reports and accounts. He found it very challenging and made hundreds of mistakes in the process, but in time, he got it right.
He worked his fingers to the bone, managing, making hundreds of mocktails and other beverages as a barista, and also coordinating and managing events for the café. He also headed the marketing and advertisement team because of his past training from working in the events organization company. Jay was also good at troubleshooting difficult situations in the café. He met hundreds of customers and maintained great relationships with them, and they loved the interactions. Jay realized there would always be one customer who cannot be satisfied, but he learned to take it with a grain of salt. It was more than a nine-to-five job—it was his lifestyle. He even put in extra hours just because he loved it.
A year later, he started working at another café where he got better pay. He changed many of the recipes for the beverages after discussion with his new bosses, and the sales went through the roof. Jay also tried his hand in the kitchen, learning to cook a few dishes. He got to know many new guests while working at this café. Many customers from the previous café also started going to the new café when they found out that Jay had become the new manager. He found himself so immersed in his work that he didn't have any time to himself.
Jay's Aunt Debbie took time out to visit him from Abu dhabi she was a makeup artist and stylist and loved rock n roll music.They would drive around dubai and hang out singin in the cars and eating burgers till the wee hours of morning.Debbie had been a great support she reminded him to never forget the music he needed to keep putting out though he was swamped with work.After two months she left ang Jay was now back again at work.
As the days and months crawled by, Jay realized he was lonely. He was working six days a week, and his days off were always on weekdays, when all his friends were busy. He saw many couples having a good time in the restaurant, but behind the counter, he would think, "Man, I don't even have time to date a girl because of my work." Jay knew it was time to find a soulmate. The wait had been too long because he was so focused at work and had no social life.Somedays he was literally coming back home at midnight .
Through the connections Jay had made while recording his bands' previous albums, Jay got a chance to meet a producer from the United States online who offered to record and produce Esh Mabul. Jay and the band were extremely excited about the chance to work with this very talented producer. Working with him would mean that Jay would also be able to go to the US, which was a huge desire of his. So Jay decided to take the big step to take a solo trip to the US for now. He wanted to explore the country for a few weeks and see what long-term opportunities there might be for him after making a new album.
Jay was excited as he got ready to travel. He was going with an expectation that he was about to see a change like he had never imagined. The whole week before his flight, he was shopping for everything from suitcase to clothes. In his suitcase, he had some CDs of his band and all the memories in his head. He believed he was also taking the best in him and leaving the worst out.
On the night of his departure, Jay boarded the airplane, and he was prepared. He was physically fit and looking sharp. He was ready to see what life was going to bring, now that he was heading to the country that had been deep in his heart for many years.
As he sat in the airplane, he reflected on his life so far. He had learned a lot and had matured a lot as a person, especially in handling situations with people as a manager. He had become much wiser and stronger as a person. He had accepted himself as the agent of change, the man who would be the instrument in the hand of the Trinity. If he had to rap, he would be a rapper. If he was to sing, he would be a singer and rock the stage. If he was to be a storyteller, he would do it. He would do it for one or two, for a group, or for the masses.
Jay wanted to move into the food business. He had been working harder on his cooking skills, and he wanted to balance that with music. He needed to own a house and a car.
Jay landed in Seattle, Washington, USA. President Donald Trump was speaking on the news on the TV screens as Jay walked through the airport terminal to pick up his baggage. It was the last weeks of snow in Seattle.
Fireball walked out of the airport with Jay as he stepped onto the snow.
Jay felt the snow crunching under his boots. It was the first time he saw snow, and he loved it. The air was freezing, and he was skinny, so he zipped up his thick jacket, but his nose was still cold. Yet, he felt a calm like never before.
Fireball felt no cold because the seasons of the sun never impacted his kind.
Jay was going to stay in the home of his American friend Damien and his wife and kids. He had met Damien in Dubai many years ago. Jay looked for the orange ski jacket that Damien said he would be wearing. When Jay saw him, Damien came over to give him a big hug and helped him get into the car with his luggage.
Seattle was beautiful to look at, but Jay was almost falling asleep inside the car. It had been a long journey, and he was desperate for sleep.
When they reached the house, Damien led him to the front door. They brushed off the snow, went inside, and Damien hung his coat as Jay removed his shoes. Damien took Jay to the room he would be staying in. After Jay washed up, Damien asked him to join the family for breakfast. They had some cinamon rolls, tuscan stuffed chicken breast some sauteed veggies and orange juice. Jay spoke to the family for some time, and then he told them he would like to sleep for a bit. Jay went back to the room and crashed. He did not wake up till it was time for lunch.
After lunch, he got his phone activated to make calls. He called Smich and her husband and talked for a bit, informing them that he was in the States. Then he called his folks and told them that he had arrived and that he would call them again later. Jay quickly logged into the Wi-Fi in the house and texted a few of his friends in the Seattle area that he had reached the city, and they made plans to meet.
There was so much to do that he didn't know where to start. He had to go to Nashville at some point to meet the producer he was going to work with on Esh Mabul's next album. He also had in mind to meet event organizers to talk about potential band gigs for the future. The next day was Sunday.
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone