Twelve days of nightmare

People say "do what you love and you'll never work another day". Unless you're a backup dancer and have been on holiday tour for the entire month of December. Then you'll be hurting even at the thought of moving your body from the floor that you fell onto to the bed. Every once in a while you'll look back to your brothers wedding and your uncles advice to became an accountant "hours are good, pay is good and accountants are always gonna be needed, go for an accountant". But being a backup dancer is the dream that is worth fulfilling. 

On the other hand it's not always sun and rainbows, as somebody probably once said. Of course the hip hop version of "Twelve Days of Christmas" was fun and fresh for the first hundred times that we rehearsed it, but after a while I could barely keep my smile on, which seems to be so important as our choreographer makes it the most important point on our everyday agenda. Thankfully as a backup dancer I don't get much attention. I get all of the fun stuff like traveling the world and seeing all of the beautiful places as long as they're in the middle of a busy city and I can see them in about twenty minutes, cause that's all of my energy that's left in me after the whole day at work, before I fall onto, hopefully, bed. But I also get amazing job opportunity that challenges me every six months that we get some new songs to work with. On top of that I met some amazing people, that I now can call my best friends as we know everything there is to know about each other as we spend every minute of the tour together, because we don't have another choice. But, hey, we still don't hate each other, so that counts for something. Well, at least the pay is good... And we, as backup dancers don't have to wear a hoodie and sunglasses to go out and buy milk. Nobody watches our every step. Nobody even watches one of millions of our daily steps, so we could do whatever we want and nobody would recognize us. For some it may be a downside of the job, as dancers don't get really noticed on concerts, they add to the whole experience, but they're not the ones to be noticed and admired. But for me its a plus. The job is already stressful enough. The constant fear of getting injured and not being able to work ever again is scary enough. Overall I really love this job, but it does make me crave some peace and quiet for the holidays even more. If only it were that easy. 

Everything started getting weird around the twelfth day, halfway to Christmas and halfway to me despising the hip hop song. I remember it was in Michigan as after that I lost my interest in wherever we were and only wanted to sleep. After my parts I walked backstage hearing boss' voice agreeing to sing some additional songs. I took off my shoes barely feeling my numb feet and groaning in pain. I walked to my corner slipping out of my costume and changing into sweats that I earlier threw on a couch. I walked up to my closet and after opening it, almost fainted. I found there partridge and a pear with a few leaves. I quickly turned to a couple friends and asked whose joke was it. Nobody answered and after I showed them my discovery they laughed the way that they wouldn't if they knew about this. In fewer words: none of them did it. I brushed it off as some joke of somebody in the audience or another crew member. Maybe it's a Michigan thing, I thought, and moved on. After collecting two turtle doves, three French hens and four calling birds we could open a zoo. Five gold rings were actually really pretty and I decided to wear them as I didn't see any harm in it, but decided to once again try to talk to my colleagues. Nobody could give any explanation and the one that they all seemed to agree on was the one that Justin thought of.

- Maybe - he started getting our attention - some Christmas spirit saw that you lack well, ummm... Christmas spirit and that's their way of getting you into you know... - he stopped for a second mumbling under his nose, but after not being able to find better words he once again repeated - Christmas spirit. 

- A lie said a hundred times becomes the truth, right? Well, we got three out of the way - I chuckled and pinned my hair up as the fluffy and big hairstyle looks great in a performance, but is not the most practical. 

- Well, you're not in a Christmas spirit, so there might be something in that theory - added Chelsea looking at my cold brew in contrast to theirs hot cocoas with marshmallows.

- I'm just tired and want a little peace and quiet. Is that too much to ask? - I whined, pulling a cozy blanket over my shoulders. 

- Yes, especially when you're a backup dancer and share a room with two other people - Justin said and he wasn't wrong so I just glared at him angrily and laid back. 

The whole next day I was nervous as to when I will find six geese a-laying. And as I thought the weird and slightly creepy thingy left me alone I found them laying on my bed. As with every other animal I went to find some kind of shelter or farm that would take care of them. The next day was supposed to be the last animal of the song and that brought me as much relief as nervousness to what will be next. I definitely did not want to find a bunch of people a-milking in our tour bus. Thankfully they were appearing in slightly subtler way but still not easy to miss as eight maids a-milking is not the typical urban landscape. On nine ladies dancing I could see as a few girls from the audience got up and started dancing and it didn't look like they were willing to do that, which send shivers down my spine. It was all getting weirder and weirder by the day. Even my friends were getting concerned and didn't want to leave me alone for the holidays but I stood my ground about wanting to have a little alone time. 

I was actually waiting for ten lords a-leaping as I didn't actually understand what that meant. I moved to US from Europe just a few years ago and even though I was learning English since I was a little kid, that would embarrassingly mispronounce words even in my own language, I still had a lot to learn. Sadly my secret Santa also didn't know what it is as I got a little Christmas card with the words "lords a-leaping" printed on it. After that much time I was actually looking forward to the next day to see how and when and where will I find the next "present". As only the pipers and drummers were left and quickly passed us on the street both times it was the end of my creepy, crazy gifts that still didn't make any sense. We finally drove back to our hometown in the evening and after quick goodbyes, that were so quick that some people didn't have time to even register them I got into a taxi and was on my way home. Hoping to finally have a break from the "Twelve Days of Christmas" I was soon disappointed as the driver put it on his phone and let it blast for the whole time I was in the car. On repeat. I finally got out, payed for the ride and smiled at the look of home. I unlocked the door and after a long hot shower I was ready to begin my peaceful holidays. Alone at last. Not wanting to be bothered I got into a dark guestroom, leaving my phone outside and turned off. I brought myself some cocoa goodness with marshmallows and whipped cream, just the way my mom used to make for me on Christmas Eve and buried myself under blankets. The room was lit enough so I could see furniture and not trip over it, but dark enough that I couldn't make out any colors of them. The silence was ringing in my ears so I got my dads old radio set up, too scared to open up my computer as I could find there emails and work stuff that I didn't have energy to take care of. I turned the knob and after getting rid of the static I heard a few hip hop-ish notes and the very well known to me voice singing "On the first day of Christmas my true love sent to me

A partridge in a pear tree." I choked, but quickly got my voice back and screamed in agony.

- Are you fucking kidding me?!