Across the street the neighbourhood kids were buying candy, and even some of

the kids who were giving me a hard time at school asked when we were going

to Motown. I told them and bought candy for them and Randy, too, with my

allowance. I didn't want Randy to feel bad about my going away.

As we approached the house I heard Marlon yell, "Someone shut that door!"

The side of out VW minibus was wide open, and I shuddered, thinking about

how cold it was going to be on the long ride up to Detroit. Marlon had beat

us home and was already helping Jackie load the bus with our stuff. Jackie

and Tito got home in plenty of time for once: They were supposed to have

basketball practice, but the winter in Indiana had been nothing but slush

and we were anxious to get a good start. Jackie was on the high school

basketball team that year, and Dad liked to say that the next time we went

to play in Indianapolis would be when Roosevelt went to the state

championships. The Jackson 5 would play between the evening and morning

games, and Jackie would sink the winning shot for the title. Dad liked to

tease us, but you never knew what might happen with the Jacksons. He wanted

us to be good at many things, not just music. I think maybe he got that

drive from his father, who taught school. I know my teachers were never as

hard on us as he was, and they were getting paid to be tough and demanding.

Mom came to the door and gave us the thermos and the sandwiches she had

packed. I remember her telling me not to rip the dress shirt she had packed

for me after sewing it up the night before. Randy and I helped put some

things in the bus and then went back into the kitchen, where Rebbie was

keeping one eye on Dad's supper and the other on little Janet, who was in

the high chair.

Rebbie's life was never easy as the oldest. We knew that as soon as the

Motown audition was over, we'd find out if we had to move or not. If we did,

she was going to move South with her fiance. She always ran things when Mom

was at night school finishing the high school diploma she was denied because

of her illness. I couldn't believe it when Mom told us she was going to get

her diploma. I remember worrying that she'd have to go to school with kids

Jackie's or Tito's age and that they'd laugh at her. I remember how she

laughed when I told her this and how she patiently explained that she'd be

with other grown-ups. It was interesting having a mother who did homework

like the rest of us.

Loading up the bus was easier than usual. Normally Ronnie and Johnny would

have come to back us up, but Motown's own musicians would be playing being

us, so we were going alone. Jermaine was in our room finishing some of his

assignments when I walked in. I knew he wanted to get them out of the way.

He told me that we ought to take off for Motown by ourselves and leave Dad,

since Jackie had taken driver's ed and was in possession of a set of keys.

We both laughed, but deep down I couldn't imagine going without Dad. Even on

the occasions when Mom led out after-school rehearsals because Dad hadn't

come home from his shift on time, it was still like having him there because

she acted as his eyes and ears. She always knew what had been good the night

before and what had gotten sloppy today. Dad would pick it up from there at

night. It seemed to me that they almost gave each other signals or something

- Dad could always tell if we had been playing like we were supposed to by

some invisible indication from Mom.

There was no long good-bye at the door when we left for Motown. Mom was used

to our being away for days, and during school vacations. LaToya pouted a

little because she wanted to go. She had only seen us in Chicago, and we had

never been able to stay long enough in places like Boston of Phoenix to

bring her back anything. I think our lives must have seemed pretty glamorous

to her because she had to stay home and go to school. Rebbie had her hands

full trying to put Janet to sleep, but she called good-bye and waved. I gave

Randy a last pat on the head and we were off.