t w e l v e ✺ radio free reasie
Beep!
Beep!
Beep!
I turn and slam on the snooze button Monday morning.
Today was my first day as an intern at 620 WDAE, also known as Rays Radio.
They reported the Rays, Bucs, and Lightning, but they needed more people on the baseball section. Tampa residents, apparently, enjoy football and hockey more than baseball. And isn't baseball America's pastime? If so, why didn't the Tampa-St. Petersburg area embrace their inner baseball?
So after countless nights of research, and actually attending one (or a few) of my brother's baseball games, I found a way to jazz it up. And I hoped to bring that to the table at Rays Radio.
The studios were located somewhere in downtown Tampa, so I had taken off an hour earlier in search of it. And I found it...forty minutes later.
I started to feel nervous. I took a deep breath and took out my breakfast Crunchwrap. Since I had about twenty minutes to spare, I went all in on my food.
People usually looked at me weird when I said I got my breakfast at Taco Bell, but let's be serious: their breakfast is really good.
Twelve minutes later, I finished my Crunchwrap. I put my trash in the bag, and took a sip of my Coke.
I sigh, and pop a stick of mint gum in my mouth.
Time to make the first impression.
I get out if the car, and adjust my black slacks. I hated dressing formally, but if I'm starting somewhere, might as well dress nice, right?
Wrong, I learn when I get out of the elevator.
As I go to the assigned room, the three people I was going to be working with were wearing about the same thing I wore this morning.
"Rease Shaffer?" A man stood up. "Hi there, I'm Andre. The guy you talked to the other day on the phone."
"Andre, hi." I shake his hand.
"So, these are your colleagues. They are about the same age as you, and will be learning the same things as you."
A guy with dark hair and dark eyes stood up. "Kiefer Tamberelli."
"Rease Shaffer." I shook his hand.
"Shaffer?" Kiefer's eyes lit up. "Like, Richie Shaffer Shaffer? That is so cool."
A girl with auburn hair and green eyes stood up.
"Riley Poole. Not to be confused with the National Treasure dude."
"Rease Shaffer. Not to be confused with the peanut butter cup." I laugh.
Andre smiled. "While you get to know each other, I'm going to go grab some grub. I'll be back." And with that, he was gone.
"A newbie, eh?" Kiefer laughed. "Okay, not really. We're kinda newbies too."
"I've worked here for 6 months, and Kief here's worked for 3." Riley nodded. "He's 20, I'm 21."
"I just turned 21." I nod. "I guess I like it."
Kiefer groaned. "I can't wait to turn 21. My dad said he wanted to take me to Margaritaville." He busted out in laughter.
"There's a Margaritaville in Tampa?" Riley asked.
"No, Orlando." Kiefer laughed. "And Miami."
Riley scoffed. "Miami isn't the best place to go, Kiefer."
"Neither is Orlando." Kiefer took a long sip of his iced (or sweet) tea. "Shit happens there."
"That's rude." I look at Kiefer. "You can't make jokes about the three events that have happened in a week there."
"Okay, I wasn't making a joke." Kiefer shook his head. "I'm sorry. Now more about you; do you go to school, are you dating someone? Spill."
"Yes. I transferred from a community college in Durham, North Carolina to South Florida. And no, I'm not dating anyone."
Kiefer nodded. "I go to South Florida as well. And I am single. So we have a couple things in common. Tell Rease here anything about you, Riles."
"Well," Riley sighed, "I take online classes at Florida State, and I actually am dating someone. His name is Ben, and we've been together for nine months."
"Ben Webber works concessions at the Lightning games." Kiefer snorts. "What a great boyfriend you have."
"Shut up, Kiefer, you know nothing."
"Oh yeah? Are you still a virgin?" Kiefer eyed Riley.
"No." She shook her head. "You know, I'm not, actually. Let's ask Rease. Rease, are you still a virgin?"
I had just met these people, and they now want to discuss my sex life?
I stayed silent.
"That's a yes." Riley said. "And what about you, Ladies Man? I bet you've fucked like seven girls by now."
Kiefer started to blush. "Um..."
"Kiefer? Are you telling me..." Riley looked at him.
"Yes." He covered his face. "I'm still a fucking virgin, okay? I...I just don't feel like the time is right. Sure, my brother is the secret sex God of Tampa, but no, I'm not Craig Tamberelli. I don't do that shit." He then shot up, took his tea, and left the room.
Me and Riley look at the door.
I stand up. "Let me go check on him."
I go out to see Kiefer on a nearby bench.
"Hey...you okay?"
Kiefer nodded. "Riley knows how to push those damn buttons, that's for sure. But, I don't want to ruin your first day for you by arguing about our personal lives. I wanted to start small, but it blew up in your face. And for that, I'm sorry."
"It's fine."
"No, not really." Kiefer stood up. "But, I know something for sure: Riley Poole will become the next Megyn Kelly or someone on CNN."
I laugh. "That's funny."
"Let's go back, and show you around the right way." Kiefer said. "It's about the only thing I can do to repay you. I mean, unless you want me to buy you lunch-"
"No." I open the door. "Not necessary."
Kiefer walked in. "Riles, let's show Rease around. We're repaying her for being airheads."
"Fine with me." Riley stood up. "I gotta get out of here."
/\/\/\
"Look," Riley told me as we took the elevator up, "I'm sorry about that. I usually never act like that, especially to someone new. Me and Kiefer tease each other, and yeah, he annoys me, and I annoy him, but an introduction shouldn't be like that-"
"Shut up, Riley." Kiefer shook his head. "I think Rease has had enough of our stupid apologies. She needs to know her groups."
"Groups?" I look at Kiefer.
"There's three main groups on Rays Radio. You've got your Bigshots, who go by the names of Andre Haverton, that's our supervisor, Russell Fossella, and Abigail Kennedy. Fossella's pretty chill, but Kennedy's a hardass. You don't want to mess with her."
"Don't forget the Others. The Others are the annoying, gossiping wannabes who try too hard to get two things: to do radio coverage, and to get into the pants of Kiefer's stripper brother."
"If they go by the names of Bethany London, Veruca Hinkle, or Ramona Wrigley, you best stay away." Kiefer shook his head. "Especially Veruca. She has a fucking obsession with me."
"I once heard she was found feeling herself to the thoughts of-"
Kiefer made a gagging noise. "Riley, please. If I have to relive that, I swear to God. That was my third week here, and-"
We suddenly got really quiet as some woman came in.
Kiefer mouthed "Kennedy."
And the ride stayed quiet until Kennedy left.
"All right." Riley breathed. "Thank God she's gone."
"Don't forget your favorite group though." Kiefer threw his cup in the trash. "The Best People You'll Ever Meet. That's us, me and Riley. Soon, you'll join our ranks."
"But first, you gotta tease Kief here about something." Riley smirked. "He's a Marlins fan!" She burst into laughter.
"Used to be." Kiefer rolled his eyes. "Used. To. Be. If I still liked the Marlins, why the hell am I working at Rays Radio? Huh?"
I laugh.
"Welcome to Rays Radio, Rease." Riley said. "Get ready for the biggest rollercoaster of your life."
a.n.
this was one of the biggest chapters of the story so far...this one was also important, because these characters are going to be important. (Yes, there will be more Rays Radio chapters.)
Although the character of Rease Shaffer is up to your imagination, I do have a clue of what Andre, Riley and Kiefer look like.
Andre Haverton:
Riley Poole:
Kiefer Tamberelli:
Previously, Kiefer was a name used for Rease's story, but for these purposes, Kiefer Bauer has been changed to Kenny Bauer. (See chapter 3.) I just thought the name Kiefer fit better for this upcoming character.
I hope you enjoyed this chapter, because there will be another Rays Radio chapter coming up (something big's going to happen).
- Rease 📻