Chapter 13

[Disclaimer: This story reads best in LANDSCAPE MODE on a smart phone or any other mobile device.]

“Mr. Thomas, you have a student who would like to speak to you at the counter,” Clara said.

The tone she took told me it wasn’t my Jennifer, so I got up and went out and saw one of my choir members, Jeremy Nicholls, a high tenor, who is ten years old.

“Good morning, Jeremy,” I said.

“You know who I am?” he said nervously.

“I know everyone in choir and orchestra. Do you need an audition sheet?” I asked.

“N-no sir, I want to be a conductor -- just like you.”

I took him back to my office. Clara brought in a chair for him. We both sat down.

“Why?”

“What?” he replied nervously.

“Why do you want to become a conductor? It’s a lot of hard work,” I said.

“I can tell that it is, Sir,” he was quick to say, “but after watching you do it, I am finding myself totally unable to just listen to music anymore.”

“My hands just ... start to move around. I think, no I know ... I want to be ... to become a conductor, just like you are.”

“Don’t imitate me! Every conductor is different Jeremy. Do you know any famous conductors?”

“Only you, but I have watched Keith Lockhart and he is my idol,” this ten-year-old said.

“I have some books about conducting I could loan you, would you like that?”

He got all fidgety, but said, “I sure would, Sir.”

“Very good, I will bring them tomorrow to school. Maybe the following day, we could spend some time together, how does that sound to you?”

“Wow! What an honor it would be to do that, Sir.”

“I am not a Sir, Jeremy! Call me Michael, like everyone else does,” I said.

“OK, Michael. I will come by here first thing in the morning, day after tomorrow, if that’s all right?”

“OK Jeremy, see you then,” I said watching him turn and run off to some friends who were waiting for him. I watched them, as he must have explained to them all, what we talked about. I had better tell Cece about this.

Clara came in and said, “You appear to have a devotee, Michael.”

“Yeah, I do — don’t I?”

Principal McGowan will be pleased.

I went back to my inventory of goodies from MTI. After going through everything, I told Clara I was heading to orchestra and would be back later.

It was empty -- as I hoped it would be. I opened my score and played and listened to how it sounded on the piano. While I can read music, this was rather complex, but I still got the rhythm I wanted and played the “Work Song,” singing along...

Uh-huh, Uh-huh,
Uh-huh, Uh-huh, Uh-huh
Uh-huh, Uh-huh,
Uh-huh, Uh-huh, Uh-huh

Look down look down
Don’t look ‘em in the eye
Look down look down,
You’re here until you die

The sun is strong
It’s hot as hell below
Look down look down
There’s twenty years to go

I have done no wrong!
Sweet Jesus, hear my prayer!
Look down look down,
Sweet Jesus doesn’t care

I know she will wait,
I know that she will be true!
Look down look down,
They have all forgotten you

“Michael?”

I stopped playing and noticed Paul, who had come in.

“So, you have gotten the score already, haven’t you?”

“Yes, and I couldn’t resist playing it to hear it live, for once,” I explained to him.

“This show is significantly different from ANNIE; wouldn’t you say?” he said.

“That’s one of the reasons I picked it. I am directing it myself, using my mother as a choral director.”

“If you need either Cece or me for anything, don’t hesitate to ask?”

“Thank you, I may just do that. I went over today and heard Jennifer’s choir. They are as good as she is beautiful.”

“Those are fighting words if either of our ladies heard them.”

“I understand. Would you mind telling me what happened between the two of you?”

“That’s ... above your pay grade, Michael.
Maybe sometime later after we’re both married,” Paul said.

“Whatever. She is very nice,” I said.

“Oh, I know,” he said walking away.

After playing a little of each piece of music, I could generate a list of tempos I would want to use on each song. When finished, I headed back to my office. I got a few more musical librettos to take home with me. I stuffed them in my backpack and locked the door behind me.

“Good afternoon Clara, see you tomorrow,” I said watching Jenn walking towards me.

“Have a nice evening, Mr. Thomas,” she responded.

“Hey doll face, you look nice,” I said as Jennifer took my right arm.

“How is your left hand and wrist doing?” she asked me.

“Fine, never better,” I smiled.

We headed home.

The minute we got home, I asked for everyone to come in and sit down.

I explained the invitation from the ISO and asked each for their opinion.

Alice was first, “Michael, I believe it is quite the opportunity to feature a young person who had come back after personal injury and hardship. I say, do it.”

“Michael,” mom said, “You are likely to get many more opportunities just like this. Maybe you should get a bit more seasoned before you try something this adventurous.”

“Thank you, ladies. Jennifer ... I would like your complete and honest opinion on if I should do it or not?”

“I think that you should embrace a chance like this. You are only almost fourteen. This would likely make you the youngest ever to conduct a major city symphony orchestra. For that reason alone, I think you should do it.”

“I was leaning towards not doing it,” I said, “but I believe Jennifer is right. Do you know what music they want me to conduct, mother?”

“Yes, it is the Symphony No. 25 in G minor, by Amadeus Mozart. Also, there is Symphony No. 41 in C Major, again by Mozart. It sounded like you would be televised by the area PBS station again, as well. I have both of those in my large personal collection of Symphonic music,” she said.

“Sounds like a great time, playing the music from people over two hundred fifty years ago. Jennifer is right. I can’t turn it down!”

“I will call them back first thing in the morning, Michael. Dinner will be ready shortly.”

“We can do it another night, Michael,” my girl said.

“Actually, your mother and I have plans. She said she hadn’t been to a movie in years, so we’re going out on a date, you might say,” I said.

Jennifer walked over to her mother and said, “You had better be nice to my guy, OK?”

Holding back a grin the best she could, Alice took my arm and said, “Don’t worry honey. He’s safe with me.”

“I trust him, but it’s you I am worried about. Michael, be a gentleman to my mother, and nothing else.”

“Sure thing, Jenn,” I said. “The movie was my idea. Would you prefer your mother and I stayed home instead?”

“No, do as you have planned. It’s all right with me,” she said.

After my girlfriend changed, we all had a light dinner, then Jenn and Janice left together.

“Change into your swimsuit, honey,” Alice said.

“Ally, I am really in the mood to go see a movie, could we do that, please?”

“I thought we were staying in for the evening, Michael?” she said.

“I know what you want from me, but I am keeping myself for your daughter. I can only hope you understand that?”

She looked at me, not saying anything, and then said, “Dress up, Stud, we’re going out, but not to a movie, OK?”

I took her, by the arm to her room, giving her a peck on the lips.

I went in the room I shared with my girl, and first took a nice hot shower. After that, I changed into the nicest outfit I had, hopeful I was ‘dressy enough’ for my future mother-in-law.

Knocking on her door, she said, “Meet me downstairs, please Michael?”

I had gone downstairs, getting on the piano bench, and began playing a nice instrumental version of ‘Stairway to Heaven,’ until I heard, “Michael!”

She was down the stairs, wearing a strapless wine-colored dress that showed off her gams almost as much as the breast meat she had pushed up and put on display.

I am not worthy!

She took me to her car, and I opened the door for her then went around to get in the passenger side.

“Where are we headed, Ally?”

“You will see, Michael,” she said starting up the car and pulled out of the garage.

She parked in a lot next to a building that had a sign that said, “Benzino’s Restaurant.” We got out and walked in together. Much nicer than I had expected from the outside. We were approached and I said, “Table for two, please?”

“By the stage,” Ally added.

There’s a stage?

I seated her and sat next to her, and saw an empty stage with only a piano and a bench.

She saw me looking at it, and said, “Anybody can get up on the stage and sing, or play something. What do you think, Michael?”

“Gosh, really?” I said looking back at the piano for a moment. It was a Steinway, probably 75 years old!

A server came over with menu’s. I looked mine over and ordered a big steak and baked potato. Ally ordered a chicken dinner for herself.

I stood up, excusing myself and walked up the single step to the stage and quietly sat down at the marvelous old dark brown piano. I put my hands down making a chord, and it sounded perfectly tuned.

I looked over at my date, and said, “Come on up and sing a song for your supper, Ally?”

Cracking my fingers first, she came up making me think of Jessica Rabbit. However, I began a perfect song for this place and it even had an old-fashioned opening piano motif...

MS. ALICE JEAN GUTHRIE
This day and age we’re living in
Gives cause for apprehension,
With speed and new invention
And things like fourth dimension

Yet we get a trifle weary
With Mr. Einstein’s theory,
So we must get down to earth at times:
Relax, relieve the tension

And no matter what the progress
Or what may yet be proved,
The simple facts of life are such
They cannot ... be ... removed

You ... must remember this
A kiss is still a kiss
A sigh ... is just a sigh
The fundamental things apply
As time goes by

Can she ever sell a lyric!

And when two lovers woo
They still say: I love you
On that you can rely
No matter what the future brings
As time goes by

Moonlight and love songs
never out of date
Hearts full of passion jealousy and hate
Woman needs man
and man must have his mate
That no one can deny

It’s still the same old story
A fight for love and glory
A case of do ... or die
The world will always welcome lovers
As time goes by

Moonlight and love songs
never out of date
Hearts full of passion jealousy and hate
Woman needs man
and man must have his mate
That no one can deny

It’s still the same old story
A fight for love and glory
A case of do ... or die
The world will always welcome lovers
As time goes by

It was appreciated by a light applause from the patrons.

I knew she loved Shirley Bassey music, and that was one of her best.

“One more Michael, please?”

“Anything in particular, my dear?”

“Do you know any of the early James Bond theme songs?”

I nodded yes to her and began my all-time favorite Nancy Sinatra song...

You Only Live Twice
or so it seems,
One life for yourself
and one for your dreams

You drift through the years
and life seems tame,
Till one dream appears
and love is its name

And love is a stranger
who will beckon you on,
Don’t think of the danger
or the stranger is gone
This dream is for you,
so pay the price.
Make one dream come true,
you only live twice
And love is a stranger
who will beckon you on,
Don’t think of the danger
or the stranger is gone

This dream is for you,
so pay the price.
Make one dream come true,
you only live twice

As Jenn and Janice walked through the door, she saw us cuddling while watching an old movie together. it was called, “TREASURE OF THE SIERRA MADRE.”

“Didn’t you go out?” Janice asked putting a bag on the table.

We had only gotten home fifteen minutes earlier, showering, (not together), and changed into pajamas.

Apparently, Alice found Benzino’s a long time ago, went there often to be alone with about fifty strangers who like her style of singing. Tonight, I became her pianist.

“We stayed in, watching some oldies but goodies on the TV,” I answered. “What’s in the bag, Mom?”

“Your mother took me shopping, I have some new earrings, do you like them?” my girl asked.

She was on my other side showing me her ear. “They look expensive,” was all I said.

“We thought they looked marvelous on her, so we splurged,” my mother said.

“Sounds like you guys had a great time,” Ally remarked.

“Have you guys eaten?” my mother asked looking in the refrigerator.

“We plopped here and watched almost two complete Humphrey Bogart Movies,” I said. “Don’t feel like you need to fix us anything Mom, we’re good!”

After that twenty-ounce steak and huge baked potato, I couldn’t eat another bite.

Jenn crawled up on my lap, and said, “I missed you!”

“I had a Guthrie next to me, all night long,” I said.

Thursday morning arrived, and I told Jenn that I needed to tell her something. It wasn’t easy, but I explained everything that had happened the previous evening and she wasn’t bothered even a little bit.

I tried a little bit of a first strike, “Since I stopped being invisible, I have enjoyed knowing you. I have flirted shamelessly with Joan, Clara, Shirley, and Cece plus Clarice and Jennifer the music teacher from Lincoln High School. It all seems harmless, until you are confronted with the propriety of it all. None of them are as wonderful as you are. I love you, and only you.”

“Michael, thank you for that little speech. I have seen you with most of those ladies, but I hadn’t felt threatened until I saw how much you flirted with my mother. If you have got that out of your system, I am willing to take you back.”

“Thank you, Jennifer,” I said giving her another great kiss. “We need to start our day. I am interviewing a young man for conductor before school.”

We got out of bed, showered, and walked into the kitchen.

“Mom, we need a ride to get there early. I have an appointment to interview my possible replacement.”

“Really? Well, eat quickly and we can go. Alice isn’t feeling well this morning. She’s still in bed.”

“What’s wrong?” Jenn said.

“She said that she needed some extra sleep,” Janice answered.

Jennifer got up and went to talk to her mother. She must have been appeased and came right back to eat one more bite of scrambled egg. I ate quickly, got my conductor books for Jeremy, gave my mom a kiss goodbye and we left for school.

We walked into the school where I saw Jeremy waiting for me. I gave Jenn a kiss, and we went our separate ways.

“Good morning, Jeremy,” I said.

“Morning Michael,” he said. “You sure have a pretty girlfriend.”

“I do ... don’t I? Let’s go sit down and talk a little.”

I grabbed a chair for him and we sat in my office.

He initiated the conversation, and we talked about the principles of conducting. I explained he needed to get an understanding of how to play each instrument in the orchestra. I also explained he needed to know or learn all about tempo, dynamics, and phrasing.

“You sight read quite well,” I said. “That really helps. Also, listen closely, so you can detect errors in pitch and tone, learning how to communicate with the person playing the music incorrectly. Be constructive with your criticism. When possible, praise them in front of others, and criticize one on one!”

“Wow, I didn’t realize there was so much to it?” Jeremy said.

“If that didn’t scare you off, here are some books that will help you. Keep them. After you learn the mechanics of it, conduct in your head whenever you hear music. That’s what I have been doing since I was very, very young. Hand the books off to the next person someday.”

With books in hand, he put out his right hand, and we shook. A big smile crossed his face, and he said, “Gee whiz, Mr. Thomas. Thank you so much for talking to me.”

“If you don’t already have one, get yourself a girlfriend. She can help you learn faster than you could learn alone.”

Looking embarrassed, he said, “There is a girl I like, but she doesn’t know me yet.”

“You will figure it out, Jeremy. I am not the one to ask about things like that. Oh, get yourself a baton and practice with it every chance you get.”

“Goodbye sir, thank you.”

I felt very satisfied that I have started him on the road to becoming a conductor.

Clara walked into my doorway, “Pardon me for overhearing, but you seem like a natural-born teacher as well as everything else you do. I have seen Jeremy around, mooning over Rose Newman, who is in ANNIE.”

“Interesting to know, thank you, Clara. Your insights are always welcome and encouraged.”

I went back in and assigned the orchestra members to each score.

I walked in as they were settling in. I handed the first bunch to Mike Bell, then to Genny and each of the first chairs. They gave everyone in their group the appropriate one with their name inside in pencil.

“Does everybody have one?”

Two were handed forward, due to those persons not being at school today.

“Look them over. I am still working on some cutting. Anybody have any questions?

I saw Dorothy Roussé, my first clarinet, raise her hand.

“Yes Dorothy.”

“Thank you for doing this. I personally want to thank you for pushing me, and my clarinet group to be better than we thought we could. Could we try playing the Prologue?”

A number of them joined in Dorothy’s request.

“It’s the most difficult looking score I have ever seen guys. Understand that it will take more than one rehearsal to get it right. Paul, is this OK with you?” I turned to ask him.

“They are so sick of ‘It’s A Hard Knock Life,’ something different may be just what they need,” Paul was quick to say.

I showed them how fast I wanted this by waving my hand. While doing this, I got my baton in my left hand and gave them the downbeat.

They got it, mostly right. There were some violin issues, the trombones were really good. Mr. Bell and his trumpets were note perfect. I stopped them at measure 73.

I gave them an applause. As expected, some people were listening, including Jennifer, who came up to me and asked me with her eyes.

“Everyone, Music #2 please, page 51.”

“This will be in E-flat, look closely. It’s different from the piece you have played before. Miss Guthrie, are you ready?”

“Yes, maestro...”

FANTINE
There was a time
When men were kind
When their voices were soft...

How beautiful this was with legitimate orchestration!

She was so emotional.

Now life has killed
the dream I dreamed

And it was done!

The orchestra as a group put down their instruments and stood up for my girl who sang the hell out of that song. Every bit as good as Patti Lupones’ rendition. We all applauded for her. She turned to them and curtseyed. Then she turned to me and kissed me, chastely.

“That was superb everyone. Ready to try something impossible? Go to music #17 on page 235.”

I saw them all turning pages, and a few sounds came from Mr. Bell and his group. “Shit,” he said. “Let’s do it, Boss.”

“That’s what I like to hear ... No mercy! Everybody ready? Violins, you start this. Let’s go”...

(The words are for you, the reader!)

One day more!
Another day ... another destiny!
This never-ending road to Calvary;
These men who seem to know my crime
Will surely come a second time.
One day more!

This number ends the first act.
THIS SHOW WILL ROCK!

After the class was over, I headed to Clara to find out how many audition notices she had given out.

“I am proud to say that I have given out 288 of them so far. The young lady named Clarice from Lincoln High called to tell me to tell you she had given out 397.”

“Oh dear,” I said. “I had jokingly thought there would be 600, but I am so surprised. Back during the Webber/Sondheim concert, I was told they didn’t do much in the way of singing or theatre, despite having that nice auditorium. They used it for large school rally’s and other such things.”

“Well Michael, perhaps your legacy will affect both schools instead of just Jackson Heights,” Clara said with a benign smile.

“Thank you for telling me about the handouts. I will be in my office.”

“Yessir.”

Using ear buds, I worked on listening to each piece of music and following it on the conductors score. I wrote notes regarding tempos and possible cuts as I went.

I felt the presence of someone watching me. I turned and saw Nancy Newman walk in and sit on the edge of my desk, making a big deal about crossing her very nice legs. She was wearing a very short skirt. Its odd how since Jennifer and I became a couple, more and more girls are coming up and on to me.

“Hi Michael, I had some time, so I thought I would come by and find out more about LES MISÉRABLES. Which part would I be best suited for?”

I leaned back in my chair and took the longest look at her. Before Jennifer was in my life ... I was aware that Nancy liked me. I was invisible, and getting a girlfriend seemed the wrong thing to do at the time. Now, her streaked brown hair and blue eyes were searing into mine.

“Of the major roles, I would say Eponine or possibly Cosette. You would need to become a blonde for Cosette, or you would need to be all one shade of dark brown for Eponine, also needing to get a slight cut.”

“Really?” she said grabbing at her hair.

“No matter what, I want you in the show. There are many smaller parts you would be excellent for. So far, we are going to have over 600 kids trying out for about 90 to 100 parts.”

“There is also the need for Jennifer to have an understudy. You could tryout with ‘I Dreamed a Dream.’ I can’t promise you anything, but give it a try.”

“Thank you, Michael,” she said. “Help me up, please?”

I stood up, and got her by her slim waist and let her down easy. She stole a kiss and said goodbye.

Yowser!

Arriving home, Jennifer and I first went in to get a bottle of water each. We found our mothers in the spa, giggling with a glass of something in their hands.

“Hey kids, come on in ... the water’s fine.” Alice giggled. She’s drunk.

“Is it safe to join you ladies?” I asked.

“Cerrrtainly,” my mother said with a slight slur to her voice.

We went to our bedrooms and changed into appropriate wear. I came up behind Jenn and slapped her bottom, and we each got in the spa.

“Oooooh,” I said. “This feels so good after a hard day at school.”

Ally just snickered because I said ‘hard.’

Mom asked me to sit by her. She finished the liquid she had and put down the container in one of the spa’s cup holders.

“Did you tell people I would help them get their vocal range for LES MISÉRABLES?”

“I may have inferred you could help them, is that a problem?”

“Not really, but a heads up would have helped. Tomorrow, there are many kids coming over together to do just that.”

“That might be because over 600 audition sheets have been given out so far,” I said.

“Holy Shit,” Ally said.

“Potty mouth. I realized beforehand there could be a tremendous response, so I have scheduled callbacks for the following Sunday. I have decided that this time I will start with those trying out for the twelve leads. After that, I will listen to fifteen people at a time. When that is all done, you guys, plus Paul, Cece and Jennifer Stapleton, will gather to make decisions on who we ask back for Sunday.”

“I don’t get to help?” Jennifer said with a slight pout.

“This is to make it so you won’t have anyone mad at you because of our decisions. I know about a dozen girls who are trying out for Cosette, Eponine, and Fantine’s understudy. That probably means there are likely as many as fifty or more, when you add in the Lincoln High people. Don’t be mad at me for this. I am protecting you,” I said, giving my best to explain.

“I love you, Michael.” she said with her lips grazing mine.

“Good,” I said moving forward and making real contact between us.

“Michael, the Webber/Sondheim Concert is on local PBS starting yesterday. They did a fine job recording it,” Janice said.

“How does the orchestra sound, Mom?”

“Better than I had expected. They are having a pledge drive, so they are cutting into it after almost every song to make their quarterly plea for money,” she said.

“Wow! Our little school ... on PBS,” I said.

Jennifer took me in her arms and said, “I am so proud of you Michael,” topping it off with a kiss that made me hard as can be.

She climbed up on me again, and she must have felt my hardness and smiled at me. We just held each other close and kissed each other on our faces. She raised her neck up, and I attacked it with my lips.

“That is so hot! To see your son and my daughter making out like that. What do you think, Janice?” Ally said.

“You’re right about one thing Ally, they are hopelessly in love. Maybe Michael was right; we should go out and find someone our own age to have some fun with.”

“I don’t have time for that, we didn’t need any boys when we first met in college, did we?”

This perked up my ears as I let Jenn work on my neck as I saw mom straddling Ally and they began a most delicious kiss between the two of them.

It certainly didn’t appear to be the first time. They looked quite comfortable in each other’s arms.

It got a bit uncomfortable for me, so Jenn and I got out, dried off and put a bake-your-own-pizza in the oven to cook.

During the cooking, Jenn and I went upstairs to change into dry clothes, made out for a while, then headed back downstairs to see Mom and Ally sitting on towels at the table, now drinking water.

“Thank you for starting something cooking, Honey?” Ally said. “I think I have had too much wine to drink.”

That prompted me to take her glass of wine from her and poured it down the sink.

“Why did you do that?” she said.

“If you can’t figure that out, maybe you should completely give up alcohol, Alice.”

“I have been a closet alcoholic since Jennifer’s father left us for another woman. The only thing that got me over it was drinking. Maybe ... I should cut back, but don’t make me give it up, please?”

I got a bottle water from the fridge and said, “Here you go, no calories, no carbs, and no alcohol, I have, at least, six of these a day.”

“So, Janice, you guys were friends with benefits in college?”

“Well, we didn’t call it that back then,” my mother said. “We told people we were gal pals, which was a euphemism for friendly with tongues. When I found out she was here and her daughter was your girl, we reconnected right away, but swore never to tell the two of you.”

“I’m sorry we kept it from you all this time,” Ally said. “We never considered ourselves ‘real’ lesbians. When a nice-looking fella walked by, we would flip a coin to see who went after him? That’s how I met your father, Jennifer. I hope you don’t feel less of me?”

I went to each of them and gave them a ‘nearly’ chaste kiss on the lips. Ally got hold of me, causing Jenn to pull me away as she also giggled about it.

The pizza dinged, and we ate it at the kitchen counter. I told them all about Jeremy Nicholls, the ten-year-old that wants to be a conductor, and they were amused. I did remind them that I have a commitment for two more school years at Jackson Heights, so if Jeremy washes out, I would then have a need to get somebody to replace him very quickly.