Chapter 11

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

“I have no personal animus with any of the Chapman’s. Isabel is very talented. I have been told Peter, who is sixteen, is very gifted. If Bill personally apologized, meant it, and auditioned for me, I would listen and cast him as well. Maybe that would be an outlet ... Wait a minute! Jenn, would you mind if I went and visited him in prison?”

“Michael,” Janice said. “I don’t think that’s a good idea.”

“Neither do I,” Alice said.

“Can I go by myself, or am I too young?” I asked whomever.

“Michael, you can’t just go and visit someone — At least in Indiana. You have to be on the pre-approved list, or get on it by talking to a family member. You are far too busy to go through all the machinations necessary,” Alice said.

“I would like to forgive him in person, that’s why I want to go and see him. I don’t know if we could be friends, even though we have similar tastes regarding girls.”

“Michael, that is sweet of you to want to do that, but I don’t think I want you to visit him. Perhaps you could write him a letter, or maybe an email,” Jennifer said.

“I am sorry, Jenn, I didn’t mean to upset you or any of you. I was just thinking of him as a human being, instead of as a prisoner of the state.”

I went back to eating my meal, pausing occasionally to smile at the ladies. “Uhm, Mom, what degree program did you take at Jacob’s School of Music?”

“Oh! I got Double Bachelor Degrees in Voice and Piano. It was during our freshman year that Alice and I first met up, after the Tagg incident. We had a few classes in common before we split off. Alice got her Degree in Music Education. Am I remembering that correctly, Ally?”

“You are,” she said. “I thought of going for a second Degree in Jazz Studies, but college was tougher for me than it was for your mother,” she said. “I had a Minor in Boys at the same time. Jan gave me tips from after she got home from dating the boys at the school.”

“You told me just as many stories,” Mom jumped back in.

“Sounds lurid, tell us a story about it,” I said.

“Maybe later, some of them would curl your hair. I don’t want to be accused of corrupting my own son,” Janice said.

Alice just started laughing for reasons that were not clear. They couldn’t even look at each other without both of them giggling or laughing out loud.

“We do want to hear some of those,” Jenn said, “And soon. We haven’t heard any more about Tagg either.”

They both tried to get it together, but as soon as one of them put a serious look on her face, the other one blasted out a howl. They must have had really good times while there. We finished up the meal. I took my and Jenn’s plate to the sink. I went and got the ladies’ plates and did the same.

I found enough uneaten chicken that I ate some of it before I threw it away. A wet mess of food waste was to go to the garage and straight into the big trashcan. We have street garbage service on Monday and Thursday. I came back to find Jenn at the sink.

“Hey sexy, can I interest you in a drink of bottled water. We certainly want our instruments moist for later, don’t we?”

I got a bottled water from the fridge and opened it for her. I quickly put everything left in the dishwasher. Not full enough to start, so I closed it for now.

I got out the box of Bon-Bons from the freezer, taking six and putting it away. I popped three in my mouth, giving her the other three. We chewed and swallowed very quietly.

“It’s gotten very quiet in there,” mom said.

“Just making out a little,” I said, chewing fast and swallowing.

“Me too,” Jenn said, barely able to speak.

“Then come in here and let’s talk about ANNIE first, then LES MISÉRABLES,” she said. “Bring us a water each, please?”

That would be easy enough. I got that while I asked Jennifer to get my laptop and bring it into where we were going.

We settled in and Alice asked, “Michael, Dear, are there any more props that we need for Annie?”

“In Scene one, we need pails for the girls to dance in, “Check” (Alice), Pillows, with a blanket and two sets of sheets, “Check”, Teddy bear for Molly, “That’s one of the ones we don’t have”, Laundry basket, “Check”, Whistle on a string for Joan, “Check”, Cloth laundry bag, “Check”, Annie’s half locket, “Check”, Multiple old written notes for Annie, “Check” and an old-fashioned whiskey bottle for Joan, “Check.”

“You did that all from memory?” my mother asked.

“Yeah, it’s no big deal,” I said. Alice and I went through the rest of the show, scene by scene and the list wasn’t bad regarding things we still needed to get.

“What about costumes, Ally?” I asked.

She looked over at me and smiled. “We have got everything for Annie and the girls. I told all the boys to try to borrow their grandpa’s caps. Most of Warbucks and Grace’s clothing is done. All the Herbert Hoover people have something ragged to wear. Your mother and I are making some clothes for the servants, from stuff we got from Goodwill and the Salvation Army. I even found one of those cigarette holders like FDR used to always have with him.”

“Wonderful. You think we can have it all ready by the Saturday before the weekend we open?”

“Shouldn’t be a problem Michael,” Alice said giving me a thumbs up. “Doing this is bringing back wonderful memories from when I was helping my mother get things for the musicals I used to be in.

“Any other ANNIE issues, ladies?” I asked.

They both answered me with a single ‘No!’

“All right, on to LES MISÉRABLES, here is a breakdown of some things that could be done beforehand. I want to have the entire cast in robes, with hoods. The opening number I have already conceptualized,” I said starting the Prologue music on my iPhone.

“We start with the ‘Prologue’ as the entire cast starts marching in from behind the audience in robes over their initial, if not only, outfits. Only the men will be singing, as they get up on the stage.”

“All the featured characters and the leads will form three scattered lines. The chorus will walk up the stairs to the upper level.”

“The singing exposition begins on the stage as the chorus all sit down as one group.”

“Those who aren’t major leads each stand behind and pull the robes away to reveal Valjean, Javert, the Bishop, Thenardier and his wife, plus the constables and Fantine.”

“That takes us up to music #1 ‘At the End of The Day.’”

“Because of that, I have decided to have auditions the Saturday before ANNIE opens.”

“Wow, Michael. That sounds visually very impactful,” Janice said.

“Exactly what I want. Are you available to become an official chorale director, Janice?” I asked.

“For the summer? That’s when I have many students wanting my time as a music teacher, Honey.”

“Could you make, at least, two days a week available to the show? I planned on making out a master schedule, so I can get the orchestra here three times a week and the choir separately?”

“What about the leads, Michael?” Jennifer asked.

“I would have them here at least one day a week, and the understudies also getting their own day. There will be ten to twelve parts understudied. Any extra ones would depend how strong an actress I get as Little Cosette and Eponine. They do only sing the one number.”

Jennifer gave me a kiss. “What was that for?”

“Do I need a reason?” she said. “I find it amazing how you keep everything so well organized in your head like that.”

“Next thing you and I need to do is make an Audition Notice for LES MISÉRABLES. I want to put all the major characters and their musical requirements on the back of it Character name, vocal part, expected song to audition with and so forth...”

“Sure will, let me go get my laptop,” she said getting up.

“Michael,” my mother said after Jenn left the room, “You have found an angel, don’t fuck this up, OK?”

“Ma’am, yes ma’am,” I said as Jenn came back in. I wrapped my arms around her and we had a wonderful smooch in front of our moms.

“Mom, can I get a tuxedo to conduct LES MISÉRABLES in?” I asked.

“I think that would be a marvelous idea, Honey,” she said coming over and hugging me. “It should have some room to grow into. I remember that you ripped through the jacket at the previous concert.”

I agreed.

Janice had given me the Conductors score, so I opened it and was amazed how complex the orchestration was. I got my personal music stand out and put the score on it opening it up.

I took my phone and hooked it to the TV’s sound system.

As it played, I followed along and conducted. What a remarkable score.

The ladies brought chairs out to watch me. I would occasionally glance at them.

Jenn would mouth, ‘I love you’ from time to time. As “Who Am I” started, my left arm and wrist froze up. It started to shake and I wasn’t controlling it. Jenn got out of her chair and ran up to me and said, “What’s wrong?”

“I — I can’t move my left arm. It’s not ... working.”

And ... it hurt like hell.

Mom came over and took the baton from my hand, and helped me sit down. “Do you want me to take you to the hospital emergency room?”

“N-No, let me relax for a moment. Is there any menthol rub around?”

“I have some in my room,” Alice said, running to get it.

“Has anything like this ever happened before?” Jennifer asked.

“Just that one time, when it was sore for about ten minutes,” I answered. “I sure could have used a whole new hand back when I was in the hospital,” I chuckled.

“Here it is,” Alice said, handing it to Jennifer.

“Put it on me really thick, please? I can take it.”

Jenn giggled and took it from her mother, and started putting it on my wrist up to my elbow. It instantly felt cool, but I was still worried.

“Can you get me some of this to keep in my room for the future?” I asked.

Alice looked at Janice, who looked at me funny. I was missing something here, but I was in too much anguish to worry about it.

Twenty minutes later, my whole arm felt better. The ladies were all fawning over me. It was getting late, so Jennifer walked with me to my room. We said goodnight to our mothers.

I was more tired than I thought. She helped get me ready for bed. The pain began lessening, as I tried to move it.

“I will be right back,” she said.

A few minutes later, she came in having changed into PJs. She crawled in with me, carefully taking my left arm. “I am sorry you hurt yourself?” she said.

“This has got to be better in the morning,” I said hopefully. “I have too much going on.”

“You are through with school for the year, so taking a day off wouldn’t hurt you,” she said.

“You’re right, but I have too many people expecting me to do many different things. If I do stay home, I want you to go to school and appease anyone who may wonder where I am. Tell them I am a little under the weather. Don’t mention my arm problem, specifically, can you do that for me, Sweetheart?”

“Of course I can. With all you do, you need some time off. Please promise me you won’t use your left hand for ... anything?”

She had a wicked smile on her face having said that. “I promise you. I will use my right hand, or I will just not do anything at all.”

“Anything you need me to do for you tonight?” she asked with a grin on her face.

“I am fine for now, maybe tomorrow ... it’s only a day away?”

“You are so silly sometimes, Michael!”

The next morning, I woke up and I had about half the mobility back in my wrist and elbow. I convinced Jennifer to go to school without me. I asked mom to call and let them know I wouldn’t be there for the day.

She came in to tell me that Clara was worried about me. Principal McGowan told her to get me better. She told them I was under the weather. She agreed to kibosh the real news. I love her.

I did get my laptop in front of me, and opened my email. I never had so many, so I looked at the first of them, and I was getting messages from the kids at Jackson Heights. Some were funny; part of the orchestra played “Hard Knock Life,” finishing with them all yelling, “Get well, Michael.”

My fourteen-year-old girls sang to me. Jennifer led them in it. It was a plethora of good fortune. I even got one from Joan with a photo attached to it. I decided against opening it, and put it in the trash.

Alice came into my room and asked, “Anything I can get you, Michael?”

“I know it’s not legal, but I could use a pain pill. You got any drugs on you, Beautiful?”

“If you felt better I would let you frisk me, but neither your mother nor my daughter would approve. I do have some non-prescription extra strength ibuprofen ... I will be right back.”

She is such a lovely lady. She has a quirky sense of humor, just like me. That’s why we get along so well. I was staying in bed for the day. Everyone was telling me to relax, and yell if I needed anything. I am not much of a yeller, so Mom or Alice would pop in every now and again.

Alice came back in with a pill and a glass of water. I opened my mouth, and she placed it on my tongue then carefully gave me some water. She pulled me up before that, and it helped. After I had the drink, she leaned into me and gave me a rather naughty kiss. I smiled at her and said, “Thank you Alice, but I may end up with a different problem if you do that too much.”

“Oops, sorry honey. Let the pill take effect. I will check on you in a bit.” She kissed me on the forehead, inadvertently rubbing her breasts against my chest. I just smiled as she got back up on her feet.

“See you later, Allygator.” I said. She giggled in response.

I woke up feeling very rested. My arm was slowly gaining more and more mobility. I looked over and saw Alice next to me asleep. I knew I must stink, so I walked into my bathroom to take a shower. I carefully was using my left hand, bringing my right hand in order to help as needed.

“MICHAEL, Everything OK in there?” Alice said from the other side of the door.

“Yeah, I am fine.” I said. I could have asked her to come in and wash my back, but I don’t think she would have kept her hands to herself for even a moment. After I was done, I stepped out and got a towel. It was difficult, but not futile.

Damn! I keep forgetting to bring in clothes with me when I am ‘entertaining’ someone. After slowly wrapping a towel around my midsection, I came back in my room and saw Alice grinning and still sitting on my bed.

“Need any help, good looking?”

“Nothing you can do for me without both of us going into therapy,” I replied. It took her a moment, but she grinned and blushed at the same time.

She got up to leave, but I got a kiss before she did.

I saw her turn to go, so I dropped my towel to put on some boxers. I had been a tighty-whitey guy until fifth grade. I read that boxers are better for more potent sperm. I didn’t completely understand that at the time, but the word ‘sperm’ got my attention.

Standing in just my boxers, I made an effort to fully extend my left wrist and arm. It was like watching something in slow motion, but I actually got it fully extended completely without hearing any crackles in my arm. I wriggled my fingers speeding up, and then I tried rotating my wrist back and forth. It was a bit annoying, but I could do it.

I reached over and got out my baton, and my elbow joint joined the party and was mostly painless. I added my right hand to the mix and was humming “Do You Hear the People Sing?” as I was making the large movements I had been using as a conductor.

Pain free! It’s a miracle – what is going on?

MICHAEL R. THOMAS JR.
Do you hear the people sing?
Singing the songs of angry men?
It is the music of a people
Who will not be slaves again

When the beating of your heart,
Echoes the beating of the drums
There is a life about to start
When tomorrow comes

I had all of my motion back, just as Jennifer was walking in the front door. “That’s Michael singing.” She rushed in looking into my eyes and my heart.

We clinched each other tight, and kissed for a moment as well.

“I can’t believe it,” I said. “It feels as good as it was before my beat-down. I love you, but I need to thank the lady who helped me the most.”

Alice was there, standing in the doorway, and I walked up to her and gave her a whopper of a kiss, which she returned in kind.

“Thank you Ally. Between having a soothing voice and a pain pill, you are my angel.”

Heaving a big sigh, “Anytime honey. I am here for you ... anytime.”

I turned around ready for the wrath of Jennifer. She was crying. I wrapped my fully functional, pain free hands and arms around her, and she hugged me back.

“Oh, Michael! Everyone came up to me and gave me instructions to tell you that you were missed today. Even Miss Jepson gave me a hug. She mentioned it was the first day you had missed school since going to Jackson Heights.”

“Everybody loves Michael, and so do I.”

“Let’s start entering music in the laptop again. I want to have the August, September, and October Concerts fully selected. I know the songs I want, but we need to finish that project.”

“Where’s Mom?” I asked.

Alice said, “She’s locating the material to make 170 robes. She found a place she could order rolls of material from. She went there today to haggle over the price per yard.”

“How many yards does she figure it will take?” Jennifer asked.

“Close to 600. It’s a big project you have asked of us Michael,” Ally remarked. “But, we are honored and proud to do it for you and the school.”

Twenty minutes later, Janice walked in and said, “It’s ordered. Due to the size of the order, I am getting it at cost plus 7%. That makes it cost around $2,400. However, the robes will be purchased back by the school for $7 apiece, after we are done. The $1210 loss, I can cover by the donation tax deduction.”

“I also want a black beret for each member of the orchestra,” I said, “Expecting it to grow by around twenty people, after I added in the Lincoln High performers.”

“So, eighty of them?” Janice asked.

“Yes, that should do it, all black please,” I said. “Has anybody eaten today — I am starving?”

“We can go out, as soon as my son puts on some pants,” Janice said.

“Sorry,” I said heading back to my room. They all giggled.

We went to The Café Moonlight, a place in town with marvelous lunches and dinners. We all got a different variation of the salads making it hard to choose from ... a very low-key place to eat.

On our way out, we ran into Paul and Cece. He already shaved his head for Oliver Warbucks.

“We may have to put some makeup on that noggin, or we may blind our audience,” I said.

“Hardy har har ... I knew there was a reason I didn’t mind you not being at school today. It’s not the first time I have done it, but not since high school when our whole team decided to remove all hair from our bodies during the swimming season. That was before waxing had gotten popular.”

“Just hearing that makes me cringe,” I said. “It does make you look older.”

“I have been getting that most of the day ... that and ‘It’s Mr. Clean!’ It’s good to see you up and at ‘em Michael. Today at school it was like slow motion with the orchestra.”

“Not only that,” Cece said, “In choir, everyone was so worried about you ... not much got done.”

“I will be there tomorrow to whip them into shape. Sorry about today, guys! Goodbye.”

We left and went back home. It was only six pm, so I suggested to Jennifer, we sat down. A tongue was lapping at my ear. I heard, “I am horny for you, really really, horny. Your kissing my mother started it. Take me to your room so we can have some naughty fun.”