Chapter 84

I got Peter up to sing and Mike would get his solo, with “La Vie En Rose...”

Mike stood up busting with pride and began the song playing his trumpet, along with Nancy on the piano and Brigitte slapping her bass...

Then Peter stepped up and sang...

Hold me close
And hold me fast
This magic spell you cast
This is la vie en rose

When you kiss me,
Heaven sighs
And though I close my eyes
I see la vie en rose

When you press me
To your heart
I’m in a world apart
A world where roses bloom

And when you speak,
Angels, sing from above
Everyday words seem
To turn into love songs

Give your heart
And soul to me
And life will always be
La vie en rose

Mike got a chance to really blow ... I was so proud of him! His adlibs were fantastic, and perfect!

At the very end he held the note for twelve beats. I didn’t know a trumpeter could even do that. He stepped forward and they bowed together.

Our crowd really loved it ... they could tell he was playing with emotion.

I let the crowd quiet down, then said, “Thank you all very much ... That young man on the trumpet is only twelve-years-old. Next up is the prettiest fourteen year old redhead you will ever meet. She just finished playing Lola in DAMN YANKEES back in our hometown of Vincennes, Indiana.”

We began the vamp as she walked into the overhead lights, she had a slit in her dress to show off those gams of hers. All through the number there were sounds of men coughing. She was a little too much. I would have to tone her down a little before the next performance.

Her applause was the loudest of the night so far. I got up and gave her a nice kiss on the lips.

I saw people getting more drinks, and everyone was having a good ole time.

Next up was Peter and Charles, doing “Every Little Piece,” after which Peter performed “Passamashloddy,” alone, and both were very well-received.

We followed that up with some instrumental music from the 40s and 50s so they could enjoy their food. I saw a few toes tapping. I wished my legs felt better, so I could tap for them.

We finished up our first set with Charles as Olaf and James and Joan as Kristoff and Elsa, all performing “In Summer.”

No roller skates this time, but he certainly has a firm grasp on the character, bowing gracefully to the people standing up for him.

“Thank you ladies and Gentlemen, you have been very gracious this evening. Drive safely.”

There was a final big round of applause, as servers were handing out the bills to everyone. A dinner table had been set aside for us to eat as we had time. They had put several of different kinds of food on it with some plates and silverware for us. The Gold Standard Society Buffet.

I went over and had a plate of Sand Dabs and some vegetables.

“Do you need a pill?” Jennifer asked me.

“Couldn’t hurt to have one ... thanks sweet-ums.”

I sat, she got me a pill and I washed it down with a glass of water.

“Hey,” we heard. I looked up and the Newmans, Prefontaynes and the Edwards, all dressed up and planning to eat and watch the show.

After they were seated, Princess quickly went over to them and talked for a few minutes. The place was filling up fast, so I had Mike blast his trumpet and she got back.

Although the same show for everyone would have worked, I wasn’t satisfied to do that. We had a full house who were entitled to be wowed!

Although this song deserves a bigger orchestra, and a much bigger venue, I promised Geoff Cooper, and his huge voice, this song from CAROUSEL...

I wonder what he’ll think of me
I guess he’ll call me the “old man”
I guess he’ll think I can lick
Every other feller’s father
Well, I can!

I bet that he’ll turn out to be
The spitting’ image of his dad
But he’ll have
More common sense
Than his pudding-headed
Father ever had

I’ll teach him to wrestle
And dive through a wave
When we go in the
Mornin’s for our swim
His mother can teach him
The way to behave
But she won’t make
A sissy out o’ him
Not him! Not my boy! Not Bill!

Bill, my boy Bill
I will see that he’s
Named after me, I will.
My boy, Bill! He ‘ll be tall
And tough as a tree, will Bill!
Like a tree he will grow
With his head held high
And his feet planted
Firm on the ground
And you won’t see
Nobody dare to try
To boss or toss him around!
No pot-bellied,
Baggy-eyed bully
Will boss him around.

I don’t give a hang
What he does
As long as he does
What he likes!
He can sit on his tail
Or work on a rail
With a hammer,
Hammering spikes!

He can ferry a boat on a river
Or peddle a pack on his back
Or work up and down
The streets of a town
With a whip and
A horse and a hack.

He can haul a scow along a canal
Run a cow around a corral
Or maybe bark for a carousel
Of course it takes talent
To do that well.

Aha-ha-a-ha!
He might be a champ of the heavyweights,
Or a feller that sells you glue,
Or President of the United States,
That’d be all right, too
His mother would like that
But he wouldn’t be President
If he didn’t wanna be!
Not Bill!

My boy, Bill! He will be tall
And as tough as a tree, will Bill
Like a tree he will grow
With his head held high
And his feet planted
Firm on the ground

And you won’t see nobody dare to try
To boss him or toss him around!
No fat-bottomed, flabby-faced,
Pot-bellied, baggy-eyed bully
Will boss him around.

And I’m hanged if he’ll
Marry his boss’ daughter
A skinny-lipped lady
With blood like water
Who’ll give him a peck
And call it a kiss
And look in his eyes
Through a lorgnette...

Hey, why am I talkin’ on like this?
My kid ain’t even been born, yet!...

After he finished the other half of this eight-minute song, I started the applause myself. Man oh man oh man ... has he become a complete entertainer, or what? And these people were putting down their drinks to applaud for him! Rose Newman gave him a big kiss on the cheek.

Next up was Katie Chapman, singing the Adele hit “Skyfall” with the other girls (singing echoes)

KATHERINE
This is the end
Hold your breath
And count to ten
Feel the earth move and then
Hear my heart burst again

For this is the end
I have drowned
And dreamt this moment
So overdue I owe them
Swept away, I’m stolen

Let the sky fall
When it crumbles
We will stand tall
Face it all together

Let the sky fall
When it crumbles
We will stand tall
Face it all together
At Skyfall
That Skyfall

Skyfall is where we start
A thousand miles
And poles apart
Where worlds collide
And days are dark
You may have my number,
You can take my name
But you will never
Have my heart

Let the sky fall
(let the sky fall)
When it crumbles
(when it crumbles)
We will stand tall
(we will stand tall)
Face it all together

Let the sky fall
(let the sky fall)
When it crumbles
(when it crumbles)
We will stand tall
(we will stand tall)
Face it all together
At Skyfall

All the way to the end, Katie was pouring her heart out singing this song. When it was over our two tables worth of friends started the applause.

I got all five girls up, ready to sing “Push It.” I gave Jason the time to switch to his electric guitar and I also picked up my keytar...

Ah, push it
Ah, push it

Oooh, baby, baby
Baby, baby
Oooh, baby, baby
Baby, baby

Get up on this!
Ow! Baby!

Now wait a minute, y’all
This dance ain’t for everybody
Only the sexy people
So all you fly mothers,
get on out there and dance
Dance, I said!

The GS Society is here,
and we’re in effect
Want you to push it, babe
Coolin’ by day then at night
working up a sweat
C’mon girls, let’s go show
the guys that we know
How to become number one
in a hot party show
Now push it

Ah, push it - push it good
Ah, push it - push it real good
Ah, push it - push it good
Ah, push it - p-push it real good

Hey! Ow!
Push it good!

Oooh, baby, baby
Baby, baby
Oooh, baby, baby
Baby, baby

Push it good
Push it real good
Ah, push it
Ah, push it

Yo, yo, yo, yo, baby-pop
Yeah, you come here,
gimme a kiss
Better make it fast or else
I’m gonna get pissed
Can’t you hear the music’s
pumping hard like
I wish you would?
Now push it

Push it good
Push it real good
Push it good
P-push it real good

Ah, push it
Get up on this!

Boy, you really got me going
You got me so I don’t
know what I’m doing

Ah, push it

That got the crowd up on their feet, although it may have been a bit over the top. I was ready at a moment’s notice if Miss Day showed up or not. Nevertheless, I got Jennifer up and she sang a medley of Doris Day songs, starting with “Que Sera Sera,” “It’s Magic” and “Secret Love.” I had more in reserve, if necessary.

Imagine my surprise when half way through “It’s Magic” a voice joined in with my fiancée. My tears were close.

It was Doris Day, looking marvelous and sounding remarkable, despite being ninety years young. Her vibrato was broader than during her younger days, but Jennifer and her sang together to the end of ‘Secret Love’. They hugged and it was so very sweet.

I came up to Miss Day and said, “Before I fell in love with the young lady you just sang with, I have seen every one of your 39 movies and my favorite was PAJAMA GAME. We know some songs from that ... would you mind?”

“Oh, please do! Let me sit down,” she responded.

I took her hand and walked her to a table. I kissed her hand and went back to the stage.

I was ready to get up and sing, telling Brigitte to be ready to play ‘Fever’.

I first prepared like someone getting ready to do an impersonation, I turned to Brigitte and pointed at her, to start the beat... (I hadn’t tried this in six years!)

I turned back to the audience...

“Thank you, thankyouverymuch!”

(I had watched Peter, James, and Jeff Newman all singing Elvis songs, but this time would be mine! Brigitte, Strings and Tiff knew what I was about to do)

Never know how much I love you
(two drum slaps)
Never knew how much I care
(two drum slaps)
When you put your arms around me
(two drum slaps)
I get a fever that’s so hard to bear
You give me fever (drum slap)
when you kiss me
Fever when you hold me tight (slap)...
Fever in the morning
Fever all through the night{br}

(People [the ladies] were screaming!)
(The rest of the combo had jumped in!)

Sun lights up the daytime
Moon lights up the night
I light up when you call my name
And you know I’m gonna treat you right
You give me fever...
when you kiss me
Fever when you hold me tight
Fever (slap) in the morning
Fever all through the night

Now you’ve listened to my story
Here’s the point that I have made
Cats were born to give chicks fever
Be it Fahrenheit or centigrade
They give you fever when we kiss you
Fever if you live and learn
Fever till you sizzle
What a lovely way to burn
What a lovely way to burn
What a lovely way to burn!
(drum slap)

I felt like I had walked a mile as the applause was so goddam satisfying as I walked back to the piano very slowly!

Mom walked up as Mike Bell said, “We will be taking a short break, Ladies and Gentlemen!”

My first words were, “Did it work?”

She appeared ready to slug me, but hesitated long enough to say, “You knew it would, didn’t you, Mr. Thomas?”

“What happened to you?” my mad as hell wife said. “One minute, I am looking at my husband clear as bell, then suddenly, you become a lookalike of a young Elvis Presley?”

“Jenn, I don’t know why, but I do know how it happened. Can we talk later tonight. This happened before when I turned ten years old ... I need something strong to drink please, somebody?”

My princess brought me a full strength Pepsi, and my discomfort and wooziness was gone practically immediately.

I brought Princess up asking her to sing and dance “Steam Heat” by herself.

She walked up and became Gladys again...
She sizzled on stage, with her legs, those hips and her come-hither look in her eyes, all working together for a great performance.

Our last song for this crowd would be our ‘Thank You Present’ to Miss Doris Day, with Peter and Jenn singing, “There Once Was a Man...”

There once was a man
who loved a woman
She was the one
he slew a dragon for
They say that nobody ever
loved as much as he-ee
But me-ee
I love you more.

JENNIFER Tell me!

PETER And there once was a man
who loved a woman
She was the one he
gave his kingdom for
They say that nobody ever
loved as much as he-ee
But me-ee ... I love you more
My love is a giant,
fierce and defiant
But how can I prove it to you?
Ain’t got no kingdom or dragon
To back up my braggin’
How can I show what I would do?

I only know there once was a man
Who loved a woman
She was the one he ate the apple for
They say that nobody ever
loved as much as he-ee
But me-ee, I love you more

JENNIFER
There once was a
woman who loved a man
He was the one that
she took poison for
They say that nobody ever
loved as much as she-ee

But me-ee, I love you more
And there once was a
woman who loved a man,
He was the one she
swam the channel for
They say that nobody ever
loved as much as she-ee
But me-ee, I love you more.

My love’s meteoric,
it’s merely historic
A whirlwind, a
cyclone on wheels
It rocks my whole solar plexus,
It’s bigger than Texas
I just can’t tell you how it feels
I only know there
once was a woman
Who loved a man
Loved him enough to
cause the Trojan War
They say that nobody ever
loved as much as she-ee
But me-ee,

I love you more! more! more! more!
More than a hangman loves his rope
More than a dope fiend loves his dope
More than an Injun loves his scalps
More than a yodeler loves his alps
More More More more more!

PETER There once was a man
who loved a woman
JENNIFER there once was a
woman who loved a man