Chapter 9

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

The next morning, we did our new routine and met Janice and Alice downstairs. We got there early, so Jenn and I listed the people we wanted at our house after school and printed four originals. I put that in my conductor folder and walked back into the unique fragrance of fruit and scrambled eggs. The moms were looking at us wondering what might have happened last night.

“No, mother ... we are staying true to one another. She does scoot in behind me, often wearing one of my T-shirts without a bra and it seems to relax me to go to sleep quickly.”

“What about you, Jennifer?” Ally asked.

“I don’t know how I lived each day without Michael in my life, Mother. He is so nice, good looking, talented...”

“Go on,” I said.

“He is just perfect!”

“Have you got a way to let the rest of the cast know whom we need today?” my mother asked.

“Yes,” I answered. “Let’s go, Lover.”

On the bus, we held hands and kissed a little. When we got to school, we quickly posted the lists we had. I realized, just then that we needed a ‘Daddy’ and a ‘Grace’ as well.

I also had an idea for Sandy the Dog. I asked Jenn for her phone to call her mother. I had forgotten mine at home.

“Alice, this is Michael.”

“Hello Honey, what can I do for you?”

“If I got a small enough student, could you make a dog outfit for him or her?”

“Clever idea. Like in PETER PAN?”

“Exactly, I will have someone there tomorrow for you to measure.”

“Great idea, see you then.”

“Michael,” Jennifer said, “That’s a wonderful idea. I will bet nobody else has ever done that before. I am sure of it.”

She finished up with a kiss, and we split for the start of our day.

I walked back into Administration for a moment.

“Hello Mr. Thomas, what can I do for you today?” Miss Jepson asked.

“I would like your opinion, Clara. I am thinking of not using a real dog for the show. Instead, possibly a small young boy or girl.”

“Yes?” she said.

“Thinking about it for a moment, what is your opinion, on whether or not I should use a young lady, or a young man?”

“My, I never get asked my opinion around here. Let me think about that for a moment?”

I saw the wheels spinning, and her eyes came into contact with mine as she said, “Use a little girl. She would likely make more realistic moves, and her bark would be a higher pitch, more like an actual dog. Isabel Chapman is eleven, but rather small. You will find her in ... Room 306. The teacher is Mrs. Janeway, an English teacher.”

“Thank you, Clara, I knew you were the one to ask.”

I found the room and knocked. I didn’t know Miss Janeway at all. She opened the door and said, “It’s Michael Thomas, our conductor for the orchestra and choir. Class, say ‘Hello’ to Michael.”

“Hello Michael.” they all yelled.

“Who is the smallest person in this classroom?” I asked.

“Me,” said a blue-eyed blonde cutie pie in pigtails that stood up and stepped forward.

“And, what is your name, please?”

“Isabel Annabelle Chapman,” she said crisp and clear.

“We are putting on the show ANNIE in a few months. Did you know that?”

“Yes Sir,” she said.

“Usually, this show has a live dog on stage, but I would rather not have to worry over the problems and messes a dog might make.”

The whole class went, “Ewwwww.” Even the boys.

“Anyway Isabel, I have come to the decision that a real person in a dog suit might be a better idea. Would you like to be Sandy the Dog?”

“SURE,” she said breaking into a smile.

“Make a dog sound for me, please?”

“Rrruff.”

“Try that again, but instead of an R sound, use a W sound at the beginning.”

“Wroooof!”

All the other kids cheered for her.

“Fantastic, you are hired! Read the flyer on the Administration Office window to get more information about tomorrow’s rehearsal at my house. You can also ask Ms. Jepson if you need to. I am sorry about the interruption, Miss Janeway. By the way, did you know, next year, we are planning on having a Teacher’s Concert?”

“Yes, I did. Could I sing something from an opera?”

Wow, she sings opera? Fantastic!

“Certainly! More about that after the start of the next school year. Thank you all again ... see you later, Isabel,” I waved.

I completely missed my first class of the day. I did walk in and apologize to Mrs. MacArthur. I asked her if she knew that Miss Janeway sang opera. She was just as surprised as I had been. Maybe I should just post a signup sheet, asking for whoever wanted to perform?

I went straight to Math class. Mrs. Fisher is very fastidious regarding being on time. I just made it in before the bell.

She has twins who are at Jackson Heights, Dani and Danny, in third grade. She teaches the entire math curricula at the school from first to eighth grade.

Being so close to the end of the school year, I was wondering about what goes on in seventh-grade math, so I raised my hand.

“Yes, Michael?”

“What kind of math problems will we be solving next year, Ma’am?”

“I have been expecting someone to ask this before now. In a bag of small balls, 1/8th are green, 1/8th are blue 1/12th are yellow, and the remaining 26 are white. How many balls are blue?”

“No snickering,” she added.

I raised my hand instantly.

“Just a minute, Michael, anybody else?”

With a grin, she said, “Your answer, Michael?”

“There are six blue balls.”

A hand was raised in the back.

“Yes, Mary?” the teacher said.

“How does this type of question relate to the real world, Mrs. Fisher?”

“Let me ask the smartest student whom I have access to, to answer that. Michael, tell Miss Mitchell how a question such as this relates to the real world?”

“Well Mary, you are right that many mathematical principles seem too ... obtuse to exist in the ‘real world’ as you put it.” I went to the chalkboard. “First: Let me explain how I got the answer.”

I wrote the fractions 1/4, 1/8 and 1/12 on the board.

“What is the least common denominator, Mary?”

“Uhm... 24?”

“Very good. Now we change the fractions accordingly 6/24 + 3/24+ 2/24, add the numerators. Lily, how many numerators do we have?”

“11.”

“Correct, next we subtract that 11 from 24 because there are 24/24ths involved. That leaves how many, Julie?”

“13.”

“Very good.”

“Mr. Thomas ... are you taking over my class?” Mrs. Fisher asked to giggles.

“No ma’am. I am just explaining how I did the math, even though I did it in my head.”

I finished explaining the rest of the methodology to get the answer. I realized I didn’t fully answer Mary’s question.

“Mary, I can explain more completely later. I don’t want to take any more class time, but I do want you to understand that math is very important in thousands of jobs around the planet. You need it in Photography, Animation, Computer Game Design, and even Sports Announcing. So, practicing math, like I ask the choir and the orchestra to practice, makes it easier when you get older. That’s when we all will say, ‘Mrs. Fisher was right.”

I sat down.

Mrs. Fisher was looking at me, causing me to wonder what she was about to say, but she asked us all to open our math books and do the Section 29 test questions. I didn’t need to, because I was so far ahead.

While everyone else was doing that, Mrs. Fisher quietly motioned me to come up to her.

“Yes Ma’am?” I said quietly.

“You seem to relate to everyone so easily, how do you do that?”

“I don’t know. I would have to take an educated guess and say that half of it is my mother’s influence, and the other half is natural instinct.”

“You did seem quite comfortable in front of them just now. May I be part of the Teacher’s Concert planned for next year?”

“Certainly, do you sing?”

“Not in a while, but back in high school in Tennessee, I was Abigail Adams in 1776. I could possibly find someone to sing with, if need be?”

“Sounds marvelous. The show won’t be happening until the next school year, but I am sure we have room for you. Having a couple of pretty teachers on stage can only help sell tickets.”

She looked me over before saying, “Thank you for that, Mr. Thomas.”

I went back to my seat, and the practice questions were gone over. I had my book open, and the answers I had written down almost four months earlier were correct.

In the passing time between classes, I looked up 1776 and found what I thought I remembered, it’s all men save for two women. I also recalled the many historical inaccuracies in the story of the show. I may sit on this idea until I have an epiphany on its book, and whether I dare rewrite anything, to possible derision from the purists out there.

I found myself walking into choir early. Cece took me from my reverie by saying, “Hello Michael.”

“Oh, Hello. My mind is on musicals. I am thinking of shows that are predominantly male since ANNIE is predominantly female. All I have got so far is 1776. Got any ideas?”

“Hmm, OLIVER, JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR ... GUYS & DOLLS, to name a few. I have wanted to play Sister Sara for so long,” she said, sounding wistful.

“Wonderful, thank you. Pretty and smart, a deadly combination.”

She gave me a kiss upon the cheek, and I smiled back.

A thump on the back of my head could only be, “Jennifer, how lovely you look today?”

“Did you forget whom you are already pre-engaged to?” she remarked with a fake pout.

“Excuse me, Cece. I have some serious groveling to do.”

The rest of the choir had wandered in. I got up and made my announcement about the featured actors coming over today. I also invited Cece, if she could be there.

“Boys, your attention. Cathy ... give me a middle C, please?”

“Basses, get your pitch, Cathy, an E please?”

“Baritones, that is your note. A natural G please?”

“Tenors ... Good job. Lady sopranos, I need the C above middle.”

“Very nice, have you all got your notes? Sing ‘Happy Birthday’ to our teacher ... only sing the note I just gave you.”

“Happy Birthday to You
Happy Birthday to You
Happy Birthday, Dear Miss Crabtree
Happy Birthday to You.”

My goodness ... they sounded fabulous. Cece was blushing and everyone applauded.

“She’s only just twenty-five, isn’t that correct?” I said getting an odd look from her.

She was also looking for something to throw at me. Fortunately, most everything was bolted down.

“OK, let’s practice ‘Herbert Hoover,’ ‘Gonna Like It Here’ and ‘NYC’ until it’s as perfect as we can get it.”

They were sounding fabulous as each of the solos went off very well. “Remember, when you aren’t singing, you are still acting,” I said to them for the umpteenth time.

“Fabulous, you sound much better. You are finishing together, and you are all enunciating very clearly. Onto the next.”

“Cece, if you please?”

She is so good! I sang the Annie part to giggles.

“Hold that note the whole way Cece, please.”

The new choral arrangement sounds quite good.

“That was great. Everybody give yourself a big hand for that.”

“I will sing Warbucks...”

“No ... I will!” Paul walked in saying.

“Everybody ready, Cathy?” I said getting her attention. She might be one of the many girls who have a crush on Mr. Planck.

“Just a minute. I want everyone to know how hard Cathy works. Show them your fingers, dear.”

She raised her hands and showed the bandages on a few of them. “That’s because she’s banging those keys for you to hear. Thank you!”

They all cheered for her.

“Paul, be ready?”

Everyone had a distinctive bounce in his or her voice. When it came to her part, Sally was ready to sing the ‘Star-To-Be’ bit...

SALLY BROWN
N-Y-C - Just got here this morning
Three bucks, two bags
One me

NYC
I give you fair warning
Up there in lights I will be

Go ask the Gershwin’s
or Kaufman and Hart
The place they love the best
Though California
pays big for their art
Their fan mail comes addressed

To NYC
Tomorrow a penthouse
That’s way up high
Tonight the “Y”

Why not?
It’s NYC
NYC

She was belting like I had asked of her. She cuts off notes like a veteran performer twice her age! What a talent for a fourth grader. She gave me a hug, making everyone else giggle. I had changed the vocal on the last measure to give our high sopranos a chance to go a full perfect fifth higher on the harmonic scale. It was Shirley, Kaylee, and Jennifer. Wow!

We went through everything again two more times. I sent Paul out of the room, so I could sing with Cece. I may not ever get the chance again. She moved to stand next to me. Jenn smiled at me. When we got to the harmony, it was fun.

We still need some business added to this. Hopefully, Alice has an idea to change the blocking to it tomorrow.

The class period moves so much quicker when you are having as much fun as we all were. Cece thanked me for the work I put into it. Jenn is going to grow up and be as lovely as Cece is, I am certain of that, if not even more so.

By the way, as the class departed, she told me that Paul and her were willing to be our ‘adults’ for the two days and three nights. Wow!

We were having sixteen kids to our house after school, not counting Paul and Cece. There are a few moments we haven’t dealt with and needed to go over, before our complete run-through the following day at our new home.

My other classes and orchestra paled in comparison to the fun in the choir. I still haven’t had anyone come up to me and say they wouldn’t be at the Saturday rehearsal. I found that amazing. It shows the commitment to excellence they all are giving to this process we are all going through together.

On my way to lunch, Mrs. MacArthur, and Miss Janeway each took an arm and directed me to the Teachers’ Lounge. It was full of most of the school’s teachers, including many I had never seen, much less met before.

Miss Janeway said, “This is Michael Thomas, the conductor of our choir and orchestra. He has an announcement for us all.”

Cool!

What an opportunity! I saw them all looking at me, and it was intimidating. I almost wished I was invisible again. I took a quick breath and began:

“Good afternoon! Next year, I propose an evening of entertainment from you, the teachers of Jackson Heights Elementary School. You could sing by yourself, or possibly create a quartet, or a choir, whatever you want.” I was on a roll now. “The students of Jackson Heights have shown their talents, and now, I encourage you to as well. Already, Principal McGowan, Miss Jepson, Miss Crabtree, Mrs. Fisher, Mr. Planck and the two pretty teachers who brought me to you have all expressed interest in this idea.”

“If I could get approximately two hours’ worth of music from the most ... intimidating group of teachers I have ever stood in front of, we could charge a small entrance fee to fund something the group of you would like. Perhaps a cappuccino machine for in here, or a new refrigerator for you to keep your homemade lunches in, maybe just so all of you could go out as a group somewhere and party.”

“I vote for the party,” Miss Jepson said, having just entered the room.

That got the crowd laughing. “Excuse my interruption to your midday meal, but think about what you want to do, and create a list of those interested when you can? Thank you all for your rapt attention.”

Miss Janeway and Mrs. MacArthur started a nice applause and the rest of them joined in.

I turned and left. Jennifer found me, and we hurried to get through the food line. As we sat down, she said, “Where were you? I couldn’t find you.”

I explained what had happened, she gave me a most remarkable kiss.

“My boyfriend stood up and talked to all of the teachers,” she said proudly.

We were surrounded by a bevy of fourteen-year-old girls, including Joan, Kaylee, and Shirley, all in the show, plus a few other younger ladies who introduced themselves as Bellamy Foster, Karen Fleming, and Harmony Perry. I had Shirley and Jennifer on either side of me. I saw Kaylee give Joan an arm in her side, “Ask him?”

“Ask me what, ladies?”

Now, Joan spoke up, “With the four of us in high school next year; we wanted to know what you had planned? Jennifer said that there might be a coordinated musical event between Jackson Heights Elementary and Lincoln High School. What have you got in mind?”

“Well ladies, here, we will have a monthly concert with a big event in late November, like we did last year. Probably, put on a musical event, like ANNIE, sometime in May. I have discussed with Principal Summers from Lincoln High that it could be a co-production of both schools. He sounded amenable to the idea.”

“What shows might you do?” Karen asked.

“Depending, based on availability and price, something like DISNEY’S BEAUTY AND THE BEAST maybe.”

“Oh, Jennifer would get Belle, what else is there for us girls?” Joan asked rather flipantly

“Mrs. Potts, Babette ... who needs to be saucy and busty, Madame de La Grande Bouche, the Wardrobe character, Featherduster, and the three bimbettes.”

“Damn,” Shirley said, “That doesn’t sound like much to do for us girls, anything else, Michael?”

“If it could be put on at all, CABARET, but that needs many pretty very sexy girls, like you all are,” I said, causing them all to giggle together. “CHICAGO is nice, but they both need strong dancers, or a great choreographer. DAMN YANKEES, but it needs dancing boys. EVITA, it has lots of crowd scenes, but after Che, Evita, and Magaldi, there aren’t many great parts.”

“Come on, Michael,” Jennifer said, “I think you are holding out on us. I know you have an encyclopedic memory about musicals.”

“OK, GREASE, but the stage version is much different from the movie. It still needs dancers, but it’s got all of those great characters, like Rizzo. Joan, you would be good as Rizzo. The boys have some excellent parts as well. I am thinking of putting on 1776 here at Jackson Heights, but the script needs a bunch of work. I would have to rewrite whole sections to make it completely historically correct.”

“Enough about Jackson Heights, what about Lincoln High?” Kaylee said.

“GUYS & DOLLS, HOW TO SUCCEED IN BUSINESS WITHOUT REALLY TRYING, JEKYLL & HYDE, LES MISÉRABLES...”

“Ooooooooooo,” the girls, all said together.

“How many girls are in LES MISÉRABLES?” Joan wondered.

I thought about it, quickly saying, “About ten, along with a large singing chorus of maybe fifty or more. There is a part for a young Eponine, who doesn’t speak, but is something of a bitch to little Cosette.”

“I have never heard Michael curse before,” Shirley said. “Does he curse around you, Jennifer?”

She took a long look at me, wondering how much to say.

“When we are alone, he says ‘things’ to me.”

The girls all smiled and looked at each other.

“But, I believe what we say to each other is ‘out of bounds’ to say to anyone else, don’t you think so, Lover?” She smiled.

Crap! Crap on a stick.

“I agree with my fiancée, ‘out of bounds’ is quite the term for the things we say to one another when we cuddle.”

The girls all tittered and left.

I got the shoulder slap I knew was coming. I turned, and we had a magnificent kiss between us as the bell rang.

Orchestra was next up. I had time to call Janice.

“Hello Michael. What’s up?”

“If I ever picked a show that needed dancing, do you have in your list of contacts anyone who would choreograph it pro bono, or at least on the cheap?”

“Oh, honey, I hear it in your voice again. What show are you thinking of?”

“LES MISÉRABLES.”

“I will get right on that ... for next year?”

“Yes, as a co-production with Lincoln High” I said clearing my throat and rubbing my eyes as I walked straight into orchestra ending the call.

Paul asked, “What’s going on, Michael?”

I said loud enough for all to hear, “I am trying ... to get LES MISÉRABLES for our show next November with Lincoln High.”

“Wow,” was all he said.

My phone rang.

“Excuse me, I need to take this, Paul.”

I switched hands with the phone and said, “Go for Michael.”

“Brian heard about our progress,” Janice said, “WE GOT IT!”

“HOT DAMN!” I yelled louder than I ever had in school.

“Did you get it?” Paul asked.

“Yes sir, we did! Everybody, get ready to play “I Dreamed a Dream” for real! Don’t look at anything, just let your hearts guide you.”

I raised my baton...

There was a knock on our classroom door, Paul got it. It was Jennifer.

“I heard the music, what’s going on?”

“We got Les Miz,” I said as we finished the music.

She wrapped her mouth around mine, in front of everyone, and then she said, “Will it be the co-production with Lincoln High?”

“Of course, no audition necessary, I have got my Fantine,” I said. “Of course, you will have to dye your hair dark brown.”

“I don’t care; you know how much I want this.”

“Yes, I do,” I said.

Michael Bell, on trumpet, started playing “Here Comes the Bride.” As I glared at him, his fellow trumpeters joined in.

“Not quite yet, but you will all be invited. We may need to have it outside for all the people who are planning to come to it.”

A final kiss, and she left. I called mom back.

“Yes dear?”

“We don’t want the School Edition they usually send to schools. We want the full-blown show.”

“My, aren’t we puckish?”

“Mother, do this for me ... Please? Get me a Conductor’s score ... just as quickly as you can. I want to be able to follow along as I listen to the music.”

“You know that I can’t turn you down. You are becoming more like your father every day. I know I don’t say that often enough. Don’t worry, Michael.”

Oh, my God ... we are going to put on Les Miz. And we go on in only nine months. Time enough for a baby to ... time to pre-screen people both here and at Lincoln High. A full orchestra, maybe add to the choir to get it to a full one hundred people.

It’s a sung-through musical, like CATS, EVITA, or STARLIGHT EXPRESS. No dialogue without underscoring or a melody. This could be the most important musical event in the history of Vincennes, Indiana!

That might be a bit over the top, but I can only hope!

Paul took over the rehearsal. He saw I was emotionally overwhelmed. I put my baton in my bag and walked out of the orchestra room. There is mild profanity in this show. I don’t know what we may have to cut and what is necessary to fight for.

Putting on this show is significant enough that we need to invite the important people from our town, the Mayor, maybe someone from our sister city Vincennes, France. Perhaps, there’s someone from the 1980 show in Paris, we could invite? Is anybody from that show still alive?

I found myself walking towards administration.

“Mr. Thomas ... Michael, have you been crying?” the wonderfully perceptive Miss Jepson asked.

“Uhm Clara, I am in shock ... I need to sit down. May I?”

I sat there for a while. She was glancing over at me, worried I assume. I got my head clear enough and stood up. “Is he in?”

“Yes, go on in, Michael,” she said.

I walked in, holding my head and he was on the phone. “Let me call you right back, Richard. I need to take care of something. Michael, are you all right?”

“Yes, sir,” I said starting to tear up again.

“What is it? What can I do?” he asked with more sensitivity than I had expected.

I grabbed a tissue from his desk and began, “I decided on the first show that Jackson Heights and Lincoln High will be doing together.”

Clara was in the doorway.

“With my and Jennifer’s mothers’ help; we are going to put on LES MISÉRABLES. It will be a true concert show. Everyone, except the orchestra will be clothed in era-appropriate costumes. I even already have an initial concept surrounding the opening number.”

Clara came in and sat beside me. She placed her hand on mine, saying, “That is wonderful, Michael. It is such a demanding show, but if anyone can put it all together, it would have to be you. I don’t recall if it has ever been done by any group in Vincennes?”

Principal McGowan put his hands on the desk in front of him and said, “Tell me what you need, and I will have it here for you, Son.”

“Sir, this is a show with a smattering of profanity and a large amount of innuendo and suggestiveness. I would hope you wouldn’t demand everything be sanitized. A case can be made for each one of them.”

“Such as...”

“Excuse me Clara. The few words I can recall include ‘Shit’ ‘Bastard’ ‘Slut’ and ‘Bitch.’ I wouldn’t know for sure until I got my hands on the libretto and music. I will make the time as soon as it arrives to look everything over.”

“Clara,” he said, “Did any of those words offend you?”

“Only the first one, but I understand the necessity Mr. Thomas is talking about. Theatre, be it straight or musical, has always gone outside the box. When OH! CALCUTTA! first came out, nudity, even Off-Broadway was not expected. After CABARET, then ROCKY HORROR PICTURE SHOW came along and changed the rules again. I am not offended easily, even though I walked out of THE FULL MONTY. Unless this show has full-frontal male nudity, I plan to be there sitting in the front row.”

“Thank you, Clara, no male nudity, I promise,” I said to her.

“I will keep ... an open mind about this, Michael,” my principal said, “When you get the materials, take a look-see and make sure there aren’t any ‘F-bombs’ in the show?”

“Sir, I also thought that we might invite Mayor Yochum and his family to the show. I would think that would work towards the best interests of our school,” I said. “Vincennes has a sister city in France, with the same name. Perhaps a group of them could be invited to come to see it. I plan to have auditions and have the show cast, before the last day of this school year. I turn 14 the first week of June.”

“That was Principal Summers I was on the phone with when you walked in, Michael,” my principal remarked. “Maybe, the three of us should schedule some time together, to see how we could hammer out some of these details you are talking about?”

“If we do, it needs to be before this school year is over. I want to have a running start when I begin my next grade here.”

“Speaking of that, all of your teachers have come to tell me that you are ‘testing out’ of sixth grade this coming Monday. Congratulations to you in advance, I expect nothing less from such a formidable young man as yourself.”

“Then you probably also know that I have requested the opportunity to test out of seventh grade as well before this coming school year ends. My teachers are checking to come up with a method to do that. As I have said before, all promises I have made to you and to Jackson Heights, I plan to hold myself to. I may borrow the textbooks of some current seventh and eighth graders to work on this.”

“Michael,” Clara said, “You sound like you are very motivated to prove yourself to everyone. Is there ... something you aren’t telling us, going on?”

“Absolutely not, Clara.” I said with resolve. “I self-initiated plans to become a faster reader the month before I started sixth grade. Once you can read five to six times faster than those around you, and comprehend 40% more than before, all you see are the wonders of the life ahead of you!”

“In addition, my life has laser focus, nowadays. Jennifer is my prominent focus, as is becoming the best conductor to ever come out of Indiana.
Together, we plan to attend Jacob’s School of Music together, and my personal goal, is to be there concurrently with the same amount of schooling that she has had.”

“Well, this has been a good talk we have had, you still have classes today,” Principal McGowan said. “Don’t miss one on account of these events that have found their way into your domain.”

I turned to him and said, “Sir, yes Sir,” and finished it up with a perfect military air force salute, as a sign of respect to him. He was an Air Force Senior Master Sergeant who had received the Medal of Honor, something I found out online. I stood there and waited for a reply salute. It took him a moment, and he did, with a wink.

“At ease ... you may go, Son.”

As I walked past her, Clara was giggling. My guess is she was a doll back in her day.

Days end couldn’t have come soon enough, as Paul and Cece took four of the kids, bringing in some go-bags with them for the following weekend, and the rest came on our bus. It was standing room only until our stop.