Chapter 73

“Let’s eat, my pork chops are getting cold,” I added.

“Stuart made a big salad,” Princess said. “I helped. We need to go shopping after school tomorrow.”

“We all do ... should we go together ... or separately?” I asked.

“I think we should go together, so we don’t duplicate what we buy,” Sammi said.

“A voice of reason, great idea. Let’s try to eat at home and spend more time together,” I suggested.

We all agreed to that and we went on with our meal. The salad was really good. I went through two pork chops rather fast.

“Who would like to share the last Pork chop with me?” Princess said. “Jennifer, do you want half?”

She shook her head ‘NO,’ and Sammi was also asked, also answering in the negative.

“Stuart honey, would you like to share the final pork chop with your favorite lover?”

“If it’s OK with you, I would share anything I could, with my only lover, Ariel” he said.

“I like that nickname,” she said.

“Do you have a new nickname for me, honey?” Stuart asked her.

“Robin Hood, because I like your arrows that go so very deep inside me.”

That made him smile really big. She must have thought he’d stumped her.

Stu cut the pork chop in two and ate his half in two bites.

Back in our rooms I snuggled up behind my fiancée and said, “I love you Tiger Lily.”

We went off to school in separate vehicles after breakfast together. I had Jenn drop me off at Jackson.

With my pockets full of necklaces, I jingled all the way to Thomas Auditorium.

“Hello Michael,” Mr. Planck said to me. “You look focused. What’s going on?”

“I need about ten minutes before you do anything else today, please?”

“This sounds interesting ... go ahead.”

I turned to them and said, “Good Morning.”

A nice and firm response came back from them all.

“Miss Starr, could you please come here?”

She bounded up beside me.

“Jett Reynolds, French horn player, come forward please.”

The cute blue-eyed brunette stood and came up looking nervous.

I handed the necklace to Nancy and said, “You are the first French Horn to be asked to join the Gold Standard Society. Do you accept this honor?”

She did a little dance in place, “Yes, I accept.” Nancy put the necklace on her.

“Barbara Edwards, Oboist extraordinaire, please come up.”

Knowing what was going on now, Babs was all smiles.

The same happened with another Oboist Karen Fleming, Stella Van Kirk on the Saxophone, Phillipa Elliot ... trumpeter and Violist Patricia Long.

I thanked Nancy and called up Mike Bell, who gave me a high-five, as he knew some guys were about to be added.

“Rufus Jordan, Cellist ... Abraham Calkins, Double Bassist, and Dennis Roberts a marvelous Piccolo player, were added with Mike helping to install them.

After a big applause for them all, I told them there would be a rehearsal on Friday after school at Thomas Auditorium.

“I am sorry about how long that took Mr. Planck. I would also like to ask you to become an official singing member of the GSS. I am putting together a male group of four men. Your name was at the top of my list. To find out who else is in the group, show up on Saturday, all right?”

Everybody applauded before he had a chance to say yes or no, so the answer was obvious.

We shook hands and I left.

After explaining why, I needed it, I got off of my second class of the day to attend the orchestra class at Lincoln.

I walked into the class already underway working on a song from my songbook. I guess I have become part of the curriculum.

I caught the eye of Miss Robinson with the theme from Moonlighting going on in the background.

“Start it from the beginning, please?” I said to them all...

Don’t You Change
Some walk by night
Some fly by day
Nothing could change you
Set and sure of the way.
Charming and Bright
Laughing and gay
I am just a stranger
Love the Blues and the Braves
There is the sun and moon,
They sing their own sweet tune,
Watch them when dawn is due,
Sharing one space.

I took Jennie by the hand. We did a cha cha dance as I kept on singing.

{red Some walk by night
Some fly by day
Some think it’s sweeter
When you meet long the way
Come walk by night
Come fly by day
Something is sweeter
Cause we met along the way
We will walk by night,
We will fly by day,
Moonlighting strangers
Who just met on the way?
Who just met on the way?
Who just met on the way?

She slapped me away, as I ended my singing and the orchestra at the same time.

“Are you here just to embarrass me?” she said.

“No, I need Sam Albertson, Alannis Nesbitt, Conner Calkins, Nancy Mace and Trystan Schultz to come up to me for a moment.”

I handed Jennie one necklace at a time, asking the open-ended question if they wanted to be members of the Gold Standard Society? No one declined and the place got noisy for a while.

I gave Jennie a kiss on the cheek and left.

It wasn’t until the following day I would catch and ask the singers the same thing; Sofia Moore, Shirley Neff and Emma Reed from Jackson Heights plus Sharon Sizemore, Maria Vargas, Geoff Cooper, Jorge Diaz, Carlos Patterson and Juan Scott ... all from Lincoln.

I also walked into Mr. Thompson’s Geography class ‘surprising’ him with a necklace as well. The same happened with Mr. White who teaches Social Studies. I only had three guys, needing a fourth.

I was trying to remember whom it was who sang “Boy For Sale” at last year’s teacher’s event. Sam reminded me it was a Jackson Heights teacher named Stuart Barry. I kissed ... her hand and thanked her.

Clara told me where to find him, and I knocked on the door.

“Come in,” he said.

I saw Princess and a few others in the class.

“Yes, Mr. Thomas. What can I do for you?”

“How about becoming a member of the Gold Standard Society’s Male Quartet?”

There was some applause.

“Who else is there?” he asked in return.

“Paul Planck, Michael Thompson and Justin White from Lincoln and you would make the fourth. I have a lot of ideas for the four of you, with a high tenor like yourself on lead.”

“Do I have to answer you now ... I am in the middle of class?”

“Don’t hesitate, what’s your answer? I know you sing very well.”

“Answer five Social Study questions correctly and I will answer you?” he said.

“Fine, go ahead.”

“What state joined the union as the 50^th state?”

“Hawaii, come on ... that’s all you got?”

“During the War of 1812, whom was the United States fighting against?”

“Great Britain ... The United Kingdom of Great Britain.”

“Very good ... where was the first hostile action of the Civil War?”

“Fort Sumter in South Carolina ... starting a four-year war that had at least 620,000 men losing their lives ... Sir.”

With each correct answer the kids were applauding me.

“If a police officer sees you walking down the street and decides to stop you and look in your backpack for no apparent reason, he is breaking the fourth amendment. This amendment is called...”

“Search and Seizure. I would passively resist if that were to happen to me, Sir.”

“Well said, in order to run for a seat in the House of Representatives, what are the minimum requirements?”

“You must be ... twenty-five years old ... a citizen for at least seven years, and a resident of the state you represent.”

“That’s five, COME ON ... join us?”

“I was going to say yes, anyway ... I was just checking on you. Let me know when the next rehearsal it, please?”

“One more thing ... Isabel, come on up.”

I handed her the necklace to put on his neck. After she did, she gave him a kiss on the cheek, to applause from the class. He was blushing big time.

“Sir, wouldn’t you also have to a member of a recognized political party?”

“Get out, Mr. Thomas!” he said.

After picking up my new Keytar from Mom’s, I announced proudly we had 91 Members of the Gold Standard Society now, adding Brian and Jeff. Our two buses would hold 104, so we’re set.

We had 47 girls and 44 boys, 52 from Jackson Heights with 39 from Lincoln High and 48 orchestra members and 43 singers. I have got my work cut out for me.

Stuart was made aware and was getting the extra mics we would need. He sounded buzzed over it.

We took two cars to the Thomas Auditorium, due to the weight of the 50 songbooks in each car’s trunk.

Stu was waiting for us with an open door and a floor dolly with a pallet on it. He helped us put them on and took the whole pallet inside.

He had it setup just as I had asked with the orchestra in the pit and 25 chairs on either side of the stage.

I brought in both keyboards, positioning them in place. I told Tiffany to bring her complete set from home because the backup had burned up.

The guys who had arrived helped her get her drum set inside. As the singers arrived, I sent them up on stage, girls to the left, boys to the right.

There were ten music stands each with a new songbook on it.

When I saw everyone had arrived, I motioned to Stu to mic everyone up. Some had never worn a mic before, but someone nearby helped them. He then ran up to the rafters.

We had an audience of about 180 worth of parents, siblings, and friends. I saw Charlene there. She waved to me.

“We’re going to need a bigger pit,” I said getting a big laugh from everyone.

“I am looking out and see some nervous looking people. This isn’t school ... it’s fun. We may play and sing songs that your teachers, maybe even your parents wouldn’t approve of, but we are the Gold Standard Society. My standards are what matters.”

“We don’t have the time for all the new people to stand up and introduce themselves. Orchestra ... you have before you the new GSS songbook. The other three have been reduced to a slimmer group of songs. This does not include the music for the upcoming shows. They will be handed out at the appropriate time. Any questions?”

“At the end of today’s rehearsal, I will have a new songbook for each of the singers as well. Why don’t we start with a song you have probably heard us play before? Jennifer and Isabel, could you come up and please sing “Does He Love You?” New orchestra members, the songs in the songbooks are in alphabetical by title. Join us if you’d like?”...

JENN
I’ve known about you
for a while now
When he leaves me
he wears a smile now
As soon as he’s
away from me
In your arms is
where he wants to be
But you’re the one
he rushes home to
You’re the one
he gave his name to
I never see his face
in the early morning light
You have his mornings,
his daytimes and sometimes
I have his nights

JENN (IZZY)
But does he love you
(does he love you)
like he loves me
(like he loves me)
Does he think of you
(does he think of you)
BOTH
when he’s holding me
JENN (IZZY)
And does he whisper
(does he whisper)
All his fantasies
Does heee love you
(does he love you)
BOTH
Like he’s been lovin’ me

It’s sounding fantastic! Some of the newbies are playing.

IZZY
But when he’s with me,
he says he needs me
and that he wants me
that he believes in me
JENN
And when I am in his arms,
oh he swears there’s no one else
is he deceiving me,
or am I deceiving myself?

All the way to the end, most of the new orchestra members were giving it a try. The girls were doing their usual amazing singing and acting.

When they were done, the audience broke into a great big sound, as did the other singers. This just might work out! 91 is not only the magic number – It’s a Prime!

They girls both blew me a kiss and sat down.

“OK, they set a high standard, so let’s try out our newest set of singers, The Gold Standard Syndicate, of Paul, Michael, Justin, and Stuart.”

They got a nice sound of support.

“Gentlemen, I know you four have never sung with each other before, but just imagine that the spotlight is on you, and Stuart ... you are gonna sing the lead to “Big Girls Don’t Cry.” Harmonize or don’t harmonize ... SELL THE SONG!”

Tiffany began this, and they began. Stuart was using his falsetto, as expected. They caught a rhythm and it was sounding pretty good.

They needed some choreography, but I was suitably impressed.

Everybody ended together ... sonofabitch!
.
They hugged each other for a moment and talked on their way back to their seats.

“That was fricking amazing, just imagine after a month together. Let’s give them another big round of applause why don’t we?”

They stood from where they were sitting, but it was impressive.

“Not purposely, but except for Eponine, we now have all the leads from LES MISÉRABLES here. I have put a few of those songs in our songbook, who could sing Eponine?”

Of course, Isabel raised her hand.

“Rose could do Little Cossette, couldn’t she? We don’t have either Enjolras here either,” she pointed out.

James said, “I could sing that, with Geoff singing Javert. Let me try it, Michael?”

They were all excited to give it a try. They even remembered their position on the stage, with Rose and James getting some help.

VALJEAN (Geoff Cooper)
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.
MARIUS (James Allen)
I did not live until today.
How can I live when
we are parted?
VALJEAN
One day more.
MARIUS & COSETTE (Isabel)
Tomorrow you will
be worlds away.
And yet with you
my world has started.
EPONINE (Lydia Sizemore)
One more day all on my own.
MARIUS & COSETTE
Will we ever meet again?

EPONINE
One more day with
him not caring.
MARIUS & COSETTE
I was born to be with you.
EPONINE
What a life I might have known.
MARIUS & COSETTE
And I swear I will be true.
EPONINE
But he never saw me there.

(Sing it, Lydia)

ENJOLRAS (Carlos Patterson)
One more day before the storm!
MARIUS
Do I follow where she goes?
ENJOLRAS
At the barricades of freedom.
MARIUS
Shall I join my brothers there?
ENJOLRAS
When our ranks begin to form,
MARIUS
Do I stay, and do I dare?
ENJOLRAS
Will you take your place with me?

CHORUS
(Onstage and from audience)
The time is now.
The day is here.
VALJEAN
One day more!
JAVERT (Michael Thomas)
One day more to revolution
We will nip it in the bud.
We will be ready for
these little schoolboys,
They will wet
themselves with blood.
VALJEAN
One day more!
THENARDIERS (Joan & Richard)
Watch ‘em run amuck
Catch ‘em as they fall.
Never know your luck
when there’s a free-for-all.
Here a little dip
There a little touch.
Most of them are goners
so they won’t miss much!

REBEL STUDENTS
One day to a new beginning
Raise the flag of freedom high.
Every man will be a king.
Every man will be a king.
There’s a new world
for the winning.
There’s a new world to be won.
sing?
MARIUS
My place is here
I fight with you.
VALJEAN
One day more! Do you
hear the people
MARIUS & COSSETTE
I did not live until today
EPONINE
One more day all on my own.
JAVERT
I will learn their little secrets,
I will know the things they know.
VALJEAN
One day more!
THENARDIERS
Watch ‘em run amuck.
Catch ‘em as they fall,
Never know your luck
when there’s a free-for-all.

JAVERT
We will be ready
for these little schoolboys
VALJEAN
Tomorrow we will be far away
Tomorrow is the judgment day.
EVERYONE
Tomorrow we will discover
What our God in
heaven has in store.
One more dawn.
One more day.
One day more!

HOLY FUCK! That was the most amazing thing I had heard, especially with a few different voices from before. It would need some work around the edges.

The crowd extremely loved it standing as one. This ... goes on tour with us.

“New orchestra, work on that in your spare time. That will end every evening on our Christmas Tour.”

“What Christmas Tour?” Mike Bell, my shill, asked.

“We have promised to go to California for a week in December. We now have two large buses capable of getting there in eight days, performing along the way, then four days in California, and eight days’ home. I guarantee everyone will be home in time for Christmas.”

While I was saying this, Jeff and Brian were giving out the forms to all the new people about releases and such.

“I don’t expect Paul and Cece to come along, but besides that, is there anyone who can say right now, they can’t do it?”

From the audience, Ms. Sizemore spoke, “I approve ... I was pretty tough on Michael a while back, but he showed his mettle to me. I trust him completely.”

DO YOU BELIEVE IN MIRACLES?

This turned into a mess of noise.

“OK, ok ... this can be discussed. Let’s go on,” I declared.

“I did slip into this book a couple of new songs. One is called “Lady’s Maid,” from Titanic, a show I may put on at the Mansion. That’s my nickname for the building being built to the west of us. For those of you who will still be with me in three years, I have a few shows already in mind, such as PETER PAN, GODSPELL, PHANTOM OF THE OPERA, KINKY BOOTS, THE PRODUCERS and TITANIC, THE MUSICAL.

“Orchestra, take a look at the song called, “Lady’s Maid” while I select.

I started with Jenn, Princess and Nancy Newman as the ‘Three Kates,’ then added some of the new gentlemen plus James, Peter and Jeff Bell...

KATE MCGOWAN (Isabel)
I will be a proper person
People will look up to me
What a girl that girl McGowan
Katie Violet Maude Marie
I aspire to heights of glory
In the new world that can be!
In that grandest nation
I will stand tall
Reach my highest hopes
Of all...
I want to be a lady’s maid!
Lady’s maid in America
In America the streets
are paved with gold
KATE MURPHEY (Jennifer)
I want to be a governess
Governess in America
In America it’s better I am told
KATE MULLINS (Nancy)
I want to be a sewing girl
Sewing girl in America
In America I will
sew till I am old...

KATE MCGOWAN
There’s a place called Chicago
I have seen it on the map

KATE MURPHEY
There’s a place called Mary-land
I have seen it on the map

KATE MULLINS
There’s a place in America
Called Albuquerquoo
And I am hopin’ it’s a bit like Donegal

KATE MCGOWAN
Oh, I am hopin’ that it is...

MCGOWAN & MURPHEY
There I am hopin that it is...

THREE KATES
Where my dreamin’
And my hopin’ and my schemin’
And my payin’ and
my wishin’ to be happy
Will come true enough
And...

FIRST MAN (James Allen)
I want to be an engineer ... An engineer...

KATE MCGOWAN
Oh, I will be grand...

FIRST MAN
In America

MURPHEY & MCGOWAN
The streets are
paved with In America
Gold the streets are
paved with gold

SECOND MAN (Steve Williams)
I want a shop to call my own...

THREE KATES
To call my own...
Oh, I will be grand...
In America

MURPHEY & MCGOWAN
Its better I am told In America
Its better I am told...

ALL
Oh, far beyond the Northern sea
A new life can unfold
And I am planning that it will
How I am planning that it will
Where my dreamin’
And my hopin’ and my schemin’
And my prayin and my
wishin’ to be happy
Will come true enough
And...

THIRD MAN (Jeff Newman)
I want to be a millionaire!
Millionaire in America
Strike it rich and spend
the fortune I amass...

FOURTH MAN (Geoff Cooper)
I want to be a constable!
Constable in America
In America you rise
above your class...

ALL
Oh, there’s the place your
industry and talent
Can be sold...

KATE MCGOWAN
And I am certain that it will...

THREE KATES
There I am certain that it will...

GERMAN MAN (Peter)
Ich will ein gutes leben haben...

ITALIAN MAN & WOMAN
(Joan and James)
Una bella vita negli stati uniti...

ALL
Where my dreamin’
And my hopin’ and my schemin’
And my prayin and my
wishin’ to be happy
Will come true enough
And...

I want to rise above myself...

THREE KATES & FARRELL
... Oh, I will be grand

ALL
America, the streets
Are paved with gold...

THREE KATES & FARRELL
America, the streets
Are paved with gold...

ALL
America, the streets
Are paved with gold...

KATE MCGOWAN
I want to be a lady’s maid...

THIRD MAN
Millionaire...

FIRST MAN
Engineer...

ALL
In America!

KATE MCGOWAN (to herself)
Better place for me and you...
Better land to start anew...
Better land for the baby...
That I ... Hold

This time, I heard all of the orchestra -- what a beautiful full sound they all make together. Finally, I have got a real orchestra! The applause confirmed it!

I called for a fifteen-minute break, getting a pill and water from my girls. I sat between them for a while.

“Are you OK so far, Michael?” Jenn asked.

“I think I could go for two more hours, but I don’t want a sore arm, so probably one more hour. Was that amazing what Charlene Sizemore said or what?”

“You are amazing ... she’s only recently found that out,” Isabel said about to give me a big kiss, but I turned and took one on the cheek.

I was going to start back up with the Quintet, when Paul came over and said, “She will only be in her sixth month. We want to go on the trip to California, please?”

I chuckled and answered, “Sure, I just assumed ... wrongly.”

“OK, everybody one more hour to go.

I got a wave from Isabel as she went to sit down.

To show that singing isn’t always enough, I had Jeff and Nancy Newman will be performing “Bop to the Top.”

“Janice, Cece, Clarice, Ally and Jen Stapleton, come on down.”

They did and I heard, “My name is Jennifer Chapman, I am married to Peter Chapman. It’s OK, Michael ... I know what I am doing.”

Peter was getting high-fives from the guys as the ladies got ready to sing “Lady Marmalade.”

Mom was on lead this time. Cece’s bump was magnetic ... I couldn’t not watch it whenever I looked at them ... her.

The orchestra really had a nice beat behind this as the boys, from behind must have had a nice look of some nice butts! I liked this setup, and will probably keep it whenever I can.

I wasn’t in position to perform from where I was. I needed to figure something out about that.

I called up Jeff Bell, Johnny Carter, Jorge Diaz and Carlos Patterson, asking them to sing the Ed Ames classic “My Cup Runneth” over as a single voice. No harmony. This would be a test as they looked it over and talked a little among themselves.

Jorge said, “Whenever you are ready, Boss.”

I started the pretty orchestral beginning...

THE QUARTET
Sometimes in the mornin’
when shadows are deep
I lie here beside you
just watching you sleep
And sometimes I whisper
what I am thinking of
My cup runneth over with love

Sometimes in the evening
when you do not see
I study the small things
you do constantly
I memorize moments
that I am fondest of
My cup runneth over with love

In only a moment we
both will be old
We won’t even notice
the world turning cold
And so, in these moments
with sunlight above
My cup runneth over with love
My cup runneth over with love
With love

“Well done boys, very nice,” I said as they got a wonderful applause from the girls and the audience.

We went on with nine more songs and finished up for the day.

I sent everyone home, letting them know I wanted to rehearse once a week on Wednesday after school. I also told them we needed the form signed and back to me, Paul, Cece, Mrs. Chapman or Jennie Robinson.

Charlene Sizemore stopped me... “Thank you for not taking things out on my daughter. I know she won’t get any kind of solo until she proves herself to you.”

I had nothing to say to her, so I smiled and said, “Goodbye” to her and her two daughters.

After waiting for the place to shut down, my three girls and I were heading out... “Michael?”

It was Stuart, “Why aren’t you singing anymore?”

“Yeah, I was wondering the same thing?” Jennifer said.

“Two things, I was more interested in listening to as many of the new voices as I could.”

“What’s the other reason?” Princess walked behind me asking.

“I didn’t want to take the focus from my singers, besides I was down three feet from you.”

“We can put up a small set of stairs, if that’s what’s going on,” Stuart said.

“Well, I got so many singers now, taking the time to sing now feels odd,” I admitted.

“It’s not the same at all Michael, “ Stuart said. “I had a spot ready, if you had gotten up to sing.”

“OK ... you are right ... all of you. It felt odd not performing, but I got so many singers now.”

“Have you gotten replacement tap shoes yet, Princess?”

“NO, I was waiting for you, so we could get matching shoes this time.”

“Go home.” Stuart said. He took a moment and gave Isabel one helluva kiss, then he left.

“Good to know ... see ya.”

Isabel was seemingly in a haze, until I shook her from it. Mr. Holland is as much a performer as any one of us.

As we were splitting up for our two cars, I told everyone no haircuts, unless Paul and Cece want Lola with short hair. I wanted to look the part of Roger, so I would be doing the same thing. It’s taken a while, but Sammi’s hair is getting long and beautiful.

“Could I get a back and shoulder massage when we get back, Jennifer?”

“Are you sore, or just being careful?” she replied.

“I guess I would say I am a little sore. But, the idea of getting your soft hands on my sore shoulder is making me a little jumpy ... a good jumpy.”

Since I was more sore than hungry, we went straight home and I stripped to my boxers. During our most recent trip to the pharmacy, I got some baby oil plus some menthol rub for moments like this.

As Jenn started, I was remembering when mom used to do this for me, and I was embarrassed over my erections. Those days are gone!

She was in a bra and panty and was really getting to the heart of my soreness, both at the top of my left shoulder down past me elbow. My wrist and hand were OK.

All of this after a long rehearsal was all I needed to fall asleep for a while. My brunette lay next to me.

I woke up without an alarm and looked down. From the back, it could have been either of my ladies. Interesting?

The head moved and looked up at me and Jennifer said, “Hey there ... feel better?”

“Whenever I wake up with you in my arms, I am full of joy and feel fantastic,” I said kissing her on the top of her head. “All of this hair-coloring I have been asking of you and Isabel ... is it causing any long-term problems with your hair?”

“I don’t know, Michael. I probably shouldn’t be doing it as often as I am, but blonde roots look bad unless you are a blonde.”

“Sorry Baby, I’m thinking too much again, aren’t I?”

“Just remember whom you love and are going to marry ... nothing else matters to me,” she said.

“My stomach tells me it’s Suppertime.” I said.

She got her phone and texted something. “We’re having hamburgers and french fries. You need a shower ... you stink,” she said.

Forty minutes later, we headed downstairs to steaming heap of Ore-Ida French fries.

The burgers and buns were piled high as well. Sam put a bunch of water on the table and we had our dinner. Jenn and I played the French fry game, and to our surprise Stu and Princess did as well. She couldn’t keep from giggling, but wasn’t blushing.

What a big satisfying meal that was, especially since I needed Jenn’s help to understand the difference between bake and broil. I am still not 100% sure, but she will always be there to help me.

Going by the building sites every day after school we get to see the house site getting ready for rebuilding.