"I remember everything... I remember every little thing as if it happened only yesterday" -- Meat Loaf, "Wasted Youth"

I think it's only appropriate that I introduce this story with a song lyric, because music plays a significant part in this story. I went out by myself on a Saturday night. Yeah, I know, kinda pathetic, but all my friends had gone on vacations all across the world and I had to work. The curse of being a consultant, you've got to work when work is available.

But anyway, I went to a karaoke bar, singing being one of my favorite hobbies. A new place, as I understand it, at least I hadn't heard of it before the previous week. A gorgeous place in a downtown hotel, all black, white and blue; glass and chrome, kind of a cross between a '70s disco and a strip club. Glass DJ booth, black curtained stage with 2 cordless microphones, little keyboards on each table next to the elegantly bound black books with songs. A half dozen patrons sat at the bar, mostly young to middle aged Japanese businessmen. I sat at an empty table, looking through the book and sending my selections up to the booth through the keyboard. One of the businessmen from the bar got up and started singing "You Are My Sunshine", way too drunk for 7:00 PM, even on a Saturday. I wondered if he was drinking just to drink or if he was drowning a sorrow or fifty.

See, that's one of my hobbies, people watching, trying to figure out or invent stories for them. I was working on a story where he was just sent over here as a scapegoat for a corporate error when She walked in.

She was tall, at least that night, at least six feet tall in heels, elegant, with a strapless black dress below her flowing reddish-brown hair, flashing, gray eyes and a forty kilowatt smile that lit up the whole room. She looked to be about thirty-five, a couple years older than me, but close. She surveyed the nearly empty room and came over toward my table and sat at the one next to it. She opened the book and started typing in her name and song numbers.

I noticed the light on my table blinking as the drunken salaryman finished his song, informing me that I was next. I walked up towards the stage; the DJ announced my name and the song I was about to sing (Neil Diamond's "Holly Holy" if you must know, it's my usual warm-up song) when I looked up at her looking at me. Luckily, I know the song well enough to finish it without breaking eye contact with this beautiful lady. As I finished, I noticed her light blinking and decided to listen very carefully to find out this angel's name.

"Judy is the next one up tonight here at the Singer's Bar, she'll be singing 'Evergreen' in the style of Barbra Streisand. Give her a hand..."

My eyebrows raised and I smiled in pleasant surprise, if she's any good, I might be able to sing a duet or two with her. As she started with, "Love, soft as an easy chair..." I decided instantly that this is a lady I could sing with and maybe more, if she's willing. I checked the book and sent "You Don't Bring Me Flowers" up to the DJ as a duet for Judy and I. I called for a waitress and ordered a Long Island Iced Tea for me and another of whatever Judy had ordered for herself so that it would be nice and cold when she got back. I then sat back and listened to the ending of her song. She had it down perfectly, if I had closed my eyes, I could have sworn I was listening to the record (guess I'm showing my age there.) I applauded after she finished and watched her walk back to the table. I immediately decided to add another song to my list for later. As I looked up The Hollies in the book, Judy picked up her drink and sipped delicately, looking at me and standing up decided to come over to my table.

"Are you responsible for this?" she asked sweetly.

"Yeah, I really liked that Streisand you did, thought it deserved a reward." I smiled back. "I'm Rick, care to join me?"

"Sure." I stood slightly as she pulled the chair and sat down. "Oh, my, an old fashioned gentleman."

"I try, it's something my Mom taught me."

We continued the small talk the rest of the evening in between songs, I found out she loves to sing duets (we sang "Islands in the Stream", "Love Shack" and "Summer Nights" as well as "You Don't Bring Me Flowers.") We also sang individually. Judy sang a little Dolly Parton, a Stevie Nicks and two more Streisand in addition to one of my very favorites, "Total Eclipse of the Heart" while I did "Soul and Inspiration", "I Don't Wanna Miss a Thing", "Long Cool Woman" and "Truly, Madly, Deeply." We were able to talk while the drunk from the bar sang, plus a half dozen other singers came in, but we were still talking as the DJ announced last call at 1:45 AM. I found out in this time that she is smart, funny, articulate and sexy as hell.

"Wanna grab something to eat after this shuts down?" I asked hopefully.

"Sure, what you got in mind?"

"Somewhere where we can talk, I just love how your voice fits in my ear. There's a twenty-four hour breakfast place near my building. Been a long time since dinner."

"Sounds great."

After I paid the bar tab and tipped the DJ, we went to the restaurant near my apartment, I actually parked at my building and we walked there instead, since it was a clear, cool April night. We held hands, laughing and talking all the way to the door of the restaurant. I opened the door for her and we sat at a booth, both on the same side.

We ordered something, I really can't remember what, I was so intoxicated with this woman I couldn't think straight, but near the end of the meal, the conversation went something like this.

"So you live in that high-rise building we parked at?"

"Yeah, all the way at the top, forty-fifth floor, wanna come up and see the view? The city is truly at it's most beautiful at night. Almost as beautiful as you are."

"Well, I already worked out today, but a bit more won't hurt."

I laughed and said, "There is an elevator in the building, my dear."

She giggled and said, "Good, wouldn't want to be tired out when we got up there," and snuggled closer to me.

I smiled and said, "No, we wouldn't," and gave her a gentle kiss on the lips. "Let's go." As I was starting to pull away, she held my head and kissed me back, licking my lips gently.

"Lead the way."

I paid the check as we walked back to my building her arm around my waist, mine over her shoulder. We walked into the building, past the empty security desk. I waved to the camera like I always do, and I pressed the up button on the elevator. The elevator opened instantly and we got in. I pressed the button for my floor and pulled her into an embrace, kissing her passionately. She returned the kiss with equal intensity, moving my hands from around her waist to putting them directly on her ass.

We were still kissing as the elevator opened on the forty-fifth floor, we stepped out and I reached into my pocket for the card key to open my door. I opened the door to my penthouse apartment and bowed slightly holding it open.

"Enter freely and of your own free will."

She giggled as she noticed the "Nosferatu" movie poster just inside the foyer and asked, "Is that why you had to get back here before dawn? When we go to your bedroom, will I find a coffin?" She walked into the place and walked right up to the curtain glass window with the million-dollar view of Chicago at night. "You were right, it is stunning."

"No more so than you." I walked up behind her, wrapped my arms around her midriff letting my hardness rest against the crack of her ass. I moved her silken hair away from her neck and started gently nibbling on it as she continued to admire the view. She gasped and reached for my hands, placing them on her tits as she wiggled against my erection.

"Mmmmm. So good," she sighed as I gently kneaded her breasts and caressed the nipples that had been so prominent under her dress.

I whispered to her, "Here or in the bedroom?" Waiting for her reply, I caressed the contours of her ear with my agile tongue, hinting at what else I would caress with that appendage.

"Oh, baby, both," she giggled. With that, I removed my hands from the front of her dress and reached back for the zipper. I unzipped her dress slowly, continuing to dry-tongue her earlobe. As I got the zipper to the bottom (and her bottom) it fell to the floor in a puddle around her ankles and she was left with just a garter belt, stockings and heels.