Karen was shaking her head; she didn’t think she’d be able to sing tonight – maybe never again.
Seeing that she was almost on the verge of tears and realizing she couldn’t possibly take another big let down so soon, especially in a dive like this, Sammy said, “Karen’s not really up to singing tonight; she’s had a sore throat for a few days now. However, even though it’s been quite a long time since I was on stage, I can play the piano and sing you some tunes.”
Karen looked at Sammy with a surprised expression on her face and said, “I didn’t know you could play the piano and sing Sammy?”
“You sure as hell don’t look like an entertainer to me either. You’d better be good and since there’s only you entertaining, I’m only going to pay you two hundred bucks,” exclaimed the bartender.
“Fair enough,” said Sammy. “But first I have to use your washroom facilities.”
Pointing over to the right the bartender said, “Next to the juke-box; the door that says HOMBRES on it.”
As Sammy weaved his way through almost a full-house of people towards the Men’s Room the bartender asked Karen, “Is he any good? He sure as hell doesn’t look it. What did you mean when you said you didn’t know he could play the piano or sing?”
Stuck for an answer, a bewildered Karen stammered, “If Sammy says he can do it; I’m sure he’ll put on a fine show for you.”
“Well he better,” exclaimed the bartender running his hand through his thick light brown hair. “He’s been in the can for a long time. Can you go check on him while I pour some drinks and announce to everyone that we have some live entertainment tonight?”
While the bartender was announcing to his customers there was going to be some live entertainment shortly, Karen asked Sammy through the washroom door if he was alright and he assured her that he was – just needed another minute.
When Sammy walked out of the door and took Karen’s hand in his and was leading her up to the stage, she could scarce believe her eyes. What a transformation! The old man dressed in overalls had miraculously metamorphosed into an exquisite butterfly; his whitish hair was slicked back tight against his head and he was wearing a grey tuxedo; a charcoal bowtie fastened snugly at his throat. Except for the creases from being folded in his suitcase for such a long period of time, Sammy looked like a million bucks – but could he play the piano and sing was what really worried her.
While Sammy and Karen were standing hand in hand in front of the microphone, looking out at the audience, he made the introductions. “The leading singer, the lovely, beautiful and talented Miss Karen Jones, who many of you have most likely heard sing before, has a bad vocal condition this evening and won’t be able to sing. However, since we usually perform together on stage, I’d like her to be near me at the piano.”
Sitting down at the piano, tossing the tuxedo’s tails out behind him, he motioned to Karen to sit next to him by patting the seat and smiling. As she sat down next to him, lifting his hands in the air, flexing his fingers a few times, his audience watching his every move, Sammy commenced to play the piano. The sounds were melodic, a rhapsody of glorious beauty, each note with each finger tip played as it should be played; George Frideric Handel’s ears would have rang with pleasure if he could have heard Sammy’s rendition of Joy to the World. However, very few of Sammy’s audience appreciated his playing ability or the beauty of classical music. Sensing he was losing their interest, he suddenly quit playing and stood up, much to the amazement of Karen and the bartender who was rapidly regretting that he had hired Sammy. Extending his arms and flexing his fingers once again he said, “There; that feels much better. I think my fingers have had ample exercise, time to play something a little more to my fancy and hopefully yours as well. The audience was riveted and looked rather confused as they watched him undo his collar, disconnect his bowtie and stuff it into his jacket pocket. Continuing to smile, Sammy took off his jacket and threw it on top of the piano and then nonchalantly rolled up his white shirt sleeves.
If Sammy didn’t have the audience’s attention before, he had it now; everyone was quiet, following his every move as he sat down at the piano and said, “My name is Sammy – Smokin’ Sam the Piano Man and I’ll start this session with a little song I wrote called – Mamma was a Blues Lady. Karen and the whole bar full of patrons swayed to and fro as they listened to the smooth rhythms of the keyboard and Sam’s soulful voice (similar to Leonard Cohen). By the end of the evening, the audience was more than just in his hands; Sammy had had them dancing, shouting, laughing and even crying; such was the depth of his music.
Karen couldn’t believe her ears and the sensations that had been rippling throughout her whole body; Sammy had taken her and the audience to a whole new level – an experience none of them would ever forget. She had no idea this shabby old man that she had been working and living with for five years was filled to the brim and beyond with such magnificent talent. How and why had he put up with her mediocrity, her complaining and her obesity but when she looked into his eyes as he announced that this was his last song of the evening and he’d written it especially for Karen – her eyes blurred with love upon seeing the love he felt for her. Tears flowed down her cheeks as she listened to every note and word that Sammy sang; it was as if they were alone in the crowded, smoke-filled room and when he finished his song, the audience standing and applauding, he whispered to her, “I love you.”
As the audience continued clapping, Sammy scooped up his jacket and put it back inside his old suitcase. After taking a deep bow and thanking everyone for being such a wonderful audience, he took Karen’s hand and they walked to the bar where the beaming bartender handed him $400.00, telling him it was the best show ever and he was worth every cent.
As the Lucky Buck Saloon door closed behind them, the old guy kissed the fat chick; putting his arm around her (at least as far as it would go) they walked together into the desert’s starry night.
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