Gonna Sell The Bitch's Car Ch. 04

She didn't elaborate and I didn't push it.

For the next three hours I gave her the Reader's Digest version of my life. When I got done she knew more about me than anyone alive other than my parents. She seemed spellbound. When I finally wound down she had only one thing to say.

"Wow."

Of course, for all my openness, I made her promise to keep what I told her in confidence.

We made it back to Crockett with forty five minutes to spare. Jim was about to give me shit but Moira warned him off.

When the show was over I went to Wal-Mart and got one of those cheap pay as you go phones with an unlimited plan. It wasn't my IPhone but it would keep me in touch until I could get it back.

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I had called Sammi every day but she wouldn't talk to me. So much for my new resolve to be a better communicator. I checked, she did turn the rental in and they had my phone.

Sammi actually did me a favor by letting everyone know as far as she was concerned the wedding was on hold. We were having 'communication' issues.

Since she wasn't talking to me and hadn't returned to the house, I had to agree with her.

It was the week of the benefit, finally. Everyone involved was keyed up, the rehearsals had gone well, the equipment had been checked. We had been advertised heavily on radio and TV, and a few of us hit the local morning shows to promote it.

My band and the horn section actually played a couple of songs in studio, trying to generate more interest. It went so well they played a clip on the evening news cast. Luckily, we had a last minute addition to announce. Mr. Chance Blaze was going to make a brief appearance, and might bring a friend or two.

Freddie confirmed this on his Facebook page, saying he wasn't sure which night he would appear because of rehearsal schedules. He did this deliberately, hoping to boost ticket sales.

It was a three night event, and you had the option of buying a ticket for one performance or for all three nights.

We had a few tickets given away on radio, but since it was a benefit they were limited. Pre-sales were actually pretty good.

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Nonnie's grandson decided to run the same week. He cut his ankle bracelet loose, hoping he could be gone before anyone noticed it.

The flaw to that plan was that the bracelet had a temperature sensor built in. If it dropped below body temperature for more than two minutes it alerted the monitor.

The monitor went off just as he was leaving the house. The guy who was spot checking for me was already on the scene.

He followed the car he was in, calling for backup.

In a classic box move they bracketed his car and forced him over within sight of the city limits.

The driver was high, and showed mighty poor judgement by waving a pistol around. Bondsmen don't play. They had their weapons out and were in a pretty tense standoff until the police arrived.

The driver was arrested for weapons and drug charges, along with aiding a fleeing felon. The grandson was arrested for violating his bond and remanded, without the availability of bail.

Nonnie got back ninety percent of the money, but spent it all on lawyers, even though they advised her to just let it happen.

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Sammi finally called me on Wednesday morning. She was staying with Sandy, of all people. Seemed she had moved back to town when her bisexual lover decided he really wanted to play on the boys' team. She even had her old job back.

""She wants to talk to you, to apologize in person. Will you let her?"

I thought that was a conversation I really wanted to have.

We agreed that Sammi should stay where she was until after the benefit. I did make her promise to come, and had tickets delivered to the restaurant, including one for Sandy and Gary, telling her she should bring him along as a thank you for helping her. He was just as big a fan of Freddie as she was and I was pretty sure he would take the bait. I sweetened it by promising to introduce them to Freddie.

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Freddie surprised me by agreeing to make an appearance, but there were motivating factors.

One, he had a niece with cancer, and two he really wanted to record the song I had sent him.

"I Got A Plan' was written when I was thinking about proposing to Sammi. Freddie's whole production team was drooling. This could be his signature song. I didn't tell him who wrote it, but he suspected.

"This is yours, isn't it?" He hadn't called, just shown up.

When I admitted it was he immediately wanted to know if I had more. I showed him my file cabinet and told him there was probably a hundred and fifty in various stages of completion. I thought he was gonna wet himself.

He immediately demanded first choice, and I told him we would talk about it after the benefit.

After swearing the whole group of us to secrecy, he wanted to debut 'I Got A Plan' during the benefit, to gauge crowd reaction. We practiced it four times in private, just Freddie, Moira, Jim, Al, me, and Frank, the guitarist from Hard Country. Moira stepped in and totally reworked the music, turning it into a wide open party song instead of the ballad I envisioned. It was a hundred percent better. I finally allowed myself to get excited about it.

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Finally it was Thursday night.

After talking it over we decided to limit the number of tickets to twenty two hundred, and leave a space for dancing. We were all veterans of bar bands, and knew that if people wanted to dance we should make space. It would make them happy, and happy people tended to donate more. A quick ticket count confirmed there were about sixteen hundred paying customers out there. Not bad for an opening night.

We were all seasoned professionals, but the adrenalin level was way up for everyone.

Mellow Mel, my engineer/singer/rapper buddy was MC. He walked onto the stage and under a single spotlight greeted the crowd.

"Welcome to the show. Thank you all for coming. As you know, 100% of all proceeds go the the cancer research foundation. And if for some reason you feel an urge to donate more, we have volunteers to assist you."

"Now for the show. We're going to start with a light classical number and go from there. Please, sit back and enjoy the show."

A spotlight hit the chamber quartet, stage right on a raised platform. They started the opening notes of Beethovens' fifth symphony, and the horns joined in, also on a raised platform, stage left.

Three bars in a spotlight hit Moira, and she hit the Chuck Berry chords, followed by everyone on stage as we launched into 'Roll Over Beethoven'.

Three drummers, five guitarists, three bassists, three keyboards, all playing wide open. The crowd loved it. We stretched it out to a little over ten minutes, and already had people on their feet.

We didn't stop, just switched over to 'Rosalita', one of the best Springsteen songs ever written.

Next came '10th Avenue Freeze Out', since we were into the Springsteen thing.

By now we were interchanging musicians as the song called for them, allowing most everyone to take a breather while keeping the music going.

We played a full hour before taking a break. You have to stop once in a while or the audience goes into auditory overload.

We had preplanned it, and at the break all twenty four musicians worked the crowd, shaking hands and thanking them for coming.

People had already started dancing, so we did a beach music set next. 'Back To Louisiana' a Delbert McClinton song, 'Thank You John', oddly enough about a hooker, her pimp, and john, and one of my favorites, 'Rainy Day Girl', a song written for the Harlem Globetrotter cartoon of the early seventies, that actually has two of the Globetrotters singing on it. A few more beach standards and the crowd was shagging its' ass off.

After the next break we did what we called a "girl power' set. Moira, Jenn/Ginny/Jen, Amber from Hard Country, and three of the chamber quartet, all women, took the stage. Nodding to the country element they did 'Passionate Kisses' and 'Feels Like A Woman' with the horn section.

A version of 'Girls Talk', 'Walk Like An Egyptian', and the great rockabilly song by Imelda May, 'Mayhem', finishing out with 'Walking On Sunshine'. The crowd was roaring by then.

We did five sets, playing from eight until about one thirty. The crowd definitely got full value for their money. Everyone seemed happy when they left, so I was pretty sure we would get buzz the next morning.

I was right. By lunchtime Friday 'Roll Over Beethoven' had been playing on the local access channel almost hourly, along with clips of the girl power set and the beach set. Local TV, radio, and newspapers all gave us good reviews.

I did a radio interview, saying that the sets tonight would not be the same as last night, there was a lot of good music we hadn't got to yet. I also hinted strongly that Chance Blaze might show up. We sold out all twenty two hundred tickets by show time.

The energy was even higher that night. We had gotten the small flaws worked out from last night and we were almost machine like in our precision.

We decided to give each group a nod and feature them just before and after the breaks. Blue String Theory, the bluegrass band went first, doing 'Sis Draper', with me helping with claw hammer banjo.

After the break, Hard Country did 'Drink In My Hand', the Eric Church hit. It had the crowd jumping. The house roared when Freddie walked onstage.

He did his best song, then went into two western swing songs. He really sounded great, he had the voice for it.

Then he talked the audience up, introducing his newest song, to be released in the next few weeks.

"This one has potential. Oh, and by the way, it was written by Wiley Patterson, and arranged by Moira Stewart, local musicians. Hope you like it."

Thanks to Moira, it was a uptempo, feel good song.

The crowd liked it immediately.

It was a song that had a vision of life with his lover.

"I got the champange on ice/I got the ring in my hand/when it comes to loving you babe/I got a plan."

"I want the white picket fence and the minivan/two dogs and a cat/and all the kids we stand/when it comes to loving you babe/I got a plan."

"When we're eighty I want to sit on our front porch/holding your hand/ looking back with love/ glad I stuck to my plan/ when it came to loving you/ I was glad for my plan."

It was a happy, feel good song about a young man in love. They loved it.

He left the stage to cries of more, after promising to return tomorrow.

There was a local entertainment reporter in the audience, and Freddie gave him an interview after the show. He insisted Moira and I be there.

Yes, he was excited about the new song. Yes, he would be touring again in about two months. He introduced us, saying we were the writers of his song, and would probably be in his band for the tour. This was the first either of us knew about it.

Moira was quick to point out that I wrote the song, she had just helped arrange it. I countered by saying without her arranging skills it would still be a dull little ballad.

The reporter laughed and asked how long we had been married. Freddie laughed and said for as long as he had known us. We corrected him, of course. Freddie ended the interview by saying as good as the show was tonight, tomorrow would be even better, and yes, he would be there.

He grinned at us when he left, saying we would have a serious discussion soon.

The next day the front page of the entertainment section was all about the benefit, Freddie, his new song, and us. We were sold out before ten that morning. Sixty four hundred tickets for all three nights at thirty bucks a pop, not too bad. Plus, the owners kicked in all the profits from alcohol sales, we estimated a net of around thirty thousand, plus any donations we received,

made for a pretty successful event.

The broadcast students had gone above and beyond, putting together two video segments for the last night.

We played the first clip just before the second break. Mel set it up.

"Ladies and gentlemen, before we take this next break, we'd like to take a moment to remember those we have lost. Please join us in this memorial, and remember, we have volunteers willing to take any additional donations you would like to make."

"Everybody Hurts' is an REM song purportedly written for Kurt Cobain.

Freddie sang it, playing a grand piano. I was at my B3, and Moira was on guitar. As he started singing, the jumbotron started showing pictures and videos of loved ones lost to cancer. The ages ranged from a few months to upper nineties, with their names, age, and date of death.

By the second verse the tears started, and by the end, when the strings kicked in, I doubt if there was a dry eye in the house.

I didn't know if I would be able to last dry eyed, so I had on a pair of Ray Bans. I watched the video of the performance later, and you could clearly see the tears leaking from underneath. Moira had come over and sat on the bench with me while we played, and you could see her tears as well. When the song ended she hugged me fiercely, sharing comfort and compassion.

The last three images were of Kara, standing in her wedding dress, and then a split screen of Erin, a video of her twirling around in her fairy outfit, with Chip, playing his ukelele and dancing. I know, he wasn't a cancer victim, but I wanted to honor him, and it made a perfect counterpoint to Erin dancing.

When the last notes faded away, all you could hear was crying, then the applause started. The donation table stayed busy for an hour.

Sammi, Sandy, and slick hair were there, sitting at a VIP table. I sent a message that I would be there when I had a break.

Moira had agreed to help with my revenge, but she had her own ideas and got most of the girls to help her. She had her own surprises.

Red was the color of the foundation we were supporting, and in honor all the guys were wearing black slacks and red dress shirts, and all the girls had on red dresses, except Moira.

She had on a simple, knee length black dress with red sequins on the bodice. She blended in and stood out at the same time.

At the end of the next set Mel announced the second video segment, with audience support. All cancer survivors were asked to wear red to the show. We were in the girl power set and as they started on 'Walking On Sunshine' every musician and stage hand went through the crowd, pulling survivors out of their seats and onto the stage.

I had gotten Mom and Dad a table as far away from Sammi as I could, and I made a bee line for her.

Dad knew what was going to happen and practically pushed her to her feet. I pulled her onto the stage. She was alternately pulling back and laughing at the same time.

The cameras were panning around, focusing on red.

Soon the stage and the floor directly in front were crowded with red.

When the song ended, we kept everyone on stage. Mel came out and made a speech.

"Folks, look around. This is what your contributions are for. Everyone here is a survivor. Because of the treatment and medicines available now, these people will continue to be mothers, fathers, lovers, husbands, wives, brothers, sisters, children, and grandparents. Give them a hand."

The applause was thunderous.

As prearranged, Mel handed off the microphone off to me.

"Ladies and gentlemen, this is my Mother, Dottie, a survivor. It's also her birthday tomorrow, I know it's hokey, but I love her, so help me sing happy birthday to her."

Everyone was in a good mood, so the rafters resounded with the song, while the jumbotron showed a closeup of Mom, alternately trying to hide her face and fight the tears. At the end Dad kissed her on one cheek while I kissed her on the other. She said later it embarrassed her to death, but I've caught her watching the video, especially after dad passed. She would always freeze it where we were kissing her.

I lost control of my revenge on Sammi pretty quick. By now everyone was in on it and I got stuck playing along. It started during the girl power set, when Moira sang 'Passionate Kisses'.

Instead of playing she just sang. The girls from the chamber quartet had surrounded me. I wasn't paying attention until Moira walked over to where I was standing just offstage. The girls grabbed me and pushed me onstage. Moira held my hand and sang the rest of the song looking into my face, especially the part about "passionate kisses from you". The crowd thought it was part of the show and loved it, but I glanced at Sammi and could see the smoke rise. It didn't help her frame of mind when Moira leaned in and gave me a kiss. It was the first time we had touched lips, and I felt the jolt all the way to my toes.

The next set was pretty much mine. Mel came over and introduced me as the force behind the benefit. They gave me a nice round of applause.

One of the drama students got a dance teacher involved, and she showed us some simple steps. She had the horn section swaying in synchronized movement. She taught me, Freddie, Jim, Frank, and Al some simple Motown moves, emulating the Temptation and The Four Tops.

I did 'Too Proud To Beg' singing lead while the rest stayed with the choreography. It was a riot.

Moira flounced on stage with exaggerated movements, and I dropped to my knees, begging and following around. At the end of the song she gave me a big smile and kissed me. Again. I could get used to this.

Next the girls came on stage to help me with 'Shake Your Moneymaker'. I had a headset mike, and a wireless cord so I had mobility, and when I got to the verse "I got a girl and she just can't be true" I was right in front of Sammi and Sandy. I'm sure each thought I was singing about the other.

I jumped back onstage and started my slide solo.

I was playing my SG, Jenny had my EBO, and Moira had borrowed Frank's SG, so we coordinated. That seemed to mean more to women.

I tend to play with my eyes closed when I really get into it, and when I heard the crowd roar I thought I was really doing good.

Then I opened my eyes. Every woman was onstage, with their back to the crowd, shaking their "moneymakers". I nearly fell off the stage laughing.

The next song Moira insisted on. As I've said before, I like to take songs and tweak them. "Somebody Like You', the monster hit by Adele, one of the best voices I've ever heard, became a target. I replace the piano with my B3, playing with an intensity that made the melody hypnotic, overlaying it with strings. She heard it while I wasn't aware she was there, and her keen arranging talent kicked in.

The stage went dark, and then a spotlight hit Moira, standing in front of a grand piano. Al started the song and the crowd seemed spellbound.

Just before the bridge I started playing the chords softly, and as the piano notes tapered off I started playing the melody. A second spotlight hit me behind my B3, and I sang most of the second part of the song. I don't have a lot of range, but I do have a talent of infusing emotion into my song.

As I sang I thought about Sandy, Sammi, and most of all Moira. I knew I would never have her, and the pain in my voice was real. She slowly walked over to me, and as the strings came in we did a duet on the last verse, and as the music faded she leaned over the organ pulling my head into contact with hers and holding it into place as the spotlight faded.

If you're an entertainer, there are two ways to know you have absolute control over the crowd. One is when they're so loud you can't hear yourself think. The other is when they go absolutely silent.

You could have heard a pin drop. It was like everyone was holding their breath. A few seconds later a sob broke the silence, and the applause became thunderous in intensity.