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Since mom and my uncle were not letting go of Papa, and it was about the right time of evening, Hendrik relented, asking me, “I know you wanted me to go there before with you. What have I got myself into now?” He comically rolled his eyes at me.
Hendrik is no longer rolling his eyes as we walk into the karaoke bar. My favorite bartender shouts out “BB! It's about time! Markie! Where you been, bud? Jimmy! Where have you been, you guys? Get in here and give us somesong!”
I lean over to Hendrik, “I told you it was our favorite joint.”
Chapter 53
Hendrik
AfteraverysatisfyingBBQ at her mom's house, here we are at the karaoke club.
I should have known what kind of singing voice my Lady Fair would have just from the way she speaks! However, I wasn't expecting her to have perfect pitch and a wide, wide vocal range! Wow!
She prepared me on our way to the club.By subway—been a long time since I took one!
She warned me that the music she is used to singing is quite different from what I play on my 12-string guitar. She does in fact belt out old-school heavy metal songs and some Hank Williams-style honky tonk songs.
She really could be in Carnegie Hall. Wow! The mics could stop working and she would still dominate the stage with her voice and enthusiasm.
To my delight, I love it!
Now, be honest. No more mysteries or secrets. Do you love the music and those styles … or her?
She is gonna end up converting me to those styles on the force of my love, I think!
I protested somewhat when she wanted me to try out some songs that are more comfortable for me. She and Mark and Jim listed a whole mess of singers with a sort of baritone range like mine.
Or actually, as Beatrice believes my singing voice must be. I've never sung for her.
We collectively decide on the Welshman Tom Jones. Luckily! It's about the only name I recognized in their lists.
Jim lined up “She's a Lady” and showed me how I could follow along on the lyrics on the screen if I needed to. Beatrice actually requested “It's Not Unusual,” so that was next.
By the end of song number two, I'd had as much attention on the stage as I could handle. Beatrice saw me getting a little nervous and she stepped up, gave me a big sloppy kiss in front of everyone, and although I hesitated, I saw she was getting ready to talk to the crowd. She said, “Give our very own American Tom Jones a big hand, ladies and gentlemen!”
Whew! I thought she was going to say my name there for a minute. I pulled her off that stage more than walked off!
Mark comes up to me and pounds me on the back saying, “Ricky! Dude! You brought the house down!”
One more secret identity!
Beatrice has to be cringing. If she isn't, I sure am!
At the end of the evening, I promised Beatrice, on the head of the Vader I love unconditionally, that I will never,evercall her BB if she promises nevereverto call me Ricky!
We laugh all the way home.
Much to the annoyance of the other passengers on the subway.
Chapter 54
Beatrice
Well,turnaroundisfairplay.
Hendrik’s neighborhood picnic was scheduled for the very next afternoon. He sent a car for me at noon. Again, Papa was in the back seat to greet me.
But so was my mom! She was rosy-cheeked and smiling.
