Mabel's Blues

ART: "Sax Appeal" By Wak

My name is "88", I play the Piano for a living. Music is really an obsession with me..been around it all my life. I was in Josie's Bar one lazy Saturday afternoon, tinkling the ivories...playing a jazz peice that my Uncle Charlie would have loved if he were still alive.

"Sounds Good 88" said Gus.

"Thanks man...I wrote this while I was on tour with that Trumpet player that was here last
month." I said.

I had sat in with Reed Nelson, an up and coming young Trumpet Player from North Jersey..I believe he said he was from Patterson. He had a nice little trio..A Guitarist, A Bassist and a Drummer. I sat in on Piano when he played here last month and he liked me so much , he asked me to play a few dates with him.. I did. We went to Hampton, Virginia, Atlanta, Georgia, Chicago
and finnally, three nights in New York City. He paid me good money too. I came back to Philly and paid Chess all of my back rent and paid him in advance for the next three months. I paid Gus my bar tab in full and still had enough money to put in both my savings and checking accounts.

Reed called me back to do some recording dates with him in New York and in Philly...I accepted and again, had a nice payday or two. Paid off both of my credit cards and bought some much needed groceries for my fridge. It felt good to have some steady money other than what I was gettin playing at Josies.

I had noticed Mabel Jenkins for close to a year now...She was a southern girl...from Lousiana..Had the sexiest body in six states, you hear? and always wore those tight dresses that showed off all of her assets. I always spoke and maybe I conversed with her a little...but never too much. She had a boyfriend...a nice enough fella who worked at the Post Office, plus I knew that Clerow, my good friend still had a crazy kind of thing for her. Clerow is married to her younger sister who is equally as bodacious....so I couldn't understand his obsession with Mabel...Then again, I could...He was man wasn't he? I heard that Mabel was originally Clerow's girl but that she caught him with Corabeth back in Louisiana and that she was so hurt she left him, come up here to Philly. he followed her here ,but it was too late...for him. Mabel had a boyfriend and Clerow had a bun in the oven....Corabeth was pregnant!! Clerow married her and
everything seemed to be good between all involved..but every now and then..I would see Clerow
give Mabel a longing glance when he saw her..Can't say I blame him.

I was surprised to see Mabel in Josie's this early. She came up to my Piano and sat on a little stool facing me and watched me play.

"You play good 88" she said.

"Thank you Mabel" I returned with a sly smile...Her big shapely legs in that skirt were causing
me to lose my focus. She saw what she was doing to me and tried to sit in a different way. She smiled at me sheepishly...I suppose she was used to men losing their focus over her.

"So what's new with you Mabel?" I said.

"88..my personal life is in shambles.." she said.

"Oh yeah? How so?" I asked....not really caring to know, but wanting her to stay and talk while
I played the Piano.

"I broke up with my boyfriend three weeks ago. He moved out. I guess it was for the best but
I've been so lonely. I miss him, but I don't want to call him...I've got to get past him." she said.

"A fine woman like yourself should have men knocking down the door for someone like you." I
said.

" I have men after me 88, but not the kind of men I like.....I get all of the crazies...They don't have a job, they don't have a car..they want me to drive them everywhere, want me to pay for all of the dates we go on and worse...when they find out that I have a house of my own..they want to move in....I aint havin it...I can do bad all by myself." she said.

" Aint that the truth ruth." I added.

" 88, Pastor Struthers , who used to be married to my other sister calls me every night at around 2:00 am wanting to know what I have on and asking if he can come over to "minister" to me. I know what he's about...He's unbelievable..." she laughed.

"Sometimes it be that way Mabel...You have to kiss a lot of frogs before you meet your Prince Charming." I added with a laugh.

"I know that's right...and to make it worse...every man I'm attracted to is married or hooked up..
Kevin...He's not only married to Sepia, but he's my boss..so that would never work.. Cock Robbins, the football player..He's married and that friend of yours that beat that guy up in here last month...what's his name??" she asked.

"Oh, you talkin bout Chess...he's living with his baby's mother, who is my cousin" I said throwing
an emphasis on that fact.

I don't know why I said it...Don't know where it came from...but all I know is ..my father always said that you make your own breaks in this world and when an opportunity comes , you gotta jump to it..

"What about me Mabel?? You ever think about , uh, well you know, givin me a try?"I said, stunned at myself for being so bold...I had never been this forward with a woman before ,which probably explained why I didn't have one and this was the most conversation I had ever had with Mabel in the entire time I knew her.

"You? 88? You like me like that?" she said and then laughed....She saw the puzzled look on my face and then said-

"I never imagined ..I mean ,I often wondered why you didn't have a woman....but I just thought
you had women on the side or-"

"Or I was gay right?" I said.

"No...I never thought that..." she said.

"Well? What do you think? Maybe we could go out...maybe we could get to know each other or....." I said.

"Maybe ,you could keep me company tonight and we take it from there...I'm so lonely 88." she said.

"You serious? Really?? " I said.

"I know you can keep it secret and it won't be all over the bar or on the streets 88." she said.

Here was my chance...I had to pinch myself to make sure I wasn't dreaming. At midnight, I walked out to my car....Mabel gave me directions to her house and then got in her car and drove off. Nobody that was there that night saw anything that would make them believe that we were
together.

Almost as soon as I got to Mabel's house I saw just how hurt and lonely she truly was. It was as if her passion exploded... We kissed passionately for minutes and I began to kiss her up and down her neck..she was breathing deeply and saying in between short breaths...

"Oh 88, if you kiss this good, I wonder what else you can do with that mouth of yours?"

We slowly undressed each other and I lifted her up and carried her up the stairs to her bedroom... it was dark and she began giving me head almost as soon as we were behind closed doors.. I found it hard to believe that this was happening....

I made her stop and began kissing her and tried reciprocating as I layed her on the bed...She began breathing heavy and moaning....

"Oh don't stop...don't stop.... do you have a condom?" she asked.

"What?" I asked.

"It's okay if you don't...I keep some in my top dresser drawer." she said.

I ran to the dresser drawer and copped one. I love a woman who is prepared.

Still not saying a word...I mounted her and entered her and tried to savor every moment. It was as though I were eating a great New York Strip Steak...I wanted the experience to last...I felt as if I had died and gone to heaven.....

"Oh 88, let me get on top." she said after awhile...I didn't want to stop..but I did. We continued kissing as she got on top of me, tossed her hair and her neck back and really began to ride...Now I was about to scream as she moved slowly and softly and unbelievably smooth for a big girl.

We came nearly simultaneously...and we lie there in bed sweaty and holding on to each other.

"88...were you serious when you said you liked me?" she asked.

"You're asking me that now? Of course I was serious...but why should you believe me now? Of course now I would say that....you have no way of knowing if I am sincere...but for the record ,I
am...I've had my eyes on you for a year now." I said.

"Your honesty is appreciated...I think you've passed my test." she said.

"You sure...This is kind of sudden..I didn't expect this." I said.

"Me neither and I've never done this before..but tonight I was heartbroken and lonely and if it
hadn't of been you, then somebody was going to take me home with them tonight. Haven't you ever been lonely ,heartbroken and horny?" she asked.

"That's the story of my life...story of every man's life." I said.

"Well 88...I'm glad it was you that took me home and not some loser or some stranger." she said with the sweetest smile I had ever seen.

"I'm glad it was me too." I said.

The next night when I played the Piano...Mabel sat with me..Kissed me a couple of times while I
was playing...Heads turned and tongues wagged...but we didn't care...we were a couple. My friend Chess looked over at me and smiled, and winked..he was with my cousin Rell..she smiled too and pointed. Kevin, Cock Robbins and Clerow sat at the bar and looked at us too...I was worried about what Clerow would think..but he didn't look like it bothered him..I suppose he had moved on...

My name is "88" I play the Piano....Mabel Jenkins is my woman.....and I love what and who I do.