That Old Melody!

It was December....it was cold!   I wasn't on Blue Island as Debbie and I had been this time last year...I was playing for the brunch crowd at Mulberry Street...the rooftop bar and restaurant that was usually closed this time of year....

Millionaire-socialite Rollie Rollerson had opened it up and was having an engagement brunch for close to 2000 people....Symphony Sam and his all star orchestra was on the road...Downtown Rob Brown and Delores were out of town...Brook Taylor was playing dates in San-Francisco and so...that left me and the guys...

'88' reluctantly sat in with me...He don't like being cold...and I got the rest of the guys , the bass player, the guitarist, the drummer...a cat who played vibes, a percussionist , a saxophonist and the great Bone Hampton to sit in on Trombone.....

We played a 9:00 am set......and was just finishing up our last set at noon....Rollerson said that he wanted nothing but classic love songs played..so that's what we played...with a little improvisation of course...
There was wine, champaigne and all kinds of drinks flowing along with Pancakes, Waffles, Eggs, Bacon,sausage, Hot Oatmeal, Grits...you name it and the who's who of Black and white Philadelphia society...

Rollie Rollerson acted every bit like the love smitten suitor... It was all an act...Everybody knew that he was constantly jumping from bed to bed...and some times just minutes before his fiance could catch him....He was treading on thin ice...and everybody but him knew it!

"Great show Reed..Great show....Now come on down here and get some of this good food brothers." said Rollie Rollerson.

"Thanks man." I said.

"I'm with that." said Bone Hampton....

"I know you are man.....You don't even care about the money...just the food." I laughed as Bone, 88 and I grabbed some plates and began helping ourselves..... As we sat an ate...The sound guys hooked up a satellite feed and music began pouring in through the speakers......and I began to hear a very familiar melody...A melody I had vowed not to play...a Melody that haunted me....and a memory too!

Garvin came to the door...He was shirtless, wearing only boxer shorts...Chet pushed past him and there in the bed, clad only in a bra and panties was Carlotta!


''Oh My God Chet...This isn't what it looks like...Oh..I swear." she yelled in pure panic. I didn't know about her, but it sure looked like something to me!


"What are you doing here? Why did you bring Mr. Nelson? Ohhhhhhh my lorddddddd!" she yelled , jumping up and pulling the bed spread off of the bed and covering herself...


"Carlotta...I-I- can't believe this...I've given you everything...I've been devoted to you...You've agreed to be my wife....and you're , you're cheating on me ...with him??" said Chet.

"I think you should leave Chet...We have just finished making love for the second time today...I bring sounds out of your lady that you can never bring out of her..She screams louder than your trumpet..HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA." he laughed.


"Are you bragging Garvin?" sneered Chet!


Chet spit on the floor and looked at Carlotta in red hot anger...


"You WHORE!" he screamed...


"Chet please...I can explain everything." she said.

"What is there to explain?...You lied to me..You said you had to work late at the office. I decided to surprise you with your favorite flowers and some dinner that I prepared.I went to the office and they told me that they didn't call you in and that you hadn't been to work in two days..That you had called out sick. I went to his lousy restaraunt and they gave me the same story..that he had called out sick. I followed you last night...I saw you leaving this place..your hair all messed up..Your clothes wrinkled...You disgust me." he said.


Chet then pulled a gun out that he had had concealed on him....Before anyone could do anything..He turned and fired! The gunshot sounded like the loudest thing I had ever heard!


Garvin grabbed his side...blood and intestines seemed to be pouring out of the huge hole in him....


"I DO NOT BELIEVE THIS...I HAVE BEEN SHOT! Ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh ,ouuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu."
he said and fell to the floor!


"There..Do you make sounds like that when you make love?" asked Chet as he put his gun away and ran down the hall!


"Chet!, ChettTTTTTTT...come back!" I screamed..but it was too late...He was gone...People came into the hallway, one woman screamed......Carlotta screamed!

"Come back...Chettttt...come backkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkk!"


"Yo Reed...Reed my man...come back...come back down to earth baby!" said Bone Hampton...

''Oh hey man... it's all good." I said with a weak smile...

" You totally zoned out baby...what's up?" asked Bone Hampton.....

"Long story man...it's that music....that melody." I said.

"Yeah, it is haunting...that's coming from a west coast feed." said Bone Hampton...

''Nah man...that's coming from a ship." said 88.

"A ship?" We both asked...

"Yeah...some guy has a boat..docked at Penn's Landing and he has a radio station on the boat..he broadcasts from the Ship...He's been docked here in town for about a month." said 88.

"Really" I mused and continued eating.

II-

At Debbie's apartment...I layed my Trumpet down and played a few riffs on the Piano....Debbie came into the living room and sat next to me as I played...

''Wow...I haven't heard that tune played in a long time..." she said.

"I heard it played at Rollie Rollerson's brunch gig." I said.

'"Oh yeah? by who? " she asked.

"I don't know....it was coming from a feed and the station , I understand is on a boat." I said.

''Oh..the boat at Penns Landing." said Debbie..

"You know about this boat??" I asked incredulous.

"Yeah...it's been here about a month...The guy has an independent station...." she said.

"Oh really?" I asked.

"Yeah." she said..

"Hmmm." I mused and continued playing the piano....I was going aboard that boat and soon.

''Still think about Chet?" asked Debbie..

"Every now and then.....but especially today when I heard his melody...

"You think he's still alive?" she asked.

"Oh most definitely." I said.

(To be continued....)