Yesterday, She Had The Blues

It was nearly daybreak....Meek Rollins and two of his engineers were in the studio putting the finishing touches on the upcoming collaboration CD that Bone Hampton and I had recorded...

Bone Hampton, Myself, members of both of our bands and Downtown Rob Brown were present and listening to the playback...

''Sounds Great...What you guys think?" asked Meek.

"Love it!"said Downtown Rob Brown...

"Damn...I don't think we could get much better." I said.

"This is great Meek...but I need a favor from you." said Bone Hampton...

"What's that babe?" asked Meek Rollins.

"Ingrid Rhodes is back in Philly...She been home for a week...How bout if we take Ella's vocals off and put Ingrid on them...She has the highest profile." said Bone Hampton.

Rob and I smiled....Meek looked at Bone Hampton-

"Mannnn..you must be crazy...Do you know how much time that would take?? As well as money?? The record company is already breathin down my back about the release date....Just get over that girl...It's been three weeks...Have you even seen the girl?" he asked.

"No...I haven't." said Bone...

"I'll tell you who I seen?" said Downtown Rob Brown.... "I seen Silk E. Smooth...His wife put all of his stuff out on the street...He had to get one of his boys to rent two Uhaul trucks to get it all..." he said.

''Yeah...Chris and Chess refused to rent to him because he deals weed...So Did Clerow,So He moved to Ms. Glady's rooming house...He had to put the rest of his stuff in storage until he can find a bigger place." laughed Meek Rollins.

"I saw that cashier down at the 7-Eleven..She's already moved on...Got a new boyfriend..." I said.

"Oh and Silk's wife?? She's serious about the divorce....Robert Foxworth is handling her divorce."said Rob Brown..."My girl, Delores talked to her at the hair dressers." he continued...

"Wow, you guys got all the scoop huh?   Well..I aint seen Ella and I aint lookin for her." said Bone Hampton defiantly...

We continued listening to the playback....Finally, one by one we began to file out of the studio, get in our cars and go our seperate ways...As I drove home...I worried about Bone Hampton..He sounded bitter about the whole thing...I couldn't see why..It's not like he and Ella had anything going on.. Nothing outside of a mild flirtation.

II-

Ella didn't remain a mystery for too long...The next time I saw her was in Church of all places....

88 was playing the organ that Sunday with the little band he had put together at the church and I sat in on trumpet with him..It was great to play with my old friend again and to see Mabel, his wife too!

Ella sang a solo with the choir....It turned out to be a very good Sunday..I hadn't seen this many people in church since Easter!   I had just hoped they came for the word and not just the music and singing and the fact that Mabel, Corabeth, Victoria and Pastor Struther's wife had catered and prepared a sumptous dinner after church to be served in the basement.

They were charging $5.00 a plate and the proceeds were going to build a child care center and to the building fun.... Debbie, Delores, Rob Brown and Bone Hampton were there...Missing was Meek Rollins....Still couldn't get him to get up and come to church on Sundays...Maybe one day we'd get to that old sinner...I thought with a wry smile on my lips!

I made a hot platter of Fried Chicken, Ribs, Collard Greens, Macaroni and Cheese and sweet potatoes for myself and one with Fried Talipia, Collard Greens ,Macaroni and cheese and sweet potatoes for Debbie..
Delores and Rob were making their own platters...So was Bone...Ella walked over to him....

"Hi Bone." she said.

"Hey girl, how are you doin?" he said, smiling or rather grinning from ear to ear...

"I'm fine...How's the CD coming along?" she asked.

"It's finished...We sent the Masters to the record company last week....CD will be in stores and at Josies for sale next month....Me and Reed Nelson are going to play Josies and Mulberry Street and then take our thing on the road for a few dates next month..." he said.

"Oh wow...that's real nice....real nice...I saw Ingrid Rhodes last night." she said.

"You did?" he asked.

"Yeah..I told her about the dates I did with you all...She was impressed..Said she was sorry she missed you all playin at Josies...........I thought you woulda done somethin petty like have my vocals mixed off and replaced me with her....but I see you didn't....I like that in you." she said.

"Nahhh...perish the thought...I wouldn't hear of doin something like that." said Bone, still all smiles..

I almost dropped my plate of food....I gave him a side eye......Then just shook my head...Laughing to myself.

"Mind your business Reed" said Debbie as she pulled me aside...Laughing a little herself.

"Bone...What is your real name?" she asked.

"Elbert..." he said.

"Elbert? That's uh....a nice...a er different kind of name." she said.

"Yeah..now you see why they call me "Bone" for my Trombone." he said.

"Well ,I'm gonna call you Elbert..How's that?" she said.

"If you want to...." he said.

"I'm gonna just call you that when we are alone...Not when you are with your friends." she continued...

"When we alone?" he said.

"Look Elbert....I'm just gone ask you this one time...Do you want to be my boyfriend?" she asked...

"Boy-Boy-Boyfriend?" he stuttered..

" I know you've had a thing for me...Hell, everybody know it...and.....well.. you seem like a good man, a kind man...a real guy..no games.." she said.

"That's me... No games baby, what you see is what you get." said Bone..

"Welllllll....I know a girl that has always needed that, but didn't know she needed it and wasted two years with a guy who it turns out was married and fooling around with some chick that works in the 7 eleven." she said.

''Hmmm..that girl sounds like you." said Bone.

Ella smiled....

"You catch on fast.....Yes...that girl...That girl has been feeling pretty bad and if you don't forgive her and be her boyfriend....she's going to still feel bad for over looking you." she said and smiled..

Bone kissed her right there at the table..long and hard.....

"Is that a yes?" asked Ella.

''What do you think?"said Bone...

"Yesterday baby girl had the blues....Today she feels so much better." she said.

Debbie tugged on my jacket-

"Come on over here and get this food and mind your business." she said with a smile...

My name is Reed Nelson...I play trumpet!

(Conclusion Next)