B-Flat's Blues..

I walked into an establishment called "Mabel's Soul Food Joint" with my good friend...Kerry "88"Moore, A keyboardist like myself...except that I play the Organ and sing....Me? My name is Bernard "B-Flat" Brown...
I'm from Philly, but I've been gone quite awhile....See..I've been in jail... Three years to be exact....Over in Spain...I was playin a gig and I got caught with some drugs on me...Not that I didn't get high mind you...But I'm certain I was set up...That these drugs was planted on me one night...I was soo drunk and high at the time that when the cops found me...I couldn't even defend myself...I spent three years in a Spanish Jail, before I was released and promptly deported back to my native United States of America...Philadelphia PA. thank you!

I don't care...I don't care if I never travel to Europe again!  My wife divorced me while I was in Europe...She divorced me before I got busted....I deserved it...I had been somewhat of an asshole...But I'm back now and what's more..I'm clean....I don't drink....and haven't had any kind of drug in three years...Sitting in a spanish jail can do that to you.

I'm playin gigs again...Trying to get a band together..

" "88" , I'm so sorry that I missed your wedding....I hear you married a gem" I said to my good friend.

"That's okay B-Flat...I know that you was kind of caught up." he said.

And then, one of the finest, sexiest women I ever saw in my life came out to greet us...I was all teeth upon seeing her... I looked at her hands and noticed a wedding band...Damn, she was taken!

"88 is this your wife?" I asked...

"Nooooo, this is my sister in law....Cora beth Hamilton...She's married to my friend, Clerow." he said.

''Lawd jesusss... Pleased to meet you." I said... She smiled and blushed a little bit...

The another fine , shapely woman came out and yet another one behind her , who was a bit younger appeared...

"That's my wife...Mabel...She owns this joint...Best cook in the whole damn state of Pennsylvania." said 88.

Mabel smiled and kissed "88"....

"Oh and this is my other sister-in law, Anita.." he said.

"Pleased to meet you....Your husband and I go wayyy back....Sorry I didn't make your weddin...I was over in Europe.." I said.

"Ohh that's okay...Glad you're home now." she added...

I whispered to "88"

"Mannn you hit the jackpot...Your wife is fine as hell and your sister in laws??? Whooooo, how do you keep it together, around all these fine women?" I said.

"It aint easy." he laughed... "Plus...there is another one that you haven't met." he added..

"Whattttt? She fine too?" I asked.

"Yes indeed..She's married to the deacon down at the church...." he said.

"Sheeeeeeeeeeet...I don't blame him....Deacon ,you and your friend took all of em off the market huh?" I said.

"The youngun is not married, but she been hooked up with this young lawyer for about two years now." he said.

"Ummmph, Ummmph, Ummph.....I don't blame not a one of you....Yo wife got an accent...They aint from here are they?" I asked.

"Nah, they from Louisiana." I said.

"I knew it...I knew it...You know what they say bout them damn Southern gals...Lawd today.." I said.

"Speakin of which....You seen your ex yet..I mean since you been back?" he asked.

"Nah...but I got to stop by Josies anyway and talk to Gus about a gig...She is still workin there aint she?" I asked.

"Oh yeah..Honey is still there." he said.

I had a fine meal with 88, his wife, Mabel, and his sister in laws, Anita and Corabeth....

"This here is some great food...You are a good cook." I said.

Mabel smiled -"Awww thank you." she said.

I paid my tab and then got up...

"Leaving so soon Mr. Brown?" said Mabel...

"Yeah...I got some business to take care of." I said and tipped my pork pie hat to 88 and his family.

II-

I stopped by Josies...and there was Gus...The Bartender and owner...He hadn't aged or changed at all in the four years since I'd seen him...When he saw me, he laughed...

"Oh My God...Look what the cat drug in?   I didn't expect to see you in here again B-Flat....Thought you was in Spain , speakin bad spanish to some big hairy guy named Lou." he laughed..

"Still the same ole Gus...You aint changed a bit..." I laughed..

Gus put a bottle of Wine on the counter and pulled up two glasses...He poured a glass for both of us...

"It's Christmas....My treat." he said.

I lifted a glass to him and drank up....

"So, I figure you here because you need a gig?" he said.

"Gus...you must read minds...That's exactly why I'm here.." I said.

"You're in luck....Reed Nelson, Bone Hampton and Downtown Rob Brown are all on the road...I was going to have a D.J. come in...but if you can rustle up some local musicians and put a band together...I can book you for this weekend and a few dates next week." he said.

"You payin scale?" I asked.

"I'll pay you a little extra if you draw a big enough crowd, how's that?" said Gus.

"That's great...I could use the bread.." I said.

Just then I heard a familiar voice--

"OH MY GOD!  Look what the cat drug in."

It was my ex-wife...Honey Brown....The barmaid here at Josies....

I smiled upon seeing her...She still looked good after all these years...

"Heyy darlin..What is this cat draggin me in business?  " I said ,laughing....

"Didn't expect to see you ever again." she said...

"Why? Wasn't no Spanish Jail gonna hold me, Wasn't no Spanish jail gone keep me from seein you." I said with a laugh...

Honey laughed...

"Oh my God...Here he go Gus, talkin that yang!...See why I would never date another musician?" she laughed.

"Or Marry one either,I guess." laughed Gus.

We all burst into raucous laughter....

"It's Christmas...Come on over here girl and let me look at you....Lawdddd today Honey, you stillll look good." I said.

She almost blushed , but she came over...I tried to pull her over to sit on my lap and she broke our embrace..

"Come on now...B-Flat...Let's not go there." she said, still smiling...

"I was your husband baby." I said.

"Was being the operative word here." she said.

"Aww come on Honey...Be nice...we aint seen each other in four years...and three of em, I was locked away in a Spanish jail.." I said.

"Who's fault was that?" she said.

"Okay..." I said and turned to Gus, ignoring her.....

She walked over, sat next to me and signaled to Gus to bring another glass...He did and the three of us killed that bottle and another bottle of wine....I bought a bottle of Champaigne off of him...It was 1:45 am...

"Closing time eh Gus?"I said.

"Yeah B.....You got someplace to stay?" he asked.

"Yeah...You know me and Ralph Scallion , the cook over at Dollar Bill's joint have always been cool...He's lettin me crash at his spot until I get settled...He's over at his lady's loft.." I said.

"You got wheels?" asked Gus.

"You know I keeps wheels...This is a rental out front...After I play a few gigs for you I'm gonna have a spot and a short." I said.

"You've really been gone a long time...Nobody says 'short' anymore !" laughed Honey Brown...

"Welllll uh why don't you visit me and uhhhhh hip me to the latest slang?" I said.

"Ha...In your dreams." she said.

I shruggged...

"Oh well...I had to try." I said.

"Yeah you did." she laughed.

"When you get settled financially, go talk to Chris Thompson and Chess..they  have some nice places that they rent out." said Gus...

"Thanks Gus...I saw Chris and Chess a few days ago...I'll be talkin to them some time during the week." I said.. Then I looked at Honey...

"Last chance Darlin...You stoppin by?" I said.

She smiled... "Uhhh,I don't think so.." she said.

"I'm stayin at Ralph Scallion's apartment if you change your mind." I said.

"I won't." she said. Gus just shook his head and laughed..

III-

Ralph Scallion had a nice apartment and a very nice building....He'd done well for himself cooking at Dollar Bill's joint...He could do even better if he opened his own joint like 88's wife, Mabel and her fine ass sisters.
I showered and threw on some Marvin Gaye on Ralph's I-pod and dimmed the lights....I popped open the champaigne and was about to kill the bottle when the doorbell rang...

Who knew I was even here?  Unless it was one of Ralph's lady friends...He kept a bevy of them and lord knows I could use a woman...It had been a long time...

I opened the door and to my surprise....It was my ex-wife...Honey Brown!!!!

"Whoa, isn't it past your bedtime?" I laughed.

"B-Flat...you gonna crack jokes or are you going to let me in?" she asked..

I let her in.

She was wearing a backless dress...I was impressed...With both the dress and her back...and smelling great.

"Lawdddd." I said, not concealing my utter delight with what I saw...

She didn't smile...

"You must be horny." I said.

"Still just as tactless and un-romantic as you ever were." she said.

"I'm just a realist...You acted all tough in front of Gus in the bar...and yet...Here you are." I smirked..

"Here I am..." she said...looking disgusted with herself...

I pulled her to me and unzippered her dress...She wiggled the rest of the way out of it...I unhooked her bra and she slipped out of her pantyhose...She slowly unzippered my trousers and looked at my raging erection and shook her head...

"My lord....you are still huge as ever....whoooooooeee." she said.

"Did you expect that I wouldn't be?" I asked...as I slipped out of my trousers and she helped me out of my shirt and undershirt...

"I knew you would be." she said...

"You certainly came with the right bait." I said, kissing her....She returned my kisses, with slow, sensual and yet wet kisses...

"Ouuuuuu, stop...stop talking...and just do me...ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh.." she moaned in between kisses..

''Aint you the damn romantic?" I said...

We kissed...slowly at first...As if we were trying to explore unknown territory, feel each other out....and gradually we began kissing passionately and pawing at each other furiously...I began kissing her from her navel up her stomach, between her breasts...the side of her neck, behind her ears...

"OHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH, ouuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu, oh my goddddddddddddd Bernarddddddddddddddddddddd...ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh I've missed you soooo muchhhhhhhhhhhhh,OHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!" she moaned..

"OHHHHHHH Honey...I've missed you toooooo...goood lawdddd, you feel good girlll,ummmmph." I moaned...

"Ohhhh B. Put it in me..please."she moaned...

There was a knocking on the wall-

"Heyyy quiet it downnnn, I'm tryin to sleep."

We both looked at each other and laughed....We continued kissing, licking, sucking and pawwing at each other in the living room...

"OHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"we moaned in unison!!

"Scallion...Don't you do anything else?  Huhhhh, knock it offff...Quiet the noise!" came the neighbor's voice.

We ignored it and headed for the bedroom, where we got in the bed and went to town...

That bed rocked from side to side...Those springs squeaked and that headboard slammed against the wall so hard ,I feared that either the bed was going to break down or we were going to knock a hole in the wall...

 "OHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH, ouuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu, oh my goddddddddddddd Bernarddddddddddddddddddddd...ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh I've missed you soooo muchhhhhhhhhhhhh,OHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"...she moaned...

"HEYYYY DAMMIT, STOP THE NOISE!!!!...WHAT ARE YOU DOIN IN THERE SCALLION??" came the neighbors voice as he pounded on the wall,.

He thought that Ralph had his lady or one of his chippies over....Good ole Ralph, still the dog I'd always known him to be.... Only this wasn't Ralph tonight ..this was me and my ex-wife, pretending we were still married!!!

We went on like this for at least another two hours before we both came furiously....

Honey was still shaking and trembling as I pulled out of her....She lie across the bed seemingly in deep thought!

"Ouuuu...I haven't come like that in ages.....Ouuuuuuuuu." she said...

Neither had I....I drifted off to sleep....This had been a good Christmas night and a good Christmas present.

IV-

I slept soundly, but I began to wake up, only to see Honey's naked body opening the shades and letting the sunshine in...damn she looked good!

''Hey baby" I smiled.

"Hey" she said....

''Want some breakfast?" I asked.

"Nothing's open...It's Christmas Day." she said.

''Well, I got some Eggs, some sausage and some bacon here...I could make us some breakfast." I said.

"That's nice...but I'm not stayin that long...I'm gonna take a shower and go home.." she said.

"Go Home?" I asked.

"Don't let last night go to your head B-Flat...That was just some Welcome Home-Merry Christmas booty that's all....It doesn't mean we gettin back together..but...it was....it was damn good..." she said.

"You mean you don't even want to think about that?" I asked.

"I'm surprised you do...You being a traveling musician and all." she said.

"Hey, Reed Nelson and "88" got married and I heard that Bone Hampton has been in a long term relationship..We aint all dogs." I said.

"And you aint none of them. Look, I was horny, you were horny and we both made each other feel good." she said.

"So last night was just about you huh?" I asked..

"I'm sure you enjoyed yourself too." she said.

"Well damn....I feel so...so used." I said.

Honey looked at me and laughed...a big wide belly laugh...

I got back under the covers...

"You'd better get going then...before somebody sees you and realizes you have the same thing on this morning you had on last night." I said.

She was quiet for a minute...then she headed into the shower and eventually got dressed...

"Bye B-Flat....Good luck in your endeavors." she said...I did not answer her or even acknowledge her...

She stood in the doorway like she expected me to say something, but I said nothing..Then I heard her gently close the door and walk down the hallway...

I listened and only went to the window when her car was pulling off....