the pianòman that struck a chord

by Markus Jay

A strong wind blew so now I know how a candle in the wind must feel. I looked up at the sky, the clouds looked heavy against the starless sky as in the distance they rumbled and rolled. It was a type of night that you would rather stay at home curled up in front of a roaring fire.

In a trance I just wondered around in the November rain. The night reminded me of the night my old girlfriend, Mel, dumped me. Mel, broke my heart and left me with deep wound, a wound that to this day hasn`t healed It and has left me with a deep scar. I was thinking about my last words to her- I`m in love with you but you weren`t in love with me. As I said these words she just turned and walked away, it was the last time I ever saw her.

'Looks like we`re in for stormy weather' I thought to myself as I headed out into the dark, brooding, night in my search for this centuries Mozart or Beethoven.

I was determined to make my discovery no matter how long it was going take, I was never going to just let it be.

'I`ll be remembered alongside Colonel Tom Parker and Brian Epstein.' I thought as I begun to imagine what all this fortune and fame will bring me. Maybe it`s only a dream but I`ll dream on anyway.

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I walked across McCarther Park. The rain started fallin' .I turned into John Street, a long and winding road, but half way down it changes into David Street. John Street is renowned for its many fine restaurants and cafes.

"Let`s see what do I feel like...I know, some Chinese...Me No Dim is new restaurant I`ve heard nothing but good things about. I think I`ll give it a try." I whispered to myself as I made my way down the cobblestone footpath.

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I took a seat next to the large window and browsed the extensive menu. No sooner had I placed it down, a waitress came over to take my order. I looked at her name tag it read Layla.

"Very strange name for a waitress in a Chinese restaurant?" I said to her as I ordered, and continued "I’ll have the number 10 but I`ll start with number 2 and a glass of your very best red wine, thank you."

I watched the chaos that was unfolding at the Italian restaurant across the street. These scenes from an Italian restaurant very much had entertained me while I waited for my meal to arrive. I didn`t have to wait too long. One of the glowing positives I had heard about this restaurant.

"No knife and fork for me “I said to the waitress as she placed my meal in front of me.

Being a Chinese restaurant I feel the meal has to be eaten with chopsticks. How does that old saying go 'when in Rome?' A sort of superstition of mine.

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With my belly satisfied I continued my quest. I stepped out into the night and walked along John`s Streets cobblestoned footpath. As I turned left into blueberry hill road, a nightclub district, I begun to wonder if maybe I`ll find my thrill of discovering that once in a generation star.

I stepped into a dark alleyway off blueberry hill road-I had a tip off that down this alley was an exclusive piano bar where I might find that elusive performer I had been searching for.

I nervously thought 'Maybe this is a set up or some-ones idea of a joke' but cautiously I moved forward into the dark and dingy alley. The alley was a type of alley I wouldn`t normally venture into but somehow I felt safe and secure with this one. Maybe it was because I`d convinced myself that there must be the clubs bouncer, or maybe two, keeping a close eye on the alley.

'Either they`re hiding in the dark or watching it on a CCTV' I thought to myself because I couldn`t see any one

The only things I could see was the rubbish shewn across the ground and over flowing rubbish bins. Also the alley gave off an offensive odour that burnt the insides of my nostrils. The darkness of the alley was silent except for the sound of the dripping water.

'Probably from a broken pipe.' I thought as I slowly looked up and spotted cameras above my head, spying on the alleys goings on.

A sign above a peeling green door, at the ally`s end, glowed a dull crimson light which read master blaster. At the door I was greeted by a no neck, crew cut, burley gentleman, and I use that word gentleman loosely. Height about 6`10 and weighted about 20 stone. In other words you wouldn’t want to get on the wrong side of this character. I told him who I was; he looked me up and down then paused for a moment, staring straight into my eyes. The uncomfortable silence made me nervous.

Eventually he said. "Alright then, in you go!" but not before he looked ne up and down while muttering-mmm-to himself. To say this, plus the undoable silence that came before, made me feel nervous was an understatement.

He opened the door and straight away the hairs on the back of my neck stood. I could hear the sound of an old piano playing hot behind the green door. I wondered down the paisley printed wallpapered corridor towards the sound it was coming from the room at the corridors end.

I paused for a moment at the room’s entrance as to take in the atmosphere. From what I could tell there was only about 40 patrons. Some sitting on lounge chairs, a few sitting at the brass and wooden bar and about 1/2 dozen sat around the grand piano that sat in the rooms centre. A lone piano man tinkled the ivories. The sound he generated was outstanding, if I closed my eyes I would`ve thought a duo was playing. The way he caressed the keys, fingers a blur up and down the pianos keyboard.

'They`re quicker than the flight of the bumble bee. ' I thought to myself upon witnessing his fingers at work .

He played with a tone so sweet and with a pitch that couldn’t be faulted. It was a cross between classical and ragtime. It was a sound I had never heard before. It was a sound that I was looking for.

I overheard one patron say to him "Man what are you doing here?" as he added to his tips.

Sitting on top of his piano was a small, plastic grass skirt wearing Hawaiian dancer, just like the ones you would see on car dashboards in the 70`.She was swinging her hips in time with the music, his own tiny dancer dancing on top of the piano, just for him.

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I struck up a conversation with the piano player told him who I was and what I was here for. He had 1000 questions for me; I had a 1000 answers for him. I could tell by the look in his eyes that I was the one who could make all his dreams come true. I told him how yesterday I had a premonition that soon I would discover the next big thing and tonight I may well have made that discovery.

"I`ll give you some advice don`t stop believing in yourself, even when you make to the top. Once you stop that’s when you start to fall. Don`t ever appear like you a desperado trying to get your fans affection because before you know it; your a has been.

"They can spot a fraud from 1000 miles away." I said then added "Another piece of advice I have for you, when you play a cover do it your way. Make it sound as if it`s your song, not someone else’s. Another thing I want to say is that no matter what, I`ll always will be there for you, always open to give advice. José remember you can always lean on me."

"Look at the time; I must be on my way."I said as I looked at the clocks hanging on the wall.

I love to stay and talk but I must go, but do come and see me, I don’t work on Monday`s so make it on Tuesday...here is my card....By the way, what’s your name?"

"Jude...Jude McCartney... I don`t like Mondays either, so Tuesday it is,"

"Hey Jude don`t forget now!"