Last night, I expected to perform a song in a crowded banquet hall for a video taped tribute to Haiti to be later aired on PBS. It didn’t quite turn out that way.
In preparation for the evening, I practiced for 2 days singing and playing the song, “Imagine” by John Lennon. I wanted the beauty of the original song, but with a unique flare to the arrangement. I tried on every dress and skirt ensemble in my closet trying to match the definition of the attire for the evening – Elegant, Comfortable. (???!!!?) I finally decided on a simple, but sophisticated chocolate brown dress, a chunky necklace, and Ninewest strappy heels (which later tried to kill me that night as I got lost in Time Square heading back to Port Authority).
However, when I arrived at the show, the woman in charge met me with some bad news. The host backed out at the last second and the show would be canceled, but dinner would be served to whoever chose to stay. Although disappointed, I volunteered to play while people ate. After all, I hated to waste a bus ride and I did practice that song all day. I might as well get some exposure.
The photographer who was hired for the event also decided to stay. He graciously took photos for me and offered to edit and send them to me for free. I was thrilled because my website is a bit sad right now and I could use some decent photos for it. We talked on and off all night and I was grateful to have made a friend.
I spent the next hour pulling songs out of my memory that the dwindling crowd might find entertaining. I played every jazz standard and Billy Joel song I could recall without having my list to choose from or my fake book of chords. I ended up playing almost exclusively to a lady who worked there. She clapped after every song and I could feel that she was only person in the room studying me as I played. Each time I looked up, I saw her smile and nod her head at me. I was happy to have at least one fan.
At the end of the night, my “fan” and I talked for a long time and exchanged information. She told me she was going to make all her friends listen to my CD and I just smiled and thanked her. The woman in charge decided to pay me double for the night, which I happily accepted but didn’t expect. And after griping just the other day about how I had so few friends who lived in the city, I made one last night in the photographer! So the night didn’t go as planned, but I actually think it turned out better.
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