George & Lee Go
To Prom Together
April 22nd,
George is not a 'morning person'. In fact, he's not a mid-morning, mid-mid-morning, or late-morning person either. Usually somewhere between 11:06 a.m.- 11:13 a.m. he will mentally resurface for a moment, mumble off some incoherent idea he has about something, then quickly retreat to the expressionless cocoon of 'zoning out' until the afternoon. Through the years, he has cleverly learned to conceal this predisposition, in order to co-exist in the world of the 'early morning dwellers'. But it's all a just a social mask, to avoid the early morning inquests of "What's wrong?" "Are you feeling alright?", "Rough night?" etc.
Lee on the other hand, finds the start of each new day invigorating. He's ready to take on the world! And on a day that he gets to perform, he is even more exuberant! He has already had three cups of coffee by the time George arrives to his house to load in at 8:30 a.m. Three cups for Lee is probably 2 1/2 cups too many due to Lee's physiological makeup. In the same way that 1 human year is equivalent to 7 dogs years, 8 ounces of coffee to Lee would be as if a normal person were to have a mixture of espresso, Red Bull, and rocket fuel pumped directly into their heart while drinking a gallon of Jolt cola. While George finds the smell of freshly brewed coffee delectable, he can't bring himself to drink what he calls 'heated bean juice.' If he ever did, maybe he would find out that he is actually a morning person after all.
The two quickly load the equipment into the GP3 mobile (also know as Lee's van) and zip down the highway. Unfortunately, Matthew will not be joining them today. After the gig date had been secured, Matthew found out that his day job had a scheduling obstacle and has sentenced him to participate in a tediously drawn out planning meeting today. This is unfortunate for a variety of reasons: Number one, nothing significant ever is accomplished at these team meetings. If he's lucky, the organizers will run out of steam after 2 1/2 hours and agree to reconvene for a follow up session later in the month. As for the band, the guys are definitely better as a trio vs. a duo (who ever heard of the 2 Stooges?). Matthew has a natural connection with everyone he meets, making the group very accessible to the people before and after the performances. Lee and George are usually setting up/tearing down the gear, allowing Matthew to mingle through the crowd. He has a gift. But the main reason for regret today, is because this is no ordinary venue.
The guys have agreed to provide entertainment for a school of handicapped and special needs teenagers called the Community Center. The event is being held at the Texas Safari Ranch in Richmond, Texas. It's their prom, and Principal Bobby Stanley wants some lively, upbeat music for the students. Bobby saw the trio at a grand opening he happened to be at a few months ago, and told them of his need. The three agreed to donate their time to the school and not charge for the performance. Even though Lee and George miss Matthew, they are eager to participate and make today special for these kids. Neither Lee nor George went to their high school proms, so this is an opportunity that they are looking forward to.
After the two engage in a ridiculous debate about Clint Eastwood's role in the movie UNFORGIVEN, Lee's coffee has taken full effect and he is amped up! He flies down the highway like an A.D.D. diagnosed kid with weak bladder control playing Chinese Checkers. He leapfrogs the van from slot to slot (some of them are even empty). He's like a buccaneer fighting through toll roads, yelling at on ramps as if this behavior helps advance the vehicle. Ironically, George chose to carpool with him to relax - wrong! Lee is conversing now with the other drivers to which George sheepishly reports "Uh...Lee, I don't think that they can hear you..." But Lee ignores this; and it's at this point that George suspects Lee is having a Steve McQueen flashback to the car chase scene in the1968 movie Bullit.
An hour or so later, the two arrive at the ranch,
and George is exhausted from the drive. Feeling a
little bit like he's been living through the Blues
Brothers' driving finale with the fast forward
button stuck, he jettisons out of the parked
vehicle. He is, however, grateful to Lee for getting
them here early. The two are first struck by the
wonders of the safari's animal life: "I thought that
the 'Safari Texas Ranch' was in name only...look at
those zebras
over there!" Lee convinces George
that jumping the fence to pet or ride them is a bad idea.
The two make their way to the
Palm Pavilion Ballroom as
peacocks strut
and stroll
directly outside the bay windows.
While
Lee is looking outside
, George is looking up at the
many chandeliers which seem to elegantly bloom from
the ceiling.
"Hey,
you know, Bobby said the ranch here donated this
room to the school today. The normal rate for this
ballroom and food is $10,000.00." "Really? Then we
should put on a
$10,000.00 show." "What exactly would that be?"
"I don't know, maybe I'd ride in on one of those
zebras, and you'd be dressed in a peacock suit."
"Yeah, then
ten grand wouldn't be enough!"
The two quickly setup on the small stage provided
for them. As they are finishing up, Principal
Stanley arrives in full tuxedo. He thanks them both
once again and takes a quick photo.
As the students and their caregivers trickle in, the
excitement builds; this is the first time their prom
has had live music. Usually it's a
karaoke singer
and the latest
KIDZ BOP CD or something worse. The pupils and
faculty are always grateful, but they know today
will be special.
And speaking of karaoke, George's attention is drawn to the sound of squelchy feedback radiating from the far left of the room. He approaches a lady hunched over a small (but annoyingly powerful) karaoke box. "Hi. I'm George..." Squee-weeeeel!!!! "Huh? Oh...Hi. I'm Carolyn. I'm trying to..." Squee-weeeeel!!. George helps her surpress the feedback demon, but only for a moment. "Are you speaking today? You could use our system - We're already set up and we could get a mic for you." "Well, I'm doing a little of both speaking and singing today. If I could just..." Squee-weeeeel. "Uh...You shouldn't point the mic directly into the speaker." "I know, sorry. I think I'll just stick with my system because..." Squee-weeeeeeeeeeeeel (George resists the urge to break the volume knob of Carolyn's karaoke and offers a smile instead) "What are you singing?" "Some inspirational songs for the kids: You Are the Wind Beneath My Wings and then What a Wonderful World." "Oh we love the song, What a Wonderful World! In fact, we were going to close with that today. Would you like us to play it for you to sing over?" "Thanks, but I have a special way of doing it." "Oh...are you..." SQWEEEAAAAAAEEEEEL!!! George has had all the he can stand of Carolyn's system feedback. He winces as he backs away. He contemplates putting his head in Lee's bass drum to escape Carolyn's sonic assault. He finds it interesting that the noises don't seem to even register with her. As if she's conditioned herself over the years to endure the piercing screeches of her speaker. But everyone else still has a way to go.
Lee and George have moved on to mingling with the
students and teachers and are well-received. After a
few minutes of this, places are taken and the
program formally begins. Principal Stanley welcomes
everyone and acknowledges accomplishments of the
past year by passing out roses from the podium to
each of the teachers and assistants. Lee thinks how
this suspiciously resembles that Bachelor TV show.
A few announcements later, Carolyn is invited up to
begin her presentation.
Gratefully, she has managed
to control most of the feedback noises. And as
promised, she begins an odd spoken-word version of
WIND BENEATH MY WINGS and
WHAT A WONDERFUL WORLD,
occasionally singing the melody at the chorus.
Lee at first is confused by this, but eventually
tunes it all out secretly hoping the feedback will
return.
At the conclusion of the special 'songs', the wait
staff emerge and serve with the precision of a Navy SEAL
team. The entrées are quickly distributed to all of
the settings
. Lee leans to George "Do we play now?"
"Uh...I--don't know...I was kinda waiting for an
official announcement, and maybe even a rose given
to us." George looks around for a signal from
someone in charge, but no one seems to be paying
attention to them.
He lightly strikes the
piano keys for a few measures, and looks around. He
shrugs to Lee "I guess we can start...if not,
someone can come stop us. Let's start slow and see
what they do."
Even without Matthew and his bass, these two are clearly on their game. After 'warming the room' with a few jazz instrumentals, Lee and George are now in full stride. During the fifth song George introduces the 'band' and mentions that bass player, Matthew, would have loved to have been here today, but couldn't. He dedicates Norah Jones' tune DON'T KNOW WHY I DIDN'T COME to Matthew and imagines him counting ceiling tiles and writing notes on his hand in a fluorescently lit, overcrowded holding cell with his co-workers.
After the meals are finished, the assistants move
the students to the front of the ballroom. Those who are
able to walk, push their wheelchair-bound friends
around and around circling and zig-zagging over the
dance floor. They're having a blast and Lee and
George are delighted to be a part of it.
These kids may
have some physical and mental disadvantages, but
they know how to enjoy themselves. One of the
volunteers leans into George between songs to say "We
could all learn how to live in the moment from these
kids". George agrees, and he and Lee continue to
play their hearts out for this group.
Bobby announces that the coronation of the prom king and queen is due. The 2007 queen, Jackie is rolled into position next to him. She proudly wears her crown from last year for the last time. After a buildup worthy of a beauty pageant, Principal Bobby announces the winners: "Clay Brown as King, and Chelesa Garrett as Queen!" Applause erupts through the ballroom. George begins to sing the Eric Clapton favorite YOU LOOK WONDERFUL TONIGHT. Clay and Chelesa's teachers wheel their chairs together and apart across the dance floor like two Venetian gondolas romantically passing each other at dusk. The song ends, and everyone returns to dance floor. George and Lee's playing is white hot now with no signs of letting up.
After a blistering 20 minute set of upbeat tunes, Principal Stanley discretely requests the song LADY IN RED . As George plays the opening chords, Bobby grabs the surprised hand of a young lady dressed in an exquisite long red dress. As the two dancers sway around the dance floor by themselves, something happens to George and he gets all 'Emo'. He is so choked up at the scene, he is barely able to sing. His voice cracks and becomes unreliable. He tries to compose himself for the sake of this special moment, and manages to make it to the instrumental section. He leans to Lee "It's so beautiful...it's just so..." George re-enters at the chorus and holds it together for a strong finish. "Whew! I wish Matthew could have been here for that." The other dancers return to the floor to finish out the set.
Outside the rain barrels down like Niagara falls. It's past the prom's scheduled finish time but the sudden cloud burst keeps everyone inside. Since the wheelchairs can't be loaded in this downpour, George and Lee decide to play for an extra 45 minutes. The schoolmates are overjoyed. As the skies turn blue again, George finishes with an obvious selection of HAVE YOU EVER SEEN THE RAIN? Everyone loads into vans and buses and the ballroom is quickly still again.
The room echoes with the sound of gig cases popping open and drum stands being folded up and stowed. After a few minutes Bobby returns from a side door "WHOA! That was amazing! How many songs did you guys play?" " I don't know...maybe 30 or 40?" Bobby has graciously had the wait staff save a plate for Lee and George. As they eat, George and Lee ask Bobby how he became involved with a special needs school. He tells them his story and the highlights of service he's given to the Community Center for the past five years. George and Lee are so moved that they offer to play a Christmas concert for the school in December; and two handshakes later they seal the deal. Bobby thanks the guys again and heads out back to his school and students.
Tired but satisfied, the two weary band mates finish loading the van. Lee's driving is noticeably more relaxed on the way home. The two speak of how fortunate they are to be allowed to play all of the different venues they have played and people they've meet along the way. George begins to softly nod off as Lee plays him a CD of rock/folk band Country Joe and the Fish (This is no small task if you've ever heard CJ&F's music- you know how hard it is to fall asleep to them). Nevertheless, he slumbers as the van bounces down the highway back to Houston. One can only imagine that he's dreaming of how beautiful Chelesa and Clay looked gliding back and forth to the band's music. He wonders if he will ever see a more beautiful sight on the dance floor.
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