The Last Song Part 1

The Last Song

              

  The rain fell in the paved and trashed alley the black and blue trash bins welcomed the cleansing rain. It was another typical summer rain in the City. A black cat licked his pawns under the shelter of the pizzeria place hanging roof and the fat owner snored the afternoon away. His long and greasy hair hugged his rounded face. Inside the pizzeria flies and turned chairs ruled the dark place. In the kitchen the old brick oven laid wide open with flames licking out into the darkness now and then. The delivery driver sat in front of the old computer with the office door closed and his pants unbuttoned watching his favorite popup filled porn; big silicone lesbians with heroin marks still fresh around their bodies. There was no sound in that old computer but there was no need for our savvy driver. He just filled the blank moans with his imagination. It was better this way he thought. Besides the closed office there lies the most interesting person in this stinky pizzeria and perhaps in the whole City.

                There Maritza Montenegro laid in the old mattress in the floor with her fingers caressing the old strings of the wooden guitar. Blind and with hair of snow she smiles into the darkness as her lips part to sing a soundless song. Because her voice is like most her life had almost left her. She could hear the rain through the roof cracks and as the water poured into the attic. Tears would roll down her tanned and wrinkled cheeks. Memories. Too many memories the rain always brought to her like an old friend that appeared out of the mist and told her to Remember. Of course she remembered the olden days when she was beautiful with long and black curly hair that drove most men insane. Her full lips would sing into the silver microphone with such passion and feeling that many would say an angel was singing.  The lights full in her face accentuated her sharp features that many teenager girls tried to imitate but failed. She was unique.  She was Maritza the Great. Of course, that was not her stage name. But at this old age we shall let her keep her privacy.

1

                It was the 1950s when Maritza discovered she liked this singing thing she would laid awake all night listening to the records of the moment. Music moved her from inside out. Every note was unique and special and it had its purpose to make a song whole. She would memorize most songs after one hour or so of her intense listening sections. In the other hours she would sing into her pillow as the old big brown headphones played the songs in her ears.  The next day she would sing with the exact intonation and feeling as the song she had learned to her friend Olivia, and Olivia just giggled and smiled.  Maritza even was able to imitate male vocals with such precision that people in the street turned as she would sing into Olivia’s ear as they sat in park bench and they ate their favorite ice cream.

                Maritza was sixteen at the time. No much time was left for her in school after High School she was done and it would be either vocational school or stay at home mother. She did not like her options so when the Fall auditions came she tried out and was accepted at once the professor with her tears rolling down her pink cheeks hugged her and said they would win the schools competitions this year with her singing. Everyone applauded as she dilated the professor with a classic song. Maritza performed the song perfectly and it was as if she had the chorus and the band there with accompanying her.  It was an interesting fall for Maritza.

                 Maritza and her singing band left in the dust the local schools in the singing competitions and the state finals were tied as Maritza was almost disqualified by a judge that thought she was cheating somehow and that there was no way such a young girl could make such deep and powerful male voice. But when Maritza soloed the piece she got an outstanding ovation and the judged turned pink as Maritza bowed and left the stage with a smile. The Nationals were no challenge for Maritza as the professor decided it would be best to let Maritza solo and she already had a reputation after the judge incident that many in the audience carried sings with her name and some even wanted a photograph with her.  The rest of the band agreed and the day came for the finalist.

                It was the Christmas Eve of 1950 when Maritza Montenegro was presented to the world. There she stood tall with her long curly hair and red heels.  The blue dress she wore was simple but elegant with hints of snow white and a belt interlaced with fake silver strings. It was unconventional for a school competition even it was the Nationals but it kept with the rules of the school colors.  She stepped into the stage with the enormous hot lights illuminating everything it almost blinded her but she just walked with her back straight and with a big smile with her meaty red lips. The lights dimmed and the silver microphone descended from the ceiling she lifted her brown eyes and smiled as the light illuminated the long tailed piano where Olivia sat fully dressed in black and white gloves. The music began.

                The audience soon quiet as the sad melody broke into the theater.  The spot light disappeared from Olivia and the rest of the band stepped into the darkness to sing as the chorus. The skin of the audience shivered when Maritza began to sing in that angelical voice that had been rumored. It was both sweet and deep that made the soul whip. Not many in the audience knew the old Latin words that Maritza was singing but it felt just as if was the natural language of the soul. Because music, after all is universal and what the singer and instruments players tell us with their complicated tunes are their feelings. We can all understand when a child cries among the rain and hugs her cloth doll tightly. We all understand when a puppy is hungry and looks into our souls. We also understand the hand we were holding falls lifeless into the dead bed. And most of us understand when our hearts fall victims of the delicious trap of love. This is when John fell head over heels for Maritza.

                John with short military hair stood in the back of the audience with his blue marine uniform and white hat. He was left speechless as soon as Maritza began to sing. All the comments from his companions died off in the distance as they continued to joke about some of the pretty girls around the audience, but most of all they were in awe with Maritza.  John with his big green eyes scanned the stage from left to right. It was not a dream after all. He felt his heart pulsating at a thousand miles per hour more than when he was in the nameless war. Even when he was on the rusty machine gun killing the enemy. There was nothing that would ever make feel this way ever. The chills that run through his body were as if thousands of ants were running through him. He sighed and applauded mid song.

                Joselyn Rivers shot an angry look towards the marine that broke her concentration. She was so lost in the beautiful and angelical song she was hearing.  She was proud of having lost to Maritza. Her sweaty hands soaked her pink dress and as the spot lights began to turn into different spots in the age Joselyn was left with her mouth wide open. Three girls began to dance with a fairy outfit all in green nylons and slippers. Their little wings seemed to move on their own even if Joselyn knew it was just tricks of the lights. The spot light from Maritza banished and the audience began to grow worried as the angelical voice fell silence. The fairy dancers continued their performance as a boy dressed all in white stepped forward with an old violin that he solo played. It was mesmerizing as the boy in all white turned all the eyes to him. Joselyn felt as if she was take back into that wonderful world Maritza had taken her and wondered why Maritza and her classmates had hidden such performance before the finals. She had no doubt that they would be the national winners. The new television cameras as silent observers transmitted the signal all over the country and more and more people turned on to the show. Not many expected much from High School students but this was something totally different.  It broke viewership records for that Christmas. One cannot say if that triggered the Christmas Specials that we are so used to now but it was something that was a reason for it.

                Maritza Montenegro broke into the beautiful violin melody as she now dressed all in white sang along the boy in white. In unison they took the audience into that ecstasy of being when a tune just grab you by the hand and takes you higher into another place and time.  The piano united to their unison and soon the voices of the chorus carried the melody. It was something easy to chant deep in the throat and so the audience began to unite with the chorus. All the theater lights turned and everyone with tears in their eyes continued to sing into the night.  Majestic it was all majestic a critic would claim the next morning in the newspaper.

                Of course Maritza and her band took the first place home along with all the flowers around the theater probably that they had hard time fitting everything into the school bus. Maritza was soon approached by countless of music labels and offers for her to perform in different places all the way to her homeland of Italy. Her mother and father embraced her as they told her how proud they were of her. But, what she needed the most was the embrace of her grandmother that now was gone. Tears rolled down her eyes as she combed her beautiful hair.  It was her grandmother who had showed her much love as she waited in Italy among the farm animals and the beautiful sunsets after the summer rains. There her grandmother sang to her as she run her ancient fingers through her hair. Maritza would fall asleep in her grandmother’s lap and when she would open her eyes there her grandmother would be by her side with a hot cup of lemon tea and honey.  When her grandmother died she was sent to America to the small room that all her family shared when she was eleven. The noisy city had scared her at first with shouting merchants and angry drivers that would honk the lost little girl as she made her way to the little school where she tried to learn English among the other recent immigrants.  She did not feel herself and she felt probably worse than four year old child that was lost in the fair. Her thoughts were longer hers as she had to learn new ways to express herself. No more sweetness and innocence. No more funny jokes or game on words. English was a cold and harsh language.

                After a few years of doom Maritza’s family luck changed.  They moved to a better neighborhood where the houses had real lawns and where there were big open places with trees and playgrounds where kids played and where Maritza learned to ride the bike in the long summer days with her father. She felt as a heavy weight had been lifted from her and she was finally breathing again and was once again in some way closer to nature. She even began her High School years with a bus that took her from door to door. Maritza was better with her English but not as native but she surprised most her teachers with her fast learning in other subjects and also with her deep English compositions that surprised all. She was embarrassed when a teacher would read a paragraph out loud for everyone to hear and the teacher would say how proud of her they all were. Because not only did a non-native girl from another country had done better than them but she had done it at a college level of writing. Of course, it was all thanks to her private tutors and the constant insistence of her both doctor parents that now had a little clinic for Old Italian seniors in the Old Italian district. At first her parents were afraid of investing all their saving into the little clinic but at the end it paid off as more and more people heard about them. Soon, they would have to move to a bigger place and after the Christmas events Maritza could not feel happier.

2

                But, life has always a blind turn for all of us and for Maritza it was George Palacio. There he was waiting outside the Old Catholic High School when he introduced himself as a musician representative. His tick Italian accent accentuated his pointy mustache and his greasy hair adhered to his skull like a second skin. George did not look older than thirty but his spotless gray suit that was well ironed and his penetrating aroma made Maritza feel dizzy and she blamed it in the hot day. Of course, she should have known better when George asked if he could speak with her alone. Olivia just giggled and nodded elbowing Maritza to go ahead.

                Maritza walked along side George that changed to Italian more often than not. She did not mind but it was getting annoying when he just used random English words to say the most idiotic comments and he would always begin with “How do you say… ah yes…” then say the word in perfect English with no accent at all and with arrogance as if speaking English was something dirty. Maritza did not like such people, since she liked to respect each culture for their qualities and most of all respect the language. She thought the language was the body of the culture and the music its soul. Italian and English lyrics had beautiful stories embedded in them if one paid attention and Maritza was one that took to heart most of the song’s lyrics.

                Maritza and George arrived to a crowded fountain soda place where teens with colorful skirts and some boys with long greasy hair and skinny jeans. They were mostly from the public high schools and Maritza felt a little out of place with her gray skirt and red sweater of her school uniform with the seal of the school large and bright on her chest.

                George grabbed the root beers with a lot of extra foam and handed one to Maritza, and she felt in love with the drink at once. She never had have one because she did not hang with Olivia in such places and there would be hell to pay at their houses if they were even found in such companies. George smiled under his foamed whiskers. Maritza relaxed at seeing him act so funny and natural. She lowered her defenses and felt relaxed. Something she would come to regret later, but for that moment the jukebox played on the background and the black and white titles with their smooth surfaces made the place seem magical.

                Maritza closed her eyes and smiled. Rock was always such a chaotic music to her ears but it had its merit. Love flew through the lyrics and the electric feelings made her want to dance and she imagined dancing with this thirty Old Italian guy in the middle of all those teenage boys. George looked too old to be in such place, but somehow he fitted in better when he took off his suit jacket and unbuttoned one or two of his blue collar shirt. The muscles under his shirt were noticeable and a few of the girls around stared at him as he messed his oily black hair. Maritza bit her lips and was awed at the transformation.  He looked younger and handsome not some old businessman. The music at the jukebox changed and boys grabbed girls to dance.

                George scanned Maritza with his big brown eyes and nodded to her then stood up and invited her to dance. Maritza tried to hesitate but when the other girls looked at her she reluctantly stood and George held her close like in the wooden guitar. She felt her ears and face burning at as the music overtook her body. George moved to the rhythm of the notes and was surprisingly a good dancer like he was born to it even if it was the dirty rock music he had commented on.

                Everyone stopped and watched as Maritza the catholic school student and the elder gentlemen with straight back and funny mustache. Maritza forgot everything as her feet flew over the dance floor. The late afternoon sun rays washed the black and white titles and their long shadows spread across the colorful walls. When the song ended everyone applauded and Maritza and George bowed as if they had been in a dancing competition. George took Maritza out into sunset by his arm and walked her home. They spoke of nothing in particular just random stuff and nothing to do either with their dancing or with her singing abilities.

                George bid farewell to Maritza at the corner of her house and asked if he come and visit later. She agreed and she went home with a bright smile. When she arrived her mother asked what happened but she just turned left and bolted to her room. Dinner was uneventful as the new black and white television took most of the family attention away. She was glad for that at least there would not be many questions for her random giggling. Of course her mother was no fool and before she exited the kitchen after she had washed the dishes she grabbed her by the hand and asked her what really happened. Maritza liked talking to her mother but it had never come to her talking about boys and much less about the older type. It was one thing to play sweaty hand with a teen boy that did nothing more than just shyly hold her hand at most in those times. But a gentleman and an experience one with such dancing moves it might send the wrong impression up to her mother. Maritza did not lie about who and what George wanted. He was some sort of musician representative that wanted to talk to her and they went to the soda shop. Maritza’s mother smiled and asked her that she wanted to meet this George fellow next time he came to see her. Because it was not proper for an elder gentleman to be seeing a young lady in such circumstances. Maritza knew her mother would not tell her father since it would be like throwing wood into the already burning fire.

                Spring came and went and George did not return. Maritza had almost forgotten about him after the many sleepless nights she kept replaying the dancing scene in her head along with a new song she was composing. More musician representatives tried to woe her with extravagant gifts and false promises she could feel it somehow in her blood when they were trying to deceive her. Perhaps it was just that they were not George and she should have known better. But first loves and obsessions are hard ones to forget. When summer began George honked from his brand new black convertible and he was wearing black eyeglasses and was tanned. Maritza almost did not recognize him as his hair was now longer and it hung loose on his shoulders. At his side there was a fake blond woman with black eyeglasses as well and a short yellow dress that revealed too much.

                Maritza and Oliva stopped next to the telephone pole and George parked his car next to it. She asked how they had been and they shyly said that they were fine and the lady in the yellow dress just lighted her light cigar and began smoking into the side as if they were not there. Maritza felt her skin burning she did not know if it was jealousy or just the heat.

                George presented the lady in yellow as Britney and Maritza knew it was as a fake name as it could get but she just smiled warmly to this Britney person. He said she was also a singer and soon he hoped to make her a star. But of course, they had not come all the way from California to talk about the talented Britney but instead to talk about Maritza. She felt her cheeks burning, but she tried to breathe deep. She needed to not be seem too eager to finally had George before her and that it had not been a dream after all. Britney complained about the heat and George said that they all should meet for dinner Saturday after a movie at the drive through cinema. Maritza said she would need to ask her parents. George smiled and said that they were invited as well and so was Olivia of course that had her feet ready to walk away. Maritza held her close and they agreed.

                Maritza and George exchanged information and they parted. Of course her mother was excited to finally meet this George fellow and her father agreed after Maritza mother told him and there was not arguing with that. The week flew by as Maritza and Olivia went shopping after school for the perfect dress and matching shoes. Maritza had never felt this nervous and at the same time she felt a little sad, because of this fake blonde and because George had found someone older and prettier than her. Of course she thought she had have silly dreams of teenage girls. Older man preferred older women with fully developed bodies. She sighed and tried one more dress.

                Saturday morning arrived and the phone rang at 10 am. It was George confirming their date and Maritza just giggled and said that her family was coming along as well. He sounded happy and said it was going to be a big date.  They hung up and Olivia arrived at midday to get ready. The upstairs was a warzone with the long bath Maritza and Olivia took. The water was aromatic to the bone with lavender and milk of goats. Who knows where Olivia had gotten such things but when they were done they smelled of some weird perfume that Maritza mother made them take another long and cold shower. They laughed all the while and when it was time to get their hair done it was another crazy affair. Finally, the living room clock rang Six.

                Maritza and Olivia run to the door with their beautiful matching dresses. Purple with a white flower booming from the hips. Maritza hair was wet curly or it had been made to be looking like that, and Olivia’s dirty blond hair hung to her shoulder perfectly straight.  Maritza’s mother was in a much simple and yet elegant vanilla dress with a little flower pin and her hair done all up. Her father in the other hand wore his old brown sweater and his elegant golden watch that hung by the golden chain.

                The drive to cinema was a quiet one as Maritza and Olivia whispered into each other ears. Maritza’s mother just smiled into the back mirror.  The cars made their way into the open cinema and there was George in a nice bright blue suit and the fake blond, Britney was no were to be found. Maritza felt her heart jump. George greeted Mrs. And Mr. Montenegro with a kiss in each cheek like in the Italian custom and spoke to them in perfect Italian. Her parents smiling responded back and her father hugged George. Maritza thought it was well played and smiled. 

                Maritza’s father and George went to grab the popcorns and root beers. Well it was more of George asking Mr. Montenegro if he would not coming with him. Maritza felt nervous at once, but when they took a long time to return she began to worry. Olivia told her to calm down and that they were probably were having manly talk, and that she knew how man liked to talk about business away from women even if they are the ones that are being negotiated.  Cavemen Olivia joked.  Maritza could not help but to smile. After George and her father returned they seemed a little tipsy as they held two half empty jugs of beer. They were laughing and joking in Italian. It was something strange Maritza thought seeing her father so happy and everything around her felt as if the world was slowing down… people turning off their cars lights and putting the little speaker next to their windows. Silence rolled in as the count down for the movie began. There were no questions or answers as the black and white canvas began the movie with the fake car chase that it was obviously just a stationary car and some gangsters where pointing their guns from side to side. Of course they were Italian Americans with fake Italian accent played by white folks twisted their lips as if they have had a stroke or something. Maritza did not laugh, and instead she felt her insides turn at the silence of her father and George.

                The movie ended with the muscled cop rescuing the fake blond with the curly hair and too revealing dress. The lights returned and the sound of the car engines staring signaled the end to the human silence. George and her father exchanged a few other words in Italian and George said he would see them at the restaurant. Soon everyone was sitting in the fancy Italian restaurant that have some live music and a big fountain in the middle with a pair of naked angels. The white gloved waiters took their orders as they waited for George that was running late somehow even if he had been behind in his black convertible. A few minutes later the champagne and red wines arrived. George appeared soon after in a new black suit with a white silver scar around his neck and Britney by the side of his arms. She was dressed in a long green night dress and a pearl necklace drew sights to her generous breasts.  Everyone stood and Maritza was filled with rage. This stupid fake blond had to make a scene of course she had, even if it was supposed to be Maritza’s night. A night to discuss her possible future and in Maritza’s mind George had just lost the ground he had gained with her parents. But, to her surprise Mr. Montenegro began chatting up with Britney in really friendly terms. He with his heavily accented English and she responded with her slow and loud English to make seem she was understanding him and trying to make easier for him but it just caused confusion and soon the conversation died as the food arrived.

                Maritza felt the tension between her mother and Britney. It was said that Italian women were vengeful and this Britney did not began to comprehend the grave she was digging. Of course the fight two weeks later came as no surprise for anyone. Dinner came and it was delicious then when it was over the restaurant lights dimmed and Britney was gone from the table. At first Maritza thought she had probably had just gone to the ladies room, but soon Olivia elbowed her and pointed to the stage. There Britney half naked covered in feathers appeared with a band of black fellows that played the drums and the trumpets. Britney began to sing loud and clear as she made her way down the beautifully illuminated stairs. She moved her hips from side to side with her tall heels balancing her perfectly. George and her father applauded and so did most of the men in the restaurant with such enthusiasm that it just echoed the turmoil inside Maritza’s heart. This was the worse night of her life she thought and the performance continued. With another song this time with more half naked girls that danced across the stage lifting Britney into the air as if she was a goddess or something.  A tall black man appeared on the stage with a wooden guitar and knelt before Britney that was shaking her behind and she moved more and more sensually as the music accelerated. Maritza did not think it was possible but it was Britney’s feet seemed to disappear from the floor, and the audience went wild with her half her feather fell off and just an almost naked Britney was left in the stage smiling as the lights faded off and the drums stopped. Applause and cheers erupted and asked for more but an elder gentlemen with a silver microphone began to sing another song and audience calmed down.  George proposed a toast for Britney as she appeared back in the table with her long dress once again and Maritza could feel burning, something beyond rage. Probably something in her Italian blood was kicking in. But before it could scale George invited them to a private room. 

--To Be Continued---