Bored, I entered a practice room, turning on the light and leaving the door open. Playing the piano could always make the time go faster for me.
I started playing the piano part of John Lennon’s Imagine, but just thought the vocals in my head. It was a classic Lennon tune, surprisingly simple and nothing short of lovely.
Thinking about simple and lovely Lennon songs, I remembered a song that was on the Plastic Ono Band album. It was even more simple than Imagine and was called, simply, Love:
The lyrics were deceptively trite, but the song was haunting in its beauty.
“I never heard that song before,” June said, standing at the entrance to the practice room. “I take it from the way you’re singing it that it’s a Beatles song, but I don’t recall ever hearing that one before.”
“It’s from John’s primal scream album,” I explained. “The one nobody likes to hear, where he screams, ‘I don’t believe in Beatles!’”
June shook her head. Apparently, she wasn’t as familiar with Lennon’s solo works as I was. Heck, I had that album, Live Peace in Toronto and even Wedding Album. My mother prevented me from getting the Two Virgins album, but I listened to it played in its entirety on the radio one midnight and realized that there wasn’t very much stuff on that album that I’d care to perform myself. Lennon could be an acquired taste when he was at his most experimental.
“You were picked as the cheerleaders’ favorite,” June said with a giggle. “I’d like to make a request of you.”
“What?”
“The game we play with the favorite is ‘Seven minutes of heaven,’” June explained. “I’ve heard that it sometimes gets out of hand. You are allowed to ask any cheerleader to undress as much as you want, within the limitations of seven minutes. If you make that request, you must get just as naked. Jackie’s original suggestion was to bring you into the girls’ locker room and take each cheerleader in the shower. Then I got an idea to let you do what you do best. Play.”
“You mean, the way we did here the time you spent two periods in this room naked?”
“You don’t have to make them sit on your lap. Do you think you could come up with a special song for each of the cheerleaders?”
“How many are there?”
“Eighteen,” June said. “I know it’s a lot.”
I multiplied eighteen by approximately five minutes per song. It came just under two hours. “No. I refuse.”
“What?” June asked, taken aback.
“I won’t do it. I’ve done that with you, Marla, and Patty. It was special each time. If I do it today, it will be cheap. I refuse to go along with it!”
June looked almost as if I punched her.
Of course, my heart went out to her as soon as I said that. I wondered, idly, if any male could ever be mad at June.
“June,” I said, softly. “I’ll play a song for each of the cheerleaders, if they want me to. I just don’t want them naked and sitting on my lap!”
“Oh,” June said, suddenly understanding me. “I told you before, you can have anybody undress. It’s not mandatory, although I don’t think I can remember anybody refusing to have any cheerleader get at least partially undressed.”
“Good,” I said, smiling. “I prefer to be the exception!”
June laughed at me, shaking her head. “Not even me?”
“June, I will take you, naked, in the apartment, in the shower, on the pool table, and even in your own bedroom at your house with your mother watching. I don’t want you to undress with me just because you’re a cheerleader. OK?”
June smiled at me even as she shook her head in disbelief. “Will you play Bojangles for me, Oogie?”
“Of course. You can even sit on my lap.”
“Can I take my bottoms off?”
“Nope.”
“Meanie!” June said, giggling.
I played the song for June, who kissed me deeply when the song was finished. It was a much better performance than a couple of nights previous when I couldn’t even manage to sing at all.
There was a knock on the outer door to the music room, and June giggled. “I’ll be right out,” June yelled.
June kissed me again, not seeming to worry about whoever was waiting at the door.
After we broke the kiss, I think there was a confused look on my face. “Got to keep up appearances, Jim,” June explained. “People are expecting me to need to get dressed, so I took the opportunity to sneak another kiss at you!”
I laughed and kissed June on the nose as I accompanied her to the door. As I opened the door, Maria Wilson was on waiting patiently.
“Come on in, Maria,” I said, smiling.
June waved at me as I led Maria into the room.
“What do you want me to do?” Maria asked once the door was shut.
“What’s your favorite song?” I asked, ignoring Maria’s question.
“Stairway to Heaven,” Maria answered, confused.
Shit. That song never sounded good on piano. I think that was a problem with most Zeppelin songs. “Any others?”
“Best of my Love?” Maria asked.
“Eagles,” I said. “I think I can manage that.”
I led Maria into the practice room. I closed my eyes, trying to think of the first chord. I then played a C chord for two bars, followed by a D-minor, and figured the progression.
About halfway through the song, Maria interrupted me.
“Excuse me, Jim?”
“Yes?”
“Didn’t June explain the rules to you?”
I nodded.
“You’re just going to play?” Maria asked.
“It’s what I do best.”
Maria stared at me and then broke out in giggles. “I’m sorry for interrupting. That was really beautiful!”
I giggled to myself, and then finished the last verse.
Maria kissed me warmly after I finished, not trying to make it too sexy. “You’re amazing,” she sighed after she broke the kiss.
On cue, there was a knock on the door. “What took June so long when I knocked? Did you make her undress?”
I shook my head. “She just wanted to make a show of it,” I said. “She was just kissing me, making you think she was getting dressed.”
“Kristen’s lucky to have a guy like you.”
“I think I’m the lucky one.”
Maria and I went to the door and let the next cheerleader in.
It ended up taking nearly two hours for me to entertain the cheerleaders. A lot of requests were for Stairway, and a couple of songs I didn’t actually know (or didn’t know the words).
One cheerleader made an interesting request. “Can you play that song that Amy Grant played at the Christmas Concert? The Peanuts thing?”
I smiled and played Linus and Lucy for her.
I lost count of how many cheerleaders I entertained when Sherry Jordan made her appearance.
“OK, Jim,” Sherry said, ignoring the outgoing cheerleader. “What’s up?”
“What do you mean?” I asked.
“All the girls that come out of this room are whispering about you. What are you having them do?”
“Nothing,” I answered, honestly.
“Huh?”
“June Rodgers told me the rules, and since I’m in charge, I decided to just ask each girl for her favorite song, and I’d play it for them.”