Chapter 9
Over the next few weeks, Jack didn't return to what he had been asking Joel about. He was clearly distracted by what had happened with Louis. Joel didn't dare ask what the results were, but Jack was often on the phone. He had left Sanchez in charge one afternoon and Sanchez had asked Joel to come down and help out during that time. Besides that, Jack just had lost some of the spring in his step. It wasn't that he was usually peppier, but there was definitely something that was missing. So by the time the Saturday marking his eighth month at the bar arrived, Joel decided he would do a set that was meant to get Jack feeling better.
It would be all Billy Joel tonight. He might take requests as he often did on the weekends, but he was going to stipulate that it was Billy Joel only.
He came in at his usual time and started out with his usual instrumental stuff while people were getting their drinks, unwinding and eating. Then, he smiled to himself and started to play. There were some laughs as he got going.
They all recognized the song as he started to sing.
"It's nine o'clock on a Saturday.
The regular crowd shuffles in.
There's an old man sitting next to me
Making love to his tonic and gin."
As he played, the patrons in the bar began singing with every chorus, although they let him do the verses alone and they applauded with each musical interlude. Joel didn't know how Jack was feeling but this was about as good as he ever felt. People were enjoying what he was presenting. Then, he got to the last verse and he looked over at Jack and grinned. Jack just rolled his eyes, knowing what was coming next, but he looked less stressed than he had for a while. Joel wasn't good enough to look away from the piano for long, so he turned back.
"It's a pretty good crowd for a Saturday
And the manager gives me a smile
'Cause he knows that it's me they've been comin' to see
To forget about life for a while."
For just a moment, Joel almost stopped playing, wanting to berate this fictitious audience for that desire. Forget about life. Who would want to do that? What person would really want to forget the life they'd had, the identity that came with the life they had? There was nothing good about it, and that fueled the intensity of the next few chords. They were louder anyway, but he really let himself go with it.
"And the piano it sounds like a carnival
And the microphone smells like a beer
And they sit at the bar and put bread in my jar
And say man what are you doin' here?"
He forced himself to smile and kept playing.
"Hint, hint," he said.
Everyone laughed as he went into another short interlude and then the final chorus.
"Sing us a song; you're the piano man
Sing us a song tonight
Well, we're all in the mood for a melody
And you've got us feeling alright."
Then, the final instrumental lines and he finished the song to riotous applause, and Joel was happy to see that they did indeed give him some good tips that time. Then, as was usual, he took his first break and went to the bar to get a drink. Sanchez gave him a glass of water and a few snacks, but Joel never wanted to eat heavy while he was playing. It took too much energy to entertain for long periods and he didn't need a heavy meal weighing him down.
He sat down at his usual spot at the end of the bar so that he was out of the way of the other patrons. Then, he ate a small fish taco and washed it down with the glass of water.
Jack walked over and leaned in.
"You okay?" he asked.
Joel just shrugged. There was really no way to describe that momentary feeling he'd had while playing.
"Are you?" he asked Jack.
"I'm okay. Louis is going to be arraigned next week. You might get asked to testify."
"I hope not."
"Don't know yet. Maybe Darlene has convinced him to plead guilty. I don't know. You sure you're okay?"
Joel just shrugged again and finished off his water. Sanchez already had another glass ready for him. It was the usual night. He left Jack there and headed back to the piano, carrying his glass. As he did, he caught a glimpse of someone in the audience. Someone familiar. He glanced over but only for a second. The patrons started calling for him to start playing again, so he sat down and started playing some Billy Joel instrumental music.
"It's all Billy Joel tonight," he said. "In my honor as a Joel!"
They laughed and applauded.
"Any requests?"
"'Always a Woman'!"
"Can do."
Joel turned to the piano and played and sang it. The night went on with enthusiastic requests from 'Zanzibar' to 'Still Rock and Roll to Me' to 'The Great Suburban Showdown' to 'She's Got a Way' to 'Scandinavian Skies' which Joel was sure he messed up. That was one he had heard but not really performed ever. They were forgiving on that one since the guy who chose it was probably just trying to find a Billy Joel song he didn't know. Then, there was another one shouted out.
"'Everybody Has a Dream'."
And that was one he hadn't ever performed and one of the few he really didn't want to perform. The words of this one got to him, even though a lot of it was about having a relationship, but given the literal dreams he was having and the fact that his figurative dream was just to know who he was, he wasn't sure he could get through it.
"Are you sure you want that one?" he asked.
"Yes!"
"Okay, then, you'd all better sing with me on the chorus."
Then, he turned back to the piano, took a deep breath and steeled himself to sing.
"While in these days of quiet desperation
As I wander through the world in which I live
I search everywhere for some new inspiration
But it's more than cold reality can give."
There was a tightness in his throat as he finished the first verse, but he swallowed that and kept his voice light.
"Okay. You all have to sing now, too."
There was laughter and he led into the chorus.
"I know that everybody has a dream
Everybody has a dream
And this is my dream, my own
Just to be at home
And to be all alone...with you."
Then, it was into the second verse that was easier to sing because it was about being in a relationship and that wasn't what bothered him, and he led right into the chorus again.
"I know that everybody has a dream
Everybody has a dream
And this is my dream, my own
Just to be at home
And to be all alone...with you."
Then, everyone sang with him as he repeated the first lines of the chorus over and over. In fact, he stopped singing and just let them do it. After the song was over, they applauded and then Joel heard the welcome words.
"Last call!"
"And last song," he said. "I'm picking it."
He started to play "This Night" as one that had no connection to his problems and was vaguely related to the fact that the night was over.
"Didn't I say
I wasn't ready for a romance
Didn't we promise
We would only be friends?"
He caught people swaying out of the corner of his eye and he smiled a little. It was silly but he didn't mind it at all. The meter of this song called for swaying. It just did.
"This night is mine
It's only you and I.
Tomorrow
Is a long time away
This night can last forever."
Then, a brief interlude and he called out.
"But even if it does, you still have to go after the song is over!"
They laughed, and Joel could see some of them leaving already. No problem with that. He could get back up to his apartment sooner. Then, he moved into the instrumental part where he just did some ad lib stuff. There was a saxophone in the original recording, and he didn't have one of those, but then, he moved into the key change that pushed the song a little bit higher than he was comfortable with.
I should haven't picked this as my last song after singing all night. Can I hit that note? Joel thought to himself.
"This night
Is mine
It's only you and I
Tomorrow
Is such a long time away
This night can last forever
Tomorrow
Is such a long time away
This night can last forever."
He sighed with relief as he got through the end of the song. The applause was a little bit thinner because more had left, but that was all right. He closed the piano and stood up, stretching as Jack began to usher everyone out. Joel headed toward the bar and his tip jar.
There was someone standing beside it.
A very familiar someone.
The man didn't look like he was in the best state, but he smiled, although the smile did little to lighten his eyes.
But none of that mattered because Joel had seen this man before.
In a dream.
Dying.
Then, suddenly, he spoke, his smile not quite expressing real joy, his voice somehow completely foreign and completely familiar at the same time.
"Man, Tony, what are you doing here?" he asked.
End of Part I