Chapter 7. The Persian and the Music Box.
He came to visit Eric regularly; after all, the owner of the opera house had to know what was happening there.
"Good morning Eric." He said, taking off his hat as he stepped down into the labyrinth which Eric called a home. "How are you to day? Your hurts don't still hurt do they?"
"Why does it not surprise me that your talk always turns from friendly conversation to wounds and deformities?" Eric said, pounding away at the keys of his piano.
"Oh Eric. I brought you a gift but if you feel that way about me being here…."
"A gift? But it isn't my birthday for three months and Christmas two."
"Juts be quiet and open it." Nadir said handing him a large box.
Eric tore the paper away the opened the lid of the box, and then he pulled out a music box with the decoration of a monkey in Persian robes playing the cymbals.
"I picked it up visiting the opera house in Persia. I also have some news. The other day the prince of India, you remember India right? We were there in the circus, I was born there, well anyhow turns out the prince had a sister they hid away because she was born with 3 arms, and I think we should go back and meet her."
"Oh stop, I've met a woman alright? And I love her to death."
"Oh no, it isn't that Christine girl you've been obsessed over is it?"
"I'm not obsessed with her I'm in love with her!"
"Eric let's change the subject, the managers say everything is fine here, how is it really doing?"
"Horrible, the sudden drop in money was because of that wrench Carlotta singing like a cow and the new manager must be death to not hear that, and she's only a part of this because he's married to her, and they hired too many choir girls in the alto section so that they could hear them with the sopranos but instead you can't hear the sopranos at all! And also I had to kill a stage hand; they wouldn't accept my terms besides leaving me box five so the ballerinas will stop talking about it, and on top of all that, someone may have seen a glimpse of my face before I hid it with my hands."
"Oh god what did you do to him then?"
"I let her go."
"Oh, her, wait you let her go?"
"It was Christine. I thought of keeping her but, I couldn't see her sad without weeping myself."
Nadir thought for a moment then said. "Maybe you do love her. You've never done that since you've been here."
"Nadir, I have so many questions in my head about love, but am I in love with her is not one. I love Christine as much as I can, but I feel that's not enough. She deserves more than a monster like me."
As Eric's music began to mellow, Nadir sighed and said. "What makes a monster and what makes a man?"
"Oh Nadir, that day I saw Christine I felt my heart stop, and when I first heard her sing, oh I was hard for an hour!"
"We are not going there!" Nadir said.
"I'm sorry, but Nadir, I need her! And now she's seen my face! I have no chance with that woman that beautiful, amazing, woman."
"Eric you need to get a life."
Eric threw his head back and said. "Oh my…"
Nadir rolled his eyes then walked up the stairs saying. "Well I must go talk to the new managers, try not to kill anyone ells."
Eric just sighed and said. "I make no promises."