Description

A humid and warm saturday evening, the artic vixen and her boyfriend were out to party. One club after another, they started at Sahara Square, continued in Tundra Town before heading towards the Rainforest District. Both of them had their fair share of drinks and were pretty drunk as the rain started to fall. Neither of them minded it. Skye's fur, thick and dense took some time to soak through. Jack's fur drenched in rain, he knew he'd get a cold from this in the following days, but he didn't care. All he cared about was this evening, this evening with her. As usuall she had her hand resting on his head and he had his arm wrapped around her thigh.
They walked down the sidewalk, ready for the next stop at a bar as they came across a pile of junk ready for pickup on monday. In between all the garbage was an old piano. Lacquer craked and peeling of, parts and keys broken and missing, the wood warped. Skye walked past it, but Jack stopped.

J: Snowflake, wait a minute.

Skye stopped. Snowflake was a nickname he barely used for her. She looked back at him and took a sip out of her bottle. Jack set his can of whiskey cola on the piano, pushed some wet boxes in front of it and sat down.

J: As a kid, I always wanted to play guitar, you know, for class trips and such. The boys with the guitars always get the girls at the camp fire. Dad wanted me to learn violin but mom always loved piano music. So I learned to play the piano.

Jack tested the old instrument as his fingers walked up and down the keys, Skye tilted her head and looked at him. With a wide and drunken smirk he gestured her to sit down.

J: Some are missing and most of it are out of tune, I am way out of practise and maybe had a bit much to drink, but I'll try my best. Any song wishes?
S: Song wishes? You, on that piece of crap?
J: Oh ho ho, take a seat, you have a front row seat for the great Mr. Jack Savage live and in concert.

He grabbed his can, took a deep sip of his booze and let his fingers start dancing up and down the keys.
Skye recognized the melody, but wasn't sure were she had heard it. She knew the song, but couldn't put a finger on the artist or title.
Jack started to sing with all of his voice.

J: It's nine o'clock on a saturday,
regular crowd shuffles in,
there's an old lad sitting next to me,
making love to his tonic and gin.

He leaned back, still playing the piano, grinning at her.

S: You and the piano fit well, both wet, out of tune and quite enjoyable.

With a wink of his eye he took another deep breath and put more pressure and volume in his voice

J: He said 'son can you play me a memory?
I'm not really sure how it goes,
but it's sad and it's sweet,
and I knew it complete,
when I wore a younger man's clothes,
Skye, your part!

He gleamed at her while repeatiadly playing this part of the song in a loop waiting for her to step in.

J: Follow me.
Ladadeda deedada deda dadedam.
Sing us a song, you're the piano man,
sing us a song tonight,
'cause we're all in the mood for a memory,
and you got us feeling alright,

Jack skipped the other parts of the song and skipped to the bridge part of the song, just to finish that part with a up and down glissando.
Then he straight jumped to the next song. Skye sat down on the floor right next to him. She didn't mind the wet floor, she was caught in the moment as she watched him with joy and fire in his eyes hitting the keys. Every note he played was slightly out of tune, the standing puddles of water on the instrument vibrated with every sound, making the reflections of light shiver.
He looked her in the eyes and grinned at her.

J: You know this song, I know that. Sing it for me.

He looped the song's intro.

S: I - I hear the drums echoing tonight,
but she hears only whispers of some quiet conversations,
she's coming in, 12:30 flight,
the moonlit wings reflect the stars,
that guide me towards salvation,
I stopped an old man along the way,
hoping to find some long forgotten words,
or ancient melodies,
he turned to me as if to say,

Jack joined her

S+J: Hurry, boy, it's waiting there for you!

She grabbed a trash can and used it as a drum for the drum solo as both shouted

S+J: It's gonna take a lot to take me away from you,
There nothing that a hundret men or more could ever do.

Jack skipped ahead and before Skye could start the line he adapted the text.

J: I bless the snow in the arctic north,

Skye smiled, her tail wagged.

S+J: Gonna take some time to do the things we never had.

Jack skipped towards the bridge again just to finish it with another glissando.
Skye was hooked now. With expection in her eyes she looked at his fingers, dancing alongst the keys. She laughed as she recognized his next song. It was the theme song of the 80s action series the A-Team.
She lowered the tone of her voice, trying to mimic a man's voice.

S: Ten years ago, a crack commando unit was sent to prison by a military court for a crime they didn't commit. These men promptly escaped from the maximum security stockade...

She bursted out laughing.
Jack finished it off with some random notes.
He grabbed his drink for another sip.
There was already some passing by people stopping and listening. Some with umbrellas, some under the awning of a store and some in the door of a bar. A little crowd of 7 to 9 people formed.
Placing his drink on the lid of the piano he started slamming on one key with his left index like he was trying to boost the install process of a computer programm with the enter button.
His right joined the key slamming.

S: Ohh, I know that one!
J You do? Me too.

J: It's astounding,
time is fleeting,
madness takes it's toll,
But listen closely...
S: Not for very much longer,
J: I've got to keep control,

He shoved another first up then down wards glissando in there, jumped up from his boxes and start to sing with all of his voice.

J: I remember doing the time-warp,
drinking those moments when,
the blackness would hit me,
S+J: And the void would be calling...

Some people from the crowd joined.

S+J+Crowd: LET'S DO THE TIME WARP AGAIN!
LET'S DO THE TIME WARP AGAIN!

Jack paused and looked at the crowd, a random squirrel guy with a umbrella saw his opportunity

SG: It's just a jump to the left!
S+J+Crowd: And then a step to the ri-i-i-i-ight.
SG: Put your hands on your hips!
S+J+Crowd: You bring your knees in ti-i-i-i-ight,
but it's the pelvic thrust,
that really drives you insa-a-a-ane,
LET'S DO THE TIME WARP AGAIN!
LET'S DO THE TIME WARP AGAIN!
S: It's so dreamy, oh fantasy free me,
so you can't see me, no, not at all.
In another dimension, with voyeuristic intention,
well secluded, I see all.
J:With a bit of a mind flip,
you're into the time slip,
and nothing can ever be the same.
S: You're spaced out on sensation,
J: LIKE YOU'RE UNDER SEDATION.
S+J+Crowd: LET'S DO THE TIME WARP AGAIN!
LET'S DO THE TIME WARP AGAIN!

Jack skipped towards the outro and led to the next intro just as something for him to catch breath again from his singing.
It was the meoldy from Boney M's Rasputin.
A brown bear with east european accent in the crowd jumped in and joined Jack with rhythmic hand claps which due to the bears large paws sounded amazing.

BB: Hey,
Hey,
Hey,
Hey,
Hey,
-
There was a certain man in Russia long ago,
He was big and strong, he had eyes of flaming glow,
Once people looked at him, with terror and with fear,
But to Moscow chiccs he was such a lovely dear,
He could preah the bible like a preacher,
full of ecstasy and fire,
but he also was the kind of teacher women would desire.
-
Ra Ra Rasputin
Lover of the Russian queen

The bear was laughing with joy. Then he disappered into the bar. Shortly after he came back with a can of whiskey cola, placed it with a 10 dollar note under it on the piano, gave Jack some pats on the back, thanked him for the fun and left into the rainy night.
With a wide grin Jack looked around whilest looping the intro of Bonnie Tyler's I Need A Hero.

J: Song wishes? Anyone?

Someone asked "Can you do some Meatloaf?"

J: Of course.

Another sip of his drink, he shook his hands to relax them, put his finger back to the keys, and started the intro of a master piece.
A slow start with his left, join by his right just to go full in. This song was something emotional for him. His mother was a huge fan of the musician and when Jack was younger he learned the song to play it for her on christmas.
A gentle and whistful intro, followed by powerful, fast and enduring piano part. His fingers dancing on the keys.

J: The sirens are screaming and the fires are howling,
way down in the valley tonight,
there's a man in the shadows with a gun in his eye,
And a blade shining, Oh, so bright,
There's evil in the air and ther's thunder in the sky,
And a killer's on the bloodshot streets,
-
Oh, and down in the tunnel where the deadly are rising,
Oh, I swear I saw a young boy down in the gutter,
He was starting to foam in the heat,
-
Oh, baby, you're the only thing in this whole world,
That's pure and good and right,

Jack smiled at Skye

J: And wherever you are and wherever you go,
There's always gonna be some light,
But I gotta get out, I gotta break it out now,
Before the final crack of dawn,
So we gotta make the most of our one night together,
When it's over, you know,
We'll both be so alone,

Jack emptied his can, Skye did as well with her beer.

J: Like a bat out of hell, I'll be gone when the morning comes,
When the night is over, like a bat out of hell,
I'll be gone, gone, gone,
Like a bat out of hell,
I'll be gone when the morning comes,
But when the day is done,
And the sun goes down,
And the moonlight's shining through,
Then like a sinner before the gates of Heaven,
I'll come crawling on back to you.

The buck faded out the last two lines like the outro of the song, just to pull back from the piano.
He massaged his forearms.
Some people of their little crowd started to leave.

S: Getting cold?
J: I'm a bit out of shape and the rain isn't making it better.
S: We can go inside and warm up.
J: And let this moment slip?
S: Well, you're cold.
J: Skye, my love, we are creating grand parents lore right here, right now, we have to make sure to enjoy it as long as possible.
S: Grand parents lore? Are there any plans you haven't told me yet?

The buck grabbed the drink the bear had left him, open it and took a deep sip.

J: Maybe, but usually I don't go out with ladies under my age.
S: Shut up, you are only 6 years ahead.

Smirking at her he started slamming G2 with his left thumb, interrupting this with a jump to F2 just to climb up via the F2/G2 key back to G2. He repeated this a few times before his left pinkie joind the same pattern just with G1 as starting point.

S: No, you don't do this to me.

The vixen laughed. He grinned at her, rose his nose a but and gestured like he wanted to say 'nananana' to mock her.

S: You're so sleeping on the couch tonight.

He shruged his shoulders, put his right thumb and pinkie on D4 and B4, took a deep breath and rose his voice.

J: You're so hot, teasing me,
So, you're blue, but I can't take a chance on a chick like you,
That's something I couldn't do,

Skye couldn't help herself and bursted out laughing

J: There's that look in your eyes
I can read in your face that your feelings are driving you wild,
Ah, but girl, you're only a child,

Well, I can dance with you, honey, if you think it's funny,
Does your mother know that you're out?
And I can chat with you, baby, flirt a little maybe,
Does your mother know that you're out?

Take it easy (take it easy)
Better slow down, girl
That's no way to go
Does your mother know?

The arctic vixen joined him

S+J:Take it easy (take it easy)
Try to cool it, girl
Take it nice and slow
Does your mother know?

I can see what you want
But you seem pretty young to be searching for that kind of fun
So maybe I'm not the one

Now you're so cute, I like your style
And I know what you mean when you give me a flash of that smile
But girl, you're only a child

Well, I can dance with you, honey, if you think it's funny
Does your mother know that you're out?
And I can chat with you, baby, flirt a little maybe
Does your mother know that you're out?

Take it easy (take it easy)
Better slow down, girl
That's no way to go
Does your mother know?

The crowd, now only 5 people, was cheering.

J: And now...

He stood up, turned around and gestured as if he was standing on the stage in a 100.000 people concert hall.

J: For this next song, I want to see how loud you can sing, in your appropriate spot.

Jack sat back down, acted like he was wearing a classical pianist outfit with a long cape, lifting it over his stack of wet, smushed boxes.
Starting with random slow notes, he started to clear the notes which started to resemble some kind of song. The rain still pouring down on them.
Skye joined the piano with the 'Ladada' part from later in the song. She loved that song. She once found a vinyl with it in the basement and always loved the catchy tune.
Jack was doing Sir Elton John's Crocodile Rock.

J: I remember when rock was young,
Me and Skye had so much fun,
Holding hands and skimming stones,
Had an old gold Chevy, and a place of my own,

But the biggest kick I ever got,
Was doing a thing called the Crocodile Rock,
While the other kids were rocking 'round the clock,
We were hopping and bopping to the Crocodile Rock, well,

Crocodile rocking is something shocking,
When your feet just can't keep still,
I never knew me a better time and I guess I never will,
Oh, lawdy mama those Friday nights,
When Suzie wore her dresses tight,
And the Crocodile rocking was out of sight,

Laa, la-la-la-la-laa
La-la-la-la-laa
La-la-la-la-laa

But the years went by and the rock just died,
Skye went and left me for some foreign guy,
Long nights crying by the record machine,
Dreaming of my Chevy and old blue jeans,

But they'll never kill the thrills we've got,
Burning up to the Crocodile Rock,
Learning fast as the weeks went past,
We really thought the Crocodile Rock would last, well,

Crocodile rocking is something shocking,
When your feet just can't keep still,
I never knew me a better time and I guess, I never will,
Oh, lawdy mama those Friday nights,
When Suzie wore her dresses tight,
Crocodile rocking was out of sight,

Laa, la-la-la-la-laa
La-la-la-la-laa
La-la-la-la-laa

Jack was rocking back and forth on his boxes as the wet cardboard finally gave way, collapsing under him.
He rolled on his back into a puddle.

Everyone bursted out laughing. Skye almost choked on her bevarage. The buck rolled on his side and stood up, turning around and bowed his thanks to the crowd of five which gave him cheering applause.

J: I'd guess, with the quiting of my seat, I've to quit too. *Achoo*
S: Looks like someone caught a cold.
J: That's a problem for tommorrow.

She was still leaning against the piano as he offered her a helping hand to get up. She snorted laughing.

S: Thanks for your help, but I might decline.

Due to her statue, sitting she was on eyelevel with him standing. She stood up, getting ready to leave. The crowd left too.
Jack wrapped his arm around her thigh again.

J: Head home?
S: Sure thing.

Skye turned around and picked up the piano. Jack looked at her shaking his head.

J: What to you want with that old thing?
S: I know someone who can play it.
J: Shush you.

She grabbed and lifted him. The piano on her left shoulder, him wegded between her right breast and right arm, facing her.

J: I'm not that wasted. I still can walk.
S: Yeah, but you're freezing cold.
J: I'm fine.
S: Nope, I can feel you shivering. And now enjoy your ride home.

Jack sighed as he accepted his fate knowing no matter how hard he tried he couldn't wrangle himself out of there, and indeed enjoyed the warmth radiating from her and transfering through the fur. Raindrops hitting his face as he watched her navigate through the roads with the piano on her shoulder.

J: You have a lovely singing voice.