We were seated quickly and efficiently at a small table--front and center again--right below the cozy club-sized stage. ( VERY different from the immense arena stage at the clam shell, of course, but also VERY nice.)
The audience was in a thrill--waiting for what they expected would be one of the memory-making experiences of their lives--the debut of a new act: "The Mable and Cody Show"!
Starry and I were eager too.
The house lights dimmed and the stage lights came up--red plush curtains parted and the crowd burst into applause.
Mable, alone at first in a single dazzling spotlight, looked totally stunning holding a silver microphone and gazing smilingly out at the packed house--Cody looked dashing and pleased as he soon took his place behind the keyboard.
"Dear Friends!" she said, and at her first words the audience hushed to absolute silence. They didn't want to miss a single sound from this famous sardine!
"Cody and I thank you all from the bottom of our hearts for your applause and for coming out to welcome us here this evening..."
"We loves ya Mable!" shouted a lone voice from somewhere in the darkened room.
"And I LOVES ya too--Alls of ya!" Mable laughed back happily..."But we are going to start our program with a new song I wrote for a certain special Crab--he knows who he is--without whom we would not be here."
As Cody played a few introductory notes I must admit I blushed when she glanced down at me. Then she began to use that marvelous, unusual voice of hers to sing:
"A friend is one who is always there--
Who picks you up when you are down--
Who lets you know that someone cares--
Who smiles when every else will frown.
And even when you make
Some dumb and selfish mistake
Will stay by your side
'Til the change of the tide
A friend in need--
That friend indeed--
My friend!
"My friend!" She quietly spoke these last two words looking right down at me and it WAS one of those memory-making moments which life sometimes brings.
The audience was silent for a moment and then there was a storm of applause. Mable and Cody were a sensation!
...
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