There is
gravity in the jazz club that pulls certain people to it on a regular basis.
For The Doorman, these are the irregular regulars. There is no predicting exactly
when they might show, but it will be sometime within a couple months to
nine-month window. Cases in point from tonight’s crowd:
· Carrot Top – A jazz-loving young
artist with a wild mop of red hair. She lives six miles from the club and
arrives by bus, bicycle, motorcycle, or a recent acquisition… a 15-year-old beater
pick up. If The Doorman wins the lottery, a contract with a limo service will
be issued so any time she has a yearning to come to the club, she can call.
· Quiet Nerd Man – My mission is to
break his code. He arrives, shoves a crumpled Lincoln in The Doorman’s hand, runs
in and to the nearest bar stool, and turns chameleon by blending in as quickly
as he can into the scene. He never looks anyone in the eyes—in fact, he may not
have eyes, since I’m guessing no one has seen them. A social recluse who truly enjoys
jazz.
· Big Foot – A mammoth man who
literally fills the doorframe and then some. Fortunately for The Doorman and
the jazz club he has a Big Guy gentle spirit. I know when I sense an overwhelming
presence and look up and see an enormous brilliant-white toothy grin that my
end could be near—Death By Hug. For some reason this sumo-wrestler-sized guy
likes me.
The irregular
regulars fit seamlessly into the jazz club’s mix. I added two young women who
tentatively craned their necks from the door saying, “We’ve never been here
before, it looks interesting.” I said, You’re not going to see much from
there…come in and take a look. The quintet, plus a phenomenal guest harmonica
player (who can harmonize with the horns and take a solo) were cooking on their
version of the Eddie Harris and Les McCann song, Listen Here, when it became
evident they were hooked. As they dig in their purses for the cover charge, I
say: Not tonight…you’re special guests of The Doorman. At this exact moment in
time, there is no better place in the universe than being here in this jazz
club, hearing these incredible musicians, and seeing the genuine looks of
surprise radiate into beautiful smiles.
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