Come Hear the Music Play – At Sea – [05/03/2017]

There are only two piano bar entertainers in the fleet that I have enough of a rapport with that they will trust me to step up to their microphones. I knew that one of them was currently on board, and I had a vague idea when I was watching his name that tune competition this evening that I should ask him when – or if – he wanted me to join him later in the cruise. In the back of my mind was the niggling little hope, but you never know whether or not that’s going to be fulfilled, and it often isn’t.

So I’m standing there in the corner, leaning against the wall trying to stay out of the sightline of the guests who are actually participating in the contest, when, without breaking off what he was playing, J looks at me and asks me

You want to sing?

And I grin, and flash him the thumbs up sign to say sure. Even then, I was expecting it to be after the current event was over. But it wasn’t. He actually stopped the contest half way through the answer review

Ladies and Gentleman, I’m going to put Name that Tune on hold for a moment because I have a treat for you. This…is Shaughnessy, who teaches in our computer workshop. Not only can she teach you the mysteries of windows – though seriously, why bother, just get a mac…

Me: That’s it, I’m leaving Jay!

I know right! But, she is also a singularly talented singer. So, she’s going to do a number for you

He flips through the charts on his tablet

I’m guessing you want your standard.

Yeah, may as well. Key of C

Okay, here we go then.

A lot of people – including my folks – give me some flack that I always default to Cabaret if I’m asked to do an on-the-spot performance. I have done it so many times that I could most likely sing it in my sleep. But there’s a reason I always do it first. A couple of reasons actually: first, it makes a good impression to be able to belt out Liza Minnelli when you’re as tiny as I am, second: because I can almost sing it in my sleep, it means that I will not fall victim to the intense stage fright I am prone to at a first performance. If I’m going to make a first impression, I’m going to lead with my most secure track. Jay knows this, and he knows me well enough to know that I have loads of other songs in my repertoire if and when we get another chance but for now…yeah, the old faithful still definitely does the trick.

It has been…a longer time than usual since I had a microphone in my hands. And to be honest, for the first time in ages, I was worried when I stepped up there, worried that this time maybe I had left it to long, maybe it wouldn’t work anymore, maybe my range was actually gone. But…it wasn’t. And because I was finally playing with a real musician again instead of a backing track, I could actually play and know that Jay would follow me (and I’m not an easy singer to follow, or at least so I have been told).

Part way through the number, he flashes me this huge grin

I have missed you

I know! I’ve missed you too!

And when I finished the last note, the room erupted. And these guests, they are total strangers, they have only been on the ship a few days, none of them are familiar to me from previous voyages. Even the staff on board are not people I know particularly well, except for Jay himself. So those applause? They felt earned…

So when is your next workshop class then?

You know, my nice quiet reputation always lasts until you show up Jay.

And once again I am reminded, that wherever I go…

Music is my safe space, that is my home.