Positively Patsy Part 43

Papers, what papers? I went to the reception and asked about papers and the lass behind the counter smiled and gave me four different ones and told me that I would be very interested in what was in them. I took them back to Joanne and we started with the first paper.

There, on page five, was a picture of me at the party, singing to the opera crowd, with the caption ‘Pop star entertains her cast at after show party.’ There was a short piece about my being the writer and producer of a new opera in town, followed by a note to see the music review page.
Finding the arts section we saw a big article on the opera, under the banner ‘Drake and Reece Conquer the World’. It was a very nice review of the opera, with many comments on how authentic it was, not only on historical facts, but also with the look and feel of the times. There was a picture of the whole cast on stage, taking their bows, and one of Justin, Joanne and me taking ours. The piece did make note of a few of the songs as being ear-worms, especially the ‘Servant of the Queen’ and the final chorus. The Cotswolds Choir was mentioned as a wonderful and original addition to the tradition by being in the front of the stage.

All of the other papers had much the same. I said to Joanne that we may have done well. That evening we went back to the theatre and congratulated the cast and told them that we would be taking a few days off as we knew they would be all right on their own. I was asked about last night and when someone tried to apologise for the scene at the party, I told them not to worry as the gentleman in question had already made amends and that we would be starring at their opening of the new night club on Saturday night. That caused a ripple of laughter and I was pleased that they were happy with it. We were given two seats in a box and watched the show right through, as ordinary punters, for the first time. I was proud to say that the audience lapped it up and I could see the box office returns were going to be good over the next few weeks.

Next morning we made our way into the Cotswolds and the Manor. We sat down with Peggy and went through the events that created a singing opportunity. Peggy was happy as she was starting to miss being out front and singing and we fully understood. The Manor was ticking over nicely with our new manager getting quality students for the music and cooking schools and we had forward bookings for the stable complex two years ahead. I could see that the charity account was depleting from the operating costs but the income from equestrian bookings; plus the income from our share of the book and CD sales, meant that there would not need to be a top up from our accounts for some years yet. This really meant that we were all now free agents. We were very close to the end of our five year contract with Simon and I think it had been very lucrative for all concerned.

That afternoon we sat down and worked through a play list that included us all singing individually as well as in harmony. Joanne sorted out all of the music for the songs and we practised the first hours-worth before dinner. That evening, as we lay in bed, I asked Joanne if she had any thoughts about what we could do next. She said “What, after being pop stars, rock stars, members of a legendary band, writer of songs, writer and producer of TV spectaculars, writer and producer of a smash hit opera and now a night club singer. What else is there?”

I had to agree that we had certainly made our mark over the last few years and wondered if a bit of rest was in order, if only to recharge the batteries and, perhaps, falling into another career or even writing another opera. At least we could take a year or two with an opera and no-one complained about our output. “I know” I said “let’s take this night club singing as far as we can, if an opportunity arises. It is gentle, not too hard on the hearing, and we both like the material.” She agreed and we slept on it.

Wednesday and Thursday the three of us worked up a good four hours of material, starting with Joanne opening the set with a song while playing the piano and then each of us taking turns to sing a number, with some duets and harmony singing. We noted break times and settled the songs for the second half, which would add the band. They were all standards that everyone should know. On Thursday evening we did a rehearsal for Greg and the students of a music school who happened to be at the Manor and it went very well. Greg spoke to me after and told me he was happy that I had given Peggy a project as she was getting a bit bored. I asked him if he had seen the new production of the opera and he said he hadn’t. I promised to get him tickets for Sunday evening so he could come into London and see us at the night club on the Saturday and go to the opera on the Sunday. Friday morning, before we left, I arranged for his ticket to a box for the Sunday show. I was unsure about organising one for Peggy as I had the feeling that Saturday evening may only be a start.

At the night club we saw our faces on the posters outside the front entrance and were greeted warmly by John and Sydney and introduced to the five piece house band. I explained that we had put together a set of about four hours, with just the three of us for the first two, then, after a break, the three of us with the band behind us. Joanne showed them the play list that we had decided on and they were happy with all of the songs they would be involved in, seeing that they were staple material for night clubs. Before lunch the three of us went through our half on the small stage while Joanne got used to the house piano, then, after lunch, we did the second half with the band.

John and Sydney were very happy with the show we had put together. John said that he thought it odd that we had put so much work in and agreed to do the opening, all before any remuneration had been discussed. I told him we all just loved singing and that Saturday evening was like a homecoming for all of us but we would need to discuss money should he want more shows.

At that he smiled and told me I was a thought reader. He then turned to Peggy and asked her where she had last sung and he nearly fell off his chair when she told him it was at a night club, in Hanoi, called the ‘Burning Yankee’. We chatted some more and then the three of us went off to the shops to find something suitable to wear on Saturday night, seeing we were stars! After a tiring session of serious shopping we caught up with Greg at our hotel for dinner. He had spent the day catching up with some old friends and chatting about the past, or more to the point, those bits of the past he could remember. He said there were a few who would be joining him at the night club on Saturday to see his daughter sing. I told him I would alert the doorman that he may be arriving and to disregard any tattoos on his companions. He laughed and said that this was the one thing he had stayed away from, as, unlike the drink or drugs, they don’t wash off. He said that several of his friends have grown to dislike the look in their old age but removal is even more dangerous that the application and they all were now much more aware of their mortality.

Part 44

Saturday evening came around and we dressed for our performance and went to the night club by taxi. Greg was going to meet up with his friends and get there by eight. I warned the doorman that Sir Greg Goggins would be attending with several rock band members and he assured me that they would get the royal treatment. We made sure the stage was as we wanted and retired to a back office with a view of the club. John made sure we had plenty of soft drink on hand and sat with us to point out the various celebs as they came in. I saw that when Greg arrived he, and his friends were led to a prominent table. John said “Isn’t that Greg Goggins?” Peggy said that it was, in fact, one and the same and her father, which made him sit up. “I didn’t know that” he said “I really am in the company of rock royalty tonight.” At about a quarter to eight we made ready and went down to the back of the stage. The MC stepped up to the microphone and announced that the show was about to start and to welcome Joanne Swift, Patricia Meyers and Peggy Evans. There was polite applause and we started our set. There is an atmosphere that is different with different audiences. Tonight was classy and sophisticated and it was reflected in our performance. The applause gathered pace as the night wore on and when we finished the first half and announced a break; there were many people wanting us to join them at their table. We mingled generally for twenty minutes and then sat with Greg and his pals.

The band set up and we walked back to the stage and started the second half. It went very well with the songs a lot of people knew. With some repeat requests we finished at about one in the morning and stepped off the stage to much applause. I thought we had done well after not singing in public for so long. I was, however a little tired so, after a proper interval mingling with the punters, we made our excuses and went back to the hotel. Next morning the lass from reception brought a bunch of papers to our table and told us we may like to have a look. There, once again, there was a picture of the three of us on the stage with the club band behind us. The caption was ‘Is there anything these girls can’t do?’ The piece went on to say that after producing the smash hit opera that was now playing to full houses, we had been stars at the opening night of a new night club and had wowed the crowd with over four hours of masterful singing. There was also a picture of Peggy, sitting next to Greg, and captioned ‘Peggy Evans with her father, Sir Greg Goggins’.

That evening Greg and Peggy went to see the opera and, Monday morning, he told me that it made him realise that his own performance was third rate compared to the professionals. I told him it didn’t matter as we had enjoyed ourselves in America and that he was the lead in the CD of the ‘Original Cast’ which this cast could never be. John and Sydney also came to see us that morning and, while Joanne and I declined to perform at the night club any more, they did sign Peggy for a long season, followed by spots in their other clubs. This pleased her as it allowed her to live an independent life again with a reason to get up in the mornings. We all went back to the Manor that afternoon and, next day Joanne and I went into London and visited a jewellers shop for matching rings before we flew back to Nashville.

We were feeling like a long break so Joanne and I booked a round-the-world airfare each with open tickets and spent a good three months making the tour, being sure to see all the best sights that the world could offer. We stopped off in Sweden long enough to have a quiet wedding without any of the newshounds there. I know it had taken a bit longer than most but we had been busy and in the spotlight. We were now out of contract but had more than enough money to live the rest of our life without the need to work again. Mary and Bruce had put together a list of properties over the last year or so that had looked good so I had ended up as the landlord for a range of supermarkets, as well as the owner of a small chain of motels in the state around Nashville, so my income stream was assured.

Peter had negotiated with his supplier to allow him to open a small car showroom to sell the new Chinese vehicles that were making headway in the lower price range and we had found a small yard that was for sale and we opened that as three partners, with a completely new management team, so keeping his promise to his supplier. I must say, that after a short period of very little activity, it was selling a lot of cars. Mary was very busy now, looking after our portfolio, and had moved to an apartment in the city. It was actually over an office we had bought and converted to an office for Meyers Holdings and Patanne Investments with four staff to keep things in order. Joanne and I had slowly bought up six café/bakeries across the city to add to the one next to the music store and had done a deal with a top class baker to supply us at a good price. We were also looking at getting a deal done in Memphis which would give us a large property to house a new Meyers Music store with attached café. Between us we were serious employers.

Joanne and I went into Nashville one day and visited the new premises of K Beat. Sarah had retired to her own ranch and was running a stable and riding school, and Alice was now in charge. Carl and the old band had retired and Jake and the band was now the house band. Of course, we had not put an “Amazon’ album out for some time now but I knew that Riordan, Nina and Julia had put out an album with a nameless backing band called ‘Amazonian Melodies’ which was selling well. Lorraine had now put out two more movies, became Mrs Jackson and had been nominated for a couple of Oscars before announcing her pregnancy; she was very much the film star these days. Minh had put together a group of childrens’ entertainers and was now a regular on the TV in ‘Songs from Mouseland’. She had asked me a couple of times to do a guest spot but I still had to make an appearance. I did, however, email her songs that had come to mind so the Patmin team still operated. Justin had gone on to be a serious composer in his own right, with a couple of sonatas and one new opera on the way with another lyricist.

It seemed that everyone was now living a new life. It was all down to that fantastic world tour and I was very grateful that I had been given the opportunity to be on it and ensure my future. We sat with Alice for a while and had a chat about the water that had passed under our bridge and Alice asked me if I would have done the same as Patrick. I had to say that it was never a thing that crossed my mind. As Patrick I would never have had a chance for a life partner like Joanne and, as Patrick I was driven to write songs because of the boredom of my life and now I had so much to do it was no longer an itch I had to scratch. I still wrote songs and had developed quite a reputation as writer for a couple of our stars from the ‘Night in June’. Not all of them had stayed in the business. One had now become a full-time name in the operetta scene and two had married and settled down. I told her that becoming Patsy was the best thing that had happened to me and I thanked her for her insight and care in the early days. She assured me that I had repaid her in full as the K Beat business was doing very nicely these days, especially the new TV advertising side of it; something they would never have thought of before.

When we went to hand in our K Beat ID lanyards, Alice floored us by asking if we would like to buy into the studio. Sarah wanted to sell her share and had thought that Joanne and I would be the ideal new partners. She gave us a figure we needed to find; Joanne and I looked at each other and immediately told her to get the paperwork ready. We had a group hug and left her office to announce the news to the staff. And so my life moved on from there; still in the music business.

Marianne G 2020