Trinity: Finding Of The Singer, The Deacon, And The Good Samaritan 666ot

TRINITY

Finding of the Singer, the Deacon, and the Good Samaritan

Joe Gonzalez

Copyright

© 2016 by Joe Gonzalez.

Library of Congress Control Number: 2016911994 ISBN: Hardcover 978-1-5245-2864-5 Softcover 978-1-5245-2863-8 eBook 978-1-5245-2862-1

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to any actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Thinkstock are models, and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only. Certain stock imagery © Thinkstock.

Rev. date: 07/22/2016

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Contents

Notes

Disclaimer

Acknowledgments

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Chapter 13

Chapter 14

Chapter 15

Chapter 16

Chapter 17

Chapter 18

Chapter 19

Chapter 20

Chapter 21

Chapter 22

Chapter 23

Chapter 24

Chapter 25

Chapter 26

Chapter 27

Chapter 28

Chapter 29

Chapter 30

Chapter 31

Respectfully dedicated to my wife, Orelia, and to my parents, Maria Luisa and Roberto Gonzalez. Dad, may you rest in peace. April 18, 1926–September 4, 2015

NOTES

All scripture quotations marked “KJV” at the beginning of each chapter are from the Holy Bible, King James Version (authorized version). First published in 1611. Quoted from the KJV Classic Reference Bible, © 1983 by the Zondervan Corporation.

DISCLAIMER

The events and most of the characters in this book are totally fictional, except for a few personalities known to me, the author. Those characters were added to the story because of their individual characteristics. The concert events and their locations used in this book are also fictional. Some of the concert locations do exist but were only written into the story for the writing of this fictional story. The main characters in this book are also fictional. No mal-intent nor harm to any person or location was intended in the writing of this book. It was purely written for your enjoyment.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

First and foremost, I thank God for all that I am as a person. I thank God for all that he has given me to live my life as I have lived it. Thank you God for having given me the talents and gifts you have bestowed upon me. Thank you for giving me the ability to try to be a good listener in order to understand as I try to say and do what is right and just in most cases. Thank you also for allowing me to express myself in an understandable manner in all my writings. Thank you for giving me good health, my family, and my very best friend, my lovely wife, Orelia. I thank my parents who always wanted all of us to get a good education and have respect for others either at home, at work, or out in the street. They taught us to trust and believe in our Catholic upbringing and to respect our shepherds (priests), young or old. They taught us that even in hard times, love of family will always win and that we will see brighter days ahead. Thanks to all my brothers and sister. I thank all my friends whom I have made at the Covenant Medical Center Chapel in Lubbock, Texas. I especially thank Father Peter, who is our priest and the hospital’s main chaplain. He has allowed me to share some of my writings before, during, or after Saturday’s mass. His homilies and sermons are always “right on target.” I also thank “our” little congregation there in the chapel that are always very receptive to my writings. I sincerely thank all of them for all their encouragements and their attentive ears. I also thank my new and dear friend, Mr. Joe Gulick, editorial page editor for the Lubbock Avalanche-Journal newspaper in Lubbock, Texas. He has allowed me to express my personal views in the AJ once a month whether they be on foreign issues, domestic issues, or local issues as if I know that much. (ha ha ha). I know my writings are usually on the long side, but he always manages to have them printed pretty much as I send them to him. I am most grateful for his graceful attention and positive remarks to my writings. From the bottom of my heart, thank you, Joe. I also thank him for liking and for printing my signature catch phrase at the end of all my writings, “Then again, what do I know?”

I thank both Mr. Gary Fisher and Mr. Garnett Lee for allowing me to make them part of my story. Their characters added a little “flavor” to this book. Thank you both for your friendship to my wife and myself so very much. I also thank Mr. Jimmy Jackson. He very graciously allowed me to make him a part of my story, along with his brother, Mr. Flenoid Jackson. Their characters played a big roll in the flow of this story. We go a long way and our friendship will live forever. I also thank all my friends at Lubbock PD, Tech PD, and Lubbock Airport PD who are still there waiting to retire. Hang in there, guys! Most of all, I thank my wife, Orelia. I still love her with all my heart! She “is” and always will be the love of my life. She is my best critic who loves to read all my writings whether they are poems, opinions, or short stories about growing up or growing old or whether they are funny, sad, or inspirational. Thank you for all your patience and encouragement as I strive to be a better person every day and a better writer.

CHAPTER 1

For God is not unrighteous to forget your work and labour of love, which ye have shewed toward his name, in that ye have ministered to the saints, and do minister.

—(KJV) (HEBREWS 6:10)

Dallas Cowboy Stadium, Arlington, Texas. The huge neon billboard read,

Local country band @ 8:00 p.m. till 8:45 p.m. Pat Green @ 9:00 p.m. till 9:45 p.m. “Trinity” featuring Jason Skarr. November 12, 2010. Friday night only. 10:00 p.m. till 11:15 p.m.

The announcer patiently waited for the crowd to quiet down their unending clapping, cheering, and enthusiastic hollering and screaming. The stadium was packed with dedicated fans who knew all of Trinity’s songs. There were also those who went with friends or loved ones just to hear the group perform live. This night was no exception. It was packed to the brim. One hour and fifteen minutes was the contract of pure nonstop country ballads and country hits written, composed, and smoothly sang by Jason Skarr, the star of the group. He would sing from the ballads to the more newer up-tempo rockabilly country hits. He would sing the old songs and a couple of his latest “Trinity” country CD hits. Once the clapping began slowing down, Marty James came up to the mic and announced that for this special night, Trinity was planning an unusual encore, which included singing the band’s not yet released latest song. This was certainly a nice surprise and a total treat to the entire audience. The clapping,

whistling, and cheering started up all over again, except this time much, much stronger and louder. Before stepping away from the mic, Marty began making some hand signals to Roger, the sound manager. Marty raised his forefinger on his right hand, and with his left hand, he raised two fingers and then gave a thumbs-up. Immediately after that, he raised his middle finger, his ring finger, and then his pinky finger and then raised his forefinger on his left hand and finally gave a thumbs-down. And finally, he pulled all his fingers together on his right hand, facing up, and with his left hand, he raised his forefinger once more and then made a horizontal slash mark and gave a thumbs-down. Marty was specifically speaking with Roger through their own recognizable hand signals that only they needed to know. Marty had basically told Roger to raise the volume on mic number 1 a couple of notches to bring up the sound of his voice a little bit louder than the previous setting. He then requested that the volume on mics 2, 3, and 4 be lowered one notch. And finally, Marty wanted the volume on the extra mics to be lowered by onehalf notch. Mics 2, 3, and 4 were the mics to the bass guitar, the lead guitar, and the organ. Roger Thomas was Trinity’s sound manager. He was nicknamed Roger Dodger. Roger was a genius when it came to moving knobs, slides, and buttons. He knew every inch of his soundboard. His fingers worked like magic in and around the system. One could not recall him ever making a mistake. He was smooth and fast. Sometimes he could even read Marty’s mind even before Marty would attempt to give him any type of signal as to what mics were too high set, too low, or not working properly. He was a working piece of art just to see him move his arms, hands, and fingers and get it right the first time. After about fifteen minutes, the entire stage lights went pitch-black, except for a few red, blue, and green lights on boom boxes, synthesizers, connectors, and other musical instruments. The entire stadium lights blink a couple of times and slowly began turning dim. One by one, cigarette lighters started coming on, just like small flashlights, and flashing cameras. Lights from cell phones began to come on. The noise from the crowd was slowly dying out. The enthusiasm of the waiting crowd had begun. A few people began standing as they anticipated the lights on the stage to come on at any second now. The crowd was basically

holding their breath. Finally, one by one, the musicians made their way back on stage to their respective instruments and to their respective places, including Jason, except this time he byed his six-string electric guitar and picked one of his favorite twelve-string acoustic guitars and strapped it over his right shoulder. Marty saw this and immediately went into a catastrophic panic. Lights out on stage, he immediately began flashing his pocket penlight, the one with the red lens cover, above Jason’s standing spot. It was a natural move for Jason to grab one of his twelve-string guitars leaning on one of the stands, move up to the mic, lower it to pick up the blended sounds of his twelve-string acoustic, and then just naturally start playing it without having to wait for a new mic to be brought to him. Jason stood away from the mic momentarily as he began playing. Jason was wearing his customary pressed Wrangler blue jeans, his one of many singlecolored, long-sleeve Wrangler shirts, and his most comfortable favorite Tony Lama black roper boots. On this particular night, Jason was wearing a brightcranberry, long-sleeve shirt and a black bolo tie. In fact, he had a lot of pride in how Trinity looked and dressed, so his only demand was that no one wear old pants and no T-shirts while performing on stage. He had an image to convey to the fans, and he kept up that image every time he and Trinity performed. He would just start playing and eventually lead up to singing without hesitation and without a mic being directly in front of him. Somehow Jason knew that there would be a mic somewhere close by to pick up his sound once the singing started. Jason would decide which guitar to play according to the emotion he was wanting to send out to the audience. It was always a last-minute decision. He would do this from time to time without giving notice either to Marty or Roger of the change he planned on doing. Everyone involved in the production was always on their toes. Marty and Roger were very key players in this business. They were always alert and looking for sudden changes on the set. When Roger saw what Jason did, he immediately forwarded the change to the mic controllers. This was a signal for Stephen James to lower the two boom mics set just above Jason’s head. Jason could change the set or the order of the songs at any given time. This was just a natural instinct for him at any moment’s notice. Jason would not wait for the group to realize the change, much less panic. In fact, he never panicked about how the sound system sounded either. He didn’t worry about whether the sound was slightly off either

too far to the right or too far to the left. After all, everyone behind the scene or on the stage were his closest friends from his high school days and college days, and some were friends of friends of hometown buddies whom he grew to know years after graduation. Even though they were professionals, they were “his” family, and he really and truly cared for each one of them genuinely. And hardly ever would he act or walk around them looking mad or upset. He joked and kidded with them all the time without coming around sounding cocky nor sarcastic. He always thanked each and every one of them after every concert for the hard work they each put into the show. He really was very easy to work with or to work for. Good pay and bonuses throughout the year were very common. He was honest, understanding, and, in every case, a very good listener. And one by one, they each began playing their individual instruments. Mark Samms was on bass. Johnny “Ringo” Lamar was on drums. Finally, Bobby Lopez was playing the organ. The bass guitar began playing, then came the drums, then entered the organ, and finally, the smooth rhythm of Jason’s twelvestring guitar. And one by one, they all blended in, following the lead guitar into a slow rhythm tempo. And finally, the instrumental music led Trinity into Jason Skarr on lead guitar as he began his tribute about a young mother raising a young daughter who was still waiting for her daddy to come back home. It was about a daddy who was not coming home from the war. In the end, it was a song that eventually would give hope to a parent when God and faith are the only things that were left in a somewhat rotten world. But something happened to Jason in the middle of the song when it went into the instrumental part of the song. As the spotlights began dancing around the audience, going from left to right, going around in circles, one of the spotlights began scanning the front rows below the stage. Something or someone he noticed on row 4 or 5 had just caught his eye. As the song was about to come to the instrumental part of the song, he quickly turned around to catch Marty’s attention. Now Jason was curious. He wanted to believe that it was just exactly what he thought it was. He wanted to make sure. He quickly turned slightly toward where Marty was supposed to be. He continued singing without losing his concentration, nor the emotion of the

song, nor his place. With his head, Jason motioned for Marty to walk toward him. He motioned for Marty to come to him on stage. Marty knew better than to just walk on toward him on stage just like that when Jason was singing. After all, Jason couldn’t sing and talk at the same time. He knew he’d have to wait a few more seconds for the instrumental time of the song to be coming on. He needed perfect timing. And Marty’s time was perfect. He quickly and cautiously began entering the stage and into the audience’s view just as Jason was a second away for the instrumental part. He did everything he could from tripping over wires, cables, boxes, or instruments. Marty knew this needed to be done fast and smooth. Get in and get out. This part of the song lasted about thirty seconds. Jason always liked singing to his fans just exactly as the songs were recorded in the recording studio, especially the songs that were the fan’s favorites, which, in his case, all of them. He never wanted to disappoint any of his fans no matter how old or how young. Jason quickly whispered to Marty, “Spotlight and scan rows 4, 5, and 6 very slow. Dim the spotlight halfway. I’ll let you know when and where to stop and bring it to a halt.” Jason didn’t really need an answer from Marty to see if he understood. They knew each other like brothers, and Marty also knew there was no need to ask questions. Even though Jason was the star, they both trusted each other completely. Marty very quickly began moving away from the mic and from Jason and began moving away from the view of the audience. Instantly, he heard Jason continue his singing with his smooth voice, and verse 3 of the song literally began the end of the song. Marty could tell there was a smile on his own face. He had nothing but total respect for Jason, his childhood friend from first grade. They had been through a lot together. They had their share of happy and sad moments throughout their entire lives. They ed each other in everything they did, in every disappointment, in every joyful time in their life, and in every tragedy. They were almost inseparable. And most of all, they still enjoyed each other’s company and advise whether it came from Jason or Marty. When it came to personal stuff, they were brothers true and true till the end.

Marty didn’t waste any time. He immediately buzzed Roger and told him to spotlight and scan rows 4, 5, and 6 from left to right real slow with the spotlight halfway dimmed so it wouldn’t be so obvious and noticeable. He would bring to a stop whenever Jason motioned for it to come to a halt. Marty began just talking into his mic, addressing it to Roger. “Leave the spotlight on. Dim it slightly when Jason gives you the signal. Just watch for his signal. That way, the audience won’t suspect a thing. Jason was looking and scanning the audience when he must’ve seen something or someone he probably recognized, is what I’m thinking. Maybe an old lady friend. This ought to be interesting. I guess he wants a second look or maybe a better look. I’m not sure what he’s up to. Let’s help him. You know what they say, curiosity killed the cat.” Roger answered back, “Got me curious too. Who could be out here in this huge stadium that Jason would recognize?” The spotlight, already in place, was now scanning, hunting, and searching. It wasn’t just spotlighting into the crowd anymore. In an instant, Roger saw Jason’s left arm go up in midair. Roger thought, Well, that didn’t take long. Let’s see what we got here. Roger immediately dimmed the spotlight to about one-half power and had already stopped the circling rotation, while all the other nine spotlights continued their circling cycles into the crowd. This song was about to come to an end, and so was the mystery. Marty and Roger were about the only ones who knew what was going on besides the star of the show, Jason Skarr. The fact was the whole floor area was totally filled up by mostly female fans, of course. Jason was a handsome young man, a bachelor, and never mind that he was filthy rich. But the guys in the group didn’t look at Jason like that. He did share all his fortune with them like no other artist out there. Tonight there were no empty seats anywhere close to the stage. As the spotlight slowly moved across left to right, Jason concentrated on his third verse and in the back of his mind on row 5. He was wanting to see again what he thought he had seen the first time around, at least before the song went into the chorus, which to him it meant the song would be seconds from coming to an end unless he repeated the chorus one more

time and then just bring the song to an end. This he had done many a time before if the crowd was really into the song. This was always an extra treat for the crowd. As this came into his mind, two ladies came into his peripheral view, and there it was. The sparkle from that girl came back to him. He smoothly raised his left fist straight up in the air. The spotlight was now completely stopped and focusing in one specific seat. For about a half a note, Jason stopped playing his twelve-string but immediately and very smoothly got back into the song and very smoothly brought the chorus to its emotional ending. This set was done. Now what?

CHAPTER 2

Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away. For that ye ought to say, If the Lord will, we shall live, and do this, or that.

—(KJV) (JAMES 4:14–15)

Suzanne McDonald and AnnaMarie Diane Spencer had found their assigned seats with the help of an usher and were now sitting in row 5, seats 17 and 18. Right now, all Suzanne could think about was what major effort it had taken to get to the stadium. And boy was she glad she had gotten there without getting lost, confused by any road sign, or without a minor glitch. She was now thinking about what it had taken to get there. Suzanne had heard of Trinity through a mutual female friend at the grocery store where she worked as a cashier. The country music that Trinity sang and played was not completely all country. Most songs sung by Trinity carried inspirational tidbit messages and appeared to come from real-life experiences. She had somewhat grown tired of the same traditional drinking and partying country songs. She had been tuning in to the inspirational and Bible-related radio stations. She was now completely out of touch with the loud rock music radio stations. She had finally mellowed out or outgrown it. At her friend’s suggestion, both had bought the seventy-five dollars, fifth row, center stage tickets. At the last minute, her friend could not go to that Friday night concert after all. So her friend gave Suzanne her ticket and suggested she take Greg. Suzanne just knew that Greg would love to go. Suzanne and Greg had been married for twenty-seven years this past May. Her friend had said to “keep the money.” “Don’t pay me back, but you buy our next concert tickets.”

Suzanne had agreed that that sounded fair enough. And Greg at first said he would love to go and see Trinity play live. Greg kind of knew of the music that Trinity played mainly because he worked out in the oil fields, and radios, stereos, and jam boxes were always on, loud, and practically bouncing off the static airwaves. Every once in a while, the songs were loud and clear to where one could actually hear the complete song from beginning to end, and one could actually hear the disc jock say the name of the artist. A problem developed out in the oil field for Greg three days before the concert. There were four hydraulic pump that unexpectedly broke down. These were fairly new pumps that had been recently installed, so he was ed by the corporate office to go stand by until all were fixed, pumping, and running up to their full potential. This task was very important, and it was Greg’s job to see it completely through. And in a way, this didn’t sound good and didn’t make him feel any better. There was nobody else he could actually depend on to do the job. He had no choice. Greg did everything he could to think of a way, to figure out the best, smoothest, easiest way to tell Suzanne the unexpected bad news for her. Good news for him because he knew there would be a bonus for him after the pumps were up and running, but bad news for her on of the Friday night concert. It wasn’t going to be easy just blurting it out. He needed to say it tactfully but, without a doubt, convincingly too. And he knew that the sooner he told her the news, the sooner she could forgive him, the sooner he could get back to the field, the sooner he could make those much-needed phone calls to the insurance company, and the sooner the manufacturer could send the experts to check those pumps and either fix them or replace them as soon as possible. And most of all, the sooner Suzanne could find someone to go with her to the concert. And … there was one last piece to the puzzle … AnnaMarie Diane, their granddaughter. Everything would be okay. This was a given, a guarantee. Suzanne would eventually have to say okay. Sooner or later, she would forgive him for this. Sooner or later, she would realize he didn’t have much of a choice. This was his job. But that one little handful sweetheart of a child, he wouldn’t be able to face AnnaMarie from now till Christmas maybe. Yes, indeed. He was more concerned or one could say worried about AnnaMarie than Suzanne. And she was only six years old! AnnaMarie Diane Spencer was Mary Lou McDonald’s daughter. And Mary Lou

was Suzanne’s daughter. AnnaMarie had been sent to stay with her grandmother for the first few weeks of the new school year at least until Mary Lou found her a decent place to live at. Right now, she was living with a female friend, and both were working at the IHOP Restaurant, waiting tables on the midnight shift. Mary Lou still did not have enough money for the down payment and first month’s rent on a one-bedroom apartment. In order to save some extra money for the deposit and first month’s rent, she felt she needed to send AnnaMarie to stay with grandma for a few weeks. Her grandma would make sure she had everything ready for the beginning of school. AnnaMarie was not happy about the arrangement even though she did enjoy visiting and spending time with her grandparents, Suzanne and Greg. They all knew that one month had already turned into two months, and Halloween had just come around. Mommy had promised to be in their new apartment by Thanksgiving. They would call and talk with each other every night by nine o’clock. No excuses and no ifs, ands, or buts from either one. It was a promise they both kept no matter what. Suzanne found herself in a huge predicament three days before the Trinity Concert. She knew Greg couldn’t go to the concert with her. She didn’t know the group. She didn’t know a single song Trinity sang. She had no one to invite who could go to the concert with her that lived close by or around Weatherford and go to Dallas. She didn’t want to face the terrible nighttime traffic all by herself and the tremendous traffic leaving the parking lot and trying to get back home on I-30 and I-20, especially alone or with a six-year-old child riding shotgun with her who, according to Mary Lou, knew it all already. As much as Suzanne tried, begged, and pleaded, she could not find a truly old enough and responsibly enough sitter for her six-year-old granddaughter two days before the concert. They were basically going to be stuck with each other. Suzanne had no choice but to invite or take AnnaMarie to the concert. After all, what could go wrong? A grown-up or, better yet, a grandmother and her granddaughter together for an evening out on the town. In this case, a concert … in the middle of all that traffic. Oh no! To his credit, it was Greg who would eventually convince Suzanne that taking

AnnaMarie to the concert might not be a bad idea. After all, it might even be a definitely new experience for AnnaMarie, for Suzanne, or maybe both, something she’s never seen before nor experienced ever before. After all, this was in Big D “Dallas” at the world-famous Dallas Cowboy Stadium. Saying this did not make a huge impact on Suzanne. She liked the Cowboys but not as much as Greg, and he knew that. Only thing was he wasn’t going; she was. They didn’t have these kind of concerts back home in Smyer, Texas. AnnaMarie Diane was in for the experience of her life, and so was Suzanne, for that matter. “Show her what a real live concert is supposed to be like” was what Greg told Suzanne. “Let her go see the ‘real stars’ in person that visit Dallas … Big D!” But little did Suzanne know she was in for a rude awakening. Suzanne had forgotten the old cliché “Stars are born every day, even in our own backyards!” Noon came around on Friday, November 11, 2010. The car was all cleaned up, all washed, and a tank full of gas ready to hit the road. The concert tickets were in Suzanne’s purse. She was just a few hours away. It was sure to be a trip for the record books and a definite night to , literally.

CHAPTER 3

Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. —(KJV) (JOHN 14:1)

AnnaMarie was dressed in black Wrangler jeans and a purple long-sleeve Wrangler shirt that her granddad had bought specifically last week for the concert. Both Suzanne and AnnaMarie were ready to head on out. AnnaMarie’s hair came to her shoulders and was tied into one beautifully braided ponytail with a flowing red ribbon wrapped around it. This was AnnaMarie’s favorite way of fixing her hair. She didn’t like it dangling all over her beautiful greenishblue eyes, and she wasn’t too crazy about displaying two ponytails. And Mom had no choice but to please her in most every given case. So in this case, Grandma Suzanne had no choice either. This discussion had already run its course at least five times in the last six months between Mary Lou and now with Suzanne. There was no big surprise as to who had won all those discussions. And no big surprise there. It was now almost 5:00 p.m. It was just about time to get going. Time to hit the road. When both got in the car, just before Suzanne even placed the keys in the ignition, and still, before she even started the car, she turned around to look at AnnaMarie. She gave a very warm smile at her granddaughter. “First of all, you look very lovely, very pretty. And I am so glad you are my grandbaby, and I am so very proud of you and Mary Lou.” AnnaMarie responded very assuredly, “You mean, gorgeous?” “Same thing.” “No! Mom is very pretty. You are grandma, and I am gorgeous according to Daddy. And Mom says I’m gorgeous too.”

“Okay. Now second thing. Let me drive. Don’t criticize, don’t interrupt, and no sudden bursts of turn here, turn there, stop, hurry, and no ‘watch outs’! I am already nervous as it is, and I haven’t even got my keys out! And, worse than that, we haven’t even got out of the driveway! But I can drive. I can do this. After all, I am the adult. Right? I am the adult … So God bless us on this trip and bring us back home safe later tonight. Are we ready? Ready, sweetie?” “You mean, gorgeous?” Suzanne softly answered, “Gorgeous.” AnnaMarie answered back, “Thank you. Are we ready then?” “Ready if you’re ready.” “Been ready, but you’re not.” “What do you mean?” “Your purse? The tickets?” And Suzanne quickly looked around, trying to find her purse. She looked embarrassed in front of AnnaMarie and was trying so hard not to show it. She immediately exited the car and started walking toward the front door of the house. As she was walking, the car horn sounded. She slightly turned to look back. When she finally stopped to actually face the car, she saw a very tiny little hand sticking out of the driver’s side opened car door holding a set of car and house keys. “You’ll need these.” She heard a girlish little voice say. Suzanne immediately turned around and had no choice but to force herself a smile and say, “Oh, thank you, darling” as she walked back to the car to grab the house keys. “Grandma, do me a favor. Can you please bring me my red necklace with the silver star in the middle? Pretty please?” AnnaMarie just smiled. She knew she didn’t have to wait for a yes or a no and, without hesitation, scooted over to her side of the car seat and calmly waited for

her grandma to come back with the purse and with her necklace. Within a couple of minutes, Suzanne was back at the car, started it, backed out of the driveway, and before putting the car in forward, handed AnnaMarie her requested necklace. Within a few minutes, she had made her way out of the residential streets and could now see the sign that said, “US Hwy 180.” She would head east on 180 until she would get on I-20 east toward Fort Worth and then onto Arlington. This was no doubt going to be a long evening and most likely a long night for both of them. Now all Suzanne could hope for would be that AnnaMarie would fall asleep in a little bit so that she could concentrate on the highway exchanges, exits, ramps, and the normal heavy traffic with no distractions this very busy evening. That was at least until they got to the Dallas Cowboy Stadium in busy Arlington, Texas. But AnnaMarie wasn’t falling asleep, much less dosing off. She had just been quiet. “My Rosamarie necklace?” AnnaMarie suddenly asked. “It’s a rosary, not a Rosamarie. Roooo-saaaa-reeee. It’s pronounced rosary.” But AnnaMarie did not answer back nor contradicted Suzanne’s correction of her pronunciation of “rosary.” The long drive would probably turn into multiple hours because of the heavy hectic traffic, especially on this Friday night; commuters trying to get home from work or heading to work; those heading to the clubs, the strip clubs, the beer ts, the bars, the restaurants, the theaters, the dance halls, and, of course, the Trinity concert; and everyone here on this road at the same time they were. Oh, what a night! she thought. But not one out here at this time of the evening with a very bright, smart, and intellectual six-year-old little girl, gorgeous little girl, like AnnaMarie, her own flesh and blood, AnnaMarie Diane. “How long will it be before we get there?” AnnaMarie found herself asking as if reading her grandmother’s mind. “Maybe a couple of hours. Just depends on this traffic. Maybe we can get there early enough to get a quick snack, maybe get us a burger and fries, some pizza, a juicy BBQ sandwich, or just whatever you feel like eating that looks real good.”

“How ’bout just a Coke, a hotdog, some buttered popcorn, and a large candy? Mommy likes Almond Joy’s, O Henry’s, Snickers, and PayDay’s and me too. I like them all.” “Well, let me tell you a secret I haven’t even told not even your grandpa Greg. I introduced all those candy bars to your mom when she was very little. And guess what, I still love them all. That sounds like a grand idea. Think I’ll you for a candy bar too, young lady. You got a deal.” And without thinking, both gave each other a high-five. And realizing that was what was normally sold in concerts, Suzanne had nothing else to add except, “Marvelous idea.” “You’ve just made me lick my lips. I’m hungry all of a sudden. Your grandpa has always kidded me about my sweet tooth.” And hearing Grandma say that put a smile on AnnaMarie’s lips. All of a sudden, Suzanne thought, Now how in the world did this little girl know what to ask for? Never mind. Better not even ask. And she just continued as she would soon be approaching I-20 and have to change to I-30 later on. AnnaMarie did not sleep a wink. This was a new adventure for her to record in the back of her mind. She did remain mostly silent throughout the entire ride. In the back of her mind, she was going through several events from her past in her still very young life. She had never actually spent time alone with her grandma Suzanne. She had undoubtedly never been to Dallas nor much less to the worldfamous Dallas Cowboy Stadium, to the whatever the heck that was, she thought. And she had never been to a live concert either. She had already been exposed to some of the music award shows on TV like the MTV Music Awards and other programs like America’s Got Talent and The Voice. She knew music by Carrie Underwood, Miranda Lambert, Tim McGraw, George Strait, Michael Jackson, and Christina Aguilera. She just had no idea who “Trinity” was. She figured the radio stations back home did not play that kind of music, or maybe it was somebody new that still didn’t have a CD or an iTunes yet. But tonight she was going to find out in person. The drive took around two hours. She found the Tom Landry Freeway without any problem. Actually, I-30 was also named the Tom Landry Freeway after the

famous coach of the Dallas Cowboys from 1960 to 1988, Coach Tom Landry, who took the Cowboys to two Super Bowl championships, five conference championships, and fourteen overall division championships. He truly was a football legend not only in Dallas but also in the NFL. Anybody who knows anything about football knows who Tom Landry is even today. Either that or they are not really fans of the sport. He was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1990. Even Suzanne knew a little about the famous football legend, and one day so will AnnaMarie Diane. Being here at the famous Cowboy’s Stadium would definitely be a start. She turned off at North Collins Street and headed straight to the stadium. When they finally got to the parking lot, both knew this had to be a major event. Cars were loaded with fans and lined up from the main road all the way to the front of the stadium. Finding a parking space wouldn’t be a great deal. Finding the car after the concert, now that was going to be a greater deal Suzanne thought as she began to park. Suzanne’s nervousness immediately set in. But she knew there was nothing she could do about it at this moment. After all, they had both come this far to enjoy the Trinity concert. Might as well enjoy it and make the best of it. They had come this far, and they were here, safe and sound. “Let’s go find us a spot,” she thought out loud. “Good luck getting out.” She heard AnnaMarie say. She actually found a parking space a few rows from the front of the stadium. Both got out, took a deep breath, and kind of found comfort in each other’s company and quickly walked around the car, making sure there were no scratches nor dents now. And hopefully, there would not be any when they came back to their car. Both stopped in front of the car and simultaneously looked at each other. “You ready to go inside and ire this famous stadium?” she asked AnnaMarie. “Sure. I’m ready if you’re ready. It’s now or never. Let’s go!” Silently and very humbly, AnnaMarie grasped the cross attached to her rosary without thinking. As she very quietly walked, her bangs were very lightly bouncing and blowing around very beautifully about her face. It was a very nice breezy evening with a few clouds overcast right above the stadium. There was

moisture in the air, a slight chance for rain. Without hesitation, Suzanne unlocked the car’s door, reached behind the front seat, and grabbed a small umbrella she always kept there for moments like these. She grabbed it and stuck it in her purse. And without thinking, AnnaMarie reached out her right hand and folded it inside Suzanne’s left hand. Both held on to each other gently, feeling each other’s warmth and sense of security. Both quickly felt comfort in each other’s presence. But as they both walked toward the entrance, it was AnnaMarie’s mind that took her to the day her mom had bought her the rosary she now protected around her neck. Mary Lou had been looking for a full-time job. She had been from one part-time job to another. She was tired of living from paycheck to paycheck and going from one part time to the other without rest in between. She was tired of not having time to spend with AnnaMarie nor having time to take care of her, much less dedicate special time for her. For four hours in the morning, she worked at the Allsup’s Convenience Store, and for four hours in the late afternoon, she worked at the Dairy Queen. She worked from 6:00 a.m. till 11:00 a.m. and then from 4:00 p.m. till 8:00 p.m. Her only day off was on Wednesdays at the Allsup’s and Sundays at the Dairy Queen. But finally, she got a call from a good friend, telling her that a waitress had just got fired at the IHOP Restaurant, and her friend was going to drop her name to the manager. And Mary Lou was told she needed to go fill out an application as soon as possible, that same day if she could. She did go, and within a couple of days, she got a phone call for a job interview. By Friday night of that same week, she got a call to let her know she got the job, except she would have to start that Saturday night on the midnight shift. She was told to be there by 11:00 p.m. and not to be late or else the job would go to someone else. It was something she had not counted on. But she did desperately want the job. “Everybody starts on the midnight shift” was what her friend ended up telling her. It had something to do with seniority, jealousy among the employees and among the waiters and waitresses, and about everybody having to eventually pay their dues. She was also reminded that it would probably be a few months before she might be able to move to either evenings if she wanted to and maybe a year or

two before there might be any chance of coming to days. And that was a big, big maybe. Several waitresses were ahead of her, but no one lately had even mentioned a desire to move to days. They swore the tips were sometimes a little better at nights than in the mornings or evenings. And the majority of the waiters and waitresses relied more on the tips than their hourly wages. Others just loved the trade of working in a restaurant. And they would it that they would not even consider working anywhere else. It was a job they really did enjoy doing. So the pay didn’t really matter. So as for Mary Lou, she would be on probation for at least three months since she actually already had some experience in working at the Dairy Queen. She just had to hang in there for a few three months before she could get a small raise. Maybe some kind of luck would come her way. Maybe she could get a raise before her three months were up, or maybe she could move to day shift before the end of her first year there. That was if she stayed there that long. Time would only tell. So that Sunday morning, she didn’t work at the Allsup’s like she was supposed to. She had no choice but to call in sick. She knew there would be no way she could work at the IHOP Saturday night and convince the manager to let her out at 5:30 a.m. so she could be at her next job at the Allsup’s by 6:00 a.m. She would probably get fired right there on the spot and on her first day on the job. She just had to to call the Allsup’s manager by 4:00 a.m. and convince “him” that she was at home sick with some kind of stomach virus. She would just have to go by the Allsup’s on Sunday afternoon and quit. She figured this way, she could spend the whole afternoon with AnnaMarie, and both could go window-shopping at a couple of secondhand stores. She was looking for something she could actually afford without blowing all her paycheck from Allsup’s. In the end, her manager at the Allsup’s could not blame her for trying to find a better-paying job with a few extra benefits like discounted meals at the restaurant, better days off, and maybe even some health insurance for her and her daughter. Mary Lou did, however, promise AnnaMarie a large cheeseburger and a large banana malt from the Dairy Queen before going home that evening. This time both would seat together for the whole meal. Both agreed this was a fantastic idea. But little did they know that the manager would eventually treat them both to a free meal. After all, it was the least that she could do to one of her best waitresses. And that would also save her at least ten bucks. When they finished their cheeseburgers, fries, malt, and Coke float, the manager

came over to their table and assured her that if she ever needed her old job back, it would be there waiting for her whether it was tomorrow, next week, next month, or even next year. In the end, both hugged and thanked each other. Mary Lou also assured her that she would be back someday and maybe offer her a job, and then she could come work for her. Both agreed to keep that in mind. “If I ever win the lottery or somehow strike it rich or something,” Mary Lou stated. Both just laughed it off, and Mary Lou added, “Yeah, right.” Outside the door to the Dairy Queen stood an elderly Hispanic-looking woman holding a small cardboard box with several trinkets, some homemade pieces of costume jewelry, some silver- and gold-plated bracelets, and two handmade rosaries. One of the rosaries caught AnnaMarie’s eyes, especially the red one. It had red colorful beads all the way around. It had clear simulated diamond beads on the front of the cross. AnnaMarie looked at the elderly woman as if asking permission to touch, to hold, and to slip it over her tiny little neck. “See, I wear one too. Now mine is old, but there are still a lot of miracles left in it. I pray to it every morning and every night before I go to sleep.” AnnaMarie reached over to touch the old woman’s rosary, especially the cross. She noticed that it had one diamond missing on the right side of the cross, the second one from the right of the cross. It was already loose, so she just took it off. “You have a shiny little stone missing,” AnnaMarie said. “Yes. It’s been missing for a long time. I gave it to the Mother of Jesus a long time ago. I didn’t have a single dime to give to the church, so I asked my daughter to give it to the church one Sunday about ten years ago. My daughter was very sick, and I asked to take me and save her. So I took out the little stone and gave it to my daughter so she could put it in the collection basket.” “So what happened? Is your daughter okay now?” asked Mary Lou. “Well, with the grace of God, she is. And maybe one of these days, you may get a chance of meeting her,” answered back the old woman. AnnaMarie then asked, “What’s her name?” “Krystal. Her name is Krystal. Krystal with a K.”

After she said Krystal, both Mary Lou and AnnaMarie felt sad for the elderly lady and did not continue the topic any longer. Realizing that the two did not wish to continue this conversation any longer, she broke the silence by saying, “Go ahead, Mija. It’s okay. It’s a rosary. It’s been blessed already. I make them at home and take them to my church, and then I ask the priest to bless them before I sell them. And you know what? This is your lucky day, for you see, this beautiful red one was blessed by the Catholic bishop from the San Antonio Diocese. He was visiting our church two weeks ago. There’s a lot of power in a bishop’s blessing, you know. It was as if Christ Jesus had blessed it himself. This rosary can make a lot of little miracles come true for you. Yes, this is your lucky day I’d say, Mija. Here, let me put it around your neck. Well, how about that? Fits perfectly on you. I’d say this one’s got your name on it. Yes, how about that …” As she slipped it over AnnaMarie’s neck, AnnaMarie felt a sense of warmth come all over her tiny little body. It was a good sense of warmth. She somehow felt being drawn close to the elderly woman. She also felt being drawn close to the cross and, for some strange reason, felt the presence of her dad all of a sudden and that he was standing there with her. She felt the urge to want to touch and hold on to the cross and not let go. Mary Lou asked how much the rosary cost. The lady began to tell her that it was only ten dollars, but she quickly stated that it would only be five dollars for her gorgeous little angel. “The rosary really and truly has been blessed by the bishop of San Antonio, you know,” she reminded Mary Lou. “The beautiful hair on your little girl is so soft and so angel-like. You must use a very special brand of shampoo. The freshness of her hair reminds me of the beautiful red roses I took to the Virgin Mary this morning at church. Wonderful, simply wonderful.” And then she asked a very awkward and unexpected question. “Would you mind if I touch her face and recite in silence a very short prayer over her? I feel the presence of something very powerful coming from your blessed little angel.” Not really knowing what to say or how to answer this total stranger, something told her she couldn’t just say no, so she just stated, “Yes” without thinking and

hoped the elderly woman was not putting some kind of bad spell or bad omen on her. The elderly woman made the sign of the cross, touched the top of AnnaMarie’s head, and very devoutly, sincerely, and silently began praying over her head. The vendor’s eyes were closed with what appeared to be sincere devotion. When she finished her short little prayer, she opened her watery and fragile eyes. Mary Lou noticed her eyes were red and tearfully watery as if she had truly been crying. “Are you okay? Is everything all right? Is my baby going to be okay? I’ll be honest, you’re kind of scaring me. She’s the center of my world, and I don’t want anything to happen to her. I could never forgive myself if something was to happen to her. Please tell me she’s going to be okay. Please, I beg you.” “Mary Lou, that is your name, right? You have a precious gift in your little angel. Every little angel in heaven will always be watching over her for as long as she lives. God has already seen to that. That is why fate brought us together today. Her daddy is very proud of your little darling. He lives in her heart and know that he still loves you very, very much. He is very proud of you too for doing everything you can to provide for the both of you. God will always have angels watching over her. I have it from a very good source.” But Mary Lou did not even stop to ask her about how she knew her name nor how she knew about Thomas, AnnaMarie’s dad. She almost wondered if the elderly woman was some kind of a God sent, a guardian angel sent from heaven just for them. This brought tears to her eyes. “This rosary is God’s gift, I mean, my gift to you,” the woman said. And she just walked away after saying that and refusing to accept the five-dollar bill that Mary Lou was trying to hand her. The woman just pretended like she hadn’t heard. “You’ve already paid me.” They heard her say as she rounded the corner of the Dairy Queen. Mary Lou, still holding on to the money, gently placed it back inside her purse. Both Mary Lou and AnnaMarie just turned to look at each other, wondering and shrugging, and then just smiled at each other, thinking.

On one hand, Mary Lou thought, This must be my lucky day. On the other hand, AnnaMarie was thinking, I wonder if I’ll ever see her again? A free meal, a free necklace, a night off … what else could go right? came to mind. And all of a sudden, work came to mind. She would be starting her first whole week in a couple of nights. Monday night … midnight till 7:00 a.m. Bummer. That had indeed been an evening to and one to cherish and never to forget. Within a few days, AnnaMarie was on her way to Suzanne and Greg’s house for a few weeks. Since Mary Lou’s truck was not in very good running condition, Suzanne and Greg decided to drive down to the Hub City to pick up AnnaMarie. Neither one had ever been to the tiny little town on the west side of Lubbock, Texas, area called Smyer. It was more like an extension of the Hub City. The apartments where they lived were small with low ceilings. They were old and kind of run down from the outside. But Mary Lou made sure that her apartment was always kept clean and looking as orderly as she could considering she did have a growing little girl. Once they got there, the four of them took time to go out for dinner at the Furr’s Cafeteria, which was a favorite place to go eat because there, AnnaMarie could eat all the fried chicken, ice cream, and pies her little stomach could hold. And then again, Mary Lou did the same thing. Parting was extremely difficult for both Mary Lou and AnnaMarie. Both cried and hugged till there were no more tears left to cry. Both promised to see each other and be back in each other’s arms by Thanksgiving. That was if everything went according to plan. Both also promised to call each other every single night before going to sleep no matter what. No excuses. The way back to Weatherford was very quiet for AnnaMarie. She didn’t want to think about the bittersweet parting from her mom, but she kind of understood that right now, it was for the best. She figured that if she thought about this whole situation as kind of like going to stay and visiting with Grandma and Grandpa, she would treat it as a way of them getting to know her, herself getting to know them, and, most of all, that it would be “only” a temporary stay. So maybe it wouldn’t be too, too bad.

CHAPTER 4

He that serveth the Lord shall be accepted with favour, and his prayer shall reach unto the clouds. The prayer of the humble pierceth the clouds: and till it come nigh, he will not be comforted; and will not depart, till the most High shall behold to judge righteously, and execute judgment.

—(KJV) (SIRACH 35:16–17)

And so, now AnnaMarie caught herself holding on to the cross on her rosary as she walked toward the entrance to the stadium to see Trinity. She was excited, nervous, curious, and in complete amazement. Both AnnaMarie and Suzanne entered the stadium, and both knew they probably needed to go find the ladies’ room first before heading to the concession stand to go buy their much-desired hotdog, popcorn, candy bar, and a very large Coke. AnnaMarie got her Almond Joy, while Suzanne got her PayDay. Once inside the stadium, they asked an usher for directions to the ground level, front of the stage, row 5, seats 17 and 18. “Oh, these are perfect seats, ladies.” They were told by one of the female ushers when she took a look at their tickets. “You ladies are lucky ’cause you guys will be directly in front of the stage,” she added. “Just follow me. Please just watch your step for spilled drinks and don’t slip and have an accidental fall.” And with their hands full, they trusted the young girl and just simply followed behind to their seats. As they were about to enter the tunnel to go onto the playing field of the stadium, AnnaMarie took a quick stare at a lady standing at the entrance to the tunnel. She paid particular notice at the woman with graying hair. She had a small cardboard box in front of her. She appeared to be a little older than her own grandmother Suzanne. Both looked at each other for just a split second. The woman smiled as AnnaMarie’s eyes met her eyes as she was

ing directly in front of her. The woman, for some strange reason, had somewhat of a familiar look about her. The woman was looking right into her eyes. Because the woman was much taller than her, AnnaMarie could not see the contents of what was inside the small box. But for some very strange reason, AnnaMarie felt like she had seen this woman before. She felt like maybe she had just seen a ghost. She also somehow felt like they both had some kind of a connection. Could she be the woman who had given me the rosary? she wondered. But what did she know? She was only six years old. And even though the woman looked old, she still looked somewhat younger than the old woman she had just met not too long ago. And for some strange reason, something just automatically made her touch her little cross in front of her chest. As AnnaMarie entered the dimly lit tunnel, she felt one last urge to slightly turn her head to look at the woman one last time. As she was turning, the woman had moved and was now in the middle of the entrance to the tunnel but not moving nor walking. She was just standing there motionless, kind of like a statue. A sweet flowery fragrance came about the ambience surrounding AnnaMarie. The fragrance just came out of nowhere. All of a sudden, AnnaMarie made one more quick turn around, but all she could see now were nothing but people walking down the tunnel directly behind them. Curiosity had completely taken over her mind. How did she know the woman? Why did she look so familiar? Why was she there at that very spot and at the very moment? Why did she feel such a connection to her? Who really was she? Was she watching her, keeping an eye on her, or was she spying on her? “Good. Row 5.” She suddenly heard Grandma say. “Be careful, sweetie, not to trip or spill your Coke on anyone. Be careful not to step on someone’s feet either. Excuse us, please. Thank you, young lady. You’ve been so kind and extremely very helpful. Are we supposed to give you a tip for helping us find our seats?” “No, thank you, ma’am.” Both finally got to seats 17 and 18. Once they felt comfortable in their seats, Suzanne turned to look around as if trying to find someone she might know, then turned to look at AnnaMarie, and started unwrapping her hotdog and soon began

eating her hotdog. “Delicious,” she said and turned to AnnaMarie. She told her, “Eat your hotdog, sweetie, before it gets cold. It is very good. I think you’re gonna love it. As you can see, I’m really enjoying mine already. Eat up.” But AnnaMarie had a different idea on her mind at the moment. Eating the hotdog could wait. “I need to call Mom.” “Oh, I’m sorry, honey, you’re right. I’d forgotten. Maybe it’s not too noisy yet to where she can hear you, and you can hear her, at least not noisy yet. Here’s the cell phone. You may need to make it a short call tonight. Hopefully, she’ll we are down here in Dallas. If it’s too loud and she can’t hear you, tell her you’ll call her in the morning when you wake up.” Suzanne handed the phone to AnnaMarie. Since AnnaMarie had used the phone many times before, she knew to press the number 3 button and then press the green button at the bottom and then just wait for the phone to start ringing. After a couple of ring tones, she heard the voice she was waiting to hear on the other end. This brought some excitement to AnnaMarie’s face, and she could sense it in her voice. Suzanne could also hear the excitement in her granddaughter’s voice. Hearing the excitement also put a smile in her face. She knew that everything was all right on both ends. This also brought a sigh of relief. “Hi, gorgeous!” came Mary Lou’s voice. “Hi, Mommy!” “How are you?” “I’m okay, I mean, we’re okay, Mommy. We’re in Dallas at the concert, me and grandma. It’s huge! Grandma said it’s where the Dallas Cowboys play. Nobody’s singing yet. Grandma is eating a big hotdog. She said it will be a group that doesn’t sing a lot at home in Smyer. “Well, you enjoy your time with your grandma. She really loves you and be sure to thank her for the ride, the meal, and the concert. Please don’t give her a hard time by asking her so many questions. I know you are a very inquisitive young lady but give her a break. You can ask me a million questions about anything but save the questions for me, okay? I’ll answer them all. After all, she did spend a

lot of money for the trip, more money than I have. So be sure to thank her.” “Okay, Mommy. I’ll try not to make a nuisance of myself. You’ve told me that before. I still . I got it the first time. “Oh, I meant toward me, you silly, not Grandma. You can make a nuisance of yourself with me anytime you want. Never mind what I say. Don’t always be so quick to take me literally all the time. If you don’t ask, you’ll never learn. Never forget that. It’s just that some people have more patience than others. Grandma doesn’t have the patience she once had. But don’t hold that against her, okay?” “Okay, Mommy.” “Just have a good time. Enjoy the music. And have a fantastic time with Grandma. Who knows, maybe you’ll like the concert so much that someday you’ll be a singer and a superstar, be famous, and be rich too. And then ‘you’ can buy us a new home. Course, you know that is wishful thinking if you know what that means. I’ll tell you what, just have a great time, okay? I love you, sweetie.” “You mean, gorgeous?” “You’re right. I love you, gorgeous! Good night. Say hi to Grandma for me. Tell her I’ll call her tomorrow, okay?” “Night, Mommy. Okay, I’ll let her know.” AnnaMarie handed Suzanne back her cell phone. “Mommy said to tell you hi and said she’ll call you tomorrow.” “Okay. Thanks, darling.” Suzanne just gently squeezed her hand as she took the phone and placed it back in her purse. And within a few minutes, the whole floor seating area was full. Young kids, young adults, and older couples were literally packing the house. And she thought, This must be a really good band to have this many adults attending. At about fifteen minutes till 8:00 p.m., the overhead lights began turning off and on, letting the audience know that the first band was getting ready to start. It was time for the audience to start making their way toward their seats. Suzanne was getting excited about being there. She was also beginning to feel guilty that Greg

was out there somewhere in the night, trying to fix some kind of pump jack as he called them. She now felt bad for having given him a hard time over his job and over this concert. She knew now that she would have to apologize for her behavior. She wondered how he was doing. Was he eating? Was he getting some sleep? Was he getting any rest? She knew it was his job that was so demanding at times. She knew he loved his job, and after all, it did pay the bills. She knew he had just a few more years before he would be able to retire. And she knew that he probably wouldn’t give up his job any time soon. It was his bread and butter, and all he needed to do was hang in there a couple more years. In fact, Greg was out there in the oil field with two other guys, moving equipment around. They were getting things out of the way for when the technicians showed up in the morning. He had already driven to two other sites, and those pump jacks had stopped working also. He was now figuring that it must be an internal fuse that might have overheated, or maybe it was just defective to begin with. He would just have to wait and see what the experts had to say. In the meantime, it was a matter of sitting and waiting. Regardless, it was going to be a long night for all three of them. Since there was not much else they could do, he called the guys into his truck and said, “Why don’t we go in and get us some fresh hot coffee, listen to the radio, or play us some dominoes? Anyway, somebody owes me a Coke from last week.” David and Eugene just laughed it off. They had been working with Greg now for almost a year. They were hardworking guys who would do anything for Greg, including working at night, which meant overtime, which meant more money. Both were from the El Paso area who had run out of work when businesses started closing because of all the violence around the Juarez-El Paso area. They chose to move away as far as possible and somehow ended up living close to the Weatherford/Dallas area. Eugene was the one who owed Greg the Coke. By the same token, Greg owed David a Coke also. Greg figured this was a way to finally settle all scores. On the other hand, no one really expected to the other to pay. It was just a game among friends. Both David and Eugene highly respected Greg. They knew he was fair, friendly, and had become someone they could trust to treat them right. And Greg did treat all his workers fair. And he also made sure that when bonuses came around, and no one was left out. From the field,

they all climbed in his truck and headed to the small trailer they used as a field office. And back at the concert, it was about five minutes till 8:00 p.m. when the promoter walked up to the mic and announced that “an up-and-coming band out of Lubbock, Texas” would be the first band to take the stage before Pat Green and Trinity. It was The Josh Abbott Band. And finally, the applause and cheers began either because they were ready for the music to get started or those in the audience were already big fans of the band. Whistling and hoorays could be heard all over the stadium. AnnaMarie was slowly slurping on her Coke and eating her popcorn when the lights all of a sudden started going pitch-black. Her heart stood still. She sat motionless. She quickly reached over to find her grandmother’s hand, making sure she stayed put. Not having ever been to a concert or inside such a huge building with thousands of people screaming, she didn’t know what was about to happen. This was a totally new experience for her and one she now wished she could have experienced with her mom. But she was with her grandma, and she would have to just take it in as best she could. “It’s okay,” whispered Suzanne. “The show is about to start. This is kind of like the movies. They always turn down the lights before the movie starts. In this case, the band are getting up on stage to their spots. The music is about to start any second now. I do hope the sound is not way too loud since we are this close to the stage. Let me know if it is, okay? Let’s just sit back and relax.” The noise from the audience had slowly come to an end. One could hear some shuffling of feet, a few excuse mes, sorrys, and several thank-yous. “Ladies and gentlemen, The Josh Abbott Band.” And from out of the huge speakers all over the stadium, the music was underway. From out of nowhere, the upper stage lights came on spotlighting the of the band. It was exactly 8:00 p.m. Inside the dressing room marked “Jason Skarr,” Franklin was taking out his Stetson hat and setting it at the end of the dresser. He heard a knock on his door and, without hesitation, went to answer the door. As he was opening the door, he ed what Marty had told him about not being so quick to answer the door since it might be someone wanting to hurt him or a female wishing to

accuse him of some wrongdoing. But he opened it up anyway since he knew there was supposed to be a security guard just outside the door. A familiar voice was about to say something when Franklin recognized the voice. “Hey, what’s up, Marty?” Marty quickly spoke up and said, “Now look, buddy, how can we protect you when you won’t let us identify ourselves before you rush to open the door? It could be someone with a knife or a gun, or a girl accusing you of rape, or an exboyfriend of some girl standing outside this door. If nothing else, next time, ask to know who it is, okay? It’s for safety reasons. Nothing else, okay?” “You’re right. I wasn’t thinking. I must’ve thought I was at home. For some strange reason, I just knew it was you. And I was right, 99 percent of the time, it is you. No problem. So what’s up? Something wrong? Is there some kind of change I need to know about?” “I just needed to tell you that after tomorrow night’s concert in Oklahoma City, Mark, Johnny, and Bobby are wanting to fly home for a few days before next weekend’s concert in Wichita, Kansas. Bobby said something about Harlingen. They kind of want to know if that’s okay. As we speak, they are in the process of getting together to book their flights.” “And what about Crystal, Rhonda, Jamie, and Louis? They want to fly home too? What do they want to do?” “They said they are going to rent an SUV and tour Texas for a few days. They want to drive up to Austin, San Antonio, Houston, and Harlingen before heading up to Wichita. That is, if that’s all right with you. They want to tour the music scene on 6th Street in Austin, they want to ride and rafts at the Riverwalk in San Antonio, and they want to see the historical sites of Houston, Texas. They want to eat Texas barbecue in Houston, eat the best Mexican food in San Antonio, and drink their best Texas brew in Austin. I got a feeling they are in for the treat of their life.” “And you? What are your plans?” “Well, I guess that depends on you.” “On me? Why do I get the feeling you actually came here to tell me something I need to know. It really wasn’t just about the guys, was it? Are Mom and Dad

okay? Is this something serious you’re trying to tell me? ’Cause you know, you could’ve waited till after the show.” “Well, first of all, to begin with, I’m not spying on you. And if you want to have me arrested, I’m not going to run either. We are like brothers, and your best interest is and always will be my biggest concern. I have a back home that goes by your house every day to pick up ‘only’ your mail. He doesn’t read any of it. He forward it to me wherever we are at. He sends it to me overnight by FedEx. If I think it’s from a promoter or from the recording company, from our producer who lets us know how the records are doing or contracts to sign, whatever, I open up these letters or packages, and I make decisions for you, for us, for the group as a whole, not just for me. Sometimes that’s why schedules tend to change from time to time. I also get calls from these people all the time. Being the manager, I have to make decisions depending on how you are doing and how you are feeling. I know you need rest too. I know that sometimes you may want to play close to home so that you can have time to go see your mom and dad. And who knows, maybe one of these days, they may want to come see you on stage. Who knows?” “Okay, Marty. I don’t see any problem with what you are doing. You are the best friend I have ever had. And I wouldn’t trade you for anybody in the world. You are the best brother I have ever had. So what is it that really brought you here? I am anxious to find out. It better not be anything bad, okay?” “Nothing bad, buddy. You just got a letter from Bishop Carlson from the Catholic Diocese of St. Louis. Your dad apparently wrote him a letter, asking him if you can start classes so that you can become a deacon. And guess what. With all your Bible-reading knowledge, your days on the computer taking all those Bible tests, all those Sunday teaching classes you taught to teens and preteens up till this year, our most reverend bishop has actually sent you an Honorary Deacon Certificate with your name printed on it. I guess that means you are more than qualified to be a real deacon already. The certificate looks real. All I want to know is what does that mean to all the rest of us? Is the band about to have its last concert? Are you about to kiss us good-bye, leave us stranded in the middle of this fun and fantastic career?” “No, nothing like that. Trinity is still my life. You guys are with me for a few more years. Me and you are still brothers and best of friends, and we’re not saying good-bye just because of this. I’m not going anywhere. I’ve still got a few

more songs left in me that I want to sing. That is, if the public still wants to buy our music. We’re not done yet. Let me give this some thought, and we’ll talk later. By the way, where is this certificate?” Marty took it out from under his shirt and handed it to him. Franklin gently placed it under his Stetson. “I guess I can ire it later. We’ve got a show to do. How much more time do we lack?” “I think the first band is just about done. I’ll check and get back with you in a little bit.” In the meantime, once AnnaMarie felt comfortable with those people around her, she felt more calm and seemed to be enjoying the whole event. After about seven songs back-to-back, the singer mentioned that the band would play a couple more songs from their soon-to-be released CD due to come out during the second week of December. After the songs were done, he bid everyone good night and thanked all the fans who followed their music. He also mentioned heading toward Wichita Falls for their next event. The lights came on for about fifteen minutes, and the second band, Pat Green, was introduced. Suzanne asked AnnaMarie if everything was okay with her so far. “Do you need to go to the ladies’ room? Need to go potty? Are you enjoying the music so far? Is it too loud for you?” “No, everything is okay. The noise is not too loud. I’ll be okay. Thank you. It’s fun. I really like it. I already went to the potty, ? I can’t wait to get home and tell Mommy. It’s fun seeing all those girls up there, by the stage, just waving their hands at the singer. They’re funny. Can we go up there and stand next to them waving so they can see us too?” “No, honey, that’s why we have these seats so that we won’t have to move. They probably didn’t pay for any seats.” Suzanne knew she had just lied to AnnaMarie, but it was better than her being persistent and make her go stand there next to the stage in the middle of all those young ladies wanting to touch the singer. As far as she knew, they were both okay right there where they were at. The lights went off again one more time as the audience started settling down back in their seats, and the noise from the crowd slowly started coming to an

end. Just then, the promoter leaned into the microphone and simply stated, “Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome, Pat Green.” And the music started up again. The music went on for about forty minutes. The applause was getting louder as the night progressed. Even Suzanne and AnnaMarie caught themselves clapping louder than the first time, along with the rest of the those around them. This time they were even smiling and laughing mainly because of all the girls standing next to the stage who appeared to be either screaming, or crying, or just simply waving their arms all over the place. AnnaMarie just simply couldn’t figure out what the fuss was all about. And Suzanne was not about to explain any of that “girl emotion” to her granddaughter. This was not the place, and most of all, she was not old enough to even ask such questions, or so she thought. “Why are those girls just jumping up and down like they got ants in their pants, Grandma? Why can’t they sit like us? Are they sick? Why are the boys not acting like them? Do the mommies act like them? They are just plain silly, aren’t they?” And Suzanne knew better than to answer. She figured it would be best if she just pretended like she hadn’t heard a single word. In the meantime, back in Jason’s dressing room, Marty had come back at about the time Pat Green had taken to the stage. “Well, you said you needed to tell me something. And by the way, there’s about fifty-five minutes before you need to be on stage. Pat Green just started. You know he’s known for his great Texas ‘homegrown’ music. Anyway, what’s up?” “Well, I’ve got an idea that might just blow your mind. I’ve been thinking about this for the last thirty or so minutes. I haven’t totally got all the quirks or the what-ifs out of the way, but I’ve kind of made up my mind.” “Okay, that means you don’t need and you are not really asking for my opinion nor my approval. I guess our friendship has nothing to do with this plan of yours. I see. Well, let’s hear before I just totally bust wide open and have beat it out of you!” “Okay. Sit for just a little bit. I want you to hear me out before you say anything. Here goes. Since we’re headed to Ok City tomorrow, I want to do something tomorrow that I’ve never done before. And to be honest with you, I am kind of

nervous about this idea just a little bit.” “Nervous? You nervous? Nah! You’re kidding? This must be something totally out of your nature. You’re not planning on doing something illegal, are you? I mean, I’ll defend you. I’ll get you out. I’ll lie if I have to …” “Actually, you just hit the nail on the head. You might just have to say a little white lie for my sake. I’m sure God will forgive you. I just hope God forgives me, for that matter.” “Well, you got me in suspense! For God’s sake, what is it? I’ll do whatever you need me too. You know I will! Come on, man. Spit it out now!” “Okay, here it goes! You see this certificate? Well, what I need you to do is to go to a copy place and make several copies of the letterhead only. Then use the letterhead on a blank piece of paper stating that Bishop Carlson is sending me to a particular church for tomorrow, Saturday, at their evening mass to preside over their mass. You can also add that the priest there has been invited to go give mass at the largest Catholic church there in Oklahoma City. So first, find the smallest Catholic church either in Oklahoma City or somewhere outside of Oklahoma City and send them a fax or, like you normally do, send it FedEx. You can do this either tonight or you’re gonna have to get up real early in the morning to get this done. Do the same for our concerts in Wichita Falls and Amarillo that are scheduled for the Thanksgiving weekend and leading up to Christmas up in Lubbock. Oh, and don’t forget our New Mexico and Las Vegas stops in between. I’m almost ready for this tour to be over so we can all get back to our families for New Year. By the way, did we ever find out where exactly our concert is going to be in Lubbock? Last time I , there was a mix-up as to where the concert was to be held at. I that there was a mix-up on the scheduling of a ‘Spirit Arena.’ Has that promoter ed you?” “Well, actually there are now two promoters involved. And it’s actually the ‘United Spirit Arena.’ A new one called a couple of days ago. His name is Jasper Shiloh. He didn’t know if we were already booked for the Christmas weekend. But let me tell you that Christmas falls on a Saturday this year. I had told him that because of the holiday, all our were planning on spending time at home with their families and/or loved ones. I kind of told him that we could do it on Saturday, the eighteenth, or on Sunday, the twenty-sixth. I sure hope I didn’t just totally mess up any of ‘your’ plans. God, I hope not. If I did, nothing is

signed, so I can call him back tonight if I have to in order to change the date. I’ll leave it up to you. Given the day, I’m not sure as to what kind or what size of crowd to expect. That time of the year, people overspent on Christmas, possible snow on the ground, people tired of late nights, cold nights, the spirit of music has just about taken its toll on most people. I mean, I can cancel if you think that would be best. I’ll do whatever you want me to.” “No. We have never canceled on a date nor a commitment. I know it’s a hardship for the band, our employees, for you, for everybody involved in our little company of music players and singers. But we will not default even if no contracts have been signed. We will be there in Lubbock on the eighteenth or on the twenty-sixth of December on time one way or the other. Just find out where. Okay, back to my little venture. One other thing I am going to need from you. And this is going to be hard for you to believe. I am going to need an old car, not a new car. I don’t want to buy a car either. I also don’t want to rent a new car. Find an old car you might be able to buy for a thousand or less. I just want it to drive me around for a few days with the windows rolled down and smell that good ol’ Texas country air. They say Texas has the finest roads and highways. They say you can see for miles and miles and miles. I don’t care if it doesn’t have an air conditioner nor power windows. I want to drive to Oklahoma City. I don’t want to ride in the bus nor fly there. I want to drive. I want the breeze flapping my hair all over Texas. I want to know why so many people come to live in Texas. I want to know why Davy Crockett said, ‘You may all can go to hell! I’m going to Texas!’” “You know, Jason, I actually have a friend who owns an old classic car that is supposed to be in good running condition. As for an air conditioner, you’re in luck. This car was built with no A/C. I believe it’s a, get this, a yellow, two-door, 1970 AMC Javelin, 360 horsepower, four-speed stick shift with a black interior. They don’t make those power cars anymore. They were light and had super speed. At one time, they were even used as police cars in some cities. They made tremendous race cars. But AMC eventually went out of business. But there are a few still around here and there. And my friend has his in his garage. As far as I know, he still drives it from time to time. He may need a new battery, but it should still run good. I’ll give him a call and see if he’ll let us borrow it, I mean, let you drive it. He can have it up here by in the morning. He actually lives in the Lubbock area. Hmm, talk about luck. Just where our tour ends. How ’bout that?” “Well, pay him for the use of the car. If something needs fixing, ask him to let

you know what it is, and we’ll have a mechanic look at it and fix it. By the way, what’s your friend’s name?” “To be honest with you, I believe it’s Robert. It’s been so long. He actually lives just outside of Lubbock, but I say he lives in Lubbock. Anyway, I’ll give him a call, and we’ll see if we can get you an old classic car here by in the morning. And he’s probably not going to want to get any money for the use of the car. If I know him, he’ll just be glad you want to drive it.” “Let me ask you, how will he get back home?” “He’s got family here in the Dallas area, and I think I him telling me he also had family in the Austin area. I’m sure he’ll either fly back home or stay here for a few days before heading back. Either way, I’ll make sure I purchase his plane ticket back home. I got it covered. You just go do what you gotta do, Deacon Scarborough, I mean, Jason. Hey, you’re not gonna make me start going to confession later on, are you? Just kidding. I’ll see you in a little bit.” “Deacon Scarborough … You know, that doesn’t sound so bad, does it?” “To be honest with you, no, it doesn’t, Franklin. Anyway, I’ll let you know something in the morning as to where your first ‘preaching’ is going to be, buddy. Hey, got ten minutes before you’re up. Good luck and give them your best like always. The stage is probably all set. See you later, alligator.” “After a while, crocodile.” And Marty left the room, smiling. The lights were just beginning to come when the promoter came on, saying, “Ladies and gentlemen, we will take a short intermission break for the stage to be reset for Trinity, featuring winner of several CMA and inspirational gospel awards, Jason Skarr.”

CHAPTER 5

When I was yet young, or ever I went abroad, I desired wisdom openly in my prayer. I prayed for her before the temple, and will seek her out even to the end.

—(KJV) (SIRACH 51:13–14)

The promoter continued, saying, “We will be starting in about fifteen minutes. We want to thank you all for coming out tonight to Arlington’s famous eighth wonder of the world, the home of the Dallas Cowboys Stadium. We want to thank most gratefully and most sincerely Mr. Jerry Jones for his hospitality tonight. Who knows, some of you may be lucky enough to run into one of the Dallas Cowboy football players who may be out here, wondering around the stadium. They are always coming and going, is what I have been told. Actually, someone said to keep this under my hat, a secret if you will, that someone thought they saw two quarterback legends, one being Mr. Roger Staubach and the other, Mr. Tony Romo. Maybe some of you will be the lucky ones to get a glimpse of them walking among you. Who knows, maybe even get an autograph or two.” The lights began to dim. People’s fast-shuffling feet began all over again. People were again hurrying to get back to their places. The stage lights went completely black, except for those few red lights, blue lights, and green lights that were all coming from boom boxes, connectors, musical instruments, and other switch boxes. “Enjoying it so far?” asked Suzanne. “Yes, thank you.” “I guess we’ll see if Trinity has any good songs. I guess I could turn on the FM

stations a little bit more at home. I just haven’t heard any good music since the eighties. I’m talking about both rock and country. But what would you know? You’re only six years old. The best music was from the sixties, seventies, and eighties. Music kind of went downhill after that. Who knows, maybe it’s back. I really do need to turn on the radios at home and in the car a little bit more. I guess I could. Who knows, maybe I will tomorrow.” “You could start tonight on our way home, or why not now?” suggested AnnaMarie. “Okay, smarty-pants,” answered back Suzanne. “I mean, let’s face it, Grandma. This isn’t no ‘Flintstone Mobile’ nor the Jed Clampett family truck either. It’s modern with all the extra luxuries. I mean, this traveling machine probably has at least six state-of-the-art Bose speakers and surround sound, right?” “My, my, young lady, where’d you learn all this mumbo jumbo talk from?” “Well, I don’t exactly just stay home and watch the children’s TV channels. I know that TV remote like the palm of my hand. I also have a friend back home who lives down the street. Her name is Loretta. And she lives for the TV remote from the minute she wakes up till she literally falls asleep. She finds something to watch, and she calls me. I find something to watch, and I call her. We’re into all kinds of movies, except for the huh, huh, R movies, of course. They’re all really about the same thing if you know what I mean. Anyway, Mommy says I’m too young to know about cursing and sex. You know, I like Carrie Underwood and Miranda Lambert. Mommy says she likes some guy named Church (Eric Church). She also said she loves Elvis Presley and the Beatles.” “Well, your mommy always knew her music. She’s always had good taste for music. I’m glad she wasn’t into all that metal music, or hard rock, or rap.” All of a sudden, the stadium’s sound speakers gave a loud banging sound. Neither Suzanne nor AnnaMarie had realized the entire inside of the stadium had gone dark for the third time. Silhouettes and shadows in the background of the stage could be seen moving across the stage. Once the silence came to a standstill, the promoter came on, and in a mellow voice came the words “Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome, winners of several CMA awards for video, song, and album of the year, plus winners of other inspirational and gospel

awards, featuring lead vocalist, Jason Skarr. Ladies and gentlemen, ‘Trinity.’” Tap tap tap could be heard from the drum set. Once Jason heard the first tap tap sound, he turned to look at his band and made the sign of the cross, just as his mother had taught him to do right before he would step up to the mic to sing in the church choir. Then the smooth sound of the keyboard came on. A couple of chords from the bass accompanied the drum and keyboards when finally, the sound of the voice the whole audience had come to experience, some for the first time. And the lead guitar made its entrance at the beginning of the first verse. And the first song of the night was under way. The background singers, “Trinity’s Voices,” entered right on cue on the chorus lines. Suzanne wondered why she had never before heard this song, this band, nor this singer. Maybe she was just getting old and didn’t have time for music anymore. Maybe she was out of touch with this new generation. Maybe she just needed to get out more often than she did. And maybe she just needed to go to other stores besides just Walmart all the time. AnnaMarie had somehow already eaten her hotdog and finished her popcorn. She had a few slurps left in her Coke and was still hanging on to her Almond Joy. She was simply entranced on all the lights that lit up the stage and the blending of the music and, most of all, fascinated by the words in the song. She had never really paid that much attention to the words in any particular song, but for some strange reason, tonight she was hanging on to every syllable of every word this singer was saying. Her mind was wide open tonight. To her, the music wasn’t too loud that she couldn’t hear the words to the song, and each word was coming out so clear and distinct that one could not miss them. The songs went on one right after the other. Trinity played a few old country hits from the early sixties. One was from Hank Williams Sr., one from Buck Owens, and a couple of rock-and-roll hits from Johnny Rivers and Elvis Presley. Jason mentioned how these Hall of Fame legends had inspired what he considered his second career, which was much, much different from his first. Then he added that his first career had been working at Burger King and McDonald’s while he attended and finally finished, with the grace of God, high school back in St. Louis, Missouri. Then he added a side note. “Don’t get me wrong. I am not criticizing those two fast-food places. They got me out of many financial binds back when I was

growing up. They helped me get started into this music business. I have a lot to be thankful for. And I know that there are a lot of you guys here tonight who can look back and say the same thing. I am the last person to say that if it hadn’t been for them, I probably wouldn’t be here. Because of them, some of these instruments we are using tonight came from that hard-earned money. So be proud of your jobs no matter whether it is working at a fast-food restaurant, a janitor or a maintenance worker at a school, a warehouse, a garbageman, a truck driver, or out in the fields. I’ll be honest with you, folks.” At this, he took a deep breath and had to swallow a big lump that gathered in his throat. “My wonderful, beautiful dad drives a garbage truck back home. And I am so very proud of him for doing what he did back when I was growing up. And guess what, he still does in order to put food on the table, and for having paid for the private Catholic school I attended. So be proud of your sons and daughters, your wives, your husbands, and your friends for working those jobs! Accept them for what they are, for the kind of person ‘you’ are because of them! Don’t be embarrassed to say you work in some of these places! I was there! And my hat goes out to you! I salute you! My respects go out to you! There is no shame in doing an honest man’s or an honest woman’s work earning that minimum wage! Be patient! Keep searching for that better-paying job or that profession! Don’t give up! God didn’t give up on his best friends before! He was crucified! He didn’t give up on us back then, and he is not giving up on any of us now, especially now when he needs us the most! I can guarantee you, God is not giving up on any of you! I’ve been in your shoes! Been there, done that! And my friends up here on stage will vouch for that! They know my background! They know my story! They know my history! What you see is what you get! And if I had to do it all over again, I would! Right here, right now in a New York minute! Your time is coming! I know it is! Hey, enough preaching! Hey, what do you say, let’s go on! What do you say? “Hey, before we continue, let me introduce the of the band. On drums, let me introduce Mr. Johnny ‘Ringo’ Lamar hailing from Denver, Colorado! On bass is Mark Samms out of St. Louis, Missouri! On keyboards is Mr. Bobby Lopez! He comes from way, way down the southernmost tip of Texas, the city of Harlingen, Cameron County, Texas! “Ladies and gentlemen! Our backup vocals! They are Trinity’s Voices! Our lady singers are Crystal and Rhonda, and our male singers are Jamie and Louis! Together, they are Trinity’s Voices! They hail from in and around the St. Louis area also! And me, I’m Jason Skarr from a little town called Bowling Green! That’s Bowling Green, Missouri, not Bowling

Green, Kentucky! Sorry! Hey! That’s kind of the way it goes! We are Trinity! That’s for you, guys and gals keeping score! Hey, we do appreciate all of you here tonight! We thank you all for coming out and listening to our songs, our messages! Oh, before I forget … My manager, Mr. Marty James, always has to remind me to remind you to be sure to check out our website to see where we will be playing next! Hey, come see us! Thanks again!” Just as he finished, Jason recalled the friendship he had built with Marty twenty some odd years ago when they met each other as young kids living down the street from each other. Way before Jason Skarr was even thought of. Back when Jason was really known as Franklin Jay Scarborough. Franklin and Marty met each other the summer before Franklin started his first grade at the Holy Trinity Catholic Elementary School. His parents had moved to St. Louis from a small farming town outside of Bowling Green, Missouri. His friends always kidded Franklin’s dad about why it wasn’t Bowling Green, Kentucky. It would be years down the road before Franklin even made the distinction of the fact that the city in Kentucky was way more famous than the town with the same name in Missouri. It would be until his high school days that he would realize there was actually a song made famous by the Everly Brothers singing about Bowling Green, Kentucky, and not Missouri. His dad was wanting to get away from farming. He didn’t want to be stuck in a profession that was getting harder and harder to do and raise a family. If it wasn’t the equipment breaking down, or the droughts, or the floods that would ruin the crops, it was always something. One out of every four or five years would sometimes yield a good crop. He was getting tired of having to rely on Mother Nature. He had been looking for an indoor job, maybe working for the city. And in a matter of days after moving, he quickly found a job driving a garbage truck for the city of St. Louis. He’d been looking for some kind of retirement benefits, sick leave, more than one week vacations per year, and hopefully, being off on a holiday or two. And working for the city, he eventually got all he was looking for. And best of all, he didn’t have to ask nor beg for pay raises. He would almost be assured of getting a cost-of-living raise almost every year, which 3 percent was always better than nothing. Franklin came to live two doors down from where Marty was living at. Both just happened to be the same age as they would soon find out. Both learned to ride bikes together.

Both went to the Holy Trinity Catholic Church, the same grocery store, the same shopping mall, and eventually, the same Holy Trinity Catholic School. As they grew up side by side doing the same things, both would take long walks from time to time to the Mississippi River and always wind up, talking either of Mark Twain or about their taste in music and likes and dislikes. But even if they disagreed, their friendship for each other was their true bond. When they entered Rosati-Kain Catholic High School, both wanted to be in some kind of sport, but Franklin started leaning more toward his love for music. He ed the high school band much against his basketball coach’s wishes. Franklin had strength and speed and made a good offensive player but knew that he would have to make a choice. Either dedicate his time to music or play ball for two, maybe three, years and then do something else and then pay for going to some local state college or some well-known university in or out of Missouri. He didn’t think he had the right height nor enough talent for a scholarship in sports, but he could try hard enough to get one for music. And maybe one of these days, he could try learning how to sing besides humming every now and then in the shower. He already most definitely enjoyed music much, much better than running up and down the basketball court. His mind was almost already made up. Marty, on one hand, liked some music but loved sports a whole lot more. He loved hitting and bouncing into people, so he always wanted to be a mean basketball defensive player. Marty had a hard time learning how to read music sheets. He really never learned the basics and was always way behind the other kids, especially Franklin. On the other hand, Franklin had a brilliant mind. He could read and memorize anything without even trying. He memorized the basketball plays overnight when it took others days, if not weeks, to get them all straight. And in band practice, he soon discovered there was nothing he couldn’t read nor understand. And in a matter of weeks, there was no instrument he couldn’t play. In time, he learned how to read the music sheets from drums to guitars, flutes, trombones, clarinet, saxophone, and even the keyboards. Other instruments he would soon learn how to play as quickly as the band director would acquire them for the band . It didn’t take long for the band director to get Franklin to take over the band class when he had meetings to attend to, when he was sick, or even when he needed a day off for personal needs. The principal was already aware of Franklin’s talent, his patience with the students, and his dedication to music that he approved the band director’s request to allow Franklin to teach the class.

From time to time, he would walk in on the class and ire Franklin’s teaching methods. Most of all, there was never any horse playing when Franklin was in charge. And of course, Franklin was always more than willing and ready to take over the class and always willing to help out a fellow student who was having trouble with a certain homework or a certain instrument. He loved music and was extremely good, if not great, at it. By the time he was a sophomore in high school, he would be able to play every single instrument in his school. At times, he would play anywhere among keyboards, trombone, flute, saxophone, clarinet, drums, or some other instrument during a sports function, a Christmas show, or some other event for the school or for a family event. He was known to his friends as, “Mr. Play It All”. He would fill in for any student who wasn’t present at the function. Several times, he would play three or four instruments during the show and sometimes during the same song being played. He wasn’t shy. He wasn’t afraid. He wasn’t overconfident either. He knew everything about music that he thought he needed to know, and he knew everything about the musical instrument he put in his mouth or held in his hands. His friends trusted him completely, and most of all, his band teacher trusted him as well. He was a dependable type of guy. And sooner or later, his parents would also come to know, recognize, and appreciate all his God-given talents. During his senior year, he asked the band director for extra lessons on the string instruments, mainly the fiddle, the bass guitar, and most especially, the acoustic guitar. He soon learned them all almost to perfection. And what he didn’t learn in school, he would eventually teach himself at home. Seemed like the only thing he was lacking was ing the choir class at school. His tight and busy schedule did not allow him any extra time for choir though. His class schedule was to the max if he was going to graduate on time and with honors. The band director had already hinted that a couple of major colleges were looking into his academic grades and his extremely bright musical talents and that there was a really good chance for a music scholarship. And of course, he would keep him informed as the school year progressed. Since he loved music so much, his mother found a way to get him involved in it. She would end up asking him to sing with her in the church choir. His mom always found a way to volunteer him to sing a hymn or two in front of the microphone and especially during mass. At home, she would pretend to be having problems with a certain tune or a certain note while practicing her own singing for the choir so she would ask Franklin, invite him to sing with her, or

even encourage him to sing stronger, softer, and better. But in the end, he wasn’t being fooled. He immediately discovered that his mom was actually giving him voice lessons on how to control his breathing, his high notes, and his low notes. And it would be long before he was singing solo songs for the church choir. So it didn’t take long for him to actually love singing loud, solo, on key, and in front of total strangers in his church. His high notes and low notes always sounded perfectly pitched and on key. Church always had nothing but praise for his very smooth singing talent. From time to time, he was often told that if he ever quit Burger King or McDonald’s, he could always start a new career singing somewhere, either at a bar, at the Grand Ole Opry, or at a full-blown concert. He just needed the right manager to discover him someday. Before too long, he would eventually tell his mom of songs he had written for the church choir, that was, if they were willing to try them, songs that sooner or later, his mom would introduce to the choir to sing during actual mass on Sunday. Once he taught them to the choir, they turned out to be easier to sing than they had expected and in no time became instant hits with the choir and with the congregation and priest. As a few songs were sung, soon they wanted more new songs to add to the list. The old songs soon got put to the back of the list. The hunger for him to write new songs became a big demand for Franklin, and as always, he was only too eager to oblige the group and the church. Sooner or later, his best friend, Marty, got in on the demand for this kid’s newly discovered talent. This guy could write, play, and sing. He wasn’t shy in front of the mic. “I see money, and I see girls” came to his mind one Sunday in church. And Marty would soon come up with a new “money-making idea” for both Franklin and himself. He would encourage Franklin to form a small high school music band to play at weekend parties, birthday parties, and maybe a few nonbeer-drinking clubs or regular restaurants. And maybe, once in a blue moon, at a real beer-drinking club. Of course, Marty would have to be the manager of the band since Franklin would have to be the singer of the band. This already sounded like a money-making venture for the both of them. And meeting goodlooking girls was also part of the package he was about to propose to his best buddy, his friend, Franklin. He couldn’t say no. He wouldn’t say no. Heck, he better not say no. But there was one slight problem, Franklin’s dad. He didn’t want his son inside

any club. He didn’t want to find out that his son was drinking, smoking, stealing, or just plain hanging out with the wrong guys. He trusted all his friends and, most of all, Franklin’s honesty and judgment. He was also hoping that someday Franklin would become a church deacon just like he was. By the time Franklin would eventually graduate from Rosati-Kain Catholic High School, he practically knew the complete Bible from start to finish, the Old Testament and the New Testament. His dad preached it at the church during mass and also preached it at home. So Franklin had no choice but to read and discuss it with his mom and dad during family time. He also had to learn how to explain the parables to them. It wasn’t unusual for him to be sitting during Sunday mass and knowing just exactly what his dad would be talking about when he was on the pulpit, reading from the Bible to the congregation. And knowing what the priest would be talking about also kind of made him smile from time to time. Yes, knowing what the homily would be, literally word for word, was always fascinating to him thinking that maybe he, Franklin, could be up there on the pulpit doing the same thing, preaching just like them, the priest from Holy Trinity Church and his dad, the deacon. So it was not unusual for the priest to ask Franklin to help out with Sunday Bible classes for the preteen age group. He was a fast learner and a fantastic Bible class teacher. On one hand, his dad had special plans for him by this time. He wanted his son to get closer to the church. On the other hand, Marty, his best friend, also had different plans for both of them. And it had nothing to do with the church nor religion. It was about music and girls! He knew he wasn’t going to give up on persuading Franklin to, kind of, see it his way. Marty was going to keep on pushing this marvelous idea into his head. One way or the other, he was going to see this dream come true, for both of them, of course. Marty wasn’t planning on giving up “his” dream. Yep, music and girls! And life will eventually be sweet for me and by best buddy! Like music to my ears, he thought. The idea finally came to Marty as to how to get this music dream started. “Sit, Jason, I mean, Franklin. So your mom and dad don’t find out what you or what we want to do is why don’t we change your name. Like from ahh, ahh, Franklin to let’s say Jason. Your name is, after all, Franklin Jay Scarborough. Change it to, let’s say, Jason Skarr. Skarr fits real good, you know. I mean, with the scar I gave you five years ago just below your hairline there on top of your big ol’ forehead. Hey, let’s make good use of that scar now. It’s there for a purpose now, don’t you think? Jay for Jason and change your last name, Scarborough, to Skarr.

And by the way, that’s Skarr with a K. Kind of like your mom. Krystal with a K. Also, Skarr with a K has two Rs at the end. You need me to write it down for you so you don’t forget your new name, buddy?” “Oh, I got it the first time, buddy. Let me think about it, buddy.” Then Franklin added, “Why do I get the feeling you’ve been giving this idea of yours some thinking. I mean, you already gave me a so-called stage name, and I haven’t even said if I even like the idea or not, much less my new name. Like I said, let me think about it. Let me give it some time to sink in. Let me think of the possibilities of this even working. Heck, I already have a very tight schedule. You know that. Besides, what about money for the good quality instruments to get from one place to the other? How many instruments will we need? Who else can we get to us to get this band going? And you, what instrument are you planning on playing? Are you planning on playing, singing, or managing? Transportation? What about a vehicle to get us and the instruments around? And where will we have our practices at? Oh, and what will we sing? Country? Rock? Gospel? For sure, not rap! Have you given any of these things any thought? I mean, you do have a plan, don’t you? I’ll tell you what, when you come up with some half-ass answers that I can deal with, give me a buzz, okay? Better yet, when you answer all these tidbit questions, get back with me, okay? Oh, one other question, have you already given this band, your band, or our band a name?” Marty just smiled back at Franklin and stated, “Give me a couple of weeks to give all your little questions some thought. I’ll get you some answers, one at a time, Jason. Oh, I’m sorry, I meant, Franklin. In the meantime, start writing your first number 1 hit, be either country, rock, or gospel, Mr. Singer/Songwriter. Let me know how ‘you’re’ coming along in a couple of weeks too.” “Jason? Writing? Writing what?” “Hit songs! Your future! Our future! Hey, listen to this … Ladies and gentlemen, here comes Jason Skarr, America’s newest singing sensation hailing from St. Louis, Missouri! America, here we come! I guess we better keep working on coming up with a name for our band, huh?” “I guess we better,” Franklin said laughingly.

CHAPTER 6

And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life. —(KJV) (1 JOHN 5:11–12) “Yeah, right. Just let me at least graduate out of high school, okay? You know, moms and dads have dreams too just like us. I’m sure your parents have hinted to you about what they want you to be once you graduate from high school. You know, you have never told me what you plan on doing once we graduate. What? Go to college? And study what? As for me, I’ve got a plan already—go to college and teach music somewhere, maybe come back to Rosati-Kain and be a band director! Wouldn’t that be something?” “Yeah! Wouldn’t that be something?” And both just looked at each other and laughed. “Okay, just thinking about this topic is kind of making me change my mind already. And I don’t want to have to start all over again as to what I’m gonna do with the rest of my life after high school and college.” “I know what you mean, Franklin. You’ve given me a headache already. What do you say we change the topic? Why don’t we talk about girls instead, okay?” But Franklin knew that his dad was wanting him to go to college, get his degree in whatever he wanted to, and get a decent-paying job that had opportunities for advancement and be able to call it a profession, not just a job. His dad had also hinted on him becoming a church deacon like he was or maybe, just maybe, become a Catholic priest. After all, there was a chance for advancing there, for sure. Become a priest, then a bishop, archbishop, cardinal, and then the head of the whole church, the pope! But nothing against the church, he had already hinted several times that sooner or later, he would find the right girlfriend, get married, and have a little girl to call him daddy. So being a priest was kind of out of the question, for right now anyway. So there was no option on that subject anymore. No need to bring it up at their next table session. He respected his dad, and he didn’t want to be rude to him, but he’d rather his dad didn’t bring it up

anymore. His dad had gotten married to his mom, and he also wanted the same opportunity to marry the right girl when and if the right girl was to come along. As for becoming a deacon, he figured he could probably manage that. He knew the ins and outs of the Bible already. He understood the parables as his priest would break them down during Sunday mass and talk about them. Most of all, his dad had explained all of them over and over to him after dinner and on Sundays after coming home from Sunday church. So Franklin was used to question-and-answer sessions with his dad about stories in the Good Book. And most of all, he was not afraid nor embarrassed to get in front of people, young or old, and speak in a comfortable tone without the fear of stage fright nor classroom shock. Several times in class at school, he would get up to the front of the class and give speeches, recite memorized poetry, or be a spokesperson for class projects. Sometimes the audience was small, and sometimes the crowd was large. He always seemed so much at ease being in front of people. Sometimes he would even be more at ease in front of the microphone than some of the teachers in his high school. So maybe he could find a way to convince his mom about this uncertain future. Singing? Well, singing in the church choir had been his mom’s idea anyway. So he thought, Why not outside the church? After all, singing was singing! It was already happening! It would just have to be a start! This would have to be at least a starting point. By the time he finally got around to speaking with his mom about his plans, she reminded him of all the special gifts God had given him. She reminded him of the huge sacrifice his dad had gone through in order to provide for him a good, strong Christian education, a Catholic private school at that. She brought up the fact that Holy Trinity had educated him through most of his school years. Holy Trinity had unveiled his gifts of reading music, writing music, understanding music, and how it was put together in rhyme and rhythm; and of course, Holy Trinity Church had all showed him his true talents and also helped him discover his singing. The Holy Trinity family at school and church had indeed discovered all those beautiful talents he knew he could share with the rest of his family, his friends, his community, and maybe the rest of the world. At one point, he wasn’t sure if his mom was actually encouraging or discouraging his idea to pursue this unthinkable singing career. Was she saying, “Yes, go follow your dream,” or was she saying, “No, just do your singing for us

and the church”? He was somewhat confused. Somehow if his mom had meant one thing, somehow she had kind of turned it around and ended up saying the opposite. And by now, he believed that his mom had also realized what she had just said. And Franklin thought, Okay, Mom, clarify this for me, please. “Franklin, please don’t cheat yourself out of college. I know there is a really great chance for you to get a free ride to college, a scholarship. Your grades, your academic evaluations, your teachers, your principal, and your tremendous knowledge for anything thrown at you are so unbelievable. And I know there are several colleges already interested in you as we speak. Please do this for us. Please get your degree first and then follow your dreams. Then you can fulfill your dreams. But please don’t let your father down. He has worked so hard to let it all come tumbling down just like that on a whim. Don’t get me wrong. I do honestly and sincerely believe that you have a beautiful talent in your singing. I hear it in church every Sunday and here at home. We both know it. Actually, all four of us know it—you, me, your dad, and the Holy Trinity.” “Actually, Mom, that would be all six of us.” “Don’t correct me, but you are right, Franklin. I love music myself. I’ll tell you a secret. I myself wanted to be a singer when I was about your age too. I wanted what you want too. I could almost taste it. Now I’ve got what I’ve got, which is you and your dad. My life is … complete. Holy Trinity got you here. Let it be your guide. Please put all your trust in the Holy Trinity. Believe in the Holy Trinity. Please don’t ever forget where you came from, what your dad had to do to put food on the table, and from where the money came from to put clothes on your back. Don’t ever forget that just as God gives you gifts, he can also take them away. Those gifts are for you to share with the less needy. God knows I believe in all that, just like your dad does too, and I know you do too, son. I know we brought up right. And know that how you live your life, God is watching you every step of the way, day and night. Those guardian angels never sleep. Look, you are my son, and I love you under any and all circumstances, no matter what decisions you make today, tomorrow, or for the rest of your life. I can assure you that both your dad and me want the very best that life can offer you. Always know that. We are proud, so very proud, of you already. Hey, even if you turn out to be a truck driver picking up the city trash, just like your dad. He is your dad, and I am proud to call him my husband, just as we are proud of you. Don’t ever forget that. Look at me now. I am turning sentimental already, and you haven’t even left our little nest yet.”

At that moment, Franklin’s mom got very serious and sentimental. “You have some kind of magical charm or karma, whatever it’s called. You have an aura about you that brings out the best in you around people, and it also comes out in the people around you. It’s like magic, a good kind of magic if you will. It’s a very special gift, and only God knows how far those gifts will take you in life. Nobody knows how long these God-given gifts will last. Always be truthful to your friends, to your family, to your parents, to yourself, even to a total stranger, and especially to God. Please, please don’t ever let God down. So promise me this, that God will always be with you when you wake up in the mornings and before you go to sleep at night. Whatever you do in life, wherever you are, and with whomever you are with, let God know you haven’t forgotten him nor let him down. Let God know your decisions are well intended before you act on them, okay?” At this moment, Franklin’s mom took off the rosary she carried around her neck and placed it over his head and around his neck. It was a gesture he took to mean that she was giving him her implied consent to go follow his dream. By now, both had tears in their eyes, both smiled at each other, and both simultaneously hugged each other without hesitation. Neither one had to wait for one or the other to make the first move. Both understood it was the natural thing to do. A mother and son warmly hugging each other, it was a photographic moment. “It is your turn to carry this gift over your heart till you see it fit to it on maybe to your future wife one of these days or to your son or daughter one of these years. Franklin, always know in your heart that the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit are always with you.” “That’s Trinity for you!” He caught himself saying back to his mom. “Exactly! That’s Trinity for you! And the Holy Trinity will be keeping an eye on you when we are apart from each other and when you happen to be traveling somewhere away from home,” his mother answered back. “Thank you, Mom. You’ve made it very easy for me to know exactly what it is that I want to do, at least for a while, at least until the music stops coming out of my head, out of my mouth, or out of my lungs. I ‘am’ going to college first and foremost! I ‘will’ graduate! And I too have a dream I want to pursue whether it’s for a day, a week, a month, or a year. I’m not going to hold my breath and let it ruin my life if it doesn’t develop. And someday, I will grant Dad his wish also,

which is to become a deacon. I am not about to start thinking about changing my religion for anything in the world. That is your gift to me, and it is mine forever and ever. You can count on that. It’s just not going to be right away. I hope you both can understand that. Besides, I really think I am too young for that anyway. I haven’t really experienced life long enough. I’m still a teenager. Not old enough! I’m still wet behind the ears, ? Please trust me and have faith in me. I promise not to let you nor Dad down ever nor God, especially not God! Oh, and maybe when I’m rich and famous, I’ll put a new diamond on your cross!” “Oh, I trust you, dear. We’ve always trusted you and all your decisions for quite a while now. We don’t tell you that, but we know you know. As long as you don’t let God down. Oh, and don’t you dare do anything to that cross. Don’t fix anything. Don’t add anything to it. Don’t put no new diamond on it either. Leave it just as it is! Mom gave it to me like that, and that’s how I want it to remain. That’s so that I can her last gift and wish always. Don’t change anything on it. Please promise me you won’t. I keep it like that for a very special reason. Your dad has tried fixing it with wanting to put a new diamond in it for years. And I keep reminding him why I don’t want it fixed. One of these days, I’ll take the time to tell you the reason behind this special request I am now asking of you. Right now, you wouldn’t believe how much it means to me just knowing that it’s around your neck, wearing it just as it is.” “No problem, Mom. I get it. It has more value to you knowing I am keeping it just as it is. I also believe in sentimental value. I will treasure it just as it is. I won’t change it, not one bit. I won’t let you nor Dad down nor God. Mom, can you please not tell Dad about this crazy idea of mine? Let me see what develops first, and then I’ll find a way to let him know.” “I’ll keep this secret to myself, at least for the time being.” Marty had found a couple of high school kids who showed an interest in possibly playing in the band two weeks before school was out for the spring break of Franklin’s senior year in high school. Mark Samms played bass, and Johnny Lamar played drums. A longtime friend of both Marty and Franklin had enrolled in Missouri College there in St. Louis. Because of a couple of failing grades, no money for tuition, and no possibility of a college grant, their friend had no choice but to skip a year of college. He was forced to go back into the work field. He would just have to try and go back some other time. His name was

Bobby Lopez. One Saturday evening Bobby just happened to stop at the McDonald’s where Franklin was working. Franklin recognized him and, after talking for a little while, mentioned the band that he was thinking about putting together. Bobby mentioned that he had taken three years of piano and electric organ lessons back when he was a preteen. He also assured Franklin that he still knew how to play, just in case … Franklin figured that his own knowledge in piano and organ could not be so much different from Bobby’s, so he invited Bobby to meet him at his house next following Friday night. Franklin was planning on borrowing from the school’s band hall a set of drums, a bass guitar, an acoustic guitar, and the school’s portable organ. Franklin figured that Marty would have to convince the band director that it wasn’t him but Franklin who was going to be tutoring a few students over the weekend. In the end, the director gave Marty the keys to the band hall’s back door. “I’ll tell you what,” the director said. “Have your practice right here in the hall. Just don’t tell anyone. I trust no one else will find out, or I’ll get fired. , no horseplaying, no smoking, and nothing illegal! If Franklin is going to be in charge, then I know everything is on the up and up. So I take it to know that everything will be all right. Here’s the key. I expect it back in my hands before first period Monday morning. And don’t go out and make any copies of this key! You can find me in the teacher’s lounge. Don’t lose the key, leave everything as you find it, and don’t let me down, okay?” Franklin got off from Burger King at ten o’clock that Friday night. By the time he got to the high school, Marty, Mark, and Bobby were already there, waiting for him. Mark was strumming on the bass, and Bobby was playing “Yankee Doodle” on the organ. Franklin came in with a bag of Burger King cheeseburgers. He looked around and told Marty, “One missing.” “Johnny said he’d be here no later than 10:15 p.m. He ought to be here any minute now,” answered Marty. “No problem. I was late myself. It won’t happen again. I’ll try to be more punctual. And that goes for all of us. If we are serious about doing this as a band, we will all show up together as a group at the same time. Either we are all on time, or we are all late. We show up together. That is, if we ever get this band

going.” Just as Franklin was finishing his talk, Johnny walked in. “Sorry, guys. I was babysitting my seven-year-old kid brother. I promise this won’t happen again even if I have to bring him with me the next time. Well, that’s if it’s okay with the rest of you all.” “No problem,” answered Franklin. “Hey, I’ll tell you what, let’s eat these burgers before they start getting cold. Gonna have to buy your own drinks, though, from the Coke machine out by the gym doors. If you don’t have any, though, let me know. I might just have a dollar to lend you.” And everybody just looked at one another. Not a single one had a single dime to their names. None of them worked. So they all just looked at one another and then at Franklin. “We ain’t rich like you,” they said. “Okay, fellows, I get the picture. Don’t look at me with those vulture eyes! You know, you guys are lowlifes! I feed you, and now I got to buy your drinks! You guys need to get you a job!” Bobby stated, “Hey, we got a job! We’re now working for you! So, ahh, when ‘is’ payday, boss?” And they all laughed. Franklin handed each a dollar bill. Everybody rushed out the door and ran toward the Coke machine. “Fine! Out of order! I guess we all take turns sipping from the water fountain. Good timing, boss!” stated Johnny. When they all got back to the band hall, they all tried handing their dollar back to Franklin. “No, it’s yours. You hang on to it. Just , on this day, you got your first paycheck. this moment. One of these days, when we are all rich and famous standing on that big stage, playing and singing to thousands of fans, and we are all earning thousands of dollars for two hours of playing our music, that this is how we all got started into this entertainment business. Our first paycheck was fifty cents an hour. And when we see those bank deposits, that those hardworking people paying for those tickets deserve something in return for their hard-earned money. And I make a promise to you guys that I will never make a deliberate intent to disappoint those hardworking people, so help me God. Okay! Let’s see what we

all know about music and the instruments we will each be playing. First, finish your burgers. Before I forget, we will be here on Friday and Saturday nights beginning next weekend from ten o’clock till at least midnight. Will that be a problem for anyone, or is that okay?” Everyone answered, “Okay!” “No excuses, right?” And again, they all answered, “Okay.” “Okay then! Let’s get started. Who wants to go first? Anybody? What we’ll do is I want each one of you to get your instrument and play whatever you know how to play. I don’t care if it’s rock, country, religious, classical, or made up. I don’t care. When I give you a signal, without stopping, I want you to change from what you are playing to a different type or style of music like from country to rock or vice versa or from a waltz to a ballad or from gospel to the blues or hillbilly to Latin. I think you get the idea. You will have about five minutes to get this done. This goes for everyone, including drums. I want to hear rhythm, timing, tempo, and, most of all, enthusiasm. I guess you can say this is your audition or tryout for the band.” “And what about you? What can you do? What can you play? Are you a singer, ‘the’ singer, the manager, the band’s sponsor, the spokesperson?” asked Bobby. Marty interjected and was quick to point out that it was them who were ing “our band.” After all, they were the ones who were selected to try out, not Franklin. Both Mark and Johnny knew Franklin from school. They knew his talent for knowing and playing all those musical instruments inside the band hall. They literally had nothing negative to say about their “sometimes” tutor friend, Franklin. They were going to let Bobby get out of this mess himself. They were just going to stand back and watch this guy make a fool out of himself. They thought, Better now than later. They knew Franklin a lot more than Bobby did, so they were just going to stand back and watch. Bobby was about to hit a very large unmovable brick wall. But seeing as both Mark and Johnny were not saying anything nor siding with him, he figured he better just let this moment rest and now wished he had not said anything. In the end, Bobby looked embarrassed and simply stated, “You’re right. I’m sorry for being a smart-ass and a smart mouth. Tell you what, I’ll go first. And if I can’t cut the

mustard, I’ll go on and find something else to do, find me a job somewhere else.” Franklin smiled at Bobby and said, “Bud, you ain’t going nowhere. You’re part of us now. ‘We’ are all trying out for this band. We’re all in, or there is no band. Ain’t nobody going nowhere. Right now, we are all having a little fun. The fun part comes later in front of an audience. So let’s get started. Don’t forget, look for my cue. I’ll raise my hand when I want you to change to a different music style. Okay, whenever you’re ready. Oh yes, any questions? Is the organ ready, Bobby? Check the sound, the settings.” Bobby simply stated, “All ready here.” “Well, let’s do it!” Bobby started playing really loud. Franklin gave it thirty seconds and then motioned for Bobby to halt. “Hold up! Hold up, Bobby!” Bobby came to a stop. “Okay, who had trouble hearing that?” Nobody answered. “What are you playing there, Bobby? What was that called? Kind of sounded like rock.” “Well, it was ‘La Bamba.’” “‘La Bamba.’ Are you sure, buddy?” Franklin walked over to Bobby and asked him to slide over just a bit. Franklin moved a few slides on the organ, punched a few buttons, and finally lowered the volume from full blast to halfway. “Okay, you’re set. Try it again.” Bobby started playing again. Franklin stopped him again. “‘La Bamba,’ right?” “Yes, ‘La Bamba.’”

“Ahh, do you know how the song goes? Do you really know the song? The tune? Did it sound like ‘La Bamba’ to you?” “Sounded like it to me! I guess you know a different version of this famous song. You know, there is only one way to play this song.” “Well, that’s why I’m asking, Bobby.” “In that case, why don’t you show me how you play it, Franklin, ahh, boss?” Franklin smiled and looked at Marty. Marty slowly walked up to Bobby and whispered to him, “He really does know more about music than all of us standing here all put together in this big band hall. I guess you can say he is a genius when it comes to music and songs. He’s got a music dictionary inside his brain. All kidding aside. I’ve known him all my life. I don’t think he’s a genius. I know he’s a genius. Truthfully, I don’t think he has ever played ‘La Bamba.’ Having said that, I can, without hesitation, guarantee you he can play ‘La Bamba’ even with his eyes closed. No kidding. He knows how to play every single instrument inside this room. He knows way more than our band director. Franklin knows that, band director knows that, and everybody in school who’s in band knows that. And best of all, Franklin doesn’t rub it in to anybody. He knows how to read music, write music, and compose music. Give him a chance. He really is trying to help all of us, including you. You’ll thank him years from now if we are all still together. He is going to make us rich and famous, with or without you. Be a part of this band. Don’t be so quick to criticize or question his talent. You see him, he really is the nicest boss we will ever have. And I am not just saying that, but I also truly do mean that. Tell you what, just stand back and be mesmerized. Be amazed. Tell you what, why don’t we stand over here. You’ll want to enjoy every second of his version of ‘La Bamba.’ Here we go.” Both Marty and Bobby walked over to where Johnny and Mark were standing at. “I notice you guys aren’t saying much,” Bobby told Johnny and Mark. “We know Franklin. Whatever Marty told you about Franklin, it is all 100 percent true. Once you get to know him, you just stand back and ire him for who and what he is—honest, good-hearted, talented, and much, much more. People or friends like him, you will never meet anywhere else. Make him your friend, and he’ll be your friend for life. We guarantee it.” All of a sudden, Franklin started playing “La Bamba” from the beginning of the

song. Franklin played for about a minute, and everybody’s faces, smiles, and expressions were in total shock. There was no doubt in anybody’s mind that what Franklin was playing was nothing but “La Bamba.” No other song could even sound like that famous Ritchie Valens song. “Okay, Bobby,” said Franklin, “now you try it again. Keep playing. The rest of us will in one at a time. We’ll start with this song, then go into ‘Pretty Woman,’ then finish with ‘Amarillo by Morning.’ Those are all songs we should all be familiar with. Oh, if anyone can sing or wants to try and sing for us, don’t hold back. Everybody get to your places, okay? When I point you out, you will do a solo instrumental. Everyone else will continue playing but not as loud. Play like you are actually enjoying it. Let me see your smiles, especially on your solos. No show-offs. No horseplaying. No trying to outdo or outplay the other. We are a group. We play together. We complement one another by playing as good, as great, and as best as we can as a group. We don’t play louder than the other. We sound better together unless we are doing a solo. Marty asked, “Franklin, what are you really going to play?” “Well, let’s see. Bring me an acoustic guitar, a trumpet, a flute, and a saxophone. Have them ready for me. Right now, no particular order. Okay! Everybody ready? We’ll start with Bobby again, then Mark on bass, then Johnny on drums, and then me on trumpet. I’ll just tag along. Once again, who wants to sing? Anybody? Marty, bring four mics. One for each one of us. Marty, you want to try singing yourself?” “You sure you want me to sing?” “Could always try, you know.” “Give me time. Maybe I will one of these days. Maybe not today, okay?” “Sure. Whenever you’re ready. You just let me know. No problem. Okay, let’s do it!” Once the mics were set up, Franklin looked at Marty and stated, “I guess sooner or later, we’ll be needing a sound engineer for this endeavor.”

“I’ll start looking for one.” “Okay! On three. Everybody set? One … two … three!” And “La Bamba” took off. When Franklin noticed no one was singing, he rolled his right hand round and round in midair, indicating, “Let’s start it again!” This time Franklin leaned into the mic and began blurting out the words to the song.

Para bailar la bamba Para bailar la bamba Se necesita una poca de gracia Una poca de gracia

After a couple of verses, Franklin hollered at Mark to take off with “Pretty Woman.” Franklin started into the song.

Pretty woman Walking down the street Pretty woman The kind I like to meet

After singing the introduction to it, he hollered out “No Satisfaction,” and everybody smoothly changed beat and tempo, and all followed along and transition. Franklin smoothly began singing.

I can’t get no satisfaction I can’t get no satisfaction ’Cause I try and I try, and I try I can’t get no, I can’t get no

From here, they all shifted styles and tempos and went straight into George Strait’s “Amarillo by Morning” and brought to an end their first session and practice. Franklin motioned this session was coming to an end. As soon as they all came to a stop, Bobby went straight to Franklin, shook his hand, gave him a hug, and simply stated, “I’m sorry. I will never question your judgment nor your know-how. I believe in you, and I ask that you take me along for the ride the rest of the way, however far or long it turns out to be, however long a day, a week, or for the next thirty or forty years. I want in if you will trust me and give me a chance to prove myself.” “Bobby, you already have. You’ve been in since you walked in this building. We’re all in! All we got to do is make it happen. Right now, we are the band. No matter who comes along later, you are my band. We don’t trade players. We start together. We finish together. If we ever go as far as getting a recording contract, we are one band. We will stick together through thick and thin. We don’t play. We don’t sing without one another. If you decide later that you want out, there will be no hard feelings. If something else comes your way, like a better offer and you want out, let me or Marty know. Again, no hard feelings. If a problem comes up, a disagreement, a question, a complaint, let me know. Let us know. Let us help. Give us a chance to help you. And if we have to reschedule a date, a session, let us know that too. But let us know ahead of time. Don’t wait till the last minute to let us know there’s a problem. I don’t want any last-minute cancellations, please. Okay? Does that sound fair? For all of us? Any questions … from anybody? Speak now or forever hold your peace! Going once! Going twice! Great!” And finally, Bobby asked, “Are you our leader, our singer, our manager? Or all of the above? I mean, besides the band’s solo singer. By the way, what is the

name of our band? And what type of music are we going to be playing? Rock, country, Christian, blues, heavy metal? I don’t have a single dime to my name. I can’t even buy a McDonald’s dollar burger. That means that what I am wearing now is not going to change for a good while. So I hope you guys weren’t planning on buying suits or name brand jeans and shirts. Otherwise, it may be a while before I fit in. Sorry. And one more question, is there any music instrument you yourself can’t play?” Franklin looked at the group and said, “Okay, I’m not the leader of the group. We will all have a say and a chance to offer opinions. Don’t be afraid to ask or express them. I vote that Marty be the band’s manager. He will see about practice schedules, concert schedules, pay contracts, traveling accommodations, instrument transportation, and whatever else comes up later on. He will keep up with all of us, where we are, when to meet up, etc. He will make sure the sound system is ready to go once we get on stage whether we’re playing for a party of ten or a concert for ten thousand or fifteen thousand. He will see to it that before he schedules a gig, we all have a ride to and from the location whether it’s in a car, a van, a bus, or a plane. Therefore, I suggest you guys either turn on the radio to an oldies station or get on YouTube and listen to or print lyrics to famous classics like the ones we just played. Those songs we just did are still very popular with millions of people, especially the older generation and even with our own generation. We haven’t even touched the surface on hundreds of other million-selling hits beginning with Elvis, to the Beatles, and to the Monkees and those legendary country hits made famous by both Hanks, Conway Twitty, George Strait, and now Blake Shelton. Let’s not forget Willie Nelson, George Jones, and the likes of Don Williams and other country greats. So listen to their music, bring copies, learn their styles. And learn how to sing and/or harmonize. I can’t do it alone. Oh, and one more thing, as far as there being any instrument out there that I can’t play, I can’t answer that as of yet. When I find one I can’t play, I’ll let you guys know.”

CHAPTER 7

Do ye think that the scripture saith in vain, The spirit that dwelleth in us lusteth to envy? But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble.

—(KJV) (JAMES 4:5–6)

Marty quickly added, “I’m going to need numbers, cell phone numbers, or pagers. Either now or later, but I’ll need them as soon as possible. I’ll need your addresses too in case we need to go pick any of you guys up in case you don’t have a ride or in case of an emergency. And if you guys have any nicknames you guys go by or want to go by. That way, in case some of you are embarrassed of your first or middle name. And that way, we won’t always have to be so formal, at least not with one another.” Johnny quickly said, “Ringo. You can call me Johnny Ringo.” “How about you, Mark?” “Jazzman. I was watching a movie by Neil Diamond some few years ago. Dad came in my room and said he called me three or four times. I was enthused and so much into the movie that I didn’t hear him calling me. Dad finally hollered real loud, ‘Hey! Jazzman!’ So now he just hollers at me ‘Hey, Jazzman!’ So I guess Jazzman is now my official nickname. And I like it.” “Jazzman, it is!” “How about you, Bobby?” “Nope! No nickname. I like Bobby. Bobby will do just fine. Thank you.”

“Sounds good! Okay then! We’ll all learn more about one another as time goes along. Yes, sooner or later, we’ll get to know one another just a little bit better. We’re making progress here.” Franklin added, “One more thing before we call it a night. For right now, for a few weeks or maybe a couple of months … no one, not nobody and not even your closest friends, your brothers or sisters, nor your parents … I mean, no one will know about our little band. For right now, this is our little secret, our dream, our venture into the music industry. And believe me, it is an industry. When we get into it, we will hit it head-on. We will make an impact. They will know we’re coming. I need everyone’s promise to keep this under your hat, literally speaking, that is. No one knows, no one will know, at least not until we are ready for our very first gig. No one!” Bobby quickly asserted that he did not have a cell phone but that his dad had an old pager that had been turned off sometime back. He said he would need between twenty and thirty dollars to have it activated. Franklin asked if he could come by the McDonald’s restaurant on North Tucker Boulevard on Tuesday evening. He could lend him the money to get it turned on. “Are you sure? You don’t really know me. How do you know I’m good for it? How do you know I’m going to make the band, that I’m not going to quit before the first gig?” “I don’t. But if you trust me, then I’ll pay you guys with the same respect. You guys don’t know if I’m just using you so that I can get a singing career, get me a contract, and then leave you guys behind either. I’m trusting you, and you’re going to have to trust me. Works both ways, you know. Therefore, by next Friday night, you guys bring copies of songs and lyrics, music sheets, or burned copies of songs we can all learn as a group, and maybe we can play them later on. that if you bring songs with background vocals, that means you guys are going to have to sing backup. So you guys think about those songs before you bring them. Who knows, you guys may just learn how to sing after all! It’s your band too.” Marty inserted, “That’s a wrap!” Tuesday evening came around. Franklin was at McDonald’s in the kitchen area, preparing some burgers, when he heard a voice coming from the front lobby. “Franklin! Hey, Franklin! How about a couple of McFries?” hollered Bobby.

Franklin looked up to see Bobby and immediately pulled out a fifty-dollar bill all folded up inside his shirt pocket. “Be there in a sec.” Franklin came around to the front counter and said, “Hey, I got a large order going. Tell you what, here’s some money and just pay me whenever you can. Not next week, not next month either. How ’bout sometime before your thirtieth birthday? Is that a deal, or is that a deal?” “But you don’t really know me, much less when my birthday is,” answered Bobby. “Exactly! And now if you’ll excuse me, I got fries to fry!” This last comment just left Bobby totally speechless. Franklin had just basically given him the fifty dollars with no strings attached. It put a big lump in his throat, and Bobby just thought, This guy is either on drugs, extremely generous, or just plum loco. Bobby left and just hollered at Franklin, “See you Friday!” Franklin smiled seeing Bobby was leaving and turned to flip some burgers and take out some fries from the cooker. Friday night came around, and this time everyone was there on time. Everyone had brought at least one CD each with recordings of different artists and groups. They brought music from rock legends like B. J. Thomas, Johnny Rivers, Buddy Holly, Mac Davis, Tommy Boyce and Bobby Hart, the Searchers, the Outsiders, the Hollies, and the Eagles. They brought music from country legends like Merle Haggard, Willie Nelson, Don Williams, John Denver, Alabama, Ricky Nelson, and George Strait. They played a few songs, practiced some of them, and ended up singing a couple of verses and choruses from some of them. Franklin knew the band lacked the background vocals to sound better. “Does anyone know someone who can sing or knows someone who would like to sing, maybe sing in our band, someone who’s sung before either in a school choir, in a church choir, or in the privacy of his or her shower?” Everybody just laughed, and this actually put everybody at ease. “I know of two girls who sing karaoke on Friday nights at the Star Karaoke and Cafe place down on North McKnight Road,” remarked Bobby. “Well, let me put it this way. Let me clarify this before you all get the wrong impression. I don’t personally know them, okay? They sing karaoke there. They basically compete against each other there. There’s no actual prize money either. But you can tell

them two are the best singers there on Friday nights. I go there because the bartender is a college friend of mine. He too gets on stage and belts out a song from time to time when no one from the audience gets on stage. He’ll get one who’s kind of way off his singing level, gets booed right off stage, and then goes back to bartending. Someone always gets on stage just to get him away from the mic. Makes me laugh. I always ask him why he doesn’t just sing one within his range, and he says that this is more fun. Works every time. But to be honest with you, he can really sing. His name is Jamie.” “Bar closes at two, you say?” asked Marty. “Yes, all bars close at two,” answered Bobby. “Well, it’s almost 11:30 p.m. How about we go to this small private party about five blocks away at this little clubhouse owned by a friend of mine. It’s over at one. We can stop there for fifteen or twenty minutes and then head on out to the Star Karaoke and be there by midnight. I understand that there is a small local band playing live music there. I was told they’re pretty good. We can see what kind of music they’re playing and see how good they are. Could be our competition when it comes to booking some gigs one of these days. What do you’ll say?” Franklin agreed and said, “It’d be a good time to see what it would be like to stand in front of an audience and perform. Let’s do it!” They all arrived at the party. Marty sent to find his friend. A small guy band was just starting to sing a song that they claimed was one of their compositions. They were planning on ing a record producer in the next few weeks and maybe sign a recording contract. They were wanting to sing it in case they ever heard it on the radio, they would recognize it immediately. Franklin began paying close attention to the song as the group played and sang it. He immediately felt that the song was being played in the wrong key. The singer had a crackly type sounding voice, and the music was not blending in with his voice. Something was definitely lacking. The crowd did not seem to be getting into the song. Marty came back to the group and said that the group on stage was just about to take a fifteen-minute break and that CDs were going on during the break. Marty looked at Franklin just as Franklin was now staring at Marty. Marty had to ask him. “Are you thinking what I’m thinking? You know, I didn’t really see my

friend. I was told he went home to get his CD player. He’s not even here. Somebody just said that the band is getting ready to take their break, and they don’t really care if the party dances to CDs or not.” “Okay! So if the band asks who said we could go up there and play, tell them your friend said it was okay at least until the CDs get here or until their break is over. If they don’t believe you, tell them to go talk to whoever booked them,” stated Franklin. “In the meantime, we play till it’s time to go or until they run us out!” Franklin looked at the guys as they were now mostly interested at all the girls walking around alone. Franklin broke their deep concentration by saying, “Okay, guys, we’re playing as soon as this band gets off stage!” “We’re what?” asked Mark and Johnny at the same time. “Performance time, guys! We’re next! We’ve been practicing! We’ll see if we’re ready for our new life as superstars! As soon as they’re off the stage, find your places. Fine-tune your instruments and be ready on my count of three. Listen to the song they are playing right now. We will play that first in the key of E. We will play it as a ballad with a slightly faster tempo. Not too loud. I will start it with their trumpet, then we go into the instrumental chorus before I begin singing their song with the first verse. One more thing, good luck. Right after that, we play one of Bobby’s favorites, ‘Promised Land’ by Elvis. No break in between, just a very smooth transition. Take a deep breath before getting on stage. It’ll help.” As soon as the band finished the song, Franklin’s band climbed the stage and took their places. The singer of the band walked over to Marty and Franklin and asked what was going on. Marty answered by saying that he had gotten permission to play a couple of songs while the CD player was being connected and set up. The guy, not knowing what to do, only stated, “Well, as long as our instruments are not damaged or left way out of tune.” “No problem,” said Franklin. “Hey, would you mind if I borrow your trumpet? I left mine at home. I meant to bring it. Oh, and that last song … that was a beautiful song. Whose is it? I’ve never heard it before. Is it an original? Is it yours? It’s an amazing song!” “Sure! Yes, it’s an original composition. I wrote it! We plan on recording it as soon as we get us our recording contract signed. I wrote the arrangement. It’s a

tough song to play and sing. The timing on the tempo has got to be just right for it to come out the way I wrote it. I don’t know if you could play it without just totally destroying it.” Franklin stated, “Tell you what, if you think we’re not doing a good job, you come on stage, you run us off, and we’re gone. No hard feelings. Is that a deal?” “Okay! Hey, what do you need with the trumpet? We’re not playing any songs with the trumpet. We bring it, but we don’t really have a trumpet player.” “Don’t worry, we don’t either. As you can see, it’s only four of us!” “Okay! So who’s singing and who’s gonna be playing the trumpet?” “We’ve learned to improvise!” Marty grabbed the leader of the band and said, “Hey, buddy, just go get you something to drink then come back, relax, and enjoy this band. I guarantee you will be mesmerized and amazed. Just think, you will be paying an arm and a leg months from now to go see this band play all over the country. You get to listen tonight for free. And they will only play two songs! This is a freebie!” “And you say I will be what? Mes … mer …” “Mesmerized and amazed!” Franklin looked at Mark, Johnny, and Bobby. “Just relax, take a deep breath, and listen for the tune. Johnny, you’re gonna start after my fourth note. Same with you, Mark, on Johnny’s fourth note. And then finally, Bobby, you start on Mark’s fourth note. When Bobby starts playing, then I’m gonna grab the guitar, play my four notes, and by then, we should all be playing together. Then I start singing. In the end, we will play the chorus twice before we end. I think there are some song sheets in front of you. We will slowly transition to ‘The Promised Land’ and give it all we got. Ready! On three … One … two … three!” Franklin’s trumpet began, and soon, the bass started playing in the background. In no time, Johnny started playing drums. By now, the party had literally stopped talking and walking around. They began gathering up around the stage. They were now fascinated by the music they were hearing. They were bobbing their heads to the beat of the music. Bobby started on keyboards, and finally, Franklin

started on lead guitar. Franklin started making some melodic tunes with the guitar, and as the music began slowing down slightly, he began singing the song. By now, Marty was staring at the other band . Their mouths were wide open. They were listening to their song being totally played way different from how they had just played it. They couldn’t be believe their song could actually be played in this new entirely different way. The leader of the band asked Marty, “You know, we could use a backup singer if he’s looking for a singing job. Since he can play the trumpet too, we could always use a trumpet player if we ever get any songs that use a trumpet.” “You’re kidding, right? I mean, really. You think he wants to be your backup singer? You think that’s why he wanted you to listen to him? This band will be winning all kinds of awards in less than a year. They’ve only had one practice together. We’re nothing but kids right now! Look at all these kids mesmerized —” “And amazed! Yes, I know. To tell you the truth, so are we! You’re right! We probably will be paying huge bucks to go hear him sing a year from now!” “This is our group! We’re not trading! We’re not splitting! This is the band! They’re just having fun up there!” “What’s the name of the group? Who is he? Are they from here?” “All in due time, my friend! All in due time!” At that moment, the music came back to the trumpet as Franklin was finishing the song, slowing down the tempo, and giving Mark a chance to get ready to go into “Promised Land” by Elvis Presley. As soon as the music started, there was no mistaking as to what song Franklin was about to sing. All the kids were now rocking, hollering, staring, and giving high-fives to anybody and everybody. Marty even caught the of the resting band cheering for Franklin and his new band. Marty was about to high-five them when he noticed a signal not to. And in a matter of seconds, Franklin started singing out the words,

I left my home in Norfolk, Virginia,

California on my mind. Straddled that greyhound, rode him past Raleigh, On across Caroline.

By the time the song was over, Franklin walked over to the other band, thanked them for allowing them to use their stage and instruments, and hoped they were not sore if he had totally messed up their original composition. In the end, they said they would need to do some work on that song themselves since Franklin’s arrangement was much, much better. “Your partner wouldn’t tell us the name of your band. You want to tell us?” Franklin stated, “Because we are right now incognito, we are not allowed to reveal the name of our band as of yet. One of these days, you will hear . Give us about a month. If we run across each other, by then, you will know. Is that a deal?” “Sure! Hey, if you ever need a singing job, look us up!” “Hey, thanks! We’ll keep that in mind.” “Oh, I’m sorry! The offer was for you!” “I’m sorry too. We’re a band, one package! You get one, you get us all. But thanks anyway!” Marty looked at Franklin. “I know, it’s time to go. Let’s go find us some backup singers. It’s almost midnight. Let’s head that way, and we’ll talk to Jamie and see what he can do for us next Friday. Is that okay with everyone?” Marty quickly reminded Franklin, “It’s a bar. Get it? Beer. Alcohol. Ahh, twenty-one. No one here is old enough to even get to the doors. Actually, not even Bobby. We don’t need to go to jail tonight now, do we?” “You’re right. Ahh, us three will do. You, Bobby, and myself will go. No need in all of us going to jail tonight, right?”

Marty just looked at him and said, “Are you crazy? Did you just say what I thought you said?” “I know what you’re thinking, Marty. It’ll be all right. Tell you what, Bobby, you get in with your friend Jamie. Tell him you got two friends who need a to go inside the bar. Lie to him, bribe him, or whatever. I forgot, you have no money. But we need to be there in fifteen minutes. We’ll see the rest of you guys tomorrow night at the band hall. Be ready to play.” Within a couple of minutes waiting on Bobby who was on the phone with Jamie, he hollered, “Okay, let’s go! He’ll be waiting at the back door! He’ll have some fake goatees, mustaches, and maybe some beards for us to wear! He said nobody really looks or complains! There’s only one of the bouncers working there tonight, and he’ll be at the front entrance!” On the way to the karaoke bar, Bobby confessed to Franklin and Marty that even though Jamie was a bartender, he knew Jamie also had a desire to be on stage singing. “I know he can sing. When he’s bartending and no one is on the karaoke stage, I hear him singing to himself in a very quiet voice. I’m sure the song is an old Eagle’s song. I’m almost sure it’s the one about the ‘Long Cool Woman in a Black Dress.’ In order to encourage the audience to get up on stage and sing, he’ll pretend like it’s his turn to sing so he gets someone to put on a girl singing song. He’ll try singing it in a man’s voice, he’ll screw it up on purpose, and then he’ll come off stage. Someone will then get on stage once the boos start. He does it on purpose. It’s a big put-on. He’s all smiles on his way back behind the bar. But deep down inside, I know he wants to sing one just to show them all that he really can sing. Deep down inside, I know that’s why he works there. I know he wants to sing. I know he loves to sing. I’ve never actually heard him sing a complete song on the stage, but there may be a way to get him to do it for you.” Franklin stated, “Well, we’ll see what we can do to encourage him to sing his song for us amateurs.” All three arrived at the Star Karaoke Bar around five minutes after midnight. The bar was almost full of patrons. They rang the back door buzzer and were met there by Jamie. He recognized Bobby, and soon, all three walked in. He gave Bobby a brown bag and said, “Put these on before entering the bar area. See you guys in a bit. I’ve got thirsty customers.”

Within a few minutes, Marty was wearing a graying mustache and beard. Both Bobby and Franklin wore graying sideburns and graying mustaches. All three approached the side of the bar. Jamie asked, “Do I know you guys? Got your IDs, gentlemen?” And they all laughed together. “Hey, any of you guys sing karaoke? I know Bobby doesn’t.” At this time, Bobby took the opportunity to introduce Jamie to Marty and Franklin. Bobby asked, “Our girl competition over?” “One just sang right before you guys came in. The other is looking for a song right now. She better hurry up. I might just have to go up there and encourage her in a couple of minutes if she doesn’t hurry up. If I do, it may be very pretty. Know what I mean, Bobby? No, sir, tonight may not be very pretty. I’ve got one by Aretha Franklin. No offense, Franklin.” “None taken, Jamie. You go up there and do your thing.” This was a good time for Franklin to pull Marty to the side and whispered to him, “If you see Jamie head up toward the stage, this is what I want you to do. Find out who plays the songs once they are selected. Convince the player that no matter what girl song Jamie selects, tell him or her to play ‘Long Cool Woman in a Black Dress’ by the Hollies. Bribe him too like Bobby. Promise him an extra five bucks or a beer but tell him to play that song.” “No problem.” Soon, Marty left to go find the CD technician. Within a couple of minutes, one of the girls stood to walk toward the karaoke stage. Jamie quickly told Bobby, “That’s Crystal.” Crystal walked up to the mic and quietly said, “‘I Hope You Dance’ by Lee Ann Womack.” She took a deep breath as the music started coming out of the speakers. The room went silent as the music took over people’s conversation. The interpretation was much to Franklin’s satisfaction. She hit every note very nicely, Franklin thought. Franklin then asked Jamie, “You wouldn’t, by any chance, have her phone number, would you?” “I think we do, as a matter of fact. I’ll get it for you before you guys head on out.”

After a while, Franklin saw that it was almost 1:00 a.m. Jamie took a quick look at the clock on the wall and gave a signal to someone. Jamie quickly told Franklin and Bobby, “Looks like it’s my turn to belt out one of my favorite songs. Be right back, boys. This shouldn’t take long. Tell my paying customers not to go away. Be right back after the boos, of course!” And he walked toward the stage, laughing. Franklin immediately turned, hoping to see Marty. Marty quickly peered his head from behind a closed door. Marty gave a thumbs-up signal to Franklin and quickly closed the door. Franklin thought, “It’s show time, Jamie. Show me what you got, buddy.” Jamie got in front of the mic and said, “One last chance for a new singer! Going once, going twice, sold! Sold to the bartender! Okay, you guys were warned! Here’s one by—” But as he was about to mention the name of the artist, from out of the speakers, he began to hear the song he had been so much wanting to sing out loud to his audience for a very long, long time. Jamie turned to look back at his CD technician. But he wasn’t there to be seen. The song kept on playing, and from out of blues, his words just came right on out from his mouth. With all his energy, he knew this was his one chance of a lifetime to show his loyal audience that he too had the talent to sing live. It was his once chance in a lifetime to finally sing as he had always sung it to himself all these times. It was time to let them know that he was not just their bartender. He had wanted to prove that he really did know how to sing and maybe professionally one of these days.

Saturday night I was downtown Working for the FBI Sitting in a nest of bad men Whisky bottles piling high

In the end, he finally got his long-awaited standing ovation he had been waiting

for all these months. He heard never-ending applause, hollers, and cheers. Tears covered his eyes. His heart was pounding. Bobby, Marty, and Franklin couldn’t stop congratulating him either for such a powerfully energized singing effort. He’d put so much energy into such a very hard song to sing. He deserved it all, and he was finally on top of this huge, huge mountain. “I don’t know that I can top that!” came a female’s voice from out of the speakers. “Imagine that! Our very own bartender. Something tells me he’s been holding out on us! Why, you little rascal? Hugs from me, Jamie! I guess it’s my turn.” “That’s Rhonda,” said Jamie. “Just listen to her voice. She’s great. She kind of reminds me of Patty Loveless. She loves to sing her country hits. Looks like she’s going to sing again. I guess my singing must have inspired her to do a second song. You guys are in for a treat tonight. How about that? Even got to hear me sing. This, indeed, is a very special night. I’m still wondering why my Aretha song wasn’t played. Must’ve hit the wrong key, I guess.” “Must have,” said Marty. “Looks like she’s fixing to sing ‘You Don’t Seem to Miss Me.’” After Rhonda finished her set, she went to sit. Franklin asked Jamie if there was anybody else there who could actually sing. “Well, I’m not really 100 percent sure how to answer your question. There’s a middle-aged man here who comes in every Friday night and Saturday night. He always comes by himself and always sits alone, kind of in the dark, over by that wall.” Jamie pointed toward a wall to his right. He continued, saying, “He comes in, orders a pitcher of Milwaukee beer, and then grabs one of the song books. He always grabs the same black song book. He goes straight to the middle of the book, gets a red marking pen he carries in his shirt, and makes a red dot next to the same song. By the end of the night, he turns in the book back to us, and he just leaves after he’s finished his pitcher of beer. He never sings. I see him move his lips, probably singing his song to himself, I guess. So to answer your question, can’t say if he can sing or not. I really don’t know if he can sing a lick or not. Your guess is as good as mine. I do see him moving his lips like I said. But he’s never even gotten close to the stage, except for grabbing the song book. Let me put it this way. At least, not on the nights that I’ve worked.”

“Which song is it?” Marty and Franklin asked at the same time. “‘The Last Song.’” “The last song on the song book? I thought you said it was in the middle of the song book?” asked Marty. Franklin answered, “‘The Last Song’ by Edward Bear.” Jamie looked at Franklin and said, “How in the world did you know that? That’s it! The red dot is next to ‘The Last Song.’ That’s the name of the song! You’re right by Edward Bear. It was done back in ’71 or ’72. It’s a great song. Kind of a sad song, kind of melancholy, but still a great singing song.” “Okay then. I’ve got an idea,” said Franklin. “Fifteen minutes till closing time, I’m going up on stage. Once I’m there, you give the signal to start playing that song. I’m going to pretend like all of a sudden, I have stage fright. I’ll start trying to sing it. I’ll start messing it up. I’ll ask for a restart. Again, I’ll pretend like I’m still having stage fright. I’ll go into the first verse, mes the rhythm. I’ll be all over the place then have the music stopped. You holler if there’s anyone in the audience out there who can actually sing this particular song. Marty, you go stand over there close by to the guy and get him to stand. As soon as he does, Jamie, you start clapping and hollering, asking him to come sing it for everybody. Marty, I don’t care what you do or how but make sure he stands before anybody else does. And when he does, Jamie, have someone spotlight him and get the people to clap real hard. Maybe that’ll get him to come up here and finally sing his song he’s been wanting to sing for a long, long time. Marty, whatever you do, don’t let him leave here before he sings. Accidentally trip him or spill something on but don’t let him leave. We are so close.” And Jamie asked, “So close to what, guys?” Franklin quickly stated, “It’s almost 2:00 a.m., and we have a bet going. That we will be at a bar at 2:00 a.m. and not end up in jail. We’re trying to prove how easy it is to do this. And Bobby almost has this bet won.” “I see! Hey, it’s fifteen till closing,” said Jamie. “Okay, ready or not,” said Franklin.

Franklin walked over to the stage. He stood in front of the mic and tapped on it and said, “Yep, still working. I guess it’s my turn. Looks like I might be the last one. Are you guys ready?” No one said a word. As the music started, Franklin started pretending like all of sudden, he developed stage fright. He motioned for the song to be started all over again. He began singing off-key and not knowing how the song actually went. He stopped singing and started to ask if the song could be started again when Jamie spoke up and said, “Can anyone sing this song or finish singing this great song? I would hate to finish this night on a ‘sour’ note if you’ll pardon the pun.” Franklin broke in and stated, “Can anyone finish this song? This was my mom’s favorite song for some unknown reason. I wanted to sing it for her even though she’s not here, but Lord knows I can’t sing a lick. Can anybody sing for her on my behalf? You would be doing me a tremendous favor.” At this time, Marty pretended to accidentally spill some beer on the stranger sitting in front of him. The stranger quickly got up, and as he did, the spotlight came directly on him. Jamie was already ready to start clapping as was Franklin. Marty shoved him a little to walk toward the stage. The stranger just stared at Marty as he somehow automatically began walking toward the front of the stage. He wondered if there was something up when he saw that Marty was smiling and clapping away with the rest of the crowd. He was just eyeing Marty. Jamie welcomed him up on stage. Once on stage, Franklin told him, “Hey, buddy, give it your very best. I believe this is your song too. I want to hear you sing it. Thanks, man! You’re doing us a big favor.” The singer looked dumbfounded. The music started. The crowd had gone silent. The words started coming out without hesitation.

Did you know I go to sleep and Leave the lights on Hoping you’d come by and know

That I was home and still awake

The truth was he had just sung a great rendition of the song. At the end of the song, Jamie hollered at him, “Hey, what’s your name?” “Louis! My name is Louis!” he shouted through all the unending applause as he was walking off stage and heading back toward his seat. Before he sat, he hollered back and said, “Hey, thank you, guys!” “No! Thank you, Louis!” hollered back Franklin. By the end of the night, Franklin asked Jamie to offer a one-hundred-dollar prize for next Saturday night’s best karaoke singer. He would put up the money from his paychecks from both his jobs at McDonald’s and Burger King. By the following Saturday night, all showed up at the Star Karaoke Bar a few minutes after midnight. It was a full house. New singers had shown up and were coming up to the mic, hoping to get a chance at the prize money. Franklin was wanting to hear Rhonda, Crystal, Jamie, and Louis all sing together as a group. He figured that if he could get them all up on stage, he could call them up and then kind of trick them into singing along with him and let the crowd decide the winner or winners. In the end, he would be the winner. When it was just about 1:15 a.m., he instructed Marty to find a few more mics. Marty came back with four extra mics. Franklin now had five mics on stage, thanks to the backstage help. Franklin quickly got up on stage and made his request to the public. “For this next song, I would like to get some help. When I first heard this song, it had some wonderful harmonies and those beautiful voices in the background that I simply fell in love with the song. I would love to sing it to you before this night’s over. If you would please indulge me, can I please have Rhonda up on stage, along with Crystal, Louis, and your very own bartender, Jamie?” Within a few seconds, they all came up on stage. Franklin lined them up as he believed they would produce the best harmonies. Once they were all lined up and now smiling at one another, Franklin stated, “California Dreaming.” At the start, Franklin sang lead vocals, and the rest sang the beautiful harmonies that the world had heard when the song became a number 1 hit in 1966. By the end

of the night, the one-hundred-dollar prize was divided among the four. For a couple more weekends, Franklin and Marty kept coming back to the karaoke bar in order to gain their trust and confidence. Franklin would pick out songs where it would take the group to sing background vocals with him. This became a popular thing at the bar, which eventually would draw full-capacity crowds. He finally told all four what his plan was, to form a new band, which would have to include them. He convinced them that with their harmonies, they could all eventually land a recording contract, get national recognition, get a chance to travel, and earn big bucks doing what they all already liked and, most of all, be famous. For the next few weeks, the group came up with different ideas for the new band’s name. Franklin finally came up with “Trinity,” and after some brief discussions over the name, it soon became a unanimous agreement. Marty then came up with a stage name for Franklin. It was “Jason Skarr.” This was mainly to delay Franklin’s parents from finding out what Franklin was doing on weekend nights when calls for the band to play started coming in. The band started booking gigs all over town until they began going out to the smaller towns outside St. Louis. Soon, their popularity grew and very fast. Their car soon became a van, and the van in no time became a U-Haul until it was necessary to buy their first bus. In less than a year, they finally got the big break they had all been hoping for, a recording contract. Franklin was now known to music fans and in the music industry as Jason Skarr. Franklin and the band signed with the guarantee that the group would produce at least five CDs within the next three to five years. In the end, the group would record all their songs written by the band whether they were written by someone in the band or by Jason Skarr himself. The contract was signed, and their future was now in their own hands. Soon, their first U.S. tour began in the early summer right after Johnny, the youngest of the group, graduated from high school. Now the rest was history. Jamie had taken a chance on the band and ended up quitting his bartending job. Louis had lost his girlfriend in a car accident but had finally been encouraged to sing her “The Last Song” he’d been wanting to for a long time. He’d practically given up on life and found it again when Franklin found him hiding inside the karaoke bar. Both Rhonda and Crystal had been looking for fame and discovered it when “Trinity” was born. It took a while before their voices began to finally

blend in, but Franklin did not give up on them. In the end, Franklin began calling them “Trinity’s Voices,” something the four learned to appreciate and really liked. It was like a quartet group within the group. In the contract, Franklin had given the Voices the option to sing as an individual group without him if they ever chose to. Franklin had also seen to it that for every CD that the band recorded, at least four songs of each CD were done entirely by Trinity’s Voices. They each would, from time to time, take turns to do solos on their songs. Franklin wanted the fans to be exposed to and appreciate their own individual singing talents. They weren’t just his backup singers, but they each had individual singing abilities as well, and he wanted the fans to recognize that. They each had talent enough to get their own g solo careers if they ever chose to leave the band. But in the end, they all chose to stay with him as Trinity’s backup singers. As Franklin reminisced, it brought tears of gratitude to his eyes as well as a smile knowing he was keeping his promise to his mom, to his dad, to his best friend, to his band, to his backup singers, and, most of all, to God. Because all the of his band had actually made his dream come true, all he lacked now was true love, someone to share all his fortune and dreams with. But first things first. He needed to find the time to actually find and date a “real” girlfriend. Because of heavy concert dates and schedules, he knew that dating someone now would be a terrible mistake. Not being home to spend time with a girl was next to impossible. Having a girlfriend now but putting music on top of his important list would not be fair to a girlfriend. So for right now, the girlfriend thing was kind of out of the question.

CHAPTER 8

If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him. But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed.

—(KJV) (JAMES 1:5–6)

The song was coming to an end. The spotlight was still on row 5, seats 17 and 18. A spotlight was also on Jason. The audience was clapping and cheering. From his own private mic, he asked how much recording time was left. Marty quickly stated he had about ten minutes, and then Roger added, “Correction. That would be twelve minutes.” Jason had wanted this concert to be part of his “live” CD that was supposed to be out before the spring of 2011. He already had his normal twelve recordings for what was considered a complete CD. He usually gave his fans at least twelve songs on each CD instead of a normal ten. At this moment, he asked for a female usher to assist him in helping bring onto the stage someone from the audience. And very quickly, the same girl usher from earlier came up close to the stage to see what Jason was needing. Jason directed her to go to the end of row 5. He motioned her to enter the seating area and start walking to her left. The girl did exactly as Jason requested her to do. As she narrowed the gap between herself and seats 17 and 18, Jason asked her to stop. Jason then asked the audience to bear with him and help him by clapping hard in order to bring someone up onto the stage with him. The audience began a loud clapping, and they began sounding off, “Stage! Stage! Stage!” After that, Jason calmed the audience down some and asked the young lady and her companion to stand and him up here on stage with him. A young

teenager was about to stand when Jason said, “I’m sorry, sweetie, not you.” He then asked the girl usher to keep moving just a little bit more until she stood right next to AnnaMarie. Jason stated, “The young lady with the purple long-sleeve shirt and the beautiful diamond cross around her neck. The young lady who looks like she may be five, six, or seven years old, please. Could you and your mommy please come up onto the stage with me?” AnnaMarie just turned to look at Suzanne. But Suzanne didn’t know what to do nor how to react. The usher encouraged both of them to stand and to follow her. Suzanne, not knowing what was going on, just did as she was told. Both stood and began following the girl again. And the clapping started up all over again. As both came up to the stage, AnnaMarie again saw the woman from earlier. The woman was still holding her brown cardboard box. This time the woman was also clapping and smiling back at her. The woman quietly said, “Good luck, AnnaMarie. Have fun!” AnnaMarie stared at the woman and could see that her lips were moving. She tried but could not really hear what the woman was trying to say. Both Suzanne and her came up to the stairs before climbing onto the stage. The usher asked them to both wait for just a second. Jason stated, “This is something new. I’ve never done this before. Please bear with me. I ask that you please indulge me for just a little bit.” Jason turned to address Suzanne and said, “Ma’am, is this your daughter, your niece, or your granddaughter?” “Granddaughter!” hollered back Suzanne. “Thank you. Would you mind if I chat with her up here on stage with me? I promise to take good care of her, along with all my friends up here with me. We have lots of security. We have lots of police officers too. And there are over ten thousand witnesses here tonight to make sure I mind my manners. I don’t plan on letting any of them down. This is my promise to you too, ma’am. Would that be okay? Do I need to ask her and her Mommy for their permission too? Is her mommy here tonight?” Suzanne turned to look at AnnaMarie to see her reaction. AnnaMarie looked back at her and, without saying anything, started walking across the stage toward

the singer. The audience went wild with their clapping all over again. As she started her walk across the stage, Marty hurried up to place a stool next to Jason right underneath the second mini mic hanging from above. Marty quickly motioned for Roger to lower the mic to where it would be just above her head. By the time the stool was in place, AnnaMarie was already there, standing next to the superstar and his guitar. She felt awkward and somewhat lost, not really knowing why she was up there on stage in the first place with this stranger. She was clutching on to her diamond cross just as she had earlier when they first arrived at the stadium. Marty helped AnnaMarie onto the tall stool. “Everything’s going to be okay, sweetie. Don’t be nervous or scared. He really is a very nice guy. It will really be fun talking to him. Ahh, I do it all the time. You’ll see,” Marty told her. And AnnaMarie just stared at him without saying a word. Jason looked at her and simply said, “Hi! Are you comfortable?” “Well, not really, not yet. Just give me a minute,” she answered. “Well, no need to be nervous now.” “Really? Look who’s talking. You’ve gotta be kidding. With all these people staring? Does it look like I’m nervous? I’m just a kid, right?” answered AnnaMarie. And the crowd just laughed. At this time, Jason raised an arm and made circles with his hand, meaning to start the recording of this conversation during this segment of the show. Roger hollered at Marty on his two-way radio, “He does know he only has about twelve minutes of recording time to finish the CD, right? I might have to edit, okay?” “I’m sure he does. Don’t worry, you can always edit it for content. By the way, how’s her mic? Is she coming through okay?” “She’s coming through loud and clear. Nice clean sound. She enunciates very clearly,” answered Roger. And Jason just kept smiling at AnnaMarie. AnnaMarie smiled back at Jason and said, “You know, your girlfriends are going

to get mad either at you or at me.” “Girlfriends? Oh, you mean, all these girls by the stage? Maybe they won’t get too mad ’cause you’re up here with me. I may just take you home with me.” “You may wanna think twice about that. Mom says I’m a handful. Sometimes she says I can be a pain in the you know what.” And the crowd hollered and screamed again. “You’re cute. By the way, what might your name be?” “I’m gorgeous! And my name might just be AnnaMarie Diane. And yours?” “I like your hair. My name is Jason.” “Me too. I mean, my hair. Jason, huh? Are you sure? You wouldn’t lie to a child, would you?” “You’re smart. You know that? Tell me, just how old are you?” “I’m six years old. I know I’m smart. Mom tells me I’m smart. I’m also gorgeous. Hey, aren’t you supposed to be singing? It’s getting past my bedtime, you know. Me and grandma are supposed to be home before she fixes my breakfast.” And the huge crowd gave a roar of a laugh. “Wow! Man, you are smart. And you’re right! But the reason you’re up here with me is I was iring your beautiful cross in front of your heart. It is a rosary, isn’t it? It’s very pretty. Your mommy must have bought it for you, right?” “No, I bought it! Of course, you silly! Mommy got it for me. An older woman gave it to me. Mommy didn’t have to pay for it. I see you have one too, don’t you? Why don’t you show it? Mommy says you shouldn’t hide something that’s so beautiful to look at.” AnnaMarie could see Jason’s cross from under his buttoned shirt. At this time, Jason took off his white Stetson hat as he pulled his cross from under his shirt to show it to her. Jason, without thinking, placed his hat on AnnaMarie’s head and said, “Here, take care of my hat for me, please.” He very carefully and tactfully placed his Stetson hat on her beautiful hair. And the cameras started flashing

from all over the place. AnnaMarie straightened it on her head just as she brushed her hair away from her face and to her sides. Jason leaned into AnnaMarie so that she could hold his cross with her fingers. He, in turn, reached out to hold her cross with his fingers also. “You don’t mind wearing my cowboy hat for a little while, do you?” “As long as it doesn’t make me look top-heavy.” The crowd just laughed all over again. “Makes you look beautiful … and gorgeous. Hey, I like your cross. I like the red beads too.” “Thank you. You also have a diamond missing. And it’s on the right side too.” “You mean, the left side. Your right side, my left side.” “I know someone who has a cross just like this one.” “You do? My mom gave this one to me. And her mom, who is my grandma, gave it to her about ten years ago. She’s no longer with us anymore.” At this time, AnnaMarie asked, “Hey, are you going to sing anymore? It’s got real quiet now. Your girlfriends are waiting for another song.” “You’re right. Hey, you know your ABC’s, your numbers, and your colors?” “I know some colors. I know red, green, black, blue, white … Mommy has a blue truck that’s very sick all the time. Mommy says she needs a new one. Mommy wants a red dress for Christmas. She says green is the color of money. She says blue is how she feels when she misses Daddy and me. Oh, and she says that doggies make yellow snow. And, and mommy reminds me that white is the color of clean underwear.” And once again, the crowd laughed and cheered again. “You’re not shy, are you?” “Shy? What’s that? Mommy says I’m way too smart for my own good.” “I’ll tell you what, I’m going to sing one last song before we all go home

tonight. I guess you can say this one’s especially for you. What I want you to do is say anything that comes to your mind when I am not singing. It’s a cute song I wrote a very long time ago. I have never had a chance to sing it to anyone. I don’t even think my band even knows it. But I’m sure they’ll do okay with it. They’re professionals. We’re still recording, so keep doing what you’re doing and whatever you do. Don’t stop talking now!” “Okay, no problem. I don’t know how to sing, except for the silly baby songs like ‘Happy Birthday.’” “Just kind of lean on me. You help me, and I’ll help you. Hey, one more thing, hope we meet again soon somewhere.” Jason looked around and told his band what key he was going to play the song in. Just before he stated, he told the audience, “Ladies and gentlemen, how about a big hand for our newest little star who stole the show tonight, Ms. AnnaMarie!” “AnnaMarie Diane!” she clarified. “Ladies and gentlemen, Ms. AnnaMarie Diane! You’ve all been wonderful and very patient! I want to thank you all for coming out tonight! We thank all the ushers, our security personnel, and our police officers for the great job they do! We thank the promoter for bringing us up here to Dallas tonight! We ask that you all drive safely home tonight and hope to see you all again either here in Big D or at one of our other up-and-coming concerts wherever that might be! One more very loud applause for my very special little guest, Ms. AnnaMarie Diane! She’s going to help me do this one last song! Get those video cameras and snapshots rolling! This is her night! Let her shine! We will all this evening! Thank you, ladies and gentlemen! For the very first time, ladies and gentlemen, ‘Colors of the World!’” “Ready, one, two, three!” And Jason began playing his twelve string. Once the band figured out the key, the melody, and the tempo, Mark started playing his bass, Bobby blended in on keyboards, and finally, Johnny came in on drums. It all sounded so perfect as if they had practiced it earlier in the day. Lights were flashing all over as Jason began to sing the first note.

Good morning, morning! More like night Good morning, darling! Hello to you Wake up, sleepyhead. Really? Time to get out of bed. You mean, hit the sack God’s peeking through your window Knocking on my door And the shadows of the morning say, “hello.” Well, hello Rise and shine, rise and shine! It’s time to clear your mind. And my head Time to greet the world, You mean, your fans? ire the colors of the world.

Where’s the yellow? Doggie snow!

And where’s a green? Got a dollar? Hey, here’s a red! Mommy’s Christmas dress And just for you, here’s the blue! Lullabies, Tootsie Pops, and lollipops! And ice cream cups for moms and pops! KaleidoScoops! Yes, indeed, these are the sweets for the sweet, For me? For every boy and girl. Yessiree! Candies are the colors of the world My world! Green leaves decorate the backyard tree And mommy’s bedroom wall Yellow’s the moon that blankets you at night Mustard on a dog!

Red’s the colored rose I grew last year Mommy’s dress

Blue’s the color of an ocean sky I know she misses me Green’s the grass we grew last spring My piggy bank Yellow are the moon pies daddy eats And doggie treats Red’s the color of your tender heart And yours Blue’s the way I feel when I’m missing you I miss mommy too

So rise and shine, rise and shine It’s time to clear your mind. Running out of time? Time to see the world And hit the road ire the colors of the world Pink and black Where’s the yellow? Browns and grays And where’s the green?

A dollar first Where’s the red? Oh, that pretty dress And where’s the blue for me and you? Tootsie Pops, lullabies, and lollipops! Ice cream cups for moms and pops! Don’t forget the kids! These are sweets for you, my sweet Call me gorgeous too For every little boy and girl And babies too! Candies are the colors of the world How sweet it is! For every little boy Just like you? For every little girl Me too? Candies are the colors of the world! Yes, indeed! Hey, are we done?

Yes, candies are the colors of the world!

As the song came to the end, video cameras, flashlights, and phone cameras were all flashing left and right. Within seconds, the song, the video, and the photos were all being sent to friends and relatives on Twitter, Facebook, and YouTube. The media was being sent all over the United States, Australia, Europe, Canada, and even South America from one phone to another and from one source to another. “Thank you, ladies and gentlemen. One more time for our gorgeous little guest, Ms. AnnaMarie Diane! One more round of applause for our newest little star! Maybe we’ll meet again soon somewhere down the road! We want to thank her grandmother also for allowing us to spend time with AnnaMarie! We’ll see you all tomorrow night in Oklahoma City! Ya’ll have a big Dallas, Texas, good night!” Both Jason and AnnaMarie held hands and bowed to the crowd as the stadium lights slowly started coming on. Jason leaned over to kiss AnnaMarie on the side of her cheek, and just as he kissed her, AnnaMarie saw the scar on Jason’s forehead. It was just under his hairline. AnnaMarie kissed his scar as she felt the urge to also touch his scar. Just then, Jason leaned into her ear and said, “Thank you, ma’am. This was very special to me. And it’s all because of you. I’ll always this night. I won’t ever forget you either. Hopefully, we’ll meet again somewhere someday again. Maybe one of these days, I’ll be in your hometown. If I am, I want you and your mommy to tell any of the ushers, helpers, or policemen to let you in and tell them I am expecting you up on stage with me, okay? I want a chance to meet your mom one of these days. Don’t ever forget, okay? I want you to be my very special guest up here on stage again someday.” “I won’t. I’ll tell Mommy. Bye, Jason. Tell your mommy hi for me.” “Bye, AnnaMarie Diane! And I will tell ‘my’ mommy hi for you, okay? Hey, before you go, what’s your last name?”

CHAPTER 9

Lo, is not a word better than a gift? but both are with a gracious man. A fool will upbraid churlishly, and a gift of the envious consumeth the eyes. —(KJV) (SIRACH 18:17–18)

But Suzanne quickly grabbed AnnaMarie by the arm, picked her from the stool, and hurried off the stage. She was really wanting to get out of the stadium as quickly as possible in order to beat the rush out onto the street. At the same time, Marty and security officers were hurrying Jason off the stage in order to beat the mob and get him back to his dressing room as quickly as possible. As Jason was being hurried back to his dressing room, he somehow knew something didn’t quite feel right. He then quickly raised his hand to touch his head and realized his Stetson was missing. He’d forgotten to get it back from AnnaMarie. He immediately mentioned it to Marty, and Marty assured him that he would personally go back into the crowd, check the exits to the stadium, and walk the hallways in order to find this special little girl walking around with Jason’s prized Stetson hat. Deep down inside, he knew this would be an impossible task, but he was willing to go out and try to find it. In the middle of a huge crowd, both Suzanne and AnnaMarie were approaching the main exit doors when they noticed there was a light rain coming down. Suzanne immediately took out her folded umbrella and opened it over both their heads. AnnaMarie also realized she had something on her head that she hadn’t had earlier when they first arrived at the stadium. It was Jason’s hat. It was still on her head. She slowly took it off, tucked it under both her arms, and placed it close to her chest to keep it from getting wet. As they were coming out of the building, Marty came up running into the exiting crowd, looking about. Marty was now getting wet and staring at people’s heads, looking for a white Stetson hat. But the famous Stetson hat he was looking for

was now neatly tucked away under a little girl’s arms. Lord knows he was never going to find it now. Both Suzanne and AnnaMarie ed directly in front of Marty under their umbrella as they both headed toward their car. Both Suzanne and AnnaMarie entered their car. Suzanne threw her umbrella into the floorboard of the backseat of the car just as AnnaMarie placed her hat between herself and the enger door. Both got their seatbelts on, and Suzanne asked, “Ready to go home?” “Yes! I’m kind of sleepy. What time is it?” “About thirty minutes past midnight. We should be home no later than three in the morning. That is if the rain lets us. Hope we don’t have to stop to potty.” “Not me,” answered AnnaMarie. “I may fall asleep in a little bit though. Let me know when we get home, okay, Grandma? Oh, Mommy told me to be sure and tell you thank you for tonight. I had a wonderful time. Jason was very nice. He sings very pretty. He was funny too. He said he wanted to meet Mommy someday. But I didn’t tell him where we lived, and I didn’t give him Mommy’s phone number. He’s nice, but he’s still a stranger, right?” “That’s true. He’s still a stranger. He probably just said that to be nice. He probably didn’t mean it either. Why would somebody that famous want your mommy’s number? He probably didn’t really mean it anyway. That’s okay. Don’t worry about it.” “Okay, Grandma. Well, good night!” “Night, sweetie!” At about the time Suzanne was saying good night to AnnaMarie, she heard someone knocking on her door window. She stopped before exiting the parking lot. It was a middle-aged woman with a green reflective traffic vest. The woman asked, “If you guys are heading toward I-30, make a right turn here, and you’ll see the I-30 sign a little bit down the road. So tell me, was it fun? I do believe your granddaughter will never forget this special night, will she? Well, see you ladies later. Oh, tell her to take care of that wonderful and most precious gift she is carrying with her. , angels are watching!” And Suzanne didn’t know what she meant nor what to say. She just thought,

Who is this lady? How did she know AnnaMarie is my grandchild? How did she know AnnaMarie had been the little girl up on stage with the singer of Trinity? Of all the thousands of people in the stadium, how did she know? What gift? What in the world did she mean? Of course, I know angels are always watching over all of us … She started to ask, but she heard a car start honking directly behind her. And without thinking, she started making her right turn onto the street without answering the lady standing outside her car. As she straightened out her car, she looked back to see the woman, but the woman was now nowhere in sight. “Now where in the world did this lady all of a sudden go to? She was just there!” And the traffic was now bumper to bumper all the way to I-30. Once she got on the interstate, she immediately felt a sigh of relief. “Let’s go home,” she whispered to herself. She made it a point to look at the clock of her car. It read 12:50 a.m. AnnaMarie was now sleeping, and her tiny body was leaning against the front seat’s center armrest. But Suzanne had to take a second look. She quickly realized she was looking at the rim of a white hat. “Now how did she end up with Jason Skarr’s famous Stetson hat? Was it now considered lost or stolen? Are we now in trouble or, or lucky?” she wondered.

Marty turned to go back inside the stadium and headed toward Jason’s dressing room. As he was walking, he did see Dallas quarterback Tony Romo a distance away walking down the corridor. And he thought, “I guess he really was here after all to see the show.” Jason was waiting for Marty when he got back to the dressing room. “I’m sorry, buddy. I guess it’s gone. I know it was a gift from your dad. Maybe the family will get back in touch with us, and we can get it back before tonight’s show. By the way, do you, by any chance, have another one, or are we going to have to buy another one before the show?” “I only have that one. I’m going to have to try and buy another one before our next concert. Do me a favor and find a Western wear store either here or in Oklahoma City before noon, okay? I don’t want to wait till the last minute to go buy one. Can you please do me this favor? Oh, one more thing, give the guys money for their flights back home and find out when they’re flying back so you

can go pick them up at the airport and keep me informed. Oh yes, did you get in with your friend, the one who owns that classic yellow car you mentioned earlier?” “Okay, okay, and yes, I did. He should be here by noon if not before. It’s a Javelin. He may be on his way as we speak. I called him right before you went on.” “Sounds great! Now I need an honest opinion here. What did you think about our little female guest, Ms. AnnaMarie Diane?” “Honestly? You’re asking me?” “I am! Come on, tell me the truth!” “My honest opinion … Well, here goes! Stupendous! She was fabulous! She enunciated perfectly! Her voice was clean and clear! Her voiced really carried! She responded so dang great! It was like … like …” “Like it was all scripted, memorized, and right on cue!” “Exactly! Took the words right out of my mouth! You’re exactly right! Where in the world did this little girl come from? Like she was heaven-sent!” “I agree! It made this show have the perfect ending. The last song kind of gave me goose bumps. Which reminds me … I’ll have to apologize to Johnny, Mark, and Bobby for putting them on the spot like I did. Weren’t they magnificent?” “To tell you the truth, they answered the call perfectly like the true professionals that they are! They were smiling, looking at one another like they always do. I believe they were actually having fun themselves. And the background harmonies! Right on cue! I mean, for someone not having heard the song before nor sung it before and not even knowing the words! They were all fantastic! Wonderful! True professionals! I was indeed truly amazed! Oh, one more thing …” “One more thing … What would that be, Marty?” “You know we kept the recording going, right?”

“Yes! I knew that much.” “Well, guess what.” “What? Is this a nice surprise or a shocker? Do I need to sit?” “Not sure! That depends.” “Depends, depends on what, Marty?” “On you, of course. Depends on what you think our next course should be.” “This is beginning to make me think maybe I ought to sit. Why don’t you tell me already?” “Okay! First of all, this last set with AnnaMarie has already gone viral. It’s all over YouTube, Facebook, and Twitter … Is what I’ve been told by Roger. Seconds after the song ended, Roger said he got about twenty tweets, messages, and e-mails in a matter of minutes. I haven’t checked my phone, but I bet I’ve got fifty or more myself by now. No doubt I’ll be getting lots more e-mails and text messages from our record producers, wanting this to be your next single. I’m just telling you this so you can be prepared with a response.” “Okay, hold on, big boy! There’s something we all need to know first! Just follow me on this for just a second. Roger recorded the very last set with AnnaMarie. She ‘collaborated with me’ during the song. Now we both agree it was somewhat of a silly little song I sung, a ‘spur of the moment’ kind of thing that was sort of done to ‘entertain the little girl or our fans inside the stadium,’ right? Now don’t get me wrong. I sang the song. Follow me so far?” “So far, every word, Franklin. And I think I know where you are going with this. We should think about this being a single for a children’s show like the Nickelodeon channel.” “Wrong! How about the fact that I just sang a silly little song? Not really commercial value! The fact is she’s the one who made it an instant hit! Let’s face it, a song about colors? On the radio? It’s a cute song, but how many radio stations right now are playing silly songs like the one I just sang to several thousand fans? They loved it because of AnnaMarie! Plain and simple! Radio stations, none! But it’s okay. I didn’t sing it for it to be our next hit single. This

little girl inspired me to even sing it in public. She was the inspiration behind it! To tell you the truth, I wrote it five or six years ago. It was a song I was wanting to sing to Mom. I never have, at least not yet! I may not have any choice now. Sooner or later, she’s going to find out who is singing with that cute, gorgeous little girl!” “Well, what do you need me to do? I think this is where all this is leading to, right?” “Exactly! Okay, first of all, we have to deal with the labor laws.” “What do you mean?” “Well, this little star is only six years old! We don’t have a last name. We don’t even know where she lives. We know grandma. So I’m sure there is a mommy or a daddy somewhere. We have no signed contract by a parent giving us permission to record her, videotape her, or help us make money off her voice for this now recorded song that’s gone viral! If our producers market this song by putting it for sale on iTunes, YouTube, or CDs without consent, without a contract, we’ll be facing lawsuits. And then the U.S. labor force get involved. So guess what you need to do before this song goes to the radio stations, and they start playing ‘our next hit single.’ Find the parent or grandma or her legal guardian as soon as possible, explain to them what happened, and then get them to sign the contract on the dotted line.” “Okay, but it may not be that easy. If we do find the little girl and the parents, how much money are we looking at?” “I would say how about a half million to sign the contract? And all my share of the royalties, that is, if the song even sells on this commercial market.” “A half million just to sign the contract? That’s quite a bit, ain’t it?” “Well, I don’t think so. But I know there could be more coming her way. You know me …” “I better leave before you become extravagantly generous and up the deal. I better go tell Roger. Oh, and by the way, Roger said the live CD is done.” “Okay! I’ll see you in the morning out by the bus.”

But as soon as Marty left Jason, Marty got a call from Roger. “Hey, Marty, I’ve just sent all the CD tracks to the studio. They’re going to place a rush on it and get it out by, or before Thanksgiving weekend. It should do well for the Christmas shopping season. They are going to send it straight to Europe, Australia, Canada, , and Mexico. It should go platinum in a matter of weeks, maybe even days. I’d say get ready to tour overseas next year. I’d predict that we’re looking at awards after awards left and right, even some video awards with the right directors.” “I bet you’re right. Oh, about the last track with the little girl …” “I figured you’d bring it up. It’s on there already. It’s been rearranged to be the first track on the CD as a special bonus track. Got it all rearranged. I was actually reading your mind, Marty.” “Actually, not really. I kind of wished you’d waited. But hey, never mind. Great job! Send it out to production ASAP. And as soon as you can, get at least twenty or twenty-five CDs to me. Be a surprise for Jason. And you say there is a video? A video of what?” “What do you mean a video of what? The last song, of course! Jason and the little girl! You do the little girl? Ms. AnnaMarie Diane! Did you know she was actually kind of swinging her little body or dancing on that stool? She was very photogenic! She was simply marvelous, oh, I’m sorry, gorgeous! Indeed, she really was! She was wonderful. Probably couldn’t see it from your vantage point, but I was able to play a cloud video with a very light misty kind of rain in the background and a very long and beautifully bright rainbow behind the misting rain. Man, it was a beautiful sight to see. I think the crowd was just in awe of it all. It was a sight to see. Can’t seem to get the image out of my mind. I see ‘me’ possibly getting a video award for my office or for my own personal wall at home. Yes, indeed!” “Great! Sounds like all we got to do is wait and see how the public responds to this one song and video. And this little girl’s parent or parents, of course!” Marty figured he had better find a way to locate the parents of this little girl. He figured she probably lived somewhere in the Dallas-Fort Worth area or at least within a hundred-mile radius of this great big city inside this huge state of Texas. He figured he could some of the major country stations and have them

try and locate the parent or parents of AnnaMarie and have them call in if it had been their daughter who had attended the Trinity concert tonight and had gotten on stage with the singer. He was also hoping he wouldn’t get one hundred phone calls either. “God bless you too! By the way, the Javelin is a stick shift, a standard transmission, if that makes any difference. Four speed! You may want to practice shifting gears before you leave the parking lot. Ahh, words to the wise? Know what I mean? Oh yes, good luck! And preach! Don’t lecture! that!” “I hear you! Not a bad idea! Thanks for reminding me! Well, here goes nothing!” And after a few stop-and-go maneuvers and a few grinding gears, Franklin exited the parking lot heading toward I-30 but not before turning on the Garmin GPS and entering the address to a Western wear store in Oklahoma City. Within seconds, it calculated his route, distance in miles, and an approximate arrival time. Not bad, he thought. And Franklin Scarborough was on his way, not as a singer for Trinity but as any normal citizen driving up and down the highways of this busy state. And he thought, Three and a half hours to get there. Hit the road, Jack! And let’s put this pedal to the metal!

Back in Weatherford, Suzanne was already up and making some coffee. She had already called Greg, and he had told her that he was out in the field with David and Eugene, waiting for the expert technician who should be there any minute now. He was hoping to be home by noon. If not, he would call her back. Suzanne had checked on AnnaMarie around eight, and she was still sound asleep. Once the coffee was done, she started mixing some pancake batter to have it ready for AnnaMarie once she woke up. She began frying some bacon and took out a couple of eggs to fry for the bacon. As she shut the refrigerator door, to her surprise, AnnaMarie stood there behind the refrigerator door with strands of hair all over her face and wearing her new Stetson hat. “Well, good morning, young lady. You sleep okay? You get enough sleep? It’s still early, you know?” “I’m okay, Grandma. I figured I’d better get up early and help you fix breakfast for grandpa.”

“He’s not here yet, sweetie. He’s still out in the field. Maybe he’ll be home for lunch. So it’s just you and me for breakfast. Want some pancakes?”

CHAPTER 10

By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.

—(KJV) (ROMANS 5:2)

But Suzanne didn’t turn on the car’s stereo just to listen for a Trinity song. She had really and truly enjoyed the concert, the band, and Jason Skarr, the young lead singer. He seemed down to earth, genuine, honest, kind of a homey type of person, religious, and, without a doubt, handsome too. But most of all, he’d picked her granddaughter to him up on stage for his very last song! Something that had left a huge impression on his several thousand screaming fans there at Cowboy’s Stadium. Thinking back on that, it kind of gave her the “willies” and a sense of pride. She was now westbound on I-30 on a quiet, drizzly night. AnnaMarie Diane slept soundly against the white Stetson hat propped just right on the right side of her face. It was a picture moment, at which she did manage to slow down enough to grab her cell phone, activate her camera icon, and take a very quick photograph of her as she slept.

And back in Lubbock, at the IHOP Restaurant, Mary Lou was serving coffee to a couple of midnight-shift TTU Campus cops. Officers Fisher and Lee ordered their usual black coffee with pancakes and sausage. “How’s your little girl, Mary Lou?” asked Officer Lee. “She’s doing fine. She’s staying with her grandma Suzanne in Weatherford. Actually, they should be on their way home right about now back to Weatherford from Arlington. Mom took AnnaMarie to a concert at the famous Dallas Cowboys Stadium. A group named Trinity, I think, was supposed to be main band playing there. You know, I’m not really that familiar with the group nor

their music. Got no idea what they sing or where they’re from. I guess I need to get out more often. I need to come out for air more often, get out of my little ol’ cubbyhole.” Officer Fisher commented, “They sing country, and I think it’s like contemporary Christian or some mumbo jumbo religious music or something like that! I actually think my wife bought a Trinity CD a couple of years back. I think they were just like getting started back then. Heck, what do I know? I’m just a ‘KK,’ a campus cop! Anyway, I don’t think their music is very popular down here in this Texas part of the country. I don’t know. I don’t listen to music anyway! I just don’t give a … As for me, it’s a waste of my time and hardearned money. I’d rather go play golf, practice my unbelievable golf swing, and listen to the sport’s channels if you ask me.” Officer Lee interjected, “I’ve heard of them. Trinity is a great Christian band! If I’m not mistaken, they’re out of Missouri, somewhere like Branson, Joplin, or St. Louis. They started when they were in high school in their mid to late teens, and one or two were in their early twenties. The singer is a heck of a gifted singer. I read where he can actually play six, seven, eight, or more musical instruments. If you ever listen to their music, it sounds as if they have six, seven, maybe even eight musicians playing, but it’s only like four guys in the group. And that includes their lead singer. Anyway, they are a super band with nicely written inspirational messages in all their songs. As a matter of fact, I also believe the singer writes the majority of their songs. If they ever come here to Lubbock, I am definitely going. Whatever the tickets cost, I am going. But as a fan, not in uniform, working security! I want to enjoy the show from an actual seat, not standing and watching. I want to hear and enjoy every single song!” “I didn’t know you knew so much about this unknown band,” added Fisher. “Hey, you know I’m into music! I love music! I read and listen to all kinds and tastes in music, especially country, gospel, and inspirational! And how about them Cowboys? Just kidding! How are you, Ms. Mary Lou? What kind of music do you like?” asked Officer Lee. “Soft rock, country, and gospel. Hey, I’m heading out to Weatherford Sunday morning when I get off work. I just finished unpacking all our stuff at our new place in Southland. It’s kind of a small two-bedroom stucco house. The attic was supposedly insulated two years ago. It’s got a new central heating and A/C unit. I

just hope the house has good plumbing and a 220 electrical connection for my electric stove and clothes dryer.” Officer Fisher interjected, “What? You didn’t ask when you called or when you saw the house? You’ve already moved in, haven’t you? You even know what a 220 outlet looks like? They look different from a regular outlet! You do know that, don’t you? Hah, women! What do they know?” “Hey, leave her alone! She’s probably just excited to move into her new home! She hasn’t had time to look! I bet it’s got a 220 connection for both your oven and your dryer. Hey, I’ll tell you what, if it doesn’t have one, let us know! We know a good friend who lives out north of town that can wire it up for you. In fact, he lives just north of the airport. You let us know as soon as you find out, you hear?” “Well, thank you both! I just may do that since you’ve offered. This isn’t a joke, right? I mean, you guys do mean what you say, don’t you?” Officer Lee was quick to respond. “I know I do! I’m not sure about Fish! I hope he does. I’m sure he does too, Mary Lou. To tell you the truth, sometimes he has a bigger heart than me. Don’t let him kid you. I know he likes you too.” “I mean it too!” added Officer Fisher. “I’ll tell you what, I’ll just call my friend in the morning. I’ll tell him your situation, and he can go check out your house tomorrow by 1:00 p.m., okay?” Mary Lou quickly answered, “Sounds great! Now all he needs to know is how to get ahold of me by phone and get my home address. Okay, now do either one of you know my phone number or my new address where I’m living at now?” Both officers looked at each other, laughed, and turned to look back at Mary Lou. Mary Lou simply said, “’Cause I know I’ve never given it to either of you. I didn’t think so! So look, I really, really do appreciate your gesture of trying to help me and my daughter. You guys are really very, very sweet, caring, and generous. Thank you, Officer Lee, for understanding my dilemma, and underneath that big, tough, ‘macho man’ Officer Fisher, I know you have a very big and wonderful soft heart. And I do very sincerely thank you both from the bottom of my heart. God knows I do! I’ll tell you what, I’ll check myself, and

I’ll let you guys know something by next week. First, I’m going to Dallas, or Weatherford, that is, and bring AnnaMarie back home with me. Then I’ll worry about that 220 connection. Hey, right now, we can still eat at the Dairy Queen! God bless you guys for being so nice! It does mean a lot to me and my baby.” “Settled then!” added Fisher. “Now where’s my coffee?” Officer Lee asked, “Hey, Mary Lou, your friend Norma mentioned yesterday that you were going to Dallas in your car. She also said you’d been having problems with it. Why don’t you take a rental? They’re usually one or two years old. Some are brand new! Be a lot more dependable …” “You’re right! They’re a lot newer and highly more dependable than my old truck. I think my truck needs a new battery, new cables, new wires, new tires, and, for sure, an oil change. Other than that, it gets me from point A to point B, from Southland to Lubbock and then back so far. I’ll just drive it till it dies. Maybe I can trade it sometime after the Christmas holidays or after New Year’s. Hopefully, I’ll get a raise by then or maybe win on a scratch off or the actual lottery. I got faith. Something good will come my way soon. I just feel it!” Fisher added, “Me too. Got a rich boyfriend?” “I do need a good friend, that’s for sure! Hey, I already got two great friends! You guys! Hey, thank you for at least showing interest in my little ol’, dull, and simple life. And thank you both for caring enough to ask. I do need a friend, I’ll it. But I need a true friend with no strings attached. I don’t want nor need a short-term commitment. All I care about right now is raising my baby, AnnaMarie, as God intended me to.” At this time, Mary Lou heard the cook’s bell ring. “Excuse me, fellas. Go ahead and help yourselves to more coffee. You guys really are the best friends a girl could ask for. You really are very nice. Thank you!” As she walked off, Officer Fisher asked Officer Lee, “You thinking what I’m thinking?” “Yes! It’s your time to pay for the coffee and leave the tip, right?” “No! Heck, no! That’s not what I’m thinking about!”

“That we should’ve ordered donuts or cinnamon rolls to go?” “Is that all you think about? Besides ordering that on Friday nights? Think! Gee whiz, Lee! Dang it! I’ve lost my concentration again! Man, you should’ve called in sick today! Now I know I need more coffee!” “Wait a minute! I got it! We need to call out! I got in trouble the last time for not calling out! It is your turn, buddy!” “Dang it! Dang it! Dang it! No! No! No! I’m gonna spell it out for you! What we need to do is be good Samaritans and get this poor girl a rental so she can go get her little girl from Dallas or wherever the heck she’s stranded at! I mean, it’ll cost us what, maybe fifty bucks? Don’t worry, I’ll be sure to pay you later! Oh, and you can thank me later, Lee. I’m just glad I thought of it first!” “Thank you later? What do you mean pay me later, thank you later? Heck, at least … at least let me pay for the first tank of gas! And we don’t even know where she lives!” “Come on! How big is Southland, Texas? We just need to know what she drives, go drive down their one street town of Southland, and find her truck. She said she’s leaving Sunday morning, most likely when she gets home from work. We get off at six ourselves. She gets off at seven. I’ll go straight to Enterprise at the airport. When you get off work, you come over here to the IHOP and just follow her home. As soon as I get the rental, I’ll head toward Southland. And I’ll see your car there. All you gotta do is point me to the right house, make the switch, and make our getaway. See how easy this turned out to be?” “Not bad for two over-the-hill cops from good ol’ Tech, huh? We’ll just place a note for her to turn the car back to Enterprise when she gets back to Lubbock. I don’t want to owe you too much! See, I’m trying to keep your bill down!” “You’re a pal! But sounds good! Hey, we just got a call from dispatch. I’ll leave the tip. You get it next time. Let ’em know we’re both en route.” Both were leaving when Mary Lou hollered, “Keep those Red Raiders in line! And you guys be careful! See you all Tuesday night! Wish me luck on my trip to Weatherford! Oh, and pray my truck survives the round trip!” As she walked over to clear the table, she saw a twenty-dollar bill. She knew it

meant she’d just gotten herself about a ten-dollar tip after deducting the meal. She just smiled and said to herself, “Yes! Thank you, God! You too, Officers Fish and Lee!” Back on I-20, Suzanne had just ed Willow Park on the interstate and was about getting close to home when all of a sudden, she felt the urge to turn on her car’s radio. When she flipped over to a country station, she heard the end of what sounded like an Amber Alert. Someone out there was looking for a girl named Diane. The radio announcer mentioned to the station if the parents were known. She figured it was probably a parent looking for a runaway or most likely an abduction of some sort. The announcer then played what he said was an earlier Trinity tune from a couple of years back. Suzanne tried to all the songs she had heard the band play, but it wasn’t one of them. As she listened to the words in the song, it didn’t take long to realize as to why the band had skyrocketed to the top of the charts so quickly with this beautifully written message within the song. And she thought, Thirty minutes and we’ll be home. I’m tired and ready to get in my bed and just fall asleep. I wonder if Greg’s at the house. Probably not, or he would’ve called me by now. Probably still out there in the field. Hopefully, he’ll be home come breakfast time, I hope. I guess I’ll call him when we get home here in a little bit so he won’t be worried if we ever made it home. No doubt he’ll still be up anyway. And the night’s half-moon was slowly going out of sight on the western horizon.

Back in Dallas, Marty was inside their touring bus working on his laptop and printer, doing what Franklin had asked him to do. He had found him a shortcut. He was doing the copy-and-paste thing on several letters he would be sending to a few Catholic churches that were on their concert route. If a church had an email address, he would send an e-mail. If they had a fax number, he would send the church a fax. As he was putting the letter together, he wondered if he would end up going to hell for doing this. He figured that he was probably on the right track for doing this for his best friend, Franklin. But then he thought, Well, it really is for a good cause. I guess this will cost me about forty or fifty Our Fathers and maybe one hundred Hail Marys. I can probably do those in about an hour maybe. But he knew that Franklin meant well. He did have a very kind heart and not a single bad bone on his body. He always did more for others than for himself. He

knew the Bible from front to back about as good as any seasoned deacon or Catholic priest out there and probably as much as any bishop out there maybe. So he figured that if he could send at least four, five, or six faxes or e-mails along their concert route, Franklin would be satisfied. He got on the Internet and found a Catholic church around Oklahoma City for today’s mass. After all, it was Saturday already. Catholics have mass every day. And he thought, Here goes nothing! Click and the e-mail was sent. All of a sudden, he thought, This priest better open up this e-mail when he gets to his church. And before sending a different one, he figured he’d better read it one last time before sending the second one. The first one was already gone. Too late now for any changes or corrections. It read something like this:

To whom it may concern:

From the Diocese of St. Louis, Missouri, Reverend Bishop Robert Carlson,

Fellow Priests in Christ, I am sending you in my behalf, Franklin Jay Scarborough to your church on a self-finding mission as an Honorary traveling Deacon. He is to be used as a fill-in for your regularly assigned Deacon for whatever day he arrives at your church. Please make him feel welcome as you would me. Assist him in whatever he needs or asks of you when he arrives. I further extend God’s blessings to you, your congregation, and your church.

After reading it for the second and last time, he said to himself for the second time, “Well, here goes nothing. God, have mercy on my soul whenever we should ever meet face-to-face and in person. Please let it not be today, though, nor this week. Please! I promise to go to confession when this tour is over and when I get back to St. Louis, which, by the way, is going fine so far, and we should all be home before New Year’s. So wait for me if you can! If you want!

Okay? Amen!” And he pressed the Send button for the second time. “I guess I better get a list ready for Franklin, a list of the churches I’ve lined up, mass times, dates, and, of course, addresses. I figure six ought to be a good start for now.”

CHAPTER 11

Therefore thou art inexcusable, O man, whosoever thou art that judgest: for wherein thou judgest another, thou condemnest thyself; for thou that judgest doest the same things.

—(KJV) (ROMANS 2:1)

Meanwhile, back in the oil fields, Greg was on the phone with the technician who had just told him he was leaving the Midland-Odessa area and heading toward Weatherford. David and Eugene were leaning back on the couch, napping on and off while waiting for the technician to arrive. Greg mentioned, “The guy said he should be here around 6:00 a.m., guys! If it’s okay with you, guys, I’m going to take a nap till he shows up. One of you turn up the heater just a bit, lock the front door, and turn off the lights before you fall asleep. And I guess we’ll see you guys before sun up. Whoever wakes up first starts the coffee and breakfast. Okay?” Both hollered, “Sure, Greg! We got it!” “Night, night, you moron!” David hollered back toward Eugene. “You too, buddy. Hey, David, your turn to fry the bacon and eggs in the morning. You ? Hey, don’t forget!” Even though he heard, David didn’t answer back. “Go to sleep, guys!” And back inside the coach bus, Franklin was thinking about having his first country drive to Oklahoma City. He, first of all, needed to find himself a hat for the concert. He needed his signature hat, a white Stetson. He also needed to find

himself a new suit for church. He had one in his closet, but he needed to get at least one more. And most of all, he needed some gray dye to give his hair a little bit of maturity and age. As he thought it out, he soon fell asleep. At about the same time that Suzanne was finally driving into her driveway, she noticed Greg’s truck not being parked in their driveway where he normally parked. He must not be home yet, she thought. She immediately sent him a text. We’re home, honey. Very nice. Had lots of fun. Got a story to tell you when you get home. Love you, Suzanne! As he was falling asleep, Greg heard a text beep coming from his cell phone. He immediately read it, smiled, and went back to sleep without answering it. They’re home, and everything went well. Thank God, he thought.

Marty had also gotten some addresses, names of cities and towns, schedules, and names of priests where Franklin could stop and spread the Word of God as a deacon wherever he chose to stop. In the end, it would be up to Franklin to stop at any one church he chose if it fitted in with his concert and/or traveling schedule. Surely, no priest out there would have the heart to tell him no. At the same time, Roger was also finishing loading up all the lighting and sound equipment into their fifty-three-foot trailer. He was also in charge of paying cash to all the extra hired hands who were used to help set up and tear down the stage, the lighting stands, and running cables up and down the floor. This particular night, he had hired five extra hands. All were lined up to get their pay. He always paid the extra help with cash. According to Jason, most of these guys had no money, no jobs, no steady income, no bank s, and no IDs. So he had instructed Roger to pay them cash with no deductions, no questions asked, and straight cash and an extra cash bonus at the end of the show if they did an exceptional job with little or no mishaps nor mistakes. In line to get paid were two black males about fifty years of age. They were the only ones who actually said, “Thank you, sir” when they got their pay. Roger answered back in reply, “Thank you, both. Hey, you guys did a great job out there. No mistakes, no moaning nor groaning. Looked like you guys actually came out here to learn and to work. The boss, along with the manager and

myself, really do appreciate that. Hey, next time we’re back, look me up, and I’ll definitely you guys and will have a job for the both of you if you’re needing a job, okay?” “Sure, boss,” answered one of them. As they were both starting to walk off, both looked at each other and stopped and then turned back. “Hey, boss, you needing some more help? For tomorrow night, I mean.” “You mean, tonight? This is Saturday already. It’s past midnight. Actually, we do have a concert to do tonight. But it’s not here in the Dallas area nor Fort Worth. It’s in Oklahoma City. I probably will need some help there. But it is in Oklahoma City, a few hours from here. Really could use the help.” “Ahh … we can help. We already know what to do. We learn fast.” “But , it is in Oklahoma City, not anywhere close by. I’m guessing you guys got a car, right? Runs and everything? I can’t give you a ride, at least not yet.” “Sure, boss, we got a car. An old one, but it moves. Ain’t give out on us yet.” “Are you guys friends, brothers, or cousins?” “Brothers, sir. I’m Jimmy. He’s Flenoid. Jackson brothers, sir. Jimmy and Flenoid Jackson.” “Hey, call me Roger. Everyone here knows me as Roger Dodger. I’ll tell you what, you guys show up at the Civic Center Music Hall in Oklahoma City by six o’clock this evening, you guys ask for me, and you guys got you a job. And something else, you guys show up on time. I’ll give you each a fifty-dollar bill for showing up. That’ll pay for your gas and maybe a couple of burgers. What do you say? A deal?” “Deal, boss! We’ll be there! Thank you, sir!” “Call me, Roger!” “Yes, sir!” “No problem! Hey, here’s a schedule of concert dates, times, and places. Just so

you’ll know where we’re going and when we’ll be there, okay?” As both started walking away, Roger hollered back at them, “Hey, Jackson brothers, band always gets a bonus when there’s a good turnout! So do the hired hands! Here’s an extra twenty for each of you! You guys earned it! You guys did great work, makes my job a lot easier! So see you guys tonight in Oklahoma City, okay?” Roger handed each an extra crisp twenty-dollar bill as both walked away, smiling at each other. Roger saw they were headed toward an old, dented, white four-door Mercury car.

Eight o’clock came early Saturday morning for Franklin. When he stepped out of his own personal coach bus, Marty was sitting inside a yellow, two-door, sporty-looking car. He walked around to the driver’s side and saw him sleeping behind the steering wheel. “Marty! Hey, Marty, wake up!” When Marty finally woke up, Franklin stated, “So this is a Javelin? Nice! Not bad-looking! How smooth does it run? How fast? Kind of looks like a racing car.” “Considered a muscle car if you must know. Don’t know how fast this one runs. Don’t really know for myself. To tell you the truth, never had seen one like this up close until now. Never have driven one either. Course, I’m into the new generation myself.” “Don’t know? My friend Robert promised it still has a lot of life left in it. By the way, he brought his GPS with him and said he was going to leave it with you in case you get lost. So there you are! I’ve got you some addresses, times for your church masses, and names of priests and churches you may come in with when you get to certain towns or cities. Now I’m just going off the Internet, so the names of the priests may have changed since the last time they were updated. I printed Saturday, Sunday, and Wednesday mass schedules for you. So whichever day you are there, you can try to fit the church schedule into your preaching schedule and in between our concert schedule. Now tell me, did that make sense? But please keep up with the concert schedule times, dates, and places. There’s a lot of money invested in that schedule! Ahh, you do know how to use the GPS, don’t you?

“Never mind! Forget I said that! No doubt you’ll figure that out in no time. Forget I even mentioned it. I should know better than to ask you. You can figure out anything before I even say go. Hey, I also wrote down two locations for your Stetson! So good luck! Drive safe and see you in Ok City tonight. Be there on time so I won’t have to get a state trooper or highway patrol go hunt you down. I don’t need any more worries. I definitely don’t want to start popping pills, trying to keep up with you, buddy. A copy of our schedule is in that folder too. You got my number. Anything you need, anywhere, anytime, you call and let me know! Anything! Anytime! Anywhere! You call!” “Hey, I got it! I know I can count on you for anything and everything. That’s why you’re my best friend, my best brother I never had in the world! You take care of the rest of the crew. I’ll see you tonight. Don’t forget the plane tickets for Mark and Bobby. Tell them it’s with ‘our’ compliments. Tell the Voices to have fun and to stay safe on the highway. From time to time, you call them to make sure everybody is all right. Not to spy on them but to let them know you are checking on their welfare as a friend and are curious as to what they are up to. Keep trying to find my little star friend from last night. Find my Stetson in other words! And let me know when that new live CD comes out. You can send me some texts if you need to. Other than that, let me get my suitcase from out of the coach, and I’m heading out. Hit the road, Jack! Hey, you take care of yourself too! Don’t get sick on me with all these things you got to do and keep up with. If you need any kind of help, ask the Jackson brothers to help. I trust them, and I think they’ll be okay in Oklahoma City. Take care of the trucks and the buses. See you, buddy!” “Hey, how’d you know about the Jackson brothers?” “Oh, I told them to talk to you about going up to Oklahoma City! Bye!” “Don’t worry, they’ll be there!” “I know! Bye!” “Bye! Hey, the car is fueled, oil and transmission both checked okay! All paperwork to the car is in the glove box just in case you get pulled over or in case you need to call Robert! Anyway, he wrote his cell number on the registration papers! Who knows, you may actually get a chance to try out your two high school semesters of Spanish! Weren’t you the only student who aced

that class with an A+ both years, amigo? Other than that, that’s all I got. See you tonight! I’m gonna double-check with the loaders and drivers to see if we are ready to leave this Texas-sized parking lot. I’m ready for a large MacDonald’s breakfast too. And as soon as these rigs hit the interstate, I’m crashing out till we get to the Oklahoma City limits. Adios, amigo! Hasta la vista, baby! Don’t forget. Your first church stop is Corpus Christi Catholic Church this afternoon at five o’clock. That is for today, Saturday!” “Adios to you too, mi amigo! See you tonight! Hey, thanks for everything! I’ll find it! Don’t you worry about that! God bless you, my friend! And wish me luck on my good ol’ high school Spanish!” “God bless you too! By the way, the Javelin is a stick shift, a standard transmission, if that makes any difference or not know what I mean. Four speed! You may want to practice shifting gears before you leave the parking lot. Ahh, words to the wise! Know what I mean? Oh yes, good luck! Oh, and preach! Don’t lecture! that!” “I hear you! Not a bad idea! Thanks for reminding me! Well, here goes nothing!” And after a few stop-and-go maneuvers and a few grinding gears, Franklin exited the parking lot heading toward I-30 but not before turning on the Garmin GPS and entering the address to a Western wear store in Oklahoma City. Within seconds, it calculated his route, distance in miles, and an approximate arrival time. Not bad, he thought. And Franklin Scarborough was on his way not as a singer for Trinity but as any normal citizen driving up and down the highways of this busy state. And he thought, Three and a half hours to get there. Hit the road, Jack! And let’s put this pedal to the metal!

Back in Weatherford, Suzanne was already up and making some coffee. She had already called Greg, and he had told her that he was out in the field with David and Eugene, waiting for the expert technician who should be there any minute now. He was hoping to be home by noon. If not, he would call her back. Suzanne had checked on AnnaMarie around eight, and she was still sound asleep. Once the coffee was done, she started mixing some pancake batter to have it ready for AnnaMarie once she woke up. She began frying some bacon and took out a couple of eggs to fry for the bacon. As she shut the refrigerator

door, to her surprise, AnnaMarie stood there behind the refrigerator door with strands of hair all over her face and wearing her new Stetson hat. “Well, good morning, young lady. You sleep okay? You get enough sleep? It’s still early, you know?” “I’m okay, Grandma. I figured I’d better get up early and help you fix breakfast for Grandpa.” “He’s not here yet, sweetie. He’s still out in the field. Maybe he’ll be home for lunch. So it’s just you and me for breakfast. Ready for some pancakes?” “Okay, and some juice, please.” “Orange or apple?” “Orange, I guess.” “Okay, but first—” “I know. Comb my hair, wash my face, and brush my teeth.” “Exactly! Hey, sweetie, please don’t get any kinds of stains on that nice hat. Your friend would probably not appreciate it if you get it dirty. You want to leave it here while you go to the bathroom? I’ll tell you what, let’s put it right here on top of this China cabinet, okay? I’ll take good care of it till you get back.” “Okay, Grandma. Be right back.” “Sure, sweetie! I’ll get the pancakes going.” Within a few minutes, AnnaMarie came back nicely combed. She grabbed the hat and set it on top of the table next to her. “Grandma, what does ‘FJS’ mean?” “I’m not sure what you’re trying to say. When did you hear that? On TV this morning? Sounds like you’re missing a letter and some vowels. Actually, more like a vowel or two. I’m not sure what FJS means. You sure you got it right? Can’t think of a word with those three letters right off the bat. Now they could be initials of some sort. Maybe it’s too early for me to be thinking. Is that part of your homework from Friday? I thought you’d done your homework before going

to Dallas with me last night?” “I did do my homework. This isn’t my homework. I woke up last night after you were already asleep, and I was looking at Jason’s hat. I looked under it and saw the letters on the round thing that goes under the hat. It said, ‘FJS.’” “Hmm … Let me look at that. Hmm … Got to be his or someone’s initials maybe?” “Grandma, I don’t know how to spell all the big words, but I got A’s on my ABC’s. I know the letters F, J, S and what they look like. The letters are kind of dark yellow. They are the big letters like capitals, not the little letters.” “That’s right, capital letters. Initials?” “I guess! Yes! Got to be the capital letters!” “May I please see your hat, sweetie?” “You know what, Grandma, I like the way you say sweetie. From now on, can you please call me sweetie? Is that okay?” “Sweetie it is! Ahh, sweetie, let me take a look at your hat, please.” As soon as she held the Stetson in her hands, she already knew that the letters were indeed someone’s initials. “These letters are stenciled in gold, sweetie. I know the look. It’s kind of a yellowish-looking color. But they are gold letters, indeed. Initials to be exact. These are somebody’s initials, for sure.” “What’s that? Initials, I mean.” “Initials are the first letter to someone’s name. Like your name, AnnaMarie Diane Spencer. Your initials would be ADS. A for AnnaMarie, D for Diane, and S for Spencer. Grandpa would be GFM. That stands for Gregory Franklin McDonald. Course, we all call him Greg.” “I think I understand. So Jason’s name is F. Jason Skarr? I believe he said last night that his name was Jason Skarr with a K.” “My, you that still?”

“Grandma, I’ve got a wandering mind. I lots of things. I memorize everything I see and see like, ahh … like you’re supposed to call Mommy this morning, ?” “Oops! You’re right! I dang near forgot! I’ll call her right after we have breakfast. Okay, sweetie?” “So my initials are ADS, huh?” “I have a confession to make, sweetie. ‘My’ initials are actually SAM, spells out the name Sam. Kind of funny now that I think about it. It stands for Sue Anne McDonald. My first name is not really Suzanne. It is Sue. My middle name is Anne. When I was a little girl, Daddy just started calling me Suzanne instead of Sue Anne. It just kind of stuck. By the time I entered grade school, everybody just called me Suzanne. And to tell you the truth, I don’t know if your mommy even knows that. Guess what, your name is actually two names also. My name and your other grandma’s name were ed together to make up your name. Her name is Marie Spencer. Mine is Sue Anne. AnnaMarie Diane Spencer. I’m not exactly sure where the name Diane came from though. Maybe it was just a pretty name that your mom decided to give it to you. Not really sure right now. I’ll ask your mommy tomorrow. “You know what, now that I think about it, if I’m not mistaken, I think your mommy had a really good friend when she was in junior high. And I think her best friend then was a very pretty little blond-haired girl named Diane. And if I correctly, I think she died when the car she was riding in hit a moving train. Oh, it was a terrible accident. Your mommy didn’t eat or sleep for days. She got so sick from just crying all the time. It was so awful. You know, I think she wanted to keep her memory alive by naming you after her. You know, most everybody goes by either their first or middle name.” “I know! I go by both. AnnaMarie Diane. Actually, three names, right? I’m not so sure about being named after a dead girl though.” “Please don’t look at it like that, sweetie. Diane is a very beautiful name. And she was your mommy’s best friend after all. Thinking about it now, maybe I shouldn’t have told you the story about little Diane. I’m sorry.” “It’s okay, Grandma. I won’t tell Mommy. I guess I should consider myself lucky, huh? I’m just glad I only have three names to go by.”

“You know, I had never actually given that much thought. How about that? It had never dawned on me that we actually call you by three names instead of one or two. Now was your mommy smart or what? You know what, that deserves at least three pancakes, not just two! Is this a deal or what? Is this your lucky day? Three pancakes for the price of two! Coming right up, young lady! Ms. AnnaMarie Diane! Girl, I hope you’re hungry!” “Starving! Three pancakes, Sue Anne!” “Me too! Three pancakes coming right up! Hey, Sue Anne sounds pretty good! Don’t you think?” “Sue Anne sounds pretty fantastic to me, Grandma!” “To me too, sweetie! I’ll call your mommy in a little bit. I haven’t forgotten. Hey, let’s eat! Hey, I just thought I heard a car door slam. Maybe Grandpa’s home! He can eat breakfast with us! Let me go see!” And in the background, Grandpa Greg was heard saying good morning to Suzanne.

CHAPTER 12

The spirit of those that fear the Lord shall live; for their hope is in him that saveth them. Whoso feareth the Lord shall not fear nor be afraid; for he is his hope.

—(KJV) (SIRACH 34:13–14)

“Good morning, honey! I smell breakfast! Seems like I got here just in the nick of time! Is our gorgeous little princess awake, or is that tiny little bit of sweetness still in bed? Hey, don’t answer that. I smell pancakes. Got my answer already. Got any coffee left?” “Coffee’s ready, honey. AnnaMarie is at the breakfast table, enjoying, and get this, three large pancakes! Not two, mind you, but three big ones! She’s a hungry little princess this morning, all right! Can you believe that? I actually think she can hardly wait to see your ugly face to give you a great big hug! Go in there and say hello to her, you big lug! But first things first! How about my morning kiss, you handsome devil, you?” “Oh, I wasn’t forgetting. I was just thinking about those delicious pancakes you always make. Anyway, I wanted more of a girlfriend type of kiss than a wife’s everyday kiss. Ahh, know what I mean?” “Hum, you know, I do believe you were blushing there for a split second. But then again, so was I, and I don’t care. I was kind of wanting to blush some myself! I loved the way that kind of sounded and sounded like a great idea to me too! Know what ‘I’ mean?” “Careful now! You’re blushing, and now I’m blushing too! Maybe we ought to just go inside and eat before we wake up the neighbors this early in the morning.” And both just laughed it off and headed inside the house straight to

the dining room. “Ahh, why are you two blushing? Yes, I heard it all, but don’t worry, I didn’t see a thing, and I won’t tell a soul! Maybe Mommy, tomorrow, but no one else! Morning, Granddad! I hope last night wasn’t too tough on you. Hey, can you help me stand?” “Sure can, sweetie. What’s up?” “Oh, I just wanted to give you a big ol’ bear hug and a kiss and to tell you thank you for everything!” “You’re not leaving already, are you? Is your mommy here already? I thought she wasn’t coming till later. You can wait and thank me later when your mommy comes. I thought that was tomorrow, right?” “Supposed to be. I suppose I could thank you again tomorrow.” “Oh, you know what, that reminds me. Let me give Mary Lou a quick phone call before I forget,” Suzanne said. “Honey, can you go ahead and serve yourself? Oh, and keep AnnaMarie company while I give her mommy a call. If I don’t do it now, I know I’m going to forget.” “Go ahead! Tell her hi for me! Hugs and kisses too!” added Greg. “Same for me too, Grandma.” “Sure thing, guys! Oh, and, honey, serve AnnaMarie some juice! And wash your hands before you sit for breakfast, please!” “Okay!” And Greg turned to look at AnnaMarie and asked, “Orange or apple?” “Orange!” “Coming right up!” At this, the doorbell rang, and just as Greg was about to pour the juice into a glass, AnnaMarie quickly jumped out of her seat and hollered, “Got it! Probably the mailman!”

“Okay, honey! Look out the window first before you open the door!” “Okay!” As AnnaMarie peered out the window, she saw the mail truck parked directly in front of the house. She then looked and saw a female postal employee with a large brown package. The female turned to look at AnnaMarie who was still standing in front of the window, looking out at her. The female waved and could barely be heard, saying, “Hi, sweetie! Got a package for your granddad! Probably his payroll! Can you call him to the door, please, or are you allowed to open the door?” “Hold on, please! Grandpa! It’s a girl with the mail! She has something for you!” At this time, Greg came up to the door, looked outside, and opened the front door. “Hi! I was expecting our regular mailman! Is he on vacation, or is he sick?” “He called in. Not sure why. Got a package for you. I’m guessing you’re Greg, right? I need you to sign this tablet, please. If you don’t mind?” “Not at all! Thanks! Monday’s payday! Are you new to this area? I’ve never seen you before. I have seen others.” “Only new to this zone. Been with the post office for a few years now. Is this your granddaughter? She had beautiful hair and those gorgeous eyes! Hi, gorgeous! Ooh, I love your beautiful rosary! And those red beads! I would say that you are blessed!” “Hi, ma’am!” And AnnaMarie just kept staring at the female postal worker as if she was trying to recognize her from somewhere. “You know, I bet you have a way with guys … like your granddad, for instance! Have you been wearing a hat? Your hair is all squished around your head!” And AnnaMarie wondered how she knew about Jason’s hat. “How did you know that?” “Oh, I can tell you’ve been wearing a hat by how your hair is pressed right above your pretty little ears, sweetie.” And the woman stretched out her hand to

touch AnnaMarie’s face, head, and finally, her hair. “You’re so beautiful, sweetie!” “Thank you,” said Greg. “She is our pride and joy! She’s our granddaughter. Her mom—” “Yes, I know! She’s supposed to be here tomorrow.” “Huh?” asked Greg. “Oh, I’m sorry. I thought that’s what you said or meant.” “Oh!” “Well, I guess I better finish my route. Bye, AnnaMarie! Take care of that hat! Bye, bye, gorgeous!” “Bye, ma’am!” Greg just looked at AnnaMarie and asked to himself, “Now how did she know your name?” AnnaMarie stood inside, staring out the window and looking at the female getting inside the mail truck. At the last second before driving away, the lady turned to look back at her, and from around her neck, AnnaMarie could clearly see her with a rosary, a rosary missing a diamond! And AnnaMarie’s instinct told her what she kind of already suspected. It was probably the same woman she’d been seeing on and off, here and there, from the time she got her rosary back in Lubbock to the Dallas concert, and now here. Maybe she was keeping an eye out for her. As time went on, she was actually feeling more and more at peace seeing that God had given her a guardian angel after all, letting her know that she was still watching over her. And the truck drove off. “But was she really gone?” she asked herself. Probably not, she thought. Somehow she knew that she would probably see her again somewhere else. Maybe next time, she would to ask if indeed she was her very own guardian angel. “Your pancakes are getting cold, and your juice is getting warm!” She heard coming from the dining room. “Coming, Grandpa!”

“Hello …,” answered Mary Lou when she heard her cell phone ringing from under her pillow. “Hello,” she answered again. “Oh, I’m sorry, honey. I didn’t realize you might still be asleep! I should be ashamed of myself for calling you this early. I actually forgot your midnight work schedule. I am so sorry! Tell you what, call me later when you wake up from your morning sleep or nap or whatever you call it. You know what I mean. Don’t answer, just call me back when you can, okay? Okay … Bye, sweetie! Sorry!” And Suzanne just hung up the phone, not waiting for a bye. She was feeling a little bit inconsiderate in not ing her daughter’s work schedule. How could I have been so dumb?, she thought. “Dumb? What are you talking about, honey?” “Well, I should’ve ed that our little girl works the midnight shift at the IHOP! She gets off around seven in the morning, I believe. It’s almost noon now! She hasn’t slept enough! And I called to tell her about last night, not realizing she would probably still be asleep! It was very dumb of me! That’s why I said, ‘Dumb’ with a capital D! I should’ve known better! So I told her to call me back later when she wakes up. That’s if she even heard me say that!” “Well, I guess we’ll just have to wait and see, won’t we?” “I guess so, won’t we?” “So tell me …” “Tell … you … what?” “About last night! How was the concert? The music? The bands playing? Cowboys Stadium? How fantastic is that place? Amazing, ain’t it?” “Ahh, about last night … You’ll never believe it! Wait till I tell you—” “I sang!” blurted out AnnaMarie. “What? You did what?” Greg looked at her, then turned to look at Suzanne, and then back to AnnaMarie. “You did what? Now say that again!” “I sang, Grandpa!”

Greg turned to look at Suzanne as he again repeated his question. “You sang, sweetie?” “She sang!” “Oh, that’s great, sweetie! Was there a song the band played there inside the stadium that you knew?” “Greg, listen to her. Pay close attention to her.” “Okay, sweetie. I wasn’t listening. Now tell me again.” “I sang, Grandpa.” “You sang, meaning … ‘you’ sang. Right. Now I got it!” “Yep! I sang!” “Okay! Now we’re getting somewhere. You sang what, sweetie? To whom? To your mommy? A friend you guys ran into up there in Dallas? To a stranger?” “Nope! To many strangers! A whole bunch. To everybody! I sang to everybody!” Greg stopped eating to look at Suzanne then turned to look at AnnaMarie who was still eating her last couple of bites of her pancakes. He turned to look back at Suzanne who was still looking at him and smiling. “You sang to everybody there?” Suzanne nodded and said as she was looking at him and checking his reaction to all this. “Okay, now what exactly does ‘everybody’ mean to you when you say you sang to everybody?” “I guess the same thing it means to you, Grandpa. Everybody there, Grandpa. I sang to all the girls standing next to the stage. I sang to Jason, Grandma, and bunches of people I didn’t even know! They all shouted and clapped! I even bowed like Jason.” Greg turned once again to look at Suzanne. She was nodding, confirming exactly

what AnnaMarie was saying. Suzanne finally interjected, “Yep! She sang to every living soul standing and sitting inside that huge stadium, right there in front of five, ten, fifteen thousand of us! Yep, all ten, twenty, thirty eyes glued there to the center stage! Believe me, I think we were all mesmerized by her presence! We were all there … being entertained by our six-year-old gorgeous granddaughter, right in front of my very own eyes! Wouldn’t have believed it if I hadn’t seen it with my own 20/15 vision! Didn’t need no glasses to see it for myself! I bet you didn’t know you had a famous little star in the family, did you? Well, lo and behold, we dang sure do! Yep, we sure do!” “Well,” Greg started to say as he went to scratch his head. He then turned to look at the hat.

And Suzanne quickly added, “And that, bucko, is the proof we need to collaborate and confirm this out-of-this-world story! I am still in shock, in awe, in complete wonderment how this all just happened. So fast! I mean, one minute we’re in our seats and the next thing I know, a star is born right … in … front … of my very … own … brown eyes! I get choked up now just thinking about it!” “Ahh … well …” “That’s right, buckaroo! Leaves you kind of speechless, don’t it? Me too! You got that right! Speechless! I’m so speechless right now I don’t even know where to stop! Kind of makes me want to tell the whole world!” “When or where, Grandma?” And suddenly, Suzanne realized she was going on talking and talking and not really giving much information that Greg could follow or understand. “You know what?” asked Suzanne. “What’s that, hon?” “I still have to figure out how to tell Mary Lou.” “Probably the same way you explained it to me. I’m sure you’ll figure out how to tell me after you figure out how to tell it to her, I guess. For now, good luck! More coffee, please,” he said with a chuckle.

“Oh, and that poor young man! We got his hat at our home, while he’s touring all over this huge country with his music band!” “Excuse me, did you say poor? Can you please repeat that?” “His name is Jason, Grandma. He’s real nice. Mommy would say good-looking, right, Grandma?” “Sounds interesting, sweetie,” answered Greg. “You’ll have to tell me more about him later. Right now, I’ve gotta call corporate office and let ’em know the pumps are all working properly. Go ahead and finish your juice, sweetie.”

Back on I-35, Jason knew he was making great time heading toward Oklahoma City. As he was listening to a radio station out of Ok City, he heard an ad in reference to his concert at the Civic Center Music Hall for later tonight. Well, I guess I don’t have to check my concert schedule, he thought. This made him look at his watch to check the time. Plenty of time, he thought. He figured he’d go find a Western wear store and hopefully find a Stetson and get it fitted before tonight’s show. Good thing he’d already dyed his hair before leaving Texas. As he looked up from looking at his watch, he saw what looked like a sixteen- or seventeen-year-old teenage girl waving her arms at him, flagging him down. He immediately slowed down and realized there was some sort of desperation in the girl’s face. She was standing behind an old white sixties or seventies Plymouth. Jason was coming to a stop when the girl came running up to his side of the car. “O, gracias, senor! Mi papa! Help! Please, senor! Help, mi papa! Hurry, please hurry! Aqui! Aqui esta! Here, senor!” With the little Spanish he ed from back in high school, he knew the girl was needing some kind of help for her dad. It looked like the car had a flat or a blown-out front tire the way it was leaning. At first glance, it looked like the girl was alone. But as he walked past the car, he could now see two preteen boys and a seven- or eight-year-old girl all asleep in the backseat. He could now see the left half of the girl’s dad pinned between the tire and the right fender of the car. It appeared like the man was changing the tire when the car’s jack must have failed, slipped, or toppled over.

“Are you okay?” Franklin hollered at the man. “No comprendo? No se Ingles, gringo,” the man answered. “Okay! No understand. Don’t know English either. Okay, amigo! Un momento! Are you hurting? Duele mucho?” “Un poquito, si. El yaque! Se callo el yaque!” “Yaque. Sounds like jack. The car jack fell. Okay! Dame un momento! Give me a moment to think! Give me a second, okay?” Once Franklin figured out what to do, he quickly ran to the Javelin and opened the trunk to see what kind of tools he might find in order to use to raise the other car and get this poor man out from under his car. He hadn’t seen any bleeding, so this was a good sign, except for the pain he was enduring. Course, this didn’t mean he didn’t have a possible crushed collarbone or shoulder either. He immediately grabbed the girl and put her at the rear bumper of her car and as best as he could to show her where he was going to place the Javelin’s front bumper up to theirs in order to keep their car from rolling back. She understood that. “Okay, here goes!” he said to himself. As gently as he could, he very slowly came up to the rear bumper of the other car. He stopped, got out, and saw he was within an inch from the other bumper. He killed the engine and set the emergency brakes. He had seen a piece of 4 x 4 board in the trunk of the Javelin. He grabbed it and set it just in front of the right rear tire of the Plymouth. He knew that the car wasn’t going anywhere now. He then pulled out the scissor jack from the trunk, set it under the enger door of the Plymouth, and cautiously began raising the car. Franklin immediately told the girl, “Los niños, no mover.” “Okay, que los niños no se muevan! Okay!” As the car slowly started going up, he made a quick assessment to make sure the car wasn’t leaning either way. He soon noticed the car began clearing away from the man’s shoulder. He gave it a couple more clicks upward, walked over to the man, and asked, “Esta bueno? Are you okay? Can you get out? Puedes mover? Necesita asistencia? Necesitas ayuda? Can you move? Need help getting out?”

“Dame un segundo, muchacho!” “Okay! Give me a minute! Okay! Muy bueno! No problema!” Within a couple of minutes, the man began regaining his strength and slowly began scooting away from under the car. Once the man had cleared his shoulder away from the car, Franklin began looking under the man’s shirt to see if there were any possible cuts or any sort of bleeding. “Okay, hombre! Todo se ve bien! Looks good! Rojo, pero okay! No sangre! No blood!” “No sangre, gringo?” “No blood! No sangre! Gracias a Dios, no senor?” “Si, muchacho! Gracias a Dios! Pero si que duele! Mucho hurt!” “Yes, I’m sure it hurts like heck! Si, si duele. I’ll tell you what, you rest. Descansa tu! I’ll finish changing the tire. Yo cambio tu llanta. Tu descansa con tu hija, amigo!” “Si, yo okay! Si muchacho, gracias!” Franklin changed the tire, and as he started to take out the spare tire from out of the Plymouth’s trunk, he saw two small battery-operated kid’s organs, one maraca, and a couple of drumsticks just tossed inside the car’s trunk. He moved them to the side to keep from breaking them. Once he got the spare tire out, he placed the flat one back in its place. Once he finished putting everything up, he asked the girl what happened. “Ün traile paso, and whoosh, se cayo el carro!” “Ä trailer went by, and the wind made the car fall! Si, comprendo! Okay! Tu saber manejar carro?” “No! No tengo licensia! Tengo seventeen años!” “No license, I see. You’re seventeen years old! No licensia!”

“Yo no tengo carro! No tengo licensia!” “Papa! Mi papa puede! Duele el brazo, pero dice que el puede. Gracias a ti! Gracias a Dios!” “Your dad can? Well, okay then! Yes, some pain, but he’s gonna try? Fantastico!” “Papa pregunta que como se llama?” “My name … me llamo … Ja … ah, Franklin! Me llamo Franklin.” “Okay, Jay Franklin!” “No, not Jay Franklin! Never mind. Jay Franklin is okay. But call me Franklin.” “Mi papa se llama Ignacio. Todos le dicen Nacho.” “Nacho? Muy bien. Nacho, it is! Y tu nombre? Como te llamas tu?” “My name is Annalicia, Jay Franklin.” “Call us Nacho and Anna! How about that? Bueno! Y los niños?” “Two brothers and one little sister.” “They play music? Tocan musica, ellos?” “Ellos dicen! Hacen mucho ruido! Make much noise!” “I know what you mean. They don’t play, but they think they do. Sounds like me when I was growing up. Kids do make a lot of noise! How ’bout that? Been there myself!” Anna added, “Yo canto!” “You sing?” “Si! A la Virgen!” “Virgen? You sing to the Virgin?”

“Si! El ‘Ave Maria,’ el ‘Padre Nuestro’ y la ‘Gloria’! The ‘Our Father,’ ‘Hail Mary,’ and ‘Glory Be’!” “O, ya comprendo! Okay! Bonitos cantos de iglesia!” “Si, exactamente,” stated Anna. “Church music!” At that moment, Anna began singing the “Ave Maria” as if on cue. She sounded so beautiful Franklin did not dare interrupt her until she finished. Kind of made him want to sing along, but he didn’t dare. This was her song. She might have been showing off, but it was in honor of the Virgin Mary. “Muy bonito! Me gusto mucho! Perfecto! Tu cantar bonito. Tu cantar en la iglesia?” “No, no cantamos en la iglesia. No hay musica. No music!” “No music. No singing in church. I see!” “Papa es el tio del Curita en Santa Catarina de Siena Catholic Church en Pauls Valley.” “Curita? Is that like a priest?” “Si, el Padrecito! El Sacerdote! Es lo mismo! Cura, Padrecito, Sacerdote. How you say? Same thing.” “Yes, I get it. And, ahh, where is this church? Donde esta iglesia?” “Aqui cerca en Pauls Valley. Hoy hay misa a las cuatro.” “Hmm, today at four? Poder venir yo?” “Dile que si! Seguro,” said Nacho. “Si!” said Anna. “Papa not help at church today. Arm hurt. Otros son viejitos. Old people there. Tu puedes ayudar al cura.” “What? Me help? Yo ayudar?” “Papa ayuda en misa. He no help today. Tu si puedes ayudar. You help say mass. You help Papa already. You help again. You help mi tio. You help uncle at church. A las cuatro.”

“Yes, at 4:00 p.m.” And Franklin thought, Oh god, what did I get myself into? My first mass is today at four … in Spanish! And in no time, Franklin was following Nacho and his family down to Paul’s Valley, Oklahoma, which was just a few miles off the main I-35 highway. Once they got back on the road, a trucker ed them, honking. A sign on the back of the cab read, “2 Blessed 2 be Stressed.” Was he feeling stressed right about now? When they arrived at Nacho’s house, Franklin noticed the Catholic church at the end of the block. The sign read, “Santa Clara de Siena Catholic Church.” And in black letters, he could read “Mass, 4:00 p.m., Saturday.” He went up to Anna and tried explaining that he needed to go into Oklahoma City to buy a hat. “Sombrero?” she asked. “Yes, I need to buy a sombrero.” “No sombrero en misa! No hat! Papa tiene four sombreros!” She was all too happy to tell Franklin. “Bueno, yo necesito nomas uno,” he told her. “No for iglesia. Not for church.” “El te da uno. Dad give you one.” “No! No! I don’t want his! Yo comprar uno!” “Pero el te lo da! He give it to you. You help him already!” “No, don’t give me one! Yo ir a Walmart comprar uno blanco!” “El tiene un blanco! Espera!” “Yes, I wait. Nacho has a white one! My luck! Perfecto!” She came back with a white hat. “You put on, okay? Dad’s favorito! Pontelo. You put on head.” “A very nice felt hat. Hum … kind of fits okay. My lucky day, I guess.”

“Okay? You like? It’s yours!” “Oh, no! No mio! Not mine! Tu Papa! Bonito! Pero, no mio!” “Si! Es tuyo! Yours! Tu ayudaste a Papa! You help Papa! He no money! He pay you with hat!” “No, no pay! Yo ayudar nomas! No pay! I stopped to help only! No pay!” But both insisted on giving him something for stopping to help. And they wouldn’t take no for an answer. There was only one thing he could do. “Baño? Bathroom?” “El baño? Si! Dos puertas a tu derecha. Yo ir a la iglesia. Me go to church. Regreso en un momento, okay?” “Two doors to the right. Excelente! Gracias! Si, si, you go to church! Okay! Muy bien!” Franklin headed toward the bathroom and got on his cell phone immediately. “Hello! Marty! Hey, hope I didn’t wake you up. I need a big favor from you. Are you anywhere close to Ok City?” “Actually, we’re just entering the Ardmore, Oklahoma City, limits.” “Good! Stop there and find me a Stetson or a very nice size 6 1/2 white felt hat or the best Resistol Brand they have in the store.” “Size 6 1/2?” “Yes! 6 1/2 size!” “But you wear a 6 1/4, not a 6 1/2!” “I know! Get it, and as you come up to the town of Pauls Valley City limit sign, stop at the Love’s Truck Stop and call me. And buy a nice carrying box for it. And if you can, have it gift wrapped. Never mind. Just have it boxed.” “Okay! Whatever you say.” “When you call me, just give me about fifteen minutes to get there. Hey, thanks,

buddy!” “Sure thing!” As Franklin was coming out of the bathroom and entering the hall, he saw an 8 x 10 picture frame that immediately caught his attention. It was what appeared to be a graduation picture of Anna. He quickly ed her saying she was seventeen. He immediately began looking around the living room and found what he already suspected. He found Anna’s high school diploma. Hmm, Corpus Christi High School. Her name really was Annalicia, not just Anna. Class of 2010. “Why, that little liar!” and he laughed to himself knowing she had sort of fooled him with her Spanish. “I’ll teach her a lesson,” he told himself. And tucked behind her picture, he noticed a folded piece of paper. He pulled it out and read it quickly, fearing she would come back soon and find him snooping around. This would be a no-no. The letter was from Nashville. It read that they were sorry to inform her that they were not totally interested in the demo tape she had sent them for review. It was dated September 2010. They liked her sound, but they could not accept her since she was a complete unknown without references. Therefore, they could not schedule an audition for her at this time, but they were thanking her for having shown interest in their recording company. They would certainly keep in touch. Directly behind the diploma sat a cassette tape that had already started collecting dust. Franklin looked around and quickly stuck the cassette into his pants pocket. He knew there was something special about her singing those two hymns earlier out by the highway. He placed the note back behind the picture and walked back to the middle of the living room. He got back on his cell phone again. “Marty!” “Marty here!” “Hey, one more thing. Write down this address. When I see you here after a while, I’m going to give you this special cassette. You take your time listening to it very carefully. Especially, if they are unknown songs, have someone transcribe them onto music sheets, words, music, tempo, all the works, to the song and/or songs. Let me know what you think about the voice of the singer. Give me your most honest and professional opinion and let me know by the weekend before

Thanksgiving. And then we’ll talk some more, okay?” “Okay! Hey, I’m just getting your Stetson and your other size 6 1/2 Resistol white felt hat, right?” “Right! Hey, you’re okay! No matter what Roger says! Ha ha ha!” “Hey, don’t rub it in! I can only do my best! You know what I mean?” “You got that right!” answered Franklin. By now, Franklin had noticed that Anna’s real name was Annalicia Muñoz. “Okay, time to get even,” he said to himself. He looked out the window and saw her walking across the street, coming back to the house. He immediately sat on a living room chair. “Todo okay?” he asked. “Si, todo esta bien, gracias.” “Y tu papa? Y tus hermanos?” “En la iglesia. Los muchachos estan jugando. Siempre jugando!” “Playing? Oh okay. Y tu? Ahora que?” “Quieres algo? Comer? Agua? Coca-Cola?” asked Anna. “Coke? Okay! Una Coca-Cola! Tu Ingles es poquito bonito, Anna. Practice! More English! Good pronunciation! Como se dice?” “Mas Ingles? Si, mas Ingles!” she answered back. And Franklin decided to test her. He stood and got close to her and took her hand. “What if I said I think you are nice, very pretty eyes, pretty smile, beautiful hair, smell nice, pretty lips, nice figure …” As he continued, he could see she’d already began to blush. “Pretty hands, pretty fingernails, pretty earrings, pretty … pretty … nose, pretty waistline …” And she finally stepped back.

“Okay, so you know! I was just practicing my Spanish and testing yours! I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to fool you!” “And your brothers and sister?” “They are actually my younger cousins!” “No doubt they know real good English too!” “Oh yes, too well! But I told them this was only a game. So they promised not to talk to you. I have to pay them a dollar a piece after you leave. I am sorry! I was only playing. I would’ve told you sooner or later! I promise!” “And your dad?” “He is the real deal! He is still learning more English every day. He knows more Spanish. So around him, it’s all Spanish. Please forgive me. I am so sorry!” “Oh, it’s okay. It was kind of fun for me too. I’ll it, I needed the practice anyway. Well, in that case, I guess I’m leaving for Oklahoma City.” “Oh, no! We still need you to help at the church at five. Please forgive me and please don’t go! People there understand both languages. You can do one or the other, even both. Oh, please don’t go. Dad would never forgive me if I let you go! It’s only a little more than an hour before mass starts. Please say you’ll stay! Please! Pretty please!” “But I’m not a priest! I wasn’t prepared for this. I was just helping change a flat!” “Neither is Dad! Sometimes he just gives words of encouragement, along with words of inspiration. That’s all! Something that gives us all hope, something based on Bible stories! I’m sure you’ve read your Bible at least once! Haven’t you?” “Well, I have read it a time or two. Okay, but first, I need to go to the Love’s Truck Stop and put gas in the car. Okay?” “Si! Okay! But please do come back. Don’t get on the interstate and never come back, okay? I’ll be waiting!”

“Muy bien! Yes, I’ll be back in a few minutes. I promise!” As he was getting in his car, his phone rang. “Hey, buddy! We’ll be coming up on Pauls Valley in about fifteen or twenty minutes.” “Talk about perfect timing. Great! Heading toward Love’s myself! Hey, I saw a Love’s Truck Stop on the side of the highway. I’ll see you there in a bit!” “Okay, buddy! See you there in fifteen or twenty!” As Franklin got in his car, he saw that Anna had written her name on the front of the cassette with a number 4 next to it. On the back, it said, “Nashville Bound.” He figured it was her demo tape. He stuck the cassette into the car’s old cassette player, and it began to play. She gave a brief description of herself, her name, city where she was from, nationality, that there were four self-written songs by her, and that she didn’t know how to write nor read music that well but that she did know how to sing from the heart. There were four other Catholic hymns she sang karaoke to. After that, a song started. She gave a title to it. She began singing the song, but there was no music in the background. After listening to all her personally written songs while heading to the gas station, he couldn’t help but see why she had been turned down. No music and no music sheets. The recording company did not want to invest any money into her four songs even though she did seem to have a beautiful voice. After all, she was an unknown. And he thought, Why not? He finally got to the gas station and filled up the gas tank just as he was seeing his tour bus pulling into the large truck stop. Both Marty and the bus driver exited the bus, and all three met halfway. “Before I forget, here’s the address to this house where I’m staying at. Here’s the cassette. Have all four songs put to music—horns, flutes, guitars, bass, keyboards, drums, and anything—to make these songs sound their very best. Music intros to all of them, okay? Have them all ed and published in this girl’s name and dub this tape to all the music. I want a completed CD before we get to Lubbock, Texas. Anything that makes a sound, stick it in there.” “But we are in the middle of a tour! We’re going to have to hire some professional musicians to get this done!” “You’re right! Hey, buddy, just give me your best. When you call the recording company, tell them about the cassette, and when they get it, they’ll know who to

hire to build the music around it. They’ll know which musicians to hire.” “I’ll do my best!” “I know you will. You always have. I trust you!” “Thanks for that vote of confidence. Tell me, is she that pretty?” “Well, let me put it this way, she is that special. Pretty? Yes, you could say that. She’s seventeen. But she does have a very special voice also, a very special talent. She sings from the heart, and she truly does deserve a break to get into this profession. And we are giving it to her!” “You mean, you?” “You too, buddy! You are given the privilege of telling those people in Nashville that you discovered this new talent from a little bitty town called Pauls Valley, Oklahoma! Hey, later on, you can even rub it in right up their noses when she is selling records like crazy! How about that?” “But you discovered her! We both know that!” “Nobody has to know! On contracts, on center stages, and in concerts, it was you!” “Since you put it that way, okay. Hey, by the way, all I could find was a 6 1/2 Stetson. I didn’t find a 6 1/4 for you. It’s in a real nice hatbox. The store did manage to call another Oklahoma City Western wear store, and they are holding a 6 1/4 size for you. As soon as they call me back, I’ll call you to give you the name and address of the store. They had told me that you can pick it up tomorrow, Sunday, between 10:00 a.m. and noon to have it custom fitted right there on the spot.” “Hey, thanks! I knew I could count on you. I knew you were reliable!” “Sure! What I’ll do is I’ll listen to the tape, take some notes, and FedEx it to our producer back in St. Louis with all your specific or special instructions and ask him to call me back in a couple of weeks or right after Thanksgiving.” “Great! Hey, let’s go get that hat so you guys can get back on the highway before

some of these people start asking where Trinity is and where Jason Skarr is. They may not even know there is such a band, you reckon?” “You’d be surprised. Even small towns keep up with Christian music. Don’t ever underestimate yourself. I imagine the huge writing on the bus actually gives it away. Good thing the town is off the main highway, although I have seen a few country folks give the bus a stare. I saw some folks pointing at the bus and at you already. Don’t be surprised if someone doesn’t come up and ask you for an autograph,” stated Marty. Just as he said that, a couple in their twenties walked up and looked at Franklin. “It’s you, Mr. Jason Skarr. We were at your last concert last night in Dallas. You find that little girl yet? You guys were fantastic! You have a beautiful sound, wonderful voice! We love all your music! Those inspirational themes of yours hit so close to home! We didn’t stay for autographs! My wife’s mother was feeling a little woozy, and we left after you and the little girl sang. But we all enjoyed the concert tremendously! Maybe we can see you again on a different concert. First, we got to save up for the next time. Paying fifty bucks a piece was not easy, but it was worth a penny of it! And we’ll do it again if we have to. You can bet on that!” Franklin stated, “Tell you what, if you keep this a secret, I’ll autograph some CDs for you and give you your money back. How about that? Deal?” “To be honest, Mr. Skarr, we didn’t buy any CDs. We didn’t have the money.” “No problem. I’ll give you some of mine!” Marty took this as a hint to go get some from the bus. He brought out five of his CDs, handed them over to Franklin to sign, and then counted out three fiftydollar bills. “With our compliments to you, your wife, and your mom. We hope she’s doing much better.” “Actually, we were here to get her some Pepto and some Tylenol. We live about ten miles from here in a farmhouse. I farm not far from here. Boy, will Mom be surprised. Sure is a small world, isn’t it, honey?” And his wife just stood staring at Franklin without saying a word. “Thanks again, Mr. Skarr. God bless you guys on the road. Keep all wheels on the road! You’ll be safe, you’ll hear? Thanks for the music and your autograph, Mr.

Skarr!” “You’re welcome!”

CHAPTER 13

Continue in prayer, and watch in the same with thanksgiving.

—(KJV) (COLOSSIANS 4:2)

Franklin got the hat from Marty and placed it in the backseat of the Javelin. He immediately decided to check it to see that there were no price tags nor cash receipts that may give a name as to who had purchased the hat. He opened the box, ired it, and found no tags nor receipts. “Fantastic! Good deal!” On instinct, he took out three one-hundred-dollar bills and placed them inside the box and under the hat. “Happy birthday, Nacho!” Franklin ended up taking a shower. A little bit of the dye on his hair had started running. He’d have to redo some of it again. Good thing he had only used a little bit of it the first time around. It was now 3:30 p.m. He needed to hurry up and go check out the layout of the church. He walked in and saw Nacho setting up the altar. From his altar days as a young kid, he ed what all he used to do before and during the mass. Nacho greeted him with a “Hola, Franklin.” “Hola, Nacho! Ayuda?” “Si! Si, ayuda! Tu eres Catolico?” “Si! No perfecto, pero si muy Catolico!” “Nadie es perfecto! Nomas Jesus Cristo! Yo tampoco. Me, less! No perfecto! Yo Catolico como tu. Like you!” Then Nacho showed him the missalette, which was half Spanish, half English. He pointed to the two readings in Spanish and the gospel, which was in English. “Yo en Español, tu en Ingles.”

“Are you kidding? Perfecto! This is perfect! Tu Español, yo Ingles … Perfecto!” “Tu explicas la Palabra de Dios, okay?” “Si, no problema. You want me to do the homily. I’ll do my best. Yo hare lo imposible, posible. Si, no problema. Okay, Nacho! No problema aqui!” By the time mass got started, Franklin discovered that the regular priest was out of town, and Nacho was acting as a deacon since there was no one else assigned to this very small country Catholic church. The church ministered to a little over seventy-five people, young and old. More than half were Anglo. Franklin felt relieved knowing he wasn’t going to have to try to preach in Spanish. Before he got up to the pulpit, he prayed a short prayer to himself, while Nacho read the first and second readings from the Bible. In his broken English, Nacho introduced his newly found savior, his friend Franklin. Before standing to walk up to the pulpit, he automatically went to touch his rosary he wore under his shirt. “Bless me, God,” he silently said to himself. He started by reading the Gospel of John from the Holy Bible. It was the story of Jesus meeting Peter for the first time and the rest of the apostles. Once he finished reading the gospel, he took a deep breath, looked around, and saw Anna and her little cousins at the back of the church. Hispanics were all mostly on one side of the aisle, and Anglos were mainly across the aisle. A few black families sat here and there. And he thought, Segregation still exists even here. “Hola. Me llamo Franklin. I’m from St. Louis. Mi amigo es Nacho. I just met him about two hours ago. I’ve never been here in your town before. I was just ing by, and now I am here standing before you. Coincidence? Fate? You have no idea who I am or what I am. Can you trust me that I mean well? Trust is a very huge word in this age and time. Trust me. Confiansa. Who did Jesus Christ trust besides his father in heaven? All his twelve new friends? Who do you trust? All your family ? All of them? All your friends? Your nextdoor neighbors? Are you sure? How big is this town? Population? Maybe five thousand live here. Jesus put his trust in twelve strangers. Did he really and truly trust all of them? I mean, they left him alone when he truly and desperately needed them. Did they not? Yet in the end, he died on the cross for them and for us all. Before he died, he even trusted John to watch over Mary as his own mother. And he told Mary to watch over John as her son. After all that had

already happened, trust in his Heavenly Father was what Jesus was putting his faith in and that John was to watch over his earthly mother also. Who would you trust to take care of your mother knowing you were going to die today if you didn’t already have a brother or a sister? Could you trust a total stranger to take care of your own mom or dad if you knew you were about to be put to death? Something to think about, right? But Jesus knew! “Driving down I-35, a trucker ed me. On the back of the cab, I read these words, ‘2 Blessed 2 be Stressed.’ Are we all blessed enough not to be stressed? Work-related stress? Family stress? Overdue bills stress? Health stress? Friends? Neighbors? Community? How many of us really know and understand ourselves? Our neighbors? Look around! How many of us know at least twenty people here today? Yes, look around again! How many of us know at least fifteen, ten, or even five of our friends here? Look across the aisle! Hey, why don’t we cross the aisle? Everybody on the right side of the aisle, move over to the left side, and everybody on the left side, move over to the right side of the aisle. But before you do, try this one thing for me. Trust me! Yes, trust! Trust me! Trust one another! Leave your stuff exactly where it’s at! Leave everything in its place! Your coats, jackets, and purses! Trust! Okay, everybody look around to see who is there now! Now change places! Don’t look back! Just do it because you trust! “Okay! Now how do you feel? Weird? Out of place? Take a deep breath! Still feel a slight uncomfortable? We’ve all been there! I’ve been in your shoes many, many times! Believe me! Okay, if there is an item in front of you, leave room for that person who was there. That person is coming back. Don’t move anything. Don’t even scoot it over! Just leave room for that one person, man or woman, girl or boy! “Okay, some of you did not leave anything at your original spot. You stay put! Those who left something on your seats or on the floor, you go back to those original spots. Now make sure your coats, jackets, and purses are still in the same spot, untouched, unmoved! Don’t just check inside your pockets! Do you trust that everything is there? That is the question! Trust! Trust that everything is there before you even look! Have faith! Trust! How strong is your faith that you actually have to check? “Okay, looks like we now have more people on the left side. Those on the right, go to the left side and stand next to someone you don’t know. Don’t stand next to

your spouse or your kids. Kids, stand next to another kid or teen who is not a sibling. Everybody move, except Nacho! Nacho, you stay on the right side by yourself. Feels weird standing next to a stranger, doesn’t it? You guys are living next door to one another, living down the same streets, same town, and same community! What do you really know about one another? A little? A lot? “2 Blessed 2 be Stressed! You think? You all reckon Jesus was stressed knowing he was taking his last meal during the Last Supper? Knowing he was taking his last drink before he died? His Last Supper! He took the time to give mass to his twelve best friends, the first apostles, whom he loved so much. Yes, even Judas who would betray him and Peter who would deny him! Was he stressed? He even took time to go to pray to his father in heaven! He took Peter, Mathew, and John to the Garden of Gethsemane to be his witnesses. There he was in the company of Moses and Elijah! Our Lord Jesus Christ was talking to God! He knew his time had come! Stressed? Worried? Concerned? He was more concerned about those he was leaving behind! “And not because of the suffering he knew was coming but because he was concerned! He was worried! But for them, not for ‘his’ mother! He knew his father in heaven had prepared a seat for him next to him! He knew his kingdom was in heaven! He knew his mother would one day also enter heaven! She would one day be the queen of heaven and the queen of all heaven’s angels! Our blessed mother in heaven! He was concerned and worried. He was worried for us! Who was going to lead mankind to heaven to be with him? Who was going to get us to climb that beautiful stairway to heaven? He trusted! He had faith in trust! Today Nacho trusted me. Jesus Christ trusted a tax collector. He trusted a fisherman, not a scholar, not a lawyer. He trusted a fisherman to lead his church. He trusted Peter! He told him to be a fisher of men. That would be us! Jesus Christ, a carpenter. The son of a simple carpenter once trusted a simple fisherman. Look around! Here we are today in this tiny little church still believing in that trust and faith! “Today, there are over one billion Catholics in the world! Hallelujah! Your priest is out today. He left one person in charge to keep the doors open to this church so that his flock can keep coming back to his house. He asked Ignacio to do what he could so that he doesn’t lose a single lamb. Ignacio is not a priest. He’s not a deacon. He is, however, a very strong Catholic. An elderly, simple man. A Catholic since birth. A quiet and humble Catholic. Someone who has a lot of faith in the Bible, faith in our God, faith in Jesus Christ, and faith in the Holy

Spirit. A very strong belief in something none of us can even see, the Holy Spirit! The Holy Trinity! How about that? The Holy Trinity! Trust, belief, faith, hope, and love! And I see all that in this world, in this town, in this church, and in this man! I see all this right now, right here! Yes, right here! Now! Hallelujah! Amen!” By the time Franklin’s homily was over, people crowding the pews and crowding the walls had sparkles of tears in their eyes. At that time, Franklin thought of another idea. “Give me a moment, please! Whatever you do, don’t leave!” He ran out of the church and, in less than five minutes, returned. In his hands, he held the drumsticks, the one maraca, and the two toy organs. He quickly raised the bass sound to one of the organs and reduced it on the other. He tapped a few keys on them to make sure they even worked. He quickly called for Anna and her cousins to come toward the altar and also asked if anyone else in the church had any music instruments close by. An old black man in his late sixties raised his hand, saying he always carried his harmonica with him in his pocket. Franklin asked him to come up to the altar also. “What church songs can you play?” he asked him. “Anything and everything. You just lead, and I’ll follow. I never got no lessons, but I can play with the best of ’em.” “Fantastic! You know what, I trust you can at that! I bet you can show me a thing or two also! What’s your name?” “Jesse, sir. Most everybody calls me ‘hey’, but my God-given name is Jesse, sir.” “Everybody, this is Jesse! His real name, not ‘hey’! From today on forward, he is no longer known by hey! Everybody, say hello to Jesse!” And the whole congregation hollered out loud, “Hello, Jesse!” Franklin added, “You know Jesus’s name is Jesus in Spanish. Jessie with an ‘ie’ and Jesse with only an ‘e’ at the end are still Jesus anyway you cut it. The entire world knows and recognizes the one name of our Lord Jesus Christ. Jesse, in all sense of the word, you have a very special name. Amen!” And again, the entire congregation answered Franklin back by repeating,

“Amen!” “How about an ‘Alleluia’? How about an ‘Ave Maria’? An ‘Our Father’? A ‘Padre Nuestro’?” He very quickly asked Anna if her cousins could really play any type of music. “Well, I don’t really know for sure if they can actually play ‘real’ music to be honest with you. I do know they watch music videos twenty-four hours a day. They bang on this and that all the time. And really, most of it does have some kind of rhythm or tune to it. That I can vouch for. Most of it does sound pretty good, then they all play together. I guess we’ll see in a little bit, won’t we, Franklin? We shall see. One sure way to find out. Yessiree … We sure will. This is kind of scary now.” “I’m sure they’ll do great, Anna. Trust! ? And right now, I have a lot of it! I feel like it’s floating in the air! Right here! Right now! Hallelujah!” And Anna repeated, “Yes! Hallelujah, Mr. Franklin! Hallelujah!” “Okay! Here goes nothing! Sing for God, Anna! Give it your best, girl! God is watching! He is all ears! Let God inspire you!” “You mean, I’m the one singing? I thought it was you! I thought you were going to sing! I thought I was helping ‘you’ sing!” “Me? No, this is your family! This is your house! Your church! Your neighbors! Your town! Your three minutes of fame! You can do it! Just listen for my cue! Let the music start, and I’m sure you’ll know when the words need to come out! When you hear, just feel it! You sing, we’ll follow! If I have to, I’ll help you some kind of way!” “Well, what the heck am I singing?” “Listen to the music! You’ll know! I just told you a little while ago! The sound of the music will tell you! Just let the words come out! Faith! Trust! Believe! Focus! On three! Ready, guys? Ready, Jesse?” “Just lead the way, Mr. Frankie! Or whatever your name was …” And the kids all hollered at the same time, “Franklin!”

“One, two, three …” And Franklin began playing both baby organs at the same time the “Ave Maria” tune. Jesse softly and very smoothly began playing his harmonica, following Franklin’s lead. Anna had no problem in recognizing the tune. It was her favorite Catholic hymn. Anna’s little girl cousin began tapping her maraca. One of the boys began tapping the drumsticks, and his brother took off his belt, folded it, and began making some soft slapping sounds with it. Altogether, the “Ave Maria” could not have sounded any more clearer. Without Franklin’s cue, Anna began singing the “Ave Maria” as never before. The whole congregation stood in silence with their mouths wide open. Tears began to slowly flow down people’s eyes. They had never before heard such beautiful music and singing before. Anna’s voice sounded so clean, so pure. As the song was coming to an end, the clapping started but slowly came to a smooth end as Franklin immediately started playing the “Our Father.” Franklin motioned for his little band to continue playing, and soon, Anna recognized the music and began singing the “Our Father.” By then, Franklin had taken notice that people were coming into the little church and were finding places to sit. Before he knew it, the church was more than halfway full. At the end of the song, all of a sudden, Franklin hollered out loud, “How many, Lord? How many? Cuantos, senor? Cuantos? Hallelujah!” When the song came to an end, he again hollered out loud, “Lord! Oh, Lord, what amazing grace! Yes, Lord, amazing grace, Thank you, dear Lord, for your amazing grace!” At that moment, from somewhere inside the church, a female’s voice started singing “Amazing Grace.” Instantly, both Franklin and Jesse followed cue and started playing the song. The kids ed in. Anna looked over to see who was singing and then turned to look at her cousins who seemed to be having the time of their lives. Anna could also see tears of joy coming down her uncle’s eyes. As for her, she wasn’t holding back either. She glanced over to look at Franklin and saw him take the harmonica from Jesse and began playing it for about fifteen seconds. People started making way for the singer, a black female in her midthirties. Franklin motioned for her to come up to the altar. She did and ended up standing next to Anna. As the second verse was about to start, the black female looked at Anna, and Anna knew it was her turn to sing the second verse. Both automatically held hands, sang together, and finished the last verse, singing it together. By the end of the song, the whole community was practically inside the

church. It was standing room only. At the end of the song, Franklin shouted, “Oh, Lord, how great thou art! Lord Jesus Christ! How great thou art!” Jesse took this as a cue and began playing the song. Anna began singing first, and the black lady waited for her turn. Franklin leaned into her and asked, “What’s your name?” “Lillie! Just call me Lillie, sir!” “Thank you, Lillie!” “No, thank you, sir! I just love to sing to the Lord! I’ve never done this before. I mean, just get up and sing. But I was so much inspired it just came out. I hope it was okay!” “It was more than okay, Ms. Lillie! You’ve inspired us too! Thank you, ma’am! It’s gotta be the music! God’s music! You go ahead and sing your heart out, Ms. Lillie!” “Yes! Thank you, sir!” And at the precise time, Lillie began singing the second verse she also already knew from memory. The little Catholic church was totally filled by now, and town residents of all races were intermixed among themselves and lined up against the walls, all smiling, singing, and clapping. The church had never seen so much energy in one church service ever. As the song finally came to an end, red eyes, teary eyes, and crying eyes were all over the place. Nacho stood with tears running down his face. The kids on stage were smiling, laughing, and hugging each other and giving high-fives to each other. Jesse was playing a low mellowing tune to bring this whole event to a mellowing end. Anna and Lillie were also hugging each other and saying thank you over and over to each other. People were hollering hallelujahs and amens!” Franklin knew this was now his cue to exit this very inspired, wonderful little Catholic church. A little country church in Pauls Valley, Oklahoma, he would never forget. A church that had a story to tell for many, many years to come. But as all good things sooner or later come to an end, he knew he would now

continue on with his own journey, his own destination down that same interstate highway that had brought him here in the first place. He needed to continue on to Oklahoma City for his next concert tonight as a matter of fact. He took a very quick look at his watch, and it read 6:05 p.m. It was time to go. Time to exit backstage, he thought. He did sneak out through the rectory. He found a pen sitting next to a notepad. He picked it and immediately began writing.

Nacho and Annalicia, thank you so very much for first of all, trusting in God, trusting in yourself, and trusting in me. I will never forget you, your family, your community, your town, your little Catholic Church. Keep the music alive! It is all for the Glory of God! Sing to the Lord! We all need more of God’s music in our lives. You guys have taught me a tremendous lesson, too. It doesn’t matter that some of us live in small unknown little towns, God knows where we are at all times! He knows where we are alive and praising Him for all his Glory! Amen! I will never forget this whole wonderful experience! I take it with me and will always, always cherish it! Thank you from the bottom of my heart for your hospitality! ‘Trinity’, God’s Holy Trinity! Amen!

In the end, Franklin signed it with “FJS-JS.” He folded the note and left the church through the side door of the church. Somehow Anna ended up watching him as he was about to exit the church. Anna saw him taking one last look behind him before closing the door behind him. She quickly went out the front doors. “And where do you think you’re going, Mr. Conductor, Deacon Franklin, Mr. Musician, Mr. Who in the world are you?” she asked as Franklin was hurrying across the front lawn of the church. “Actually, I was checking my watch, and I really needed to be in Oklahoma City by 7:00 p.m. I should’ve been there by six. And I have never been late for any of my … of my … appointments. I’ve heard a few beeps on my cell phone already. Somebody is looking for me right about now. I know somebody’s worried right about now, I’m sure.” “I see! A wife, a girlfriend, your mommy? Wait! Don’t tell me! It’s none of my

business! Wait a minute! It’s that Trinity concert down in Oklahoma City! I should’ve known! Everybody heading north on I-35 tonight is most likely headed to that Trinity concert. You must be one of those fans! But I thought it started at 8:00 or 9:00 p.m.! Don’t worry, you’ve got plenty of time! Your old hot rod will surely get you there, won’t it?” “Actually—” “So! You are going to it, and you don’t want to miss any of it! Don’t worry, he’ll be there when you get there! Unless you got backstage es before the concert!” “What I was going to say was that I will actually be there, very close by, but I’m not … ahh … a spectator. I’m not a groupie or on the fan base per se. I need to be in Oklahoma City to … ahh, up with ten or so of my very best friends. Hey, never mind this! Let’s change the subject. What do you say? How about your dad? Wasn’t he something? A miracle happened tonight! And he helped make it possible! God has blessed your dad! You should be very proud of him!” “Why don’t we correct something right here and now, Mr. Wake up and smell the roses? You! You made this all happen! You come out of nowhere! You come into all our lives! And from one second to the next, we have a spiritual revival in this very quiet little country church that nobody knows, except us! This was your doing, your magnetism, your aura, and your spiritual words of wisdom! You made it happen! Not nobody else! You, Mr. Franklin! You!” “Okay! If we’re gonna give credit where credit is due, you’re forgetting one thing, little missy! You! You’re the one who flagged me down, ? Let’s not forget that little piece to the puzzle!” “But let me finish, Mr. Smarty-pants! Yes! I did flag you down! But out of ten cars that came down that concrete highway, you were the only one who stopped! Why? Who told you to stop? Who made you stop? The question is why did you stop? Because of me? Because I was a young, good-looking Hispanic girl? Were you thinking there was something in it for you? A new girlfriend? A one-night stand? Some hot sex with a young, defenseless teenager?” “Ahh, no! I saw desperation in your eyes! I guess God told me you very desperately needed help. My heart told me to stop. And look at this whole totality of it all! Look where it brought us all! And now it’s my time to move on!

All I can say is that I will never forget this beautiful little town, this little Catholic church, your dad, your cousins … you!” “Right! Two or three weeks from now, you won’t even how you got here, this little country hick town of Pauls Valley, Oklahoma, USA. You probably don’t even the name of our little Catholic church.” “Santa Catarina de Siena Catholic Church, young lady.” “Well, you’re probably just a good guesser.” “I have a knack for memorizing words, phrases, names, and numbers. And I will your little town. You can count on that, Ms. Annalicia Muñoz.” “Wanna bet?” “Sure!” “Okay! Bet you a thousand dollars!” “Don’t forget. I know you’re a teenager! Teenagers don’t have a thousand dollars lying around just like that. I don’t think. But then again, some do.” “You’re right. I don’t have a single penny to my name, at least not yet!” “Tell you what! I’ll bet you ‘your’ CD.” “My CD? Which one?” “Your ‘best’ CD!” “Okay! Deal! And I bet ‘you’ your best CD!” “My best CD? Deal! I have a couple of those!” “Oh yes! You have to sign it just like an autograph from you to me!” “Okay! I’ve done that before. You bet! I can do that for you! And I want you to sign your CD like an autograph from you to me too! You can autograph it from Annalicia to ahh … Franklin! How about that? Hey, on a serious note, don’t stop believing in yourself. Follow your heart and your dream. Don’t give up!

Someday soon, the right person will come along and help make your dreams come true. Maybe that person inside that church this evening is already working to get you recognized.” “How do you know what my dream is, what my wishes are?” “Ahh, I know that most young girls dream of being supermodels, movie stars, actresses, doctors, lawyers, singers. Am I getting close? Any of the above? All of the above? Or maybe one of the above?” “Too close. You wouldn’t, by any chance, be that person you mentioned just a little bit ago, would you? I mean, like my guardian angel, would you? I mean, like the one who’s going to make my dream come true? My wishing star? Oh, please say yes!” “Well, I’ll tell you. I’m definitely no angel! My parents will vouch for that!” And both laughed. Franklin continued, “Look, Annalicia, you have a very beautiful voice. Cherish this very special gift that God has given you. Sing because you love it. Don’t just sing to gain fame or because of the money. Don’t just sing because somebody will pay you to sing. Money comes and goes just like that. The more you make, the more you want. The more you spend, the less you think about what’s important in life. And that is God! God is what’s most important in all our lives. We just don’t see that until we are old, and then all we want to do is spend the rest of our lives seeking God so we can enter God’s heaven. We want to do that now! Every day! Yes, now, and not tomorrow when we are in our seventies, eighties, or nineties! You and Lillie, your fan base is here in Pauls Valley, this town, this community, this little Santa Catarina de Siena Catholic Church! It all starts right here. If they loved you today, wait till you see what happens tomorrow at Sunday mass!” “Tomorrow? Today’s mass was good for tomorrow Sunday, ? I sleep in on Sundays, my day to do nothing! If I go to church on Saturday, I don’t have to go to church on Sunday. The pope and the bishop say we can do that! I thought you were a Catholic? You’re supposed to know that, mister!” “So tomorrow is too much for you? Tomorrow nobody sings, nobody plays the music? Your dad will be there all alone! Just like last week? This was your time to shine, your debut! This was … this was your audition! You ed with flying colors! Your fan base applauded you! They loved you! They loved you and

Lillie! They will be there waiting for you to sing tomorrow! Go sing to them again tomorrow! Go with it, see where your singing voice takes you, see what doors God opens for you! God is watching, listening to your voice!” “Just who are you? You know, I didn’t hear you singing in there. That reminds me how in the world did you manage to keep those two toy organs together side by side? And I also saw you playing the harmonica. Don’t think I didn’t notice!” “Oh yes! The magic of Velcro. I found a roll of Velcro in the trunk of your dad’s Plymouth. I just borrowed a chunk of it. I hope it was all right.” “Oh yes, normal people like us use duct tape for everything. Dad uses Velcro all the time. It does work most every time!” “Hey, it worked today! Anyway, this was you and Lillie’s big moment to shine in front of your neighbors. It was your, let’s say, fifteen minutes of fame if you will. Me, I … ahh … kind of tend to sing more at night, ahh, before going to sleep. Sing, shower, and then sleep. Yep, kind of … ahh … in that order. Yep, most of the time in that order, I would say.” “Okay, so right now, you’re heading up to Ok City to meet with your friends, then you sing, then you shower, and then you sleep. And tomorrow? Same thing? That is your daily routine? Sing, shower, and sleep?” “Hey! By golly, I think you’ve got it, girl!” Both just laughed. “Will we or will I ever see you again?” “You know, I can almost guarantee you that we will definitely see each other again. You follow your dream. I too will continue to follow mine. God will bring us back together again soon, I’m sure.” “You know, something tells me I am supposed to believe in you and your words. Were you God sent to me, to us?” “I’ve asked myself that very same question, Anna.” “Do me a favor. Can I have your phone number so we can stay in touch? As to where you are or as to what you’re doing, I mean. Of course, that’s if your wife or girlfriend won’t be afraid of a little competition. Ha ha ha!”

Without thinking, Franklin gave her Trinity’s exclusive phone number assigned exclusively to him, Jason Skarr. “Okay, so you’ll have mine too. I’m going to call your number now. You’ll have mine, and I’ll have yours, okay? You don’t have to answer it. Just save it.” And just as she said that, he immediately realized what he had just done and knew that “Jason” would be his voice mail. Anna dialed the number, and she immediately heard Franklin’s cell phone ringing. After three rings, she heard the voice message and turned off her cell phone. There was a puzzled look on her face. Franklin knew what had just happened. He thought he’d better ask anyway. “Everything okay?” “Ahh, voice message came on. Sounded just like you, I think. The voice said Jason something. The very last word or words, I couldn’t quite make out. I’ll have to dial it again.” “Yep! Oh, you know what, this is actually my best friend’s cell phone. My contract was up here about a week ago, so I am using his. He likes to mimic people’s voices, especially mine. He probably said Jason something. Jason, Jason scar? I think it might be Jason scar. Jason’s scar or something like that. I still don’t know what he was trying to say or mean. Got no idea who Jason is or if Jason even has a scar somewhere.” “Now I saw earlier that you have a scar on ‘your’ forehead.” “Well, one of these days, when and if we ever meet again, ask me about that again. It’s bound to end up being a very funny story, I’m sure. Anyway, hey, I need to drop the rest of the Velcro back in your dad’s car, and I’ll be hitting those concrete lanes. Why don’t you go talk to Lillie and see about showing up for Sunday mass tomorrow? Talk to your siblings and talk to Jesse, see if anyone else has a guitar, maybe a bass, a horn, or a flute, and play God’s music together. He’ll love that, and so will your dad. Please don’t let them down!” Anna’s eyes were glowing with tears as Franklin was finally saying good-bye. “We will see each other again, won’t we?” she asked. “Annalicia, I personally guarantee that! I will see to that! For now, adios! Y que Dios te bendiga a ti y a tu familia!”

“Que vayas con Dios tu tambien! Until … we meet again, Mr. Franklin!” “That’s right! Until we meet again,” he said silently as he walked away. Franklin came up to Ignacio’s car, placed the note on top of the hatbox, and headed toward his car. He drove away, waving at Anna as she too waved good-bye with one hand and wiping away tears with the other. Franklin got back on I-35 and made a quick phone call to Marty. “Sorry, buddy, I’m on my way. Just got back on the interstate. I should be there by seven, I hope. I might have to clean out the exhaust on this hot Javelin. Let’s hope I don’t run into any ‘Barney Fifes’ out there patrolling this fine interstate. Everybody there?”

CHAPTER 14

The hireling fleeth, because he is an hireling, and careth not for the sheep. I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of mine. As the Father knoweth me, even so know I the Father: and I lay down my life for the sheep.

—(KJV) (JOHN 10:13–15)

“Everyone except you! We go on at nine, by the way.” “No problem! Gotta take a very quick rinse when I get there and fix my hair. Hey, did you get my hat?” “Be ready in the morning. About your hat, sorry. They had sold the last one earlier in the day before I got there. A customer mentioned the Trinity concert, and they sold it to him, thinking it was him who had called in to put it on hold. So they sold it to him instead of holding it for me. Sorry!” “No problem. I got one here with me. Not ‘my’ Stetson but, nonetheless, just as nice. Fits okay too.” Franklin was smiling as he saw the felt hat Ignacio had given him. “Thank you, my dear friend Nacho! Till we meet again. Hasta la vista, amigo! May God be with you always! Take care, my friend! Life goes on!” He turned on the car’s stereo just in time to hear Trinity’s scheduled concert at the Civic Center Music Hall in Ok City for 9:00 p.m. There were two free tickets that were still left to be given before 8:00 p.m. to a caller. Just then, a lady caller from Tuttle, Oklahoma, called in and won the tickets. “I can’t wait to see Jason Skarr and meet him backstage!” she said, all excited and out of breath. “Oh, I’m sorry, ma’am, these are only free tickets to the concert. They don’t include backstage es. I’m sorry, ma’am. We’re not giving away those es

anymore. Those are all gone. I’m so sorry! Ma’am, I’ll take your name off the air in a little bit. So don’t hang up. Don’t say your name over the air. Give me a couple of minutes to pay some bills by getting a commercial on and get a Trinity song on the air. Then I’ll personally get your name, and then you can come by the radio station to get your two free tickets. By the way, we are your KOMA FM radio station, and our call-in number is still the same!” Franklin couldn’t help himself, so he decided to give the radio station a quick call, hoping the disc jockey would answer the phone. “Hello, I’m on the air. Give me a minute or call me right back. We’re here all night!” Franklin just held on. After a couple of minutes, he heard “Hello! Hey, can you stand by one more quick second?” “Okay, but this is Jason Skarr, lead singer for Trinity!” “Who?” “Jason Skarr, lead singer for Trinity!” “Well, okay then! You’re Jason Skarr? And I’m the King of Siam! Hey, buddy, I’m working here! Call somebody else, okay?” “Wait! Hold on, buddy! I really am Jason Skarr! Tell you what, call my manager, Marty! Tell him I’m still on I-35 going through Moore. Tell him I’m still in the Javelin. Running great! Fine engine! Then call me back. You got his phone number, I’m sure. I’ll give you five minutes. If you have caller ID, then you got my number. If not, tell him to give you my cell number. Oh, tell that last caller not to hang up. Talk to you in a little bit! Bye!” And the disc jock was at a loss for words. “Was this for real or a prank call?” He had to make sure. He did call Marty, and Marty verified that it was definitely no prank call. The disc jock went on the air. “Guess what, ladies and gentlemen out there on KOMA country. I have the exclusive of a lifetime. This has never happened before. I don’t think. Last lady caller, I hope you are still standing by. Don’t hang up! Mr. Jason Skarr! Hear this! Mr. Jason Skarr, lead singer for Trinity, has just called in to our radio station! How cool is that? I am giving him a call on his cell phone as I speak. He apparently was listening to our radio station when I was

talking to our lady winner! He wants to tell the lady winner something. So let me get this three-way connection going here! Here we go! Hello, Mr. Jason Skarr!” “Yes! This is Jason!” “So you’re just driving in to our great city! I gotta say this! I’m sorry! You don’t have a chauffeur?” “Chauffeur? No, I’ve never had one. I have a coach bus driver, but he’s not my chauffeur! Anyway, I’m still cruising this super I-35 Interstate. It’s a super highway! I’m iring this part of our beautiful country. Oklahoma is a OK! Beautiful towns and beautiful cities, landmarks, and hills! I can see your beautiful night lights from the distance. I can’t wait to see your downtown city lights. Hey, thank you for extending an invitation to us! We are very thankful and most grateful! We hope to this beautiful night and experience and hopefully come back soon! In reference to the lady caller who won your last two tickets, call Marty back after I hang up. Tell the lady to please tell him she wants to meet the band backstage before the band gets onstage. I’ll get her name from you in a little bit. Once I get her name, I’ll it along to my manager to confirm the name from you. That way, when you mention her name to him, he’ll be waiting for her and her guest when they get there.” “Hey, Jason, the lady on the line has given me her name and said she and her guest are roommates at the Tuttle Care Center nursing home. That means she will be coming from a little town called Tuttle, Oklahoma. And get this, her guardian is a Seeing Eye dog! Ahh, kind of … kind of … leaves you with a lump in your throat, doesn’t it? Jason? Jason? You still with us? You there? Can you hear me … now?” “Yes! Yes, I can hear you okay. Let me compose myself too, buddy. You bet! We will definitely see our very special guest before or after the concert. That goes for her and her companion. You bet! Hey! Thanks for letting me get on your station. Hope I didn’t throw your schedule way off! God bless, and maybe we’ll see you there too!” “I am on schedule! And you bet! I got my tickets over a month ago! Hey, before you leave, have you found this AnnaMarie girl yet?” “No, not yet! I don’t think so, according to my manager. Hey, thanks once again! You all out there have a great evening! And Franklin suddenly got his smile

back. “Ms. AnnaMarie Diane … where in the world are you?” “Yes, Mommy, I had a great time in Dallas with Grandma!” said AnnaMarie while talking on the cell phone. She talked about Jason, being on stage, and, most of all, the hat. She assured her mom that she wouldn’t get it dirty and assured her that the hat was given to her, that it was staying with her, and that it would be going with her when she went back to their new home in Southland. “Sure, honey, but , you are only taking care of it till the day you see him again. It’s not yours to keep! One of these days, we’ll have to give it back, okay?” “Yes, Mommy, I know! Jason wants to meet you too! He told me so! He said I looked very pretty, probably just like you! I told him you are very pretty. But I told him I was gorgeous!” “You go, girl! Hey, listen, I hope to see you tomorrow. I should be there by one in the afternoon, just after lunch, maybe two, okay? Have all your stuff pack and ready to load up. That way, we can come back and get home before it gets dark. Tell Grandma and Grandpa I’ll see you guys tomorrow. We’re gonna have a great Thanksgiving this year right here at home. Hey, you can help me pick the Thanksgiving turkey!” “Okay, Mommy. See you tomorrow. Be careful driving!” “Why, thank you, sweetie! See you tomorrow!” “Bye, Mommy!”

Back in Oklahoma City, Marty saw the Javelin enter the huge parking lot. “Jimmy, get your brother and go help Jason find his way to his dressing room. Keep him safe from the crowd and get him to the back door of the building. Take him to dressing room number 1. Let’s make sure he gets safely inside the building, okay?” Jason ed seeing both Jimmy and Flenoid back in Dallas. “Hey, fellows, glad you’re still with us! Hey, I need a few minutes in the bathroom. I need to fix my hair! Give me five, okay?”

“Yes, sir, Mr. Jason!” Jason stopped. “Okay, guys, if you’re gonna stay with us, my name is Franklin. The band knows me as Franklin. The background singers know me as Franklin. The technicians know me as Franklin. Everyone else knows me as Jason Skarr. If there are fans around, call me Jason, not Mr. Jason. But if no one’s around, and I mean no one, my name is Franklin. Call me Franklin. Not Mr. Franklin, just Franklin, okay?” “Yes, sir, Franklin.” “Okay! Hey, you guys are doing a great job. Don’t forget to tell Marty to pay you your bonus for showing up here in Oklahoma City. Don’t be afraid to ask, okay?” “But we weren’t here at six like he asked us to. So that’s okay. We tried, but we had car troubles. We got here a little bit late. We’ll be okay, Franklin.” “Hey, fellas, look at me. I’m late! And I’m supposed to be the star of the show! You tell him you’ve earned your bonus because I am saying that you already have. You ask him for the money. You tell him—” “No need, Franklin,” stated Marty. “I agree! They’re here, and they’ve earned their bonus. I was actually just coming out here to hand them each their bonus. Here you go, guys! I do agree you guys have earned it! And yes, they are doing a great job! Who knows, keeping up with you may just be their new job! Security for you!” “Oh, that would be great, boss, I mean, Marty, and to you too, Mr. Franklin! You guys really are great. We both thank you both for giving us this job!” At about his time, Marty saw a police officer walking up toward them. “Yes, officer?” “An elderly woman on a wheelchair is at the end of the hall looking for someone named Marty. She said she has a backstage to see Jason Skarr. I told her the backstage es are usually for after the show. She wants to know if she can see Mr. Skarr now. She said she needs to go back home immediately after the concert.”

Franklin looked at Marty and whispered to him, “Give me five minutes. Stay with her. I’ll be out in about five.” Franklin turned to Jimmy and Flenoid and said, “You guys have just been promoted to be my personal bodyguards. Stand by. But be nice to people, especially the fans. Answer their questions. Don’t brush them off. Be understanding and considerate. Don’t be too overbearing. Be firm but do it in a nice way, okay?” “No problem, Franklin. We ain’t no rough duds nor rough dudes either!” “Great! See you guys in a little bit. You know what, Jimmy, that was funny!” “Flenoid, sir! I’m Flenoid. He’s Jimmy!” “Are you sure? I thought you were Jimmy!” “No, sir! I’m Flenoid! You know what, sir? It doesn’t really matter, sir.” “It does matter. Thank you for correcting me, Flenoid. I promise to try and get right sooner or later! Just give me a little time, okay?” “Yes, sir!” “Okay! Be out in five!” Franklin came out after a quick shower, dye all washed off, dripping wet, and wearing a T-shirt, shorts, and jogging shoes. Jimmy and Flenoid almost didn’t recognize him. “It’s me, guys! Franklin! I’m still just a kid from St. Louis!” “Yes, sir! Little lady outside your dressing room with Marty.” “Okay, thanks! Tell Marty and our nice lady fan to come in.” Franklin saw an elderly lady in a wheelchair. She looked to being in her late sixties, early seventies. She was just looking all over the room. “Hello, young man. And who might you be? This nice young man told me Jason would be here in a minute.” “Yes, ma’am.” Franklin looked at Marty. “Yes, ma’am. My name is Franklin.

And what is your name?” “Bertha! Not Big Bertha, just Bertha, from the Tuttle Nursing Home in good ol’ Tuttle, Oklahoma! Ever heard of it? There’s people living here in Oklahoma City who don’t even know we exist. Can you believe that?” “Oh, I believe you. You wouldn’t believe where I’m from if I was to tell you. I come from a very small town too. But where’s your companion? You here by yourself?” “No! Oh gosh, no! I don’t do a whole lot of driving anymore! Can you tell? Ha ha ha! No, young man! I actually have two companions with me! I have Charlie, my Seeing Eye dog, and Casper, my baby shih tzu. I’m not totally 100 percent blind. Well, one eye is gone for good, but the other has cataracts. But I can still see a little bit if I squint my good eye. I can see you’re not wearing pants. I ain’t that blind. I can see you’re good-looking too! And I ain’t blushing either! Ha ha ha!” At that, everybody laughed. “No, ma’am. I do apologize for my appearance. I know my mom taught me better manners than that. I just ran out of time. And I know that is no excuse. I do ask that you please forgive me.” “Why, of course, I do, sonny! Don’t worry about it! I just wanted a chuckle out of you, young whippersnappers!” “Well, you got one ’cause we all fell for it! Thank you for not making me feel totally out of line. Well, tell me, who’s watching your companions?” “Why, my daughter! She should be down the hall somewhere with one of the staff !” “Well, let’s bring them in!” And Franklin motioned both Jackson brothers to go find them and bring them all in to his dressing room. Within a short minute, a shih tzu and a mid-sized lab came running up to the wheelchair. The shih tzu quickly jumped on Bertha’s lap, and the lab sat on the floor next to the wheelchair. And behind them walked a middle-aged lady. “Mama,” she said, “is everything all right? Are you in trouble? Is everything okay? Do we need to go?”

“Honey, this is Franklin. I’m still waiting to meet Mr. Jason Skarr. I’m just chatting away with this very nice homegrown young man. He has made us all feel right at home. I have never felt so much at ease. These are all my new friends. Anyway, this young man standing right in front of me has been so very cordial. Oh, whatever you do, don’t stare at his very cute legs. I done did! Ha ha ha!” And once again, they all laughed. “Jason, I mean, Franklin, this is my daughter, Relia. Relia, this is my new friend, Franklin.” “Hello, ma’am. Well, Bertha, where is your roommate?” asked Franklin. “Mary! Oh, she’s at the ticket counter. I won two tickets. My daughter is the courtesy driver at the nursing home. She drove us here from Tuttle. In order to get me here backstage to see the star of the show, Relia ended up with the free ticket ’cause my friend, Mary, can’t push my wheelchair around this huge building. My friend weighs about ninety pounds soaking wet. No one at the front booths wanted to push wheelchairs around. Everybody was busy selling this and selling that. So Mary is out front, waiting for the concert to be over. She knew she was going to have to wait till I came out. I guess Relia can take her back to the van in a little bit, and she can wait with Aaron.” Franklin had to ask. “Aaron? Who’s Aaron? Is Aaron a friend or a husband?” “Aaron is Mary’s sweetheart. Where one goes, the other follows. Aaron didn’t want to stay alone back in Tuttle in his room knowing Mary was in Oklahoma City, so he asked to come along, and I didn’t have the heart to tell him no. So he came with us and was going to wait in the van till we got back.” “Well, you know what, I don’t have the heart to make him wait either. Where’s your ticket, Bertha?” “Relia’s got it or should. But it’s already been torn in half. All we have is the souvenir half.” Franklin asked Relia if she still had her half of the ticket. “Yes! Here it is, sir.” Franklin looked at it. He looked at Marty. “Hmm … Look at this, Marty. Look at

it very carefully. Don’t tell me you see the same thing I see …” Marty knew what Franklin was getting at. Marty looked at it again, flipped the stub over, and started shaking his head. “It says on the back of this ticket that this is a special gift package-type ticket for up to four guests, Franklin. I’m surprised nobody told you that at the front ticket counter. I guess no one took the time to look on the back side of this ticket. It says it can be redeemed for up to four adult guests. Young people nowadays don’t read the fine print. They just take it and go! Sounds like Mary and Aaron need to be inside the building before Trinity gets on stage in about thirty-five minutes.” “Well, okay then!” said Franklin. “Hey, I’ll tell you what, Marty, you go find Mary, and guys, we’ll go find Aaron and get him out of the van and bring him inside! Let’s go before we run out of time, okay?” Franklin, Jimmy, and Flenoid were heading out the door when the doorman hollered at them, “If you leave now, you’re not coming back through here without a ticket or without a back door !” Franklin forgot that he didn’t have an ID on him, and the doorman had no idea as to who he was, much less as to what Jason Skarr looked like. He knew he was in trouble, but it was too late. If nothing else, I am going to have to call Marty to get me back in, he thought. Both Jimmy and his brother were wearing their black work T-shirts with the word Staff printed on the back. Both were also wearing ID tags around their necks that said, “Trinity Band Employees.” All three came to a halt. Both brothers looked at each other and asked the doorman to make an exception this time. “I was told you guys knew the rules,” the doorman said. “That white kid should’ve stayed at home dressed like that.” Then Jimmy stuck his hand in his pocket and pulled out his folded-up fifty-dollar bill and handed it to the doorman. The doorman quickly said, “Well, okay then!” All three then walked hurriedly to the van and got Aaron out of the van and into his wheelchair. Aaron weighed a good 275 pounds. Aaron kept saying that it was okay if he couldn’t go inside. He said he didn’t mind waiting inside the van. But eventually, Franklin convinced him that he had come to see a concert and that he wasn’t going back to Tuttle without seeing one tonight alongside Mary. As they came back to the back door, the doorman stated, “And now what, guys? I know I’m getting paid chicken feed just sitting here, but I need the money, and

I’m not getting fired for letting you guys in with this kid in shorts and this elderly guy on a wheelchair without tickets! That manager guy may be testing me or even watching me right now to see if I let you guys in!” Franklin stated, “Just this one time. Come on now! We’re quickly running out of time, okay? How about it, buddy? Please let us in!” Flenoid then stepped up to the doorman and handed him his fifty-dollar bill. The doorman looked at how desperate the three looked. “Okay, guys! Look, I wasn’t trying to get your money. You guys already earned yours. I’m just trying to earn mine. I’ve heard that if we all do a good job, this band, and especially the singer, may give us all a bonus at the end of the show even though he may not even know I’m out here guarding this doors. Well, as bad as I would like to get a bonus, and God knows I need the money, I’ll do it on the condition that a guy named Marty doesn’t fire me. So here’s your money, guys. You go ahead and keep it. Why don’t you give your backstage es to the white kid helping push and the other to the gentleman in the wheelchair? You guys already have staff shirts anyway. Then all you gotta say is ‘Can you please let us in?’ and I’m right there with you. Then nobody gets in trouble, okay? Hey, kid, next time you come to a concert, please wear some decent clothes, okay? This is a respectable concert! We’re fixing to be entertained by this wonderful band, this very nice Christian young man, and you’re dressed like that? Come on, show a little class, kid! Okay? Hey, I’ve got a pair of old slacks in the trunk of my car. You want them, kid? No charge!” “You know, I really do believe you mean that. Tell you what, I’m gonna tell your boss to give you a much, much larger bonus. What does an extra one hundred sound like?” “Hey, I only want what’s coming to me. I’m needy, not greedy. I’ve got my regular part-time job at McDonald’s. I’m not asking for handouts! I still got my pride, you know! And we get paid tomorrow! It’s Burger King night!” “You know what, I’ll see that my manager knows what an honest man you really are. You give him your address on a piece of paper, and I’ll vouch for that check you get in the mail for this coming Black Friday! Happy Thanksgiving and Merry Christmas! When the show starts, close this door, don’t lock it, and come in and watch the show! Don’t worry, you won’t get fired! My compliments! I’ll tell Marty!”

“Yeah! Okay, kid! Whatever you say, kid!” “I’ll send Marty to relieve you here in a little bit! Hey, thanks again!” Both Jimmy and Flenoid whispered to the doorman as they were walking through the door, “He’s our boss! And Marty’s boss!” “You’re kidding! That kid’s my boss? He’s everybody’s boss? No lie?” “Yep! Your boss, our boss, everybody’s boss! Yep, he’s the one! Ain’t he nice?” And they both hurried down the hall, trying to catch up to Franklin. And the doorman was left scratching his head. “That kid is my boss? Well, he was nice, I’ll say that! Hum, that kid is my boss! I met Jason Skarr? And I didn’t even know it! Dang! I didn’t even thank him either! I should’ve got his autograph! Well, I’ll be a monkey’s uncle! Darn it all!” By the time all four got back to the dressing room, everybody was waiting very quietly. Franklin grabbed Marty by the arm and told him about the doorman. Franklin looked at his watch and noticed that it was already 9:15 p.m. He told Marty in a low voice he wanted to see the band and the Voices at 9:30 p.m. in his dressing room. “Before I forget, in the morning, bring up the topic of Pauls Valley and their church music. Then I’ll tell you what I need you to do for me, okay?” “Sure! I’ll do just that! Want to give me a hint now?” “I’ll just save the surprise for tomorrow.” “No problem! Okay, folks! Why don’t we get you folks out to the seating area? Jason ought to be here any second now!” And Bertha made one very special request. “Can I please have just a couple of very quick minutes with this young man, pretty, pretty please? In private, if that’s okay?” Marty turned to look at Franklin. “Sure thing, ma’am,” answered Franklin. “That would be just fine.” Once everyone was out of the room, Bertha took Franklin’s hand and stated, “I

just want to personally thank you for what you done for us old people here tonight. And God ‘is’ counting all your good deeds. I know you just saved us a lot of money. And I know that we’ll never ever be able to repay you. You just lost a lot of money tonight. You were nice on the radio, and you’ve been very nice tonight. And yes, I do know who you are. You do have a heart of gold. Your mom, your parents, raised you with God, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit way down deep in your heart. They, no doubt, are so very proud of you. And if you were my very own son, I would be too. I say that with all my heart. Your songs, your messages, I know come from your heart. You’re not just singing those songs for the money, fame, or popularity. Many of us cling on to your very special messages in those songs that speak of faith, hope, and love. Look, I know you’ve got to go. And in a way, you’re not just singing to us. In a very special way, you are praying to us and for us. I hear that in your voice and in your songs. Please do this old woman a favor and let me say a very short prayer over you before I leave, okay?” “Yes, ma’am. You take all the time in the world. Make it a good one. God knows I need a prayer every now and then to remind me of who I am, what I represent, and what plans God has for me. So, Bertha, you pray for me as long as you wish.” Franklin got down on his knees next to Bertha’s wheelchair. “Oh, you don’t have to kneel for me, Franklin.” “My mama taught me many things. This was one I don’t ever want to forget, Bertha. You honor me by wishing this prayer on me in God’s name as a blessing from your heart to mine.” Bertha touched Franklin’s shirt as she prayed over him. When she finished her prayer, she said, “I personally want to thank you and commend you for wearing your rosary in front of your heart. You must be a very strong and devout Catholic. You are a very special young man. God bless you in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost.” And both said at the same time, “Amen.” “Hey, sweetie, before you, Charlie, and Casper go and find your friends inside, do you have a special request from me for a specific song?” “Would you grant an old lady a special request?”

“You bet! If I know it, I’ll sure sing it for you. May have to find it if it’s not one of mine though. You bet! Which one, sweetie?” “Well, when I first heard you on the radio, your very first hit song! I haven’t heard that song in forever. I’ve been confined to this chair for a year now. I don’t get to hear the Christian music stations much. In fact, I don’t even know if you still sing that song on the radio or in your concerts. To tell you the truth, this is the first concert I’ve been to in over forty years. I’m from the old ‘fogies’ generation. Can you tell? Anyway, the song I think was called ‘How Many, Dear Lord?’” “Actually, that was the first song I ever wrote for my mom so that I could sing it at Sunday mass. A song like that is one mom will never let me forget. In fact, it’s a song that is still sang at my old Holy Trinity Catholic Church back home. It will be my honor to sing it, especially for you in your name. I hope it doesn’t make you want to cry.” “After this last few minutes here with you, I could use a good cry. I need to clear my tear ducts. You do your best. And if I cry, I’ll be crying out of happiness because you will be making this old woman’s dream come true. You sing it. Never mind me. Thank you, Franklin, and may God bless you forever and ever.” “You too, sweetie. I’ll never forget this special moment we spent together. Next time I see Mom, I’ll have to tell her all about you.” “Tell your mom I love her for having you as a son. And you keep spreading these good news messages in your songs that our Lord Jesus Christ wants and needs us to hear.” “I’ll do my best! Yes, ma’am, I will.” At this time, both Franklin and Bertha heard a knock on the door, and Franklin hollered, “Come in!” It was Marty. “Hey, ahh … Franklin—” Franklin answered, “Or you can call me Jason. That’s all right, Marty. Bertha knows exactly who I am. She knew it from the very beginning. Go ahead, buddy. This is our secret.”

“Jason, it’s a little after 9:30 p.m.” “Okay. Do me a favor and take Bertha to her spot with Relia, Mary, and Aaron. Then get Jimmy and Flenoid to come in here and tell them to take my chair out there to Relia so she can have a place to seat. Sorry, one other favor. One other song has been added to the set, ‘How Many, Dear Lord?’” “Okay! Where will it go? At the end? Halfway? Before the encore?” “No! At the very beginning? First one?” “First one.” “But you’ve never started a concert with that ‘very religious’ most beautiful song! You know how some of these fans can be.” “Yes! I know now that I’ve spoken with Bertha. There’s hundreds of fans out there probably wishing to hear that song. I’ve never sung it in public, and maybe there’s some fans out there who came to our concert hoping to hear us sing that song just for them. By us not singing it, they go home a little disappointed and play it at home because we let them down. Well, not tonight, and not tomorrow, or the next concert! Hey, I want to hear it myself! This is the song that started it for me and you! your dream? My dream? , that’s why we’re all here tonight! So it’s our first song tonight!” “Okay, buddy! First song! Let’s do it! I’ll get those other instruments ready for you. I just love that song! Yessiree! Let’s do it!” Bertha added, “You know the very first time I heard it on the radio, I ended up with weak knees. I had to sit. I was in tears by the time the song ended. The flute, the trumpet, the harmonica, and those background harmonies! Your Spanish verses! You’re not going to believe I sat for over an our reciting back and forth the Hail Mary, the Our Father, and the Glory Be. I wanted to hear that song over and over and over. But it was three or four days before I ever heard it again. I kept hearing it in my head. Matter of fact, I’m hearing it right now! Ooh, I can’t wait to hear you sing it! In silence, I’ll be singing it with you!” “Thank you for being my biggest, dearest fan. This song will be dedicated especially for you, Bertha. You are now considered my personal music adviser! And Marty will see to it that you are justly rewarded!”

“No! Don’t waste your time on me! I don’t have a lot of life left in me! My time is just around the corner. You’ve given me inspiration, but I also know how old I look!” “You’ve got a lot of life left in you, Bertha! Don’t kid yourself! I will be in touch and hope to see you again and soon! Don’t you forget that! We ‘will’ see each other again! I guarantee you!” “Just do me a favor. Record this song again on one of your next CDs. We, or I, that is, want to hear it again. They don’t play it on the radio often enough.” “I’ll do just that! And thank you for all your kind words.” Marty reminded Jason that he needed to get dressed. Just then, the band and backup singers started coming in the room just as Jimmy started wheeling out Bertha. “Don’t forget the chair for Bertha’s daughter,” Jason stated. “No, sir, Franklin. I’ll tell Flenoid,” said Jimmy. “Come on in, guys. Hope you guys had a nice time back home and the rest of you all touring South Texas.” They all answered, “Yes!” “Okay, here’s the plan. Our first song’s been changed to ‘How Many, Dear lord?’. Hope we all it as we recorded it some six years ago. We’ll do our best to please our fans. Another thing. Is there anybody here who is going to have a scheduling problem if we are in Lubbock, Texas, for the weekend before Christmas?” Jason gave it a few seconds, and no one said anything. “Great! That’s a big load off my shoulders. Thank you! It does mean a lot to us! Come Monday, Marty and myself are flying to Lubbock to speak to our sponsor there, a Mr. Shiloh. We will probably book the coliseum for our last concert of the year there, which falls on the eighteenth, so we can all be home for Christmas. Any questions so far?” Again, no one said a word. “Okay! So far, so good! Here comes the best part! This will be all new even for me. Marty and myself have not discussed this at all. So this is news even for him. Hear my plan first, and then I want your input. Positive or negative, I want

to hear it. Don’t be shy! Don’t hold back! I want honest input! I want to know how you all feel about this. Agree? Here it is! A Christian music revival! I want to see about bringing in Mr. B. J. Thomas, Mr. Johnny Rivers, Mr. Mac Davis, Mr. Ritchie McDonald, Ms. Lee Ann Womack, and Ms. Patty Loveless! Maybe bring in the new girl group from there and some local group from down there named the Maines Brothers! “These guys will be brought in for one or two of their hit songs. Toward the end, a big old jamboree on stage with everybody singing our last two songs of the night. Here’s the kicker. We pay these legends to come us on stage from wherever they come from unless they offer to do it for free! We may just have to pay for their flights, motel rooms, and meals. If they want to bring their spouses, we’ll be more than happy to pay for them too. Any questions so far? “Great! Now here’s my Christmas gift to you, guys! Call your families, parents, and grandparents. We will fly them to Lubbock or bring them on a Greyhound, free tickets to the concert so they see you all work or actually play on stage, and at least two paid nights at a hotel or motel! And meals, of course. My compliments! My Christmas gift to you, guys!” Marty quickly added, “That goes for me too! My compliments to you! I’m pitching in with Franklin! He ain’t about to do this all by himself! I want to be a part of this too! I feel like being generous too! So put me down!” “That’s very nice of you, Marty! Thank you! So book those flights and motels now! Today! As soon as possible! Give me a total, and as soon as we get your statements, we will cut you a check to cover it. Hey, don’t forget to add an approximate amount to the meals. That includes your meals too! I don’t care what the amount turns out to be! If it’s about a thousand dollars then tell me. Don’t be shy about it! Don’t worry what it’s going to cost us! We’ll cover it! Jimmy and Flenoid, that goes for you guys too! Is that clear?” Both Jackson brothers said, “Oh yes, sir! Thank you, sir!” “Questions? Suggestions? Complaints?” asked Franklin. “Great! Okay, we got ten minutes! Let’s hit the bathroom before we go on. Marty, call Mr. Caldwell and get us an appointment. Book our flights from Wichita, Kansas, to legendary Lubbock, Texas. Sometime tomorrow, start calling our friends and see how

many say yes, see what they say, see if they are able to help us out and tell them that their spouses are also invited, see if they can come out of semiretirement and do a couple of songs with us, and see if they would like to us for this one event. Let me know later.” “Got it!”

As Franklin was still finishing up his meeting, the KOMA radio announcer was on stage, getting the crowd ready for Trinity. Back in Pauls Valley, Annalicia was sitting up in her bed, listening to the KOMA radio station. She was going over in her mind the mass at Santa Catarina de Siena. She was still riding high on cloud nine from the emotion she had felt while singing in front of an audience. Then she heard on the radio “Ladies and gentlemen, we welcome you all here tonight! For those of you who drove from out of town to tonight’s musical experience! We welcome with open arms Trinity and Jason Skarr! “You are in for one of the most enjoyable music concerts you will ever experience in your life! I get goose bumps just knowing I’m up here as your emcee! Some of you know me as a radio disc jock from your local KOMA radio station, 92.5 on your radio dial. “Let me tell you a little brief history about this band, which was born a little over five years ago when three young kids were still in high school. One had recently graduated. Word is Jason was still living in a little town called Bowling Green, Kentucky, I assume. This young man was flipping burgers at a McDonald’s and at a Burger King. By the time he graduated out of high school, this young man could play six, seven, or eight musical instruments. He could play drums, harmonica, bongos, a harp, and two or three keyboard instruments! Everybody knows he plays guitar, bass, and other string instruments! This young man could literally play more instruments in high school band professionally than his band teacher. Well, he eventually ended up buying all the band’s instruments with his own hard-earned money! He supposedly found all his backup singers at a karaoke bar while they were struggling with their own personal lives, hoping to get musically discovered themselves. He was later offered a recording contract as a solo recording artist mainly because of his playing and not for his singing. At the time, his singing wasn’t part of the deal. What little did they know? But he undoubtedly turned down their offer! He told the record company there are at

least three parts to his songs. His words, the band’s music, and the heart to put it all together in order to make it sound just right. So they were going to have to trust him and take his whole group for those songs to come alive, or they were getting nothing at all. And we all know now what the record company in the end said. He’d found them. He knew their talents. He trusted them. I’d say that’s a true friend! “Mr. Jason Skarr is truly a musical genius. He was offered music scholarships to several universities and music schools from all over the country. He also knows the Bible from front to back. He has degrees in music and in theology. Before he graduated from high school, he had already written and recorded three of his biggest, earliest hits. And I’ve just been told that he has never started any of his concerts with this one specific song he will be starting with tonight. So today, here in KOMA country, you will hear it for the very first time. Incidentally, this was his very first number 1 hit, and I know we always play in Sundays. My understanding is that he wrote it for his mom so that their church choir could start singing it in church, and as far as we know, they still sing it today in his honor. As a choir boy is where Jason first started singing in public. His mom was his voice teacher. How about that? “All I can add to this brief history is that you listen to this song. By the way, all the wind-type musical instruments at the beginning of the song are played by Jason. His twelve-string guitar, a violin, and a hammered dulcimer in the middle of the song, you will be hearing Jason. This multitalented young man will take your breath away. When the music starts, close your eyes, listen to the sounds of the music, wait for the voice, and then take the message of the song to your heart. I guarantee you, your heart will not at all be disappointed! The lights are going to go down, so turn on your phone lights and your cigarette lighters. As for your cameras, video cameras, Trinity encourages them! So turn ’em on! Here we go! Ladies and gentlemen, it is my pleasure and honor to bring to you … Trinity! And Mr. Jason Skarr! Here, for the first time, ‘How Many, Dear Lord?’”

Back in Pauls Valley, Annalicia had heard every little detail that the KOMA radio station emcee had said about the band and Jason Skarr. She had keyed on the fact that Jason had a degree in music and one in theology, the study of God. She kept going over in her mind how confident Franklin seemed in speaking about God, the Bible, and how much he knew about music. He knew how to play

the toy organs and the harmonica. She’d heard and read about all this God-given talent this singer possessed. She had heard about how generous he was with friends and total strangers and about his gift for writing and singing hit songs. One question remained. “Was Franklin maybe, just maybe, Jason Skarr?” Although “this” Franklin had not even attempted to show some of this Godgiven singing talent here in Pauls Valley, she still wondered if “this” Franklin might just be this famous Jason Skarr, lead singer for Trinity. Knowing this one song was about to come on, “How Many, Dear Lord?” she figured she’d wait to hear it before going out to the truck stop to see if, by chance, they might have a CD with Jason’s picture on the cover. She would drive her dad’s Plymouth as soon as the song was over. “Ladies and gentlemen, once again, it is my honor and my most indeed pleasure to bring to you this most unforgettable evening with what we consider the number 1 Christian country music in the land as far as we are concerned. Trinity! ‘How Many, Dear Lord?’ Ladies and gentle, take a deep breath!” And the music started …

How many, Lord? How many must I pray? How many, Lord? How many? How many Hail Marys, Our Fathers, and Glory Bes? How many must I pray, Dear Lord To find my way home Today and every day? Should I pray, pray, pray Ten, twenty, thirty, or more? How many, Lord? How many?

How many Hail Marys, Our Fathers, and Glory Bes? Cuantos Senor? Cuantos Ave Marias, Padre Nuestros, y Santos? Friends have left the church. Friends have stopped believing.

But, not me, Lord! I still believe In every prayer I pray, In every single Hail Mary, Our Father, and Glory Be. A hundred, a thousand, a million I’ll pray today and every day! As many as it takes! Just tell me, Lord! How many? How many, Lord? How many Hail Marys, Our Fathers, and Glory Bes? I’ll pray, pray, pray Till I see your face today! Till you call me away! Every Hail Mary, Our Father, and Glory Be! A hundred a day? A thousand? Whatever it takes!

Hail Mary, Our Father, and Glory, Glory Be! Till I no longer see! Oh Glory, Glory Be till eternity! Cuantos Senor? O cuantos, Senor? Cuantos Ave Marias, Padre Nuestros, y Glorias? How many, Dear Lord? How many? How many Hail Marys, Our Fathers, and Glory Bes?

And not a pin drop could be heard as the sound of a harmonica could be heard in an echoic distance. After a couple of notes, a slow drumbeat began. From there, the sound of a flute came in with a somewhat howling smooth sound. After a few more notes, the sound of the bass guitar started, and finally, the trumpet could be heard as it gradually began drowning out the sound of the bass. Gradually, the keyboard took over in order for the twelve-string guitar to make its final entry. The twelve-string guitar started slow but began getting louder and louder, and as it finally came to a sudden stop, the voice everyone had come to listen to came through the loud speakers so smooth and so mellow it left everybody in awe and feeling breathless. In the audience, Bertha and her daughter, Relia, were both holding hands so tight they didn’t even realize it. Tears were running down Bertha’s face. Relia was sitting in Jason’s dressing room chair. The doorman stood at the corner of the stage, staring at Jason Skarr. His face was glowing red, his heart beating, and tears were slightly building up in his eyes. “This young man!” he said to himself. “He really is the singer for Trinity and for these seven, eight, or nine thousand fans sitting here inside this building! Way to go, kid! You’re the man! Thank God for having given us this young man to tell us about how mankind should be living!” As the song continued, back in Pauls Valley, Oklahoma, Annalicia was listening to every single syllable and word. “How Many, Dear Lord? How many? Cuantos Senor? Cuantos? How many Hail Marys, Our Fathers, and Glory Bes? Cuantos

Ave Marias, Padre Nuestros, Y Glorias?” Annalicia went back in her mind when Franklin was still in the Santa Catarina de Siena when he hollered basically those same words. “Coincidence? It had to have been! Surely, this had to have been a very strange coincidence. Surely! And then again, maybe he’d heard the song or the CD before! Maybe he even had the CD in his old-looking yellow Javelin.” Annalicia was now trying to convince herself it had to have been a downright coincidence. “Jason Skarr … Franklin … Pauls Valley … in Oklahoma? Not in a million years! Stars like that fly all over the world! They ride in luxury automobiles! They ride in coach buses! They ride, not drive, especially not in old yellow cars! Coincidence! Gotta be! No other explanation for it!” And there was only one way to find out, for sure. As soon as this beautiful song was over, she would drive herself to the truck stop and hopefully find one of Trinity’s CDs and buy it if she had to. Her mind was made up. As the song was coming to an end, Jason went back to his wind instruments. This time he reversed the order in which he had played them at the beginning. He started the ending to the song with his trumpet. Bobby followed with keyboards, and Jason followed by playing the flute. Johnny played drums, and then Mark followed with his bass. Finally, Jason finished off the song with the last four notes on his harmonica. When the song was finally over, the entire audience came to their feet. Lights were flashing; shouts from all inside the building could be heard like thunder. It took a long time before the clapping, stomping, cheering, and enthusiasm came to a final stop. It sounded more like the show had finally came to its end. “Thank you! I am so happy that you all accepted us like you have tonight with this very special song we hold dear to our hearts! We know that with all the stuff going on in our country about political correctness, what the constitution says and doesn’t say about religion, it can be a very touchy subject for many! And we don’t want to offend anybody by what our lyrics say. We don’t want to make anyone feel uncomfortable. And we didn’t come to shove religion down anybody’s throats either! It is true! It is my mom and dad’s favorite song. It’s one of my very own favorite also, not because I wrote it but because it just is! “Now we can finally say we have started a concert with this song, so it is something to think about as we start the stretch toward Christmas. Or is

Christmas also a taboo word? Should I say holiday season? Frankly, I like saying Christmas!” And everybody in the audience shouted, “It’s Christmas! Christmas!” “Thank you, Oklahoma! That’s what I thought so too! Thank you all for agreeing with me! As I was saying, I met a very special lady tonight. Her name is Bertha! I guess you can say she is now one of my music advisors! ‘How Many, Dear Lord?’ is very especially dedicated to her this evening. And of course, this being my mom’s favorite songs, I also send it to her with all my unselfish and undying love for her! “Okay, before we get all sentimental and before we continue, I’ve got one more tidbit. Keep in mind we had not played that song since we first recorded it about six years ago. How about a very special round of applause for Trinity, my band, Mark, Johnny, and Bobby?” And the crowd went wild with the applause. “You know, for these three guys to play it as they did with no practice, no clue they were even playing it tonight, it shows how talented and how dedicated to our music they really are to our cause, our themes, and our future. They are the most wonderful friends I could ever ask for. They make me sound way better than I am!” Jason turned to look at the three musicians and stated, “I sincerely thank you from the bottom of my heart! Thank you for that beautiful music. It sounded perfect! And last but not least, we would not be here sounding so great and patting ourselves on the back if it wasn’t for our background sound, Trinity’s Voices! They are Crystal, Rhonda, Jamie, and Louis! Their beautiful echoic sounds always give me goose bumps! But in a great and fantastic way. How about a tremendous round of applause for these wonderful singers who share the stage with us with all their energy and enthusiasm, and who make me sound extra special, and who do their best to encourage me to sound even better on each and every song, each and every night we are in concert? Thank you, guys! Beautiful, just beautiful!” Another round of applause stormed the building. And from somewhere in the audience, someone hollered, “Hey, Jason, where’s your Stetson?” “My Stetson? Well, right now, a very special person is taking real good care of it. This one that I am wearing tonight was a very special gift given to me by a

very special friend. And I accepted his gift with my most sincere humility. And tonight I wear it very proudly in his honor! And I thank you for asking. This reminds me of a song. As I was coming into your most beautiful state of Oklahoma, it kind of looked like rain clouds were gathering down by the TexasOklahoma state line up around the Red River. I began looking at the clouds, and I thought to myself about what an amazing power of God within those huge and mighty clouds, and I felt nothing but pride and joy! “Ladies and gentlemen, a hero of mine when I first heard his voice singing on a forty-five. He is also one of my dad’s most favorite all-time singers, one of the most distinct and most beautiful voice you will ever hear live or on the radio, a song I borrow from him to sing to you tonight with his permission and yours! A legendary son of your state, from Hugo, Oklahoma, as recorded by Mr. B. J. Thomas, ‘Mighty Clouds of Joy’!” And the music started …

Those old bad dreams been sleeping in your head. Those old dark clouds been hanging around your head.

At the end of the song, Anna hurried out of her room and saw her dad sitting back in his living room chair in a peaceful sleep. He had a smile on his ace. She grabbed the car keys from on top of the TV and hurried out the front door. She got in the car and saw a large round box with a cover on it. She’d never seen a box like that before, but she knew what a box like that was for. It looked like a brand-new hatbox with the brand name of “Resistol” printed on top. She opened the folded-up note lying on top of the box. After reading the note, she opened the box and saw a brand-new, expensive-looking white felt hat. Under the hat, she saw the three brand-new one-hundred-dollar bills. Her eyes got watery with tears. And under her breath, she whispered to herself, “Thank you, Mr. Franklin, and thank you, God.” Anna knew this would surely pay for last month’s utilities, and of course,

Thanksgiving was just around the corner, and Christmas was a little over a month away. Anna headed to the truck stop and luckily found Trinity’s very first CD on a sale rack. She grabbed it quickly and saw what looked like four high school kids on the front cover. The one she thought might look like Franklin had a very boyish-looking face with dark-brown hair and light skin complexion. And she thought, The Franklin I know appeared to be in his early to mid-thirties. This kid could in no way have aged this fast to look like Franklin. No way is Franklin this so-called Jason Skarr. Mystery solved! She went ahead and bought the discounted CD for five dollars to add to her collection. Regardless of the picture, for the time being, she was satisfied that Franklin and Jason Skarr were two very different persons. She drove home and figured she’d listen to her new Trinity CD tomorrow after attending and singing in church.

CHAPTER 15

Fear not the sentence of death, them that have been before thee, and that come after; for this is the sentence of the Lord over all flesh. And why art thou against the pleasure of the most High? there is no inquisition in the grave, whether thou have lived ten, or an hundred, or a thousand years.

—(KJV) (SIRACH 41:3–4)

By the time the concert ended, Mary Lou was headed back to work at the IHOP in Lubbock and start her midnight shift. She had already spoken to AnnaMarie, and both were hoping to seeing each other by noon, if her vehicle ran okay, that is. The campus cops at Texas Tech University, Fisher and Lee, had everything set up and ready to go. Officer Fisher had already put on hold a mid-sized, twodoor, bright shiny red Chevy Lumina. Officer Fisher told Lee, “We’ll go to IHOP by 2:00 a.m. and make sure she’s still getting off by 7:00 a.m. or before as usual.” By 2:00 a.m., both walked into the all-night restaurant and headed toward their usual table. Lubbock PD officers were just leaving after getting a domestic assault call close by at a residential area directly across the TTU campus known as the Tech Ghetto. One of the LPD officers kidded Fisher. “Hey, Fish, don’t eat all the donuts again! We plan on coming right back! You can eat the plain ones. Leave the jelly filled for us skinny cops! Ha ha ha!” Fisher answered back, “Hey, if you want, I’ll save you my last bite! You mean, Lubbock’s finest eat donuts too? Just stick ’em all in jail! Do us all a favor! Cuff ’em and stuff ’em, right? And hey, next time, find your own table! Leave ours

alone! Don’t you know they’re reserved for KKs around this time of night? We’re like extra special. Ask anybody!” And everybody who heard that just smiled and laughed. “Coffee here!” hollered Fish. “Hey, be nice!” Officer Lee stated. “They know it’s us! They know we’re just kidding! Anyway, I don’t give a—” “Hey, be nice! We’re kidding? It’s all you, Fish!” “Okay! Hey, where’s Mary Lou? Somebody? Anybody? Hey, Norma? Mary Lou not here tonight? Ahh! She better still be here!” Fisher said out loud as he looked at Officer Lee. “By god, she better be here! That’s all I gotta say!” “I know what you mean, Fish!” “She’s in the ladies’ room, guys! Just hold on to your panties! Don’t get ’em in a wad, Officer Fisher! She’ll be right out! If I can confide in you, guys, she may be crying right about now. Her check was small since they started taking out for insurance this last paycheck. Now she probably won’t have enough to pay her first month’s rent at her new house in Southland. She is now debating on whether to go get her daughter or wait another week to go to Weatherford. She hasn’t been getting very many tips working this side of the restaurant. You guys need to start eating more instead of just snacking on coffee and donuts! Please don’t tell her I told you this. She’s my best friend, and I don’t want to see her crying. I told her I’d lend her fifty dollars, and she could pay me by Christmas. I don’t want her to leave here and go somewhere else either,” finished Norma. Officer Lee spoke up and said, “We got it, Norma.” He then looked at Officer Fisher and stated, “Okay, big guy, cough it up! Dig deep and keep on digging! Make it an early Christmas donation! Come on now. Don’t be shy!” Pretending not to know what Lee was talking about, Fisher answered back by saying, “Cough it up? Cough what up? I’m supposed to be sick or something?” “You know what I mean! That fifty in your wallet! Tell you what, you put up fifty, and I’ll put up fifty. That’s fifty/fifty! And fifty/fifty makes one hundred! You do the math!”

“Okay, genius! So fifty/fifty makes one hundred! Are we talking pennies, nickels, and dimes? Are we talking about a dollar here? Or are we talking about one hundred bucks? ’Cause if you’re talking about leaving a fifty-cent tip, I’m gonna take you out the back door, and pour a can of whip ass, and then whip the living daylights out of you, mister!” “That’s one hundred bucks! Dang it, Fish! Do I gotta spell it out for ya?” “Well, okay then! That’s better! That’s what I thought you meant! Here’s my fifty, buddy!” “And here’s mine! Hurry! Put it in her tip jar before she sees you! And whatever you do, it didn’t come from us! We’re cops for God’s sakes! We’re not bankers nor good Samaritans! We’re trying to make a living here! Is that clear, Norma?” “Oh yeah! Ahh, whatever you say, fellas! Hmmm, good thing you guys wear badges ’cause with those big and ugly pistol shooters you guys carry around your waists, I’d call you both big fat liars! Of course, I’m not gonna tell my very best friend what you guys just did! I’d be lying now, wouldn’t I? Everybody knows that cops don’t like liars!” And they all laughed just as Mary Lou was coming out of the ladies’ room. “Well, it’s about time! Were you having a party in there? Where’s my coffee? We need service here! We need a waitress here! Anybody know one?” Fisher halfway shouted. “Sorry! Right up, guys! I was just putting on some makeup,” stated Mary Lou. “Hey, sweetie!” “You never mind, Fish! He’s just acting his normal self! Know what I mean,” fired back Officer Lee. “No problem. Be there in a jiffy, guys!” Officer Lee asked Fisher, “Hey, you hear that song on your KOMA radio station app?” “You mean, about how many Hail Marys, how many Our Fathers, and how many

Glory Bes?” Lee answered, “Man, with all due respect, one heck of a song, wasn’t it? Made me start praying the prayers! By the time the song was over, I’d said ’em over and over and over! How about you?” “What about me? Well, did it make you want to really start praying? Kind of makes me want to sing it to our most intelligent and illustrious sergeant during our next briefing! I’m still giving it a thought. Knowing him, he’s likely to make us both get the hell out of the room!” “You said both of us? I ain’t singing with you! I’ve heard your singing! That’s why you’re here and not on the radio, bud! But by golly, you missed the whole point of the song!” The fact was it had made Officer Fisher start praying. Him and his wife had been seeing a doctor for a while now. It was nothing major. It was the typical old age diabetes and cholesterol that affects most every adult in the world. And he hadn’t told anyone about it at the PD. Nobody at the PD needs to know was what he thought. He’d kind of hinted to Officer Lee, but it was always about someone else, not him. At the end of the song, he had actually prayed silently to himself. But for now, it was still his own personal secret. And for a little while longer, he was keeping it that way. All of a sudden, out of his mouth came “Finally! Hey, do I need to microwave this coffee myself? It took you a while, girl?” Lee added, “Just coffee today, Mary Lou. We can’t stay long. We got a watch to go do, so we’ll be leaving in a little bit. Really, we just came in to say hello to you, guys.” “Okay! No problem. Hey, I’ll be off for the weekend unless I change my mind. I’ll have to wait and see around shift change. So I may or may not see you guys tomorrow night. If I don’t see you all tomorrow, I’ll see you guys Monday night. You guys take care, all right? Since you’re just getting coffee, don’t worry about leaving me a tip. I wouldn’t feel right. Oh, and thank you guys for being so sweet and caring. There’s a big ol’ smile in my heart for you, guys! I don’t know what I’d do without you if you were to stop coming by. Thank you, thank you, thank you from the bottom of my heart!” Fish interjected, “Hey, a tip’s a tip! You can’t stop us from leaving you a tip! We play by the rules! We leave it, and you’re supposed to accept it! That’s all there

is to it! No questions asked, okay? And if you do go see ‘our’ little princess, you tell her these two uncles of hers can hardly wait to see her, you hear? I expect her to tell us she got a big ol’ bear hug from you coming from us!” “Sure! I will certainly do just that, Uncle Fish! Thank you both!” Lee answered back, “Thank you, ma’am. And don’t you worry, Ms. Mary Lou, everything is gonna be all right! You just wait and see! Everything’s gonna be all right, ma’am! I can just feel it.” Fisher added, “That’s probably your arthritis, you big dummy!” Both just laughed and then walked out the front doors after barely taking a couple of sips of coffee.

CHAPTER 16

Better is the poor, being sound and strong of constitution, than a rich man that is afflicted in his body. Health and good estate of body are above all gold, and a strong body above infinite wealth. There is no riches above a sound body, and no joy above the joy of the heart. Death is better than a bitter life or continual sickness. Delicates poured upon a mouth shut up are as messes of meat set upon a grave.

—(KJV) (SIRACH 30:14–18)

By 6:00 a.m., Officer Lee went out of service for the night. His shift was over, so was Fisher’s. No, their work wasn’t over. For them, in a way, it was just beginning. Now they were on a mission, a Good Samaritan mission. Lee headed immediately to the IHOP, and Fisher headed to the Enterprise car rental location out by the Lubbock Preston Smith International Airport. “I’m in position,” Lee told Fisher by phone. “I’ll call you when she leaves the building and gets in her unit, I mean, vehicle.” “Okay, I’m going to pick up her shiny little red car and head toward Southland. Let me know when you are seventy-six over there.” “Ah, ten dash four! And, ah, over and out … Good buddy!” “Hey, police lingo, please! Ten code! This ain’t no CB radio, you dufus! We done graduated from all that stuff! We be with the big boys now! We be ‘perfessionals’!” “We ain’t on no PD radios either, bud!” “Okay! Never mind, smarty-pants! Mr. Smarty-pants, Mr. PhD!”

“Never ‘you’ mind!” Officer Lee fired back. Mary Lou was getting ready to leave when Norma reminded her not to leave her tip money behind. “I’m just gonna leave it here till I come back, girlfriend. Let it multiply, magically, that is. I had a slow night. What, maybe ten or fifteen tables all night? Maybe twenty bucks? But then again, I do see a jar full of … lots of ones … I’m pretty sure there could be at least twenty-five bucks …” Norma, in an effort to get her to go into the jar, stated, “Well, take it just in case you run into an emergency or something.” “Who knows, I must just call AnnaMarie and tell her to forgive me and that I’ll definitely pick her up next weekend. I know she’ll be mad and disappointed and start crying, but I’m sure that in the end, she’ll understand. She is so mature and so grown-up for her age.” “Mary Lou, and what about you? I know you’ll be a terrible mess during the week if you don’t go today later on this morning. Tell you what, I’ll lend you fifty dollars myself. Now go!” And Norma took out a fifty-dollar bill from out of her pants and handed it to her. “Oh, no! I can’t do that! Right now, you’re still my best friend! If I don’t pay you before Christmas, you’re going to start hating me forever! I’m not losing or putting our friendship in jeopardy by taking your money and taking forever to pay you back! I’d rather be short on money than being short on friends. Friendship is more important to me, you know that. You’ve earned your money. I need to earn mine. If that’s your tip money, I know you need every penny of it. We’re in the same boat, ? I know your problems, and you know mine.” “Okay! Well, at least take your tip money. Hey, like we’ve said before, it’s better than nothing! Who knows, maybe a couple of old gizzards came by and dropped you a miracle …” “Good Samaritans? Ain’t no Good Samaritans come by the IHOP this time of night. We both know that. Good Samaritans, yeah, right! Wait a minute! We both know of only two old gizzards that come by here. You call them Good Samaritans. AnnaMarie calls them uncles! KKs! That can only mean one thing, Norma. And you’re trying to tell me something, aren’t you? Norma! Doggone it, you guys! What did they go and do?”

At that moment, Mary Lou grabbed the jar, dumped her tip money on the table, and found three fifty-dollar bills. I know one of these came from you, girl! Fisher and Lee! My favorite cops! You all are my guardian angels! I’m gonna cry, and it’s you all’s fault! You guys are the best! I’ll pay you back! I promise I’ll pay you back, sweetie! I promise! I promise, sweetie!” Both hugged each other as both had tears of joy running down their eyes. Both told each other, “I love you!” Norma added, “A very pretty lady is needing to see her God-given mama.” “You’re talking about Mom and me, or are you referring to AnnaMarie and me?” “Good question. Maybe both. But in this case—” “You’re right! I do yearn to go see Mom and Dad. But my heart so deeply yearns to go hold AnnaMarie and never let her go! Thank you so very much for reminding me!” “By the way, the guys said they had nothing to do with this, okay? And they also said they would deny it even if you tried beating it out of Fish!” “Yeah! Aha! I’ve heard that before too! I guess I’m out of here, Norma. Take care of my customers, please, especially my raunchy KKs, Fisher and Lee. And if you can sneak in a hug or two on my behalf, then I’ll bring you a big one next time we see each other, okay?” “You bet as long as Officer Fisher doesn’t try to brush me off like he always does. Frankly, I don’t think his mama hug him enough when he was a baby boy. Ha ha ha! I think, that as grumpy as he sounds, I’m sure he’s got a very big and gentle heart, for a cop, I mean.” “I couldn’t agree with you more. See you Monday night, Norma.” “I’ll be here when you get back, sweetie. Oh, by the way, I meant to tell you something. You know, AnnaMarie and your mom went to see this Trinity band in Dallas. From that concert, I think someone videoed on YouTube a new song that was sang by the band, something about colors in the world or colors of the world. A young lady, sounding like a kid, twelve, thirteen, or so years old, sings in it with the lead singer. If you hear it on your way, listen to it. I think it’s the neatest song I’ve heard in a long, long time. Right now, it’s the coolest thing on

YouTube. It’s all over the Internet. I don’t know if I heard it on YouTube or on the radio. I’d like to see the cute little girl singing in it. I bet she’s adorable.” “To be honest, I don’t do YouTube,” answered Mary Lou. “Maybe I’ll hear it on the radio on my way out there. Sounds like a neat song. I bet AnnaMarie would love it. She loves all the pretty colors of the rainbow. Okay, well … bye! See you Monday night!” “Okay, Mary Lou! Drive safe, or safely, however you say it. Well, you know what I mean.” “I will … drive … safe … and safely too. Bye!” “Okay, Fish. She’s headed outside and toward her truck. Are you monitoring?” “Okay! I’m just leaving this car rental place in a very nice and clean, brand spanking new, bright-red Chevy Lumina. Cute girls love these kind of cars. They get attention, and they get noticed. Yessiree, they definitely get noticed, Brother Lee.” “Well, I’m sure you will get noticed too. I’m sure there are some hunks out there looking for shiny red cars right now. Ha ha ha!” “Wise guy! I’ll wait for you guys to get there. As soon as I see you by, I’ll pull in right behind you and follow. And as soon as she goes inside her residence, we’ll push her car out of her driveway and push this one in and park it there so she can’t miss it. I already have a note written for her. I’ll wrap it around the steering wheel so she can read it. No way she’s gonna miss it. And no way she’s going to Dallas in that clunker of hers.” “Okay,” answered Lee. “Ahh, over and out, good buddy.” “Ten dash four, you big dummy! This ain’t no CB! You got that, slim?” “Got it, Fish! See you there, grumpy! Or is that lumpy? Dumpy? Shumpy? Bumpy?” “Funny! I’m gone! Outta here! Adios, sayonara, and good-bye!” “Hasta la vista, gringo!”

“So long, dude!” And both finally went silent. Fisher arrived at Mary Lou’s neighborhood minutes in front of Mary Lou and behind her, Officer Lee. Lee had maintained about a quarter-mile distance behind Mary Lou to keep from being obvious he was following her. It had worked. Mary Lou was thinking about how she was going to drive her truck all the way to Dallas without truck problems. “Okay, I see you,” said Officer Lee. “And … I see you too. We’ll let her park, and as soon as she goes inside the house, depending on where she parks, either we’ll park this red beauty behind hers, or we’ll park it in her driveway if in case she parks hers out in the street.” “That’s exactly what I was going to say. Heard every word. Couldn’t have said it any better myself. Loud and clear!” “Really? You know, hanging ’round me is kind of having some of my smarts rubbing off on you, ain’t it? I think I better start charging you or maintaining some ten to twenty feet of distance between us. You may be like lightning. Don’t wanna get hit by it standing next to you. You may be contagious too. I don’t know what you may be capable of doing if you get all my smarts. Some people may think we are both highly educated. Only one of us can claim that. Ha ha ha!” “Funny! You know, you are a funny bunny according to Ms. AnnaMarie. And she is definitely right!” “Okay, she’s going in. Let’s do this now before she comes out. She may already be packed and ready to hit the road!” And in a matter of seconds, Fisher parked the Lumina directly behind Mary Lou’s truck parked in her driveway. He quickly wrapped his written note to the steering wheel and left the car keys on top of the dashboard. In less than five minutes, Mary Lou came out with her suitcase and saw the Lumina parked right behind her truck. At first, she was reluctant to approach the car. She then noticed no one was inside and wondered if someone might be somewhere around her house or maybe next door. She circled the car as she also kept looking around the house and other cars and houses to see if anybody would come out walking or running toward her. Nothing. She then circled the car once more, peering

inside front and back, and finally noticed a piece of paper on the steering wheel. She opened the driver’s door, grabbed the note, and read it. She then saw the keys on the dashboard and looked around to see if the guys were standing close by or behind her. Nothing, although she knew they were somewhere close by watching her, protecting her. As she was about to sit inside the car, she saw at the far end of the block a car that tapped its brakes three times before turning the corner. She silently said to herself, “My guardian angels. Thank you, guys. May God bless you both, Fisher and Lee.” As she was thinking these thoughts, tears had somehow started rolling down her face without her even realizing it. There was no hesitation now. She took a deep breath, threw her suitcase in the backseat, and sat behind the wheel. She started up the car, made the sign of the cross, said a quick Our Father, and put the car in reverse. Her trip to Weatherford was about to begin. Six hours to go. The GPS system automatically came on. In the blank space, she typed in her destination—Weatherford, Texas. The road map came on, showing her a little bitty car. She was on her way. She then thought, How in the world will I ever be able to repay you, guys? And you, my best friend, Norma?

CHAPTER 17

Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away. For that ye ought to say, If the Lord will, we shall live, and do this, or that.

—(KJV) (JAMES 4:14–15)

Back in Oklahoma, it was almost midnight, and Trinity was coming to the end of their concert. “One more song, ladies and gentlemen. Let’s do one more song. How ’bout it? What do you say?” said Jason. “We sincerely thank you all for your very warm welcome and hospitality. You truly do make us feel right at home. I say that from the very bottom of my heart. We do hope and would be tremendously honored being back here again next year, that is, if you all decide to welcome us back again next year. So from the bottom of our hearts, thank you all again. We will definitely try to bring you some new songs, new themes, new material. “You know, I’ve debated with my heart over the recitation of this poem I wrote now set to music. It’s not one that I sing on a normal basis. I normally recite it. You may or may not it. It was written a few years back. I don’t know that it’s ever been played in any type of radio station. Probably not a whole lot of demand for this type of message. As for me, I think it needs to be played or recited. But what gets played by the radio stations is up to them. It may be too controversial a topic, and I’m sure radio stations don’t want to lose ratings or points by putting this message out to the normal listening crowd. There’s no need in upsetting one’s day by playing a theme such as this one I’m about to play. I truly don’t want to upset anybody here tonight. And I won’t blame you if you get up and leave or head to the back or go outside and get a breath of fresh air or get a smoke. You decide. I’ll understand, and I won’t hold it against you.” “It does have a very direct message for certain people who read too much into

our bill of rights and our U.S. Constitution in reference to what we believe is the difference between freedom of speech, freedom of religion, and freedom of expression. Somehow they are all now so intermixed with one another that the courts can’t seem to figure out how to separate all the controversy around them. Kids are not allowed to pray on public school grounds, before classes, before school functions, before sporting events, nor before lunch, even in adult events taking place in government buildings, city, county, and state properties. It’s all getting blown way out of proportion. Shootings, stabbings, assaults, suicides, and robberies, all these horrendous crimes against innocent beings—people, family , neighbors, boyfriends, girlfriends, and babies—taking place in and around our schools, parks, and malls! Kids killing kids! And if I do offend anyone, the message within the song was not meant for that intent nor purpose. It is to make us all aware of what is going on all around us. We all need to find a way to bring it all to a complete halt! Peace and harmony is what I pray for every day in this whole world! “One last word. If the song does offend anyone, I ask that you please exit or move about quietly as to not keep anyone else from listening to the message. I ask, ‘Please.’ But if I do offend anyone, anybody, like I said, the message within the song was not meant for that purpose at all. Please know that. Ladies and gentlemen, ‘Golden Rules, Broken Rules’!” As soon as Jason stated the name of the narrative song, the entire audience inside the center stood on their feet. Clapping, cheering, and yeahs could be heard from all inside the building. “Way to go, Trinity! Hell yeah! Sing it, Jason! ‘Golden Rules, Broken Rules’! Hell yeah! You said it! Amen!” could all be heard from all over inside the huge center. And the music began. Jason started narrating this very powerful message in his song.

Empty malls and empty halls Empty schools with broken stools Golden rules, now broken rules The quiet sound of a bleeding ground A shot is heard, a child is hurt

Smoking building, where’s the children?

A scream, a cry! Oh God, don’t let them die A quiet street, a deadly street A child that hates! Hide, don’t hesitate! A hunt begins, innocence ends How many cry, how many die? Comb the building, find the children

Kids are dying, there’s no denying Something’s wrong, the few grow strong A killing spree, no longer safe are we What should we do, who to turn to Bullet holes, bleeding halls Public prayers forbidden, children killing children

Staying home, the fun is gone Dressed in black, a savage attack Children running, crying, hiding War’s already here, living in fear Can we pray? No! , taken away!

Guns in building! Now, guarding children

Broken laws, twisting laws A meaning changed, words rearranged With God removed, blind justice now booed A Bill of Rights, stolen like a thief at night Yes, the few are winning, is our end beginning? A crumbling building is letting down our children

Hear the crying sound of a school, now Holy ground Are we that blind? Killing freedom, yours and mine Who’s to blame for we all should be ashamed States that grew united now, broken and divided Oh Lord, tell us what to do, today me, tomorrow you Lord, bless the house, the building; a home for praying children

By the time the song came to an end, for the fifth time, the whole crowd was on their feet, cheering the band an unstoppable standing ovation. Tears covered people’s eyes. Hands that reached high into the air stood raised for minutes at a time. By the end of the last verse, Jason felt exhausted mainly because of the powerful emotion he felt in reciting with all his energy the message within the verses. The band stood. The Voices felt energized but also felt heavy and exhausted. This was a very powerful message that could not have been delivered any stronger by no other than Jason Skarr.

Jason bowed to the crowd in appreciation for their tremendous applause and standing ovations. The Voices bowed, and finally, the rest of the band bowed all in unison. Marty hurried up to the mic and thanked everyone for coming out tonight. He then wished everyone a safe drive back to their hometowns and homes. This concert was over. The whole band rushed back to Franklin’s dressing room and congratulated him for such a fantastic concert and such energetic finish.

CHAPTER 18

Let him eschew evil, and do good; let him seek peace, and ensue it. For the eyes of the Lord are over the righteous, and his ears are open unto their prayers: but the face of the Lord is against them that do evil. And who is he that will harm you, if ye be followers of that which is good?

—(KJV) (1 PETER 3:11–13)

Jason bowed to the crowd just as he always did at the end of a show. The Voices bowed, and finally, so did the band. Marty hurried up to the microphone, thanked everyone for coming out, and wished everyone a safe drive back to their hometowns, back to their homes. This concert was over. The band rushed behind Jason all the way back to his dressing room. They all congratulated him for such a fantastic performance and finish. “It’s not just me out there, guys! If it wasn’t for all of you, we’d all be home watching TV. I myself want to thank each and every one of you for believing in me, trusting in me, and hanging in there with me. It’s all for one and one for all. Hey, it’s Wichita, Kansas, next, and then we get some extra days off till Albuquerque. We’re here till noon today, and then we caravan on down to Wichita. If you guys get up early, do me a favor and don’t forget it’s Sunday, and it’s also church day. Do yourselves a favor and go to church. Don’t do it ’cause I’m asking or because I brought it up. Do it ’cause you want to. I ask that you keep God in your lives and in your hearts. Let’s not take this life for granted. , here today, gone tomorrow. So unless you all have any questions or comments about tonight’s show, we’ll see you all around noon. Thank you all for a great show. Thank you all for that last number. Came out perfect!” Franklin always had church in mind, especially on Sundays. He was brought to never forget God no matter how great his life was going or how bad his life was at the time. He was taught that God would always be there to guide him in all his endeavors, easy or not. He was already planning on attending mass at 10:00 a.m.

according to Marty’s suggested church and schedule. “Hey, Marty, I need to discuss something with you before you call it a night, or you can ride with me on our way to Wichita, and we can discuss it all then. Your choice. Now or later. Either way works for me.” “I’ll tell you what, if it’s okay with you, we can talk about it now unless you’re tired, and you’re ready to hit the sack. If you want to talk about it here, or we can go inside your coach. Night’s a little nippy though.” “Sure! Let’s go inside the bus.” Once both got inside, both sat across each other. “It’s about Lubbock. Lubbock, Texas, good ol’ West Texas! Why don’t we settle for the old Municipal Coliseum with Mr. Shiloh? Let me ask you. Do you know its history?” “History? You talking about the city or the coliseum? I probably don’t know much about the history of either the city or the coliseum. Does anybody? We’re not from Texas. We didn’t study Lubbock back in high school. Sorry … Wait a minute! You’re asking me … because you already know! Big dummy me! I’m sorry, Franklin! I am always underestimating you! I know better! But I am always putting my foot in my mouth, ain’t I? Tell me the history! I am all ears! I do want to know! Tell me about Lubbock and the Municipal Coliseum! What is so fantastic about this city and this famous historical building no doubt you’d like to play in?” “You’re right! I did do some research. It was built in the fifties. Texas Technological College started using the coliseum in 1956. The men were first in using the building for their home games. The building was first known as ‘The Bubble’ because of its original design. The college was renamed Texas Tech University later, home of the Red Raiders! Fantastic football program! “It has hosted famous acts like the Ringling Brothers and Barnum and Bailey Circus, ABC Rodeo, Bob Hope, Elvis Presley, Ozzy Osbourne, Brooks and Dunn, and others. The Texas Tech Lady Raiders basketball team trained and played there up until they won the NCAA crown in 1993. They are national champs. Famous singers like Mac Davis, Buddy Holly, and Ritchie McDonald are all from Lubbock. They have all performed in the coliseum. Other acts that have performed there are Bob Wills, Johnny Horton, Tex Ritter, Kenny Rogers, Roy Orbison, ZZ Top, George Jones, Selena, Antonio Aguilar, and Vicente

Fernandez. No doubt there have been many, many more famous people perform inside that building way, way before our time. “I know it’s an old building, probably very cold and drafty in the wintertime and hot and sweaty in the summertime, but no doubt it probably has a lot of character. I’ve seen pictures of it on the Internet. And it does hold a lot of people. By now, it may even be considered a historical building. I don’t know. But Lubbockites, people from West Texas, the Panhandle, and many from Eastern New Mexico still go to it when many musical and family events are booked there. So do you have any problem with us playing there inside that ‘Bubble’?” “Well, if you want to, then we do too! I don’t see any problem with it either! That is, if Mr. Shiloh hasn’t already booked it or promised it to someone else. Or whoever does the bookings for the coliseum hasn’t leased it out already for that night. Hopefully, it is still available, right?” “In that case, call him now! Wake him up! Tell him we will see him Monday morning sometime after lunch. We got us a trip to make to good ol’ Lubbock, Texas, tour Texas Tech University, and see The Bubble! I am excited! Yes, indeed!” “Well, okay then! I think I will! I’ll let you know later what the plan is.” “Tell Mr. Shiloh we would really love to be inside that bubble … Oh, before you call, I also need you to order and buy four, five, or six music instruments for the Santa Catarina de Siena Catholic Church at Pauls Valley, Oklahoma. I need a portable stand-up organ, a set of drums, an acoustic guitar, and a classical sixstring guitar, maybe a trumpet and a bass guitar. Then call Bertha at the Tuttle Care Center nursing home. Ask her if she would like a music tutoring job that pays very, very well for only a few hours a day, maybe for two or three days a week. I’ve got a feeling she knows a lot more about music than she is letting on. Ask her if she wouldn’t mind helping out some kids learn more than they already know. She can teach them how to read music and, of course, how to play all those instruments they are about to get. If she agrees, ask her what she would charge and then double whatever amount she asks for. Tell her that her daughter will also get paid for the commute. And let me know something by next week. Have the instruments delivered to the church there in Pauls Valley.”

“That’s going to cost maybe a couple grand.” “Is that all? Tell you what, besides the acoustic, get an electric one too, one with a large amplifier to go with it. Oh yes, get at least five microphones too. The amp, make sure … ah, never mind, better get two amplifiers, one for the acoustic and a larger one for the mics. They may need a mixer too. I wonder, is that close to five grand now?” “It’ll be close!” “We’re there then! Thanks!” “No problem!” “Okay then! You got anything? Any questions about the show? These instruments? Anybody out there having problems? Me?” “Nope! Everything was great!” “Okay, I guess we can call it a night. So we’ll see you around noon. I’ll call you, or you can call me. Don’t worry about waking me up. I’ll probably still be in church by then.” “You bet! See you ’round noon, buddy.” Marty knew that Franklin had always been an early riser. As for going to church, Franklin was very dedicated and knew it was something he wouldn’t miss no matter how late he stayed up on Saturday nights. His mom and dad had brought him up that way. In a way, he was glad that God was a very big part in Franklin’s life. Franklin managed to wake up by 7:30 a.m., got up, showered, and dressed. He looked at Marty’s church schedule again to that mass began at 9:00 a.m. at the Corpus Christi Catholic Church. All he had to do now was find it without getting lost and getting there on time. He jumped in the Javelin and started driving. He found a Town & Country convenience store and decided to stop for a cup of coffee. As he was driving into the store’s parking lot, he noticed a van with the hood raised. Outside the van stood six high school-age black females dressed very nicely. Looked like they were also headed for church. An older black couple seemed to be talking on their cell phone. The sign on the side of the

van read Agape Christian Church, Wichita, Kansas. Franklin thought about how terrible it was to be away from home with car troubles. His dad had gone through that experience a long time ago. It was no fun for Mom and Dad back then. It was probably no fun for this older couple either, he thought. Franklin had planned on going through the drive-through window. Seeing the girls and the old couple dealing with a broken van, he decided to park, walk over to the van, and see if there was anything he could do to help, maybe get them going. He was certainly no mechanic, but offering couldn’t hurt. As he started walking toward the van, a truck pulled directly behind the van. It appeared to be a mechanic by the way he was dressed. The man began walking toward the van and the old couple. Franklin figured everything was going to be all right and headed toward the front doors of the store instead. It was obvious the black man had most likely called this mechanic to come fix whatever needed fixing with his van. As Franklin opened the door to the store, he saw a man coming toward him from inside the store wearing a very nice dress hat. He immediately looked at his watch and figured he still had plenty of time to maybe go get his hat from the Western wear store. He just needed to hurry up and get out of the store. Instead of the hot coffee, he changed his mind and got an apple juice. By the time he got out of the store, the van was driving out of the parking lot. He needed to hurry up too. When he got to Langston’s Western Wear to get his new Stetson, an elderly man in his mid- to late sixties came to wait on him. “Looking for pants, shirts, or boots, young man?” he asked. “Actually, I’m looking for a hat. A buddy of mine called in yesterday, talked to someone here about putting a size 6 1/4 white Stetson in the back. So I am here to pick it up. And to tell you the truth, I’m not sure if he managed to pay for it over the phone or not. Would you mind checking to see if there’s one in the back for me, please? If it hasn’t been paid for yet, I’ll be glad to pay for it now.” “Sure! What’s the name on it?” “Well, that’s a good question. Could be under Marty, Franklin, or maybe even Jason. Sorry, I can’t be any more specific. It’s gotta be one of those names, I’m sure.”

“Well, let me check, and I’ll see if one of those names pops up, young man. Be right back, okay? Look around. Make yourself at home. Might find something you like for yourself. Might just find something on sale, or you could even bargain for a discount. I’m feeling a little bit generous this morning, you might say. Go on! Look around!” “Hey, thanks. I’ll do just that! That’s very kind of you. I’ll do just that.” From the back room, the old man hollered, “By the way, my name is Lou! Do you mind if I turn on the radio? I like listening to Sunday morning gospel music! It is so relaxing and peaceful!” “No! You go right ahead, Lou! I like listening to gospel music also! Fire it up! I can take it! Nothing wrong with gospel music on Sundays! For that matter, any day! It soothes the soul!” “So what is your name, sonny? Marty, Franklin, or Jason? Hey, I think I just found your 6 1/4 Stetson! It definitely looks like your size! Is this hat for you or for someone else?” “Hey! Great!” Lou came from behind the wall with a brand-new white “El Patron” Stetson. You need it sized for you, or you want to take it with you as it is and get it sized later? For all I know, it could be for somebody else, huh? Hey, what do I know?” “Well, if it won’t take too much of your time, right now would be okay. I’m kind of in a rush myself. I need to get to Corpus Christi by 8:45 a.m. But I’d like to wear it later today or, better tonight.” “Okay then! Why don’t you go ahead and put it on and tell me how it fits? And I’ll take it from there. I’ll have you out in no time. Steamer’s already on.” Franklin put his Stetson on. He couldn’t believe how perfectly it fit. “You know, it actually fits pretty good just like it is. Not too loose, not too tight. Feels like it was made just for me. Feels fantastic. I think I’m gonna take it just like that.” “Tell you what, if you don’t mind, let me steam it up just a bit, and I’ll let you have it. How ’bout it? That way, I’ll have an excuse to tell my friends I steamed a ‘patron’ Stetson for somebody famous. That okay?”

“Lou, it really does fit just right on all the right places. You really don’t have to go through all that trouble. It really, really does. You don’t need to bother. Honestly, I’ll take it just like it is. As for the famous, go ahead and tell your friends. I don’t mind. You go ahead and tell ’em whatever you like. Think of somebody famous who wears a white Stetson and tell ’em he was here today.” “Young man, look around. You see all those photographs on the wall of famous people? I sold them each one of my hats. It would be an honor to tell my friends and customers that I sold you your Stetson and that I personally fitted on you to make sure it is just right. It would be an honor for me and for everyone I know. I love being photographed next to famous people. That way, when I die, maybe a famous person will come and bid me good-bye. He or she can tell my family or friends I was the one who sold him his famous hat.” “Well, since you put it like that, I would be honored if you custom fit it for me, Lou. I will be sure and tell all my friends I got my Stetson here at Langston’s Western Wear in Oklahoma City and was custom fitted by Lou. It would be an honor to let ’em all know. You may have a bunch of people start calling you for clothes, belts, jackets, or hats. I may just tell them to come see you. You just give me a few of your business cards with your name and business and personal phone, okay? Don’t be surprised if they start calling you by tomorrow.” “Yes! You bet! Before I forget, one favor of you. Let me get a photo standing next to you. Let me get a picture with you so I can put it on my ‘famous people’ wall so I can display it next to all those famous movie and country music stars. How about it? Would that be okay? I’ve got a camera here somewhere.” “But you don’t really know me or who I am. I ‘may’ not be famous enough to go on your ‘famous people’ wall, may not be famous enough for you to brag about, and I may just be just another ‘Joe Blow.’ Maybe I just look like somebody famous to you.” “Listen to that song in the background. I turn on the radio on Sundays mainly just for my delight. I work here on Sundays just by myself, at least till after lunch. I try to catch up on paperwork. I may sell an item or two. First thing I do when I come in is to listen to these God-inspired inspirational music. And here’s the kicker, young man. I love listening to Trinity. Your music. Your songs. Your band. I know who you are. I love all your Trinity songs. I may be old, rugged, senile, and a little bit rusty, but I have a gift for recognizing faces. You have a

very special God-given gift, a very special voice, a God-given talent. Do me a favor and look to your left from where you are standing. Find your number 2 CD in the middle of the other photos. You’ll find a slightly younger me holding a white Stetson hat in one hand and a CD in the other hand. That’s your number 2 Trinity CD I am holding in my hand. I see a young man wearing a white Stetson. Tell me that’s not you. And do you recall where you got your first Stetson from? Or who got it for you? Wait, don’t answer that! Let me.” “Go ahead. I got a feeling you already know.” “You bought it at Carrillo’s Western Wear. They didn’t have one they thought you’d like. So they called me. Course, they never told you that. That, I guess, was our secret. They said it was for a very special young singing artist who had just recorded his first of many CDs. They said you had some kind of ‘magical’ natural talent in that voice of yours. They sent me an autographed CD you ended up giving them. They said you gave them ten or more autographed CDs. They called me to see if I had a very special, very nice white Stetson hat in the store. I shipped it that same day overnight. Two days later, I got your autographed CD. I took a picture of myself holding the CD in one hand and holding another ‘El Patron’ Stetson with my other hand. That, my dear son, is my story. So I’d say that the young man wearing the Stetson on the CD cover is most probably you. The young man wore a 6 1/4 size ‘El Patron,’ which I was so very proud to have shipped, I think, to St. Louis, Missouri. You can correct me if I’m wrong … “So can I call you Franklin, Marty, or Jason? I know it’s gotta be one of those names, for sure. You have changed a little bit for the picture on the CD cover. I think the slight touch of gray on your sideburns is a little bit much. Kind of looks like it’s dyed. But I’m sure famous stars like you sometimes mingle with the public, hoping they are not that easily recognized. I don’t really blame you one bit. Paparazzi and all, right? Some are very rude. Some ask the dumbest questions too.” “Lou, I am honored that you even recognize me, and I stand humbled here before you. My God-given name is Franklin. Jason is only my stage name. It’s a long story. But I promise you one of these days, I’ll be back to see you, buy another hat from you, and we can sit, and I’ll tell you all about it. Some Sunday perhaps we can both sit, relax, and just listen to the radio, your favorite radio station, of course. It would please me very much, and it would be an honor for me.

“Your story about my very first new Stetson is so very accurate. In fact, I’d already crossed it out of my mind. To be honest, Mom and Dad actually bought it for me. Now that I think about it, they sacrificed a lot in buying me that hat. I hadn’t realized that till now. I’m beginning to wonder how … Oh well, never mind that now. Lou, thank you for even recognizing me and actually making me feel more special than I really am. I’m just another singer competing for fans, I guess. I don’t feel like a celebrity at all. I don’t feel I’m any more special than any of these famous faces on this very special wall of yours. You honor me by even having me in the middle of them all. Hey, before I leave, how about a picture of you and me? That is, if it’s okay?” “You bet! It would be my honor, Franklin! Let me get this camera ready. I’ll it here in a little bit, put it on a Kodak paper, and it will be framed and hung before I go home for lunch. Man, will my sweetie be surprised! She just loves it when famous folks take pictures with her ‘old fart’! She will definitely be on the phone with all her friends later today and all day tomorrow! Wouldn’t be surprised if some of them come into the store before I close at two today. Franklin, I think you just made her day! You’ve just helped me score a thousand points with my lady! Wouldn’t trade this day for anything in the world! I just love it when she smiles!” The music coming through the speakers had already played at least three of Trinity’s inspirational songs. “Lou, I want to thank you from the bottom of my heart for enjoying the music we sing and the type of music we play and for taking the time to actually play our CDs here inside your store. It lets us know, and it lets me know that maybe, we are doing something right for some people in need of inspiration in order for us to get them through the rough times. It’s not always easy. Times are getting harder and harder. People without jobs. Some working two and three part-time jobs just to get by. Some have no transportation. Many people on welfare, high dollar meds … Anyway, you know what I mean.” “Don’t kid yourself, Franklin. The messages, the tidbit Bible verses in your songs, sometimes send us a tingling up our spine. Sometimes they bring a tear down our faces. Those messages get to the bone, to our hearts. You’re a gift from God. You stay close to him, and he will keep rewarding you with many, many gifts that come only from the heart. God is guiding you and watching over you. As long as you stay humble and down to earth, those beautiful songs of yours will enter our homes and our hearts.”

“Thank you, Lou. You’ve made this special trip for me extra, extra special. Let me ask a tremendous favor of you. When you mention me to your lovely wife, my name is Jason, not Franklin. I am Jason Skarr, lead singer for Trinity. Franklin is only between me and you. Is that a deal? Would you please do me this favor? No one really knows me as Franklin. Kind of wanna keep it that way, at least for a little bit longer. And as for the touch of gray, a little bit of a disguise also. Got it?” “You bet! I understand totally. No problem! Hey, let me ask you. You guys find that young girl yet? I mean, the one who sang with you back in Dallas Friday night?” “No, not yet. Funny. How’d you know about that?” “Oh, it’s all over YouTube. Beautiful, beautiful and cute song. You ought to put it on one of your next CDs. The little girl did a cute job of staying up with your lyrics. I know I’d like a copy of it someday.” “Actually, that’s why we’re looking for her. It’s already on production. It’s coming out on my next CD, just a few weeks from now. Gotta find her as soon as possible before they enter the market. She’s on the CD, and she doesn’t even know it. What’s even worse, her parents don’t even know it either. But we’re searching all over the country. Hey, Lou, it’s been a pleasure knowing you and visiting with you. Thank you so much for my ‘El Patron.’ I’ll always know where to come to buy my next hat. God bless you and your beautiful wife. May God always watch over you both, my dear friend.” Franklin walked out the door and headed toward the Javelin. Franklin called Marty to let him know he’d already picked up his Stetson. “By the way, Marty, do me a favor and send Lou or drop him the last three CDs we recorded if you don’t mind. Tell him it’s a gift from Jason Skarr and Trinity.” “Don’t mind if I do. I’ll drop ’em off on our way out of Ok City. You heading for church already?” “Headed to the Corpus Christi Catholic Church now as we speak. As soon as it’s over, I’ll see you guys down the road, or I’ll see you guys at the Intrust Bank Arena up in Wichita.” “Okay! Sounds like everything is still on schedule.”

“Marty, I’m just double-checking here. You did already pay for my hat down at Langston’s right? I just want to make sure. Lou told me everything was taken care of.” “Yep! Sure did! They didn’t try to make you pay for it again, did they? I know the place is very highly recommended, very, very nice, and honest people are supposed to work there. Surely, that hasn’t changed.” “Oh, no! Lou is the nicest guy you will ever meet. I just wanted to make sure. He never mentioned money. Then again, I didn’t ask what the hat was worth either. I kind of figured you might have already paid for my hat with the credit card. I was only checking to make sure before I left the store’s parking lot. Otherwise, I’ll go back and pay for it immediately.” “It’s paid for already. All taken care of, buddy.” “Okay! In that case, thanks. Hey, everything ready to go?” “Yep! We’re all set! Everything loaded. Actually, I think everyone’s still sleeping. I’m about to go get some breakfast and give Mr. Shiloh an early morning call. Hope he’s up already. If not, oh well.” “Okay! See you later.” “Later, Franklin.”

Back in Pauls Valley, at the Santa Catarina de Siena Catholic Church, the pews were all filled with people. Annalicia and Lillie were standing side by side, nervously smiling at each other and at the crowd. Annalicia’s brothers and sister were excited about their newly energized choir. As far as they were concerned, the music was set to go. Jesse and his harmonica was ready. Jesse actually had four harmonicas. One was tuned for the key of C, the other was tuned to the key of D, another was tuned for the key of G, and the last was tuned to the key of A. Ignacio, Annalicia’s dad, pointed at both Anna and Lillie and beckoned Jesse to start playing the first hymn so that the people would hurry up and sit and hopefully start the mass on time. Annalicia and Lillie took a deep breath and signaled the kids to start. The first hymn was on the way.

Meanwhile, Mary Lou was still sleeping in AnnaMarie’s bed. She had arrived at her parents’ house around seven in the morning. She had stopped at McDonald’s and bought some breakfast meals, pancakes, and three cups of coffee. She had convinced her mom she would buy breakfast so that her mom wouldn’t have to get up so early and mess up the kitchen just for her sake. In the end, Suzanne agreed to let Mary Lou buy breakfast at McDonald’s. She got up early anyway, got showered and dressed, and woke up Greg. She hinted to Greg that their daughter would be home very shortly with breakfast. “McDonald’s,” he asked? Before Mary Lou arrived, Suzanne checked in on AnnaMarie to make sure she was all right. She was still sound asleep. By the time Mary Lou arrived, both Suzanne and Greg were waiting to greet her out in the driveway. Once they all said their hellos and hugged one another, the morning brisk air made them all rush back inside the warm and cozy home. “Is AnnaMarie still asleep in bed, Mom?” “Yes! Or she was ten minutes ago, sweetie.” Marry Lou hurried inside the house. Greg stated, “She’s in your bedroom, honey.” “Thank you, Dad. Let me sneak a peek. Can’t wait to see my little precious princess.” Mary Lou walked slowly toward the bedroom she had slept in since she was born up until just a few short years back. She walked very slowly up to the bed to see her beautiful daughter cuddled up under the blankets. Her dark-brown hair covered half her face. A smile was always on her face when she slept. This morning was no exception. Mary Lou very slowly crawled into bed next to AnnaMarie. She then very cautiously cradled AnnaMarie right next to her body. She kissed her tiny little nose, whispered “I love you,” and, before falling asleep next to her, said a Hail Mary and an Our Father. After thanking God, she fell soundly asleep. Somehow she knew that her mom and dad also knew and understood that she would be with her daughter in bed. Greg quietly told Suzanne, “What are the odds that Mary Lou fell asleep right there next to AnnaMarie? Wanna bet?”

Suzanne answered, “She is where her heart needs to be, here at home with us and with her precious little baby. They both love and care for each other so very much.” Within a few minutes, AnnaMarie woke up to find her mom lying next to her. She realized her mom was probably very tired and sleepy. She kissed her mom on her lips after slightly brushing her hair away from her face. She decided to get up and let her mom sleep a little bit more. Before climbing out of bed, she recited her Hail Mary and the Our Father as her mom had taught her to do every morning upon waking up. She then said, “Thank you God for bringing my pretty mommy to me safe. God, please say good morning to baby Jesus for me, oh, and to his mommy too!” AnnaMarie headed to the bathroom, brushed her hair, and brushed her teeth before going into the kitchen. Grandma and grandpa were drinking McDonald’s coffee and simultaneously smiled at her and stated, “Somebody got an early gift in bed this morning, didn’t they?” said Greg. “Isn’t she the prettiest mother in the world a child can have?” “Yes, Grandpa, Mommy is the prettiest mommy in the whole wide world. And best of all, she’s my mommy. Mommy says you’re pretty too. Hey, what’s for breakfast? I’m real hungry now that Mommy’s here! May I have some apple juice, please, Grandma?” “Got your breakfast in the microwave. I’ll heat ’em up. We’ll give it a few seconds. In the meantime, I’ll get you your apple juice.” “What time is Mommy getting up?” “Don’t know, sweetie,” answered Greg. “She got in a little after seven. She may need a couple more hours. Let’s just let her sleep a little bit longer, okay?” “Oh, I forgot my hat!” “Don’t you go get that nice hat all dirty with fingerprints or stains,” answered Suzanne. “I already put a Walmart bag over it so it doesn’t get dirty at all, Grandma.” “Oh! Okay! I’m sure that’ll help a little,” Suzanne answered with a slight smile

while looking at Greg.

CHAPTER 19

And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life.

—(KJV) (1 JOHN 5:11–12)

Back in Oklahoma City, Franklin arrived at the Corpus Christi Catholic Church, went directly to the priest, and immediately showed his letter from the St. Louis bishop. He was cheerfully thanked for coming to the church and was told he could certainly read the gospel and read to the congregation his prepared homily. The priest handed Franklin two pages of a pretyped homily he had already prepared to read off. “If in case you run out of things to say, glance at my homily and use whatever you can to get your point across. Feel free to use any of it. That’s it, son. Read slow, loud, and clear. Try not to get too overly excited, tongue-tied, or nervous. Do not ramble on through the whole narrative. I hope you’ve practiced reading in front of other people. I also hope you’ve had at least some experience before coming here. I guess if I have to, I can bail you out. I’ll be close by anyway. We usually have a tough crowd that tends to hang on to every word you say, and they kind of tend to ask questions and explanations at the end of mass. So don’t be surprised if they come to you after mass and ask you tons of questions. You have been warned. So be ready for those questions later on. Tell you what, read this before mass starts so you’ll have an idea about the main point our bishop here in Oklahoma City is trying to get across. In the end, just give it your best shot and do the best you can. I’m sure these people will understand, especially since you are a visiting deacon and since this may be your very first time standing in front of about one hundred people. Hopefully, you are not easily intimidated by all these eyes looking right back at you.” “Thanks! I’ll definitely do my best. And I truly hope I don’t disappoint you or the congregation. Listen, would you mind showing me the readings and the

gospel reading for today? I think it would sure help. Me, that is.” “Why, sure! But concentrate more on the homily than the Scripture readings. It’s easier to read than trying to think and talk at the same time. Sometimes you gotta think fast in order to keep the monologue going and not lose your train of thought. We certainly don’t wanna confuse the people with too many different topics to talk about. Let’s stick to one, okay? It takes years of practice. Look at me, I still lose my concentration when kids start playing, when babies start crying, and when people come in the church in the middle of mass. But somehow I get through it.” “Sounds like a great idea. I’ll certainly keep your advice in the back of my mind. And I’ll try to stay on your topic. Hope I don’t disappoint you nor the congregation.” After going over the two readings and going over the gospel, Franklin read the priest’s prepared homily that he had just been asked to read off. After getting his thoughts in order, he felt he was ready to meet this church’s congregation. Too his surprise, he peeked out the open door into the sanctuary and discovered that the church was pretty near at full capacity. Mass was about to begin. Franklin made the sign of the cross and read a quick Our Father, a quick Hail Mary, and a very quick Glory Be. He felt he was ready. He said a quick amen. Both the priest and Franklin looked at each other, and the little bell was rang by the young altar boy. Mass had started right on time. By the time Franklin got to the podium, he could sense everybody’s eyes in church were focused and staring at him. He read about wives respecting husbands, husbands being the head of their families, and kids respecting their parents. The point being made was about trusting and believing in God, Jesus Christ, and the church. It was about having a strong family background. When Franklin finished reading the holy gospel, it was time to read the priest’s homily. And although he was not wishing to deviate from the prepared sermon, he nonetheless figured it really would be easier for him to deliver it from a personal basis. Anyway, he was only an “honorary deacon” after all. Nothing could go wrong, he thought. After all, he’s only gonna be there for this one mass. It’s a one shot. Give it his best and be done with it. He raised his eyes to face the congregation. He smiled as he saw people’s faces. He could look into their eyes without hesitation. He saw babies cradled in people’s arms sleeping, young kids squirming all over, and lots of teenagers and young adults. He saw teenagers sitting with other teenagers. Some were

whispering, smiling, giggling, and a few almost totally laughing. Some grownups were yawning. Some already had their eyes closed. Many others were already looking stiff and bored to death. Others were looking at the ceiling. Franklin looked from the corner of his eye and noticed that even the priest looked halfway asleep. Mass had just barely started fifteen minutes ago, and people were already falling asleep out of their seats! The women were a little bit more attentive to the mass. Franklin started with his half-prepared, half-written sermon. Franklin began. “Hello! My name is not really that important right now, but I am going to ask you all for a very special favor. First, I need everybody’s attention so that there is no confusion. I simply ask that do you do what I ask. So please humor me for just a little bit, okay? I’m going to ask that everybody sit together as a family as you came here from your homes to mass today. By this, I mean that parents and sons and daughters all sit together as a family, not separate. So all kids, preteens, and teenagers all seat next to your parents. Make all the noise you like, but once you sit next to your folks, all noise stops, okay? Please humor me. This is only for today. Next week, you won’t have to. I promise. That’s because next week, I won’t be here. Older grown-ups too. You parents can also sit next to your own parents. I’m talking about the kids’ grandparents. Some of you may have to take up two pews. That’s all right. If you have to, don’t worry about it. Brothers, sisters … I don’t care how old you are. Thirty, forty, fifty, or sixty! If you have other siblings here today, sit next to each other. If your parents are seventy, eighty, ninety, and more, sit next to them. Don’t be embarrassed. Everybody’s doing it. Get up! Make some noise! It’ll be over in a little bit, and then we can start on the boring stuff, my sermon. Just do it! When everybody finally gets settled in, I shall continue. Everything has a purpose in life. I’ve got mine. You’ve got yours. This little exercise does too. You’ll all see in just a little bit.” Within three minutes, everything was quiet. Most of all, everyone was quiet, awake, and fully alert. All eyes were on Franklin. “Thank you!” Franklin could actually see the smiles from the parents as they looked around to see their own kids sitting on the same pews next to them. They could see their own grown-up brothers and sisters, cousins, parents, and grandparents all on the same pew. It was a new kind of “nice” feeling. Franklin saw some people actually leaning on shoulders with smiles on their faces. Some were even shaking hands and hugging each other. Some were holding hands and arms with each other. And some were even kissing each other on the mouth or on the cheek. Franklin

finally asked when everyone was settled down, “Is anyone missing your spot?” To his surprise, everyone just laughed. From somewhere in the middle of the church, someone hollered, “All here and ed for!” This drew a laugh from the crowd. After a few seconds, a man in his early forties raised his hand. “Yes, sir! May I help you? Please stand for us if you don’t mind, sir.” The man stood and, with tears running down his eyes, said with a breaking voice, “My wife! She’s not here!” “Is she home sick? At work? Out of town? Are you both separated right now?” “No, sir. She ed away two weeks ago, sir. She loved coming to church a whole lot. She loved this church. She used to drag me here on Sundays. I used to give her all kinds of excuses so I wouldn’t have to come to church. Sometimes I even got away with it. All of a sudden, now that she’s gone, I find myself wanting to come here every day, hoping to see her sitting in one of these seats one of these days. Today I came here because of her. I came here for her sake. I came here today because I love her and because I miss her very much. I love her so much I hurt all over. I want to see her. I want to touch her. I want to tell her I am sorry I let her down and told her no so many, many times. She always sat at the left end of the second pew to your right. I can almost see her sitting there as I speak. Her image is embedded in my mind.” “What is her name, sir?” “Victoria. I always called her Vicky, my sweet Vicky. But her name is Victoria, sir. Victoria Johnson.” “I take it you are Mr. Johnson?” “Yes!” “Mr. Johnson, Vicky is so very proud of you for being here with us today right here, at this very moment, ing her memory and sharing her with us here in front of God and Jesus Christ. There is no doubt in my mind that she is listening to every beautiful word you are saying here at this very moment. My heart tells me that right now she is sitting right next to our Lord Jesus Christ, and both are smiling with all of God’s angels just knowing you are doing everything

in your power to see her again one of these days and that you will never let her down. Thank you for being so brave in sharing this beautiful story with us. I know it wasn’t easy. And on my behalf, why don’t we dedicate this very special mass to your testimony of her in her memory? For me, it would be an honor to do so. Amen! Thank you for sharing your very touching testimony with all of us here right now in this magnificent, most beautiful church! Amen again!” After a couple of seconds, Franklin gave Mr. Johnson some silence so he could compose himself. He then started with his own personal sermon he already knew in his heart. “She was seventeen going on eighteen, months before graduation, months before deciding which affordable college to go to, and, yes, months before saying yes to marriage. Her life then revolved around her best friends in high school. But something happened in her life that she wasn’t prepared for. She looked for those answers in school and her girlfriends. Not confiding with teachers nor counselors, she relied on her teenage friends. They didn’t know any more than she did. They were kids themselves after all. Kids asking kids for advice. They were kids being kids. Kids trying to be adults. Eventually, she took their advice. “So one day after having lunch at school, she skipped the rest of her afternoon classes. She knew she was going to graduate anyway. Missing one day of school was not going to hurt her chances of graduating. One day out of nine months, no one would notice, or so she thought. Anyway, she would only be missing three classes. No big deal! “She rode the city bus to a small building located on the other side of town from where she lived. She answered the questions on all three pages she was given to answer by the woman in the lobby. She was then escorted into a small room and was told she would have to answer a few more personal questions she might feel uncomfortable answering. She was told she would have to answer them if she wanted to continue with her plans. She agreed to answer a few more questions. She sat very quietly. She looked about the room. She started looking at pictures on the wall. She was nervous and now becoming more and more scared. She saw some very disturbing pictures she couldn’t bear to see. She looked all around— pictures and nothing but pictures of ugliness. Finally, she heard a very faraway fainting sound. Her heart stopped beating. She looked around and heard the sound once more. Was it the sound of a cat meowing? Or … was it the sound of a baby crying?

“She opened the door of the room she was in. She opened it ever so quietly and saw a young teenage girl being escorted very slowly and quietly out the back door of the building. She heard the fainting sound of the crying once again. She slowly and quietly shut the door to her room. She walked slowly about the room wondering, pondering. A cry! A baby’s cry! A cry for help! She was right! A baby’s cry! A baby was crying, and no one was helping, nursing the baby! A fainting baby’s cry! Dying! She looked at herself. She looked at her stomach. She felt her heart pounding. A baby’s crying, pleading to see his or her mommy! But she’s leaving! Alone! She’s gone out the door! What about the baby? Who will watch out for her baby? What will happen to the baby? Was there something wrong with her baby? But somehow she knew all the answers to all this questions that were now racing up and down her mind. She also knew why ‘she’ was there. “She couldn’t take it anymore. She felt like screaming, crying, and running! She rushed out the door, ran toward the back door, and ran all the way back to school. Eventually, she would tell her dirt farming boyfriend of the pregnancy and of what she had almost thought about doing. “Our Virgin Mary was still a very young teenager herself when God’s angel, Gabriel, appeared to her to tell her she would be blessed with God’s child even though she was not married to Joseph yet and even though she had never been with a man before. Joseph also found out that his bride-to-be was now expecting a child, which he knew was not his. An angel of the Lord came to him in a dream to tell him that the child Mary was bearing was of God, an immaculate conception. The angel revealed the name of the child was to be Jesus. He will be called Emmanuel, which means, ‘God with us.’ Although this was hard for Joseph to comprehend or believe, he still accepted it because he loved Mary and because he believed in God’s almighty power. “Joseph was a carpenter. Everybody in town knew this. He probably wasn’t a highly educated man, at least not for that day and time. He did love Mary very much even though he was a bit much older than she. He also believed and trusted the laws of Moses and the Ten Commandments. Mary knew her baby was of God. She was also scared of what could happen to her if the people found out she was pregnant and unmarried. She trusted in God and knew her baby was God’s gift to her. At the time, Mary didn’t know the baby was also God’s gift to the entire world for all eternity. But why her? She was still just a child herself who didn’t know anything about sharing her life with a man? And what had she

done to deserve this angel’s visit, this baby, and, best of all, this gift from God? “Joseph was ‘only’ a carpenter. He was most likely not a very highly educated man even for his time. There were no real schools back then for ordinary people. He did love Mary very much. And he also believed and trusted in the laws of Moses and the Ten Commandments. Mary knew her baby was of God. She knew her baby was God’s gift to her. Why? She didn’t know why. And why her? What had she done to deserve this angel’s visit, this very, very special gift? What would she do with the baby and no husband? What would the people think? Her parents? Her friends? Joseph? What if she had said no? I’m not married! I’m not ready! I’m not old enough! I’m still a child myself! I’m not ready to raise a child! I’m a kid, for God’s sake! I don’t want the responsibility! Why was this baby so important that he had to be born now? From me? Is this what God needs, or is this what the world needs? A hundred questions, a thousand, a million! No doubt Mary asked herself some of these questions, maybe not. She trusted and believed that God knew what was best for her and for the world. She also knew that a savior would someday be coming into the world. She just didn’t know she would be the chosen mother of this savior people had been talking about for years after Moses. “God is with us! Emmanuel! Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee! Blessed are thou amongst women! Blessed is the fruit of your womb, Jesus! Glory to you, oh Lord! Glory to you, our Lord! “Some twenty-six years ago, this young girl was seventeen going on eighteen. She did run out that back door and never looked back. No regrets. She ran for her life to give life. She proudly married her dirt farming boyfriend for better or for worse. Neither one had any regrets because they have strong hearts, strong will, and a very, very strong faith. She has never looked back. Today she is still married to that same man. She had a son of whom she is very, very proud. The son loves both of them more than they will ever imagine. Nothing in the world can ever break that love, not that bond between them. Today the son is very thankful for trusting in God that everything would turn out all right. Hello, my name is Franklin … ‘I’ am that son.” Tears began running down everyone’s eyes. Tears were also running down the priest’s eyes. Franklin’s eyes were also a little red and watery. But he took a deep breath and finally finished his sermon with a simple “Thank you.”

As he began walking away from the podium, everyone stood and gave a neverending applause. Parents were hugging each other, their children, and their friends. After a while, everybody began sitting back. The priest walked up to the podium, looked all the way around, and finally turned to look at Franklin. He started off by saying, “I have never in my life been so moved to tears from a homily that close to someone’s personal life. I must it, we have never had this closeness, this much crying for happy tears. I don’t think my sermons or homilies have ever had this much personal or positive impact during any Sunday mass. I’m going to have to send a very personal letter to Bishop Carlson for sending you to us here today. You have truly been a true inspiration not just to me but also to all of us here today. I guess we can all say ‘You have rocked this house!’ I am speechless, and now I know I will have to do better preparing on my sermons. Thank you for opening up ‘my’ eyes. I am humbled and, at the same time, inspired to do much, much better. Again, thank you!” Soon, mass was about to be over. The priest asked Franklin if there was anything else he’d like to say before the end of mass. “Any last words of inspiration before we all leave to share time with our families and friends on this beautiful Sunday?” “Yes! A few years back, I wrote this poem. I have never shared it with anyone, but I think it would be appropriate for today, especially here in church. It’s not very long, and with your permission, I would like to recite it. I hope I can it as I wrote it. I also hope it’s to your liking.” “Franklin, you go right ahead. We would love to hear it.” “The title is called ‘A Flower for Heaven’s Garden.’”

God, all-knowing, knew He would be betrayed. And yet, created man in his own image, with gifts to live by. He knew greed, infidelities, wars, and jealousies would consume man. And, He knew about Judas, Peter, the Cross, and of the crucifixion.

And yet, He smiled, knowing a soul so pure, so beautiful and tender would come. The Perfect Flower, He would create, to bring consolation for His creation. A hundred times, the elderly couple prayed for a child, for them to love. Joachim and Anne loved God; prayed, and finally a Rose was Godly granted and born.

She was named Mary, and was destined to be God’s Queen of Heaven and Earth. Lightning and thunder roared the precious day Mary was born. A baby’s cry brought calm that day, and created a most beautiful rainbow. A star appeared; a full moon shined, and on Earth, it’s Queen was born.

The deep sea and endless sky, were given the blue from Mary’s eyes. The pink colors of a sunset, matched the smoothness of Her rosy cheeks. The cooing turtle doves, echoed the sounds of Mary being rocked to sleep. Anne had borne the child, who’d bear the child, who’d save the world.

And, God gave her to us, to contemplate forever, Her beauty and goodness. In her heart, Anne knew Mary belonged to God; the Flower for God’s new Garden. And, God knew man would fall, and knew His only Son would pay the price. Mary would be the ultimate Light of Paradise, the Mother of the Holy Family.

Born an ordinary child, in an ordinary cradle, She was God’s hope for all mankind. Tears flowed from her parents seeing their three year old leave to forever worship God. Her aged parents knew their Beautiful Gift was created for man’s salvation. St. Anne gave us Mary, the Mother of Heaven, the Flower who gave us the Son of God.

“Thank you. Let me ask. Does the church not have a choir? Or anyone here who can play the organ?” Nobody stood. The priest modestly stated, “No. Sorry. We haven’t had a choir since I’ve been here. Apparently, the last priest here before me did away with the choir. And ever since he left, not one has been formed or gotten back together.” At the last second, Franklin saw a hand go up. It was Mr. Johnson. “Yes, Mr. Johnson?” “Yes, sir. Jim Johnson’s my name. I can play the piano. Not really sure about the electric organ. I guess they kinda play a little the same. My dear wife taught me a couple of years back. I’m no expert, so don’t expect much. But I do know most of the common keys. Maybe I can help, that is, if there is no one else willing to raise their hand. No guarantees though. I guess you can say I am still a beginner. On second thought, maybe I shouldn’t. Maybe I ought to just sit, huh?” “No guarantees? God is with us! God is with you! This is your community, your church! God has inspired you to open up to us with your beautiful story earlier. God will inspire you to do it again! God ‘is’ your guarantee! Tell you what, Jim, you come up here, and I’ll help you get this baby organ fired up! Just hit a few keys to help you find your spot. Pretend this is your wife’s piano at home. Don’t be afraid. Just let me know when you are all set up to help me. Let’s sing to your wife! Let’s sing to our Virgin Mary, Jesus, God!

“This is a song I wro, I mean, —heard some four years back. I it ’cause at the time, I … heard it on a religious radio station. It reminded me so much of myself. I don’t really who played it, but I do believe the title to the song was ‘Eyes That Told It All.’ “Trinity!” The group that sings it is Trinity! The name of the song is ‘Her Eyes Told It All’” came from a female’s voice. Franklin asked, “Who said that?” A female raised her hand. “It was me,” answered a young female in her early thirties. “I have that CD at home. It’s actually one of my favorites. I have many other Trinity CDs, but that is my favorite. It’s a very real song. Real life. If you love gospel, buy Trinity CDs. Songs that will make you cry! Scream for joy! Give you a new look on life!” “Thank you for sharing that with us. And your name?” “Abby!” “Abby, can you sing? Do you want to help me sing this song? I may be a little rusty, or I may not this song completely. Been quite a few years since I, ahh, heard it. Would you like to share this spot with me and sing to your fellow parishioners? You would honor me in singing my … or, that is, one of my favorite songs. I know it’s a beautiful song. You’ll make our Lord Jesus Christ set a very special place in his heart, at his table, for you, for me, and for all of us.” “I’m not a professional singer at all, but I would love to sing it. Gives me goose bumps just thinking about it. I know the words to it by memory. I am always singing it silently to myself. I can probably sing it in my sleep. I’ll do my best, Mr. Franklin. I hope I don’t let you down.” “How about a very nice round of applause for Ms. Abby? For being courageous enough to get up here in front in order to sing to you, to us all! Okay, Jim! Whenever you’re ready! One … two …” “Excuse me, Franklin. What key,” Jim asked. “What key? Great question. In what key, Abby? Hadn’t thought about that one.

Never had that asked before.” Franklin was trying not to let on that he was a musical genius. Abby looked at Jim and then at Franklin and then said, “Don’t ask me! I don’t even know what that means! I don’t know anything about keys? I don’t know anything about music. I just sing to whatever.” “Okay! Me either. Tell you what, give me a high-pitched sound, Abby. Kind of like you’ve just seen a mouse, and you’re afraid it’s gonna jump at you. We’ll see what that sounds like, okay?” Abby did just that. Without giving it a second thought, Franklin turned to Jim and, without hesitation, said, “How about a D minor? Or maybe even an E minor? We’ll see what that sounds like, okay? Can you tap those keys as a ballad?” “A ‘D’ minor it is, Franklin. I like these notes. And I love ballads. Smooth and easy, right?” “You are correct.” Abby just looked at Franklin, wondering how he knew what a D minor sound like in comparison to her voice. She knew that the music and the singer had to blend in together. She thought, Does he even know what a D minor is supposed to sound like, or is he just guessing? If she hadn’t even sung a note yet, how did he know what her singing voice sound like with just the sound of a squeal? But Franklin went on and introduced the song again. “Ladies and gentlemen, ‘Her Eyes Told It all.’ On the organ, Mr. Jim Johnson. Lead vocals, Ms. Abby.” As Franklin was about to start singing along with Abby, he realized they had no microphones. He could project his voice, but he wasn’t sure how loud Abby would be singing so that the audience could hear her voice completely. He quickly went over to the side of the altar and grabbed the stand-up mic and set it directly in front of Abby. He told her, “Abby, you start singing first, and I’ll you during the chorus, okay? You sing as beautiful as you can, as loud as you can. Don’t be afraid of the mic. If it looks like you have forgotten the words, just turn to look at me, and I’ll see if I can help you out. Hopefully, I haven’t forgotten the words myself. If not, we can both ad lib the song. We’ll sing together toward the end of the song. Just take a deep breath, let it out smoothly, and smile when you’re ready. Okay? Whenever you’re ready, turn toward Jim

and let him know. Ready?” “I think so, Mr. Franklin.” “Okay! On three, guys. One … two … three …”

She can’t say she didn’t cry when I was born And she can’t say she didn’t cry when I learned to walk But, I know she cried the first time I got hurt ’Cause the tears in her eyes told it all The tears of my Mother’s eyes told it all

She can’t say she didn’t cry for my first birthday And she can’t say she didn’t cry on my first date But, I know she cried on graduation day ’Cause the tears in her eyes told it all The tears of my Mother’s eyes told it all

Yes they told it all They told it all And even though she stood proud and tall She swore they wouldn’t fall But her eyes told it all

Her eyes told it all

I can’t say I didn’t cry when my little girl was born And, I can’t say I didn’t cry when she learned to walk But, I know I cried the first time she got hurt ’Cause the tears in my own eyes told it all The eyes of her father told it all

I can’t say I didn’t cry on her first birthday And I can’t say I didn’t cry on her first date But, I know I cried on her graduation day ’Cause the tears running down my face told it all The tears in my eyes told it all

Yes, they always tell it all They tell it all And even though we all stand tall We swear tears will never fall Our eyes tell it all Yes, they tell it all They told it all

They told it all Our eyes told it all They told it all

Jim kind of waited for Abby to start singing before he began playing the organ. Her voice sounded scratchy at first but soft and beautiful. Franklin took her hand in his as he ed in the singing with her. Once her nervousness seemed to subside, he gently let go of her hand, and both went into the first chorus. By the end of the song, Abby sounded very relaxed as she was now hitting the high notes perfectly and on time. She was also smiling as the song was approaching the last chorus. She seemed to be enjoying her own singing. Jim was also playing right on key and right on time. He too seemed very relaxed. By the time the song reached its last note, people were already on their feet, clapping with much enthusiasm and energy. Even the priest was hollering one hallelujah after another. At the end of the song, all three stood side by side, holding hands and bowing to the much energized crowd. Jim leaned into Franklin and stated, “Twenty-six and already with gray hair? How’d you manage that, buddy?” It quickly dawned on Franklin he had dyed hair. “It’s, ahh, father … and son gene, Jim, a family blessing … or curse. I accept it as a blessing. It kind of runs in the family. Anyway, it’s only a little bit gray. No big deal.” “Well, it gives you character. Nothing wrong with it. Makes you look wise and intelligent. Makes me wish I had a little bit of gray.” “Thanks for the compliment.” Franklin looked at the crowd with a big warm smile. He leaned into the mic and said, “Fellow parishioners, meet your first Sunday mass choir ! Anybody else in here who can sing and would like to up? Then come up! Let’s get you introduced! Anyone out here who can play any type of musical instrument? Come up! We are accepting new choir right now! Today!” By the time Franklin was done, two teenage girls and three teenage boys had

approached the altar to Abby and Jim. There were three men in their forties and fifties who had also ed in. “Ladies and gentlemen, God has been glorified today! Hallelujah! We have us a choir!” said the priest in a loud voice. The priest looked at Franklin and turned to look at his church . “I have never witnessed such enthusiasm and energy in any of my churches ever before. I’ve been a priest in several churches here in the state, but this is a first! I must it! I don’t think God has either. I know God is smiling right now at this very church. Hallelujah! Such a heartfelt song dedicated to mothers and children! Singing, hugging, kissing, clapping, and your very heartwarming homily! Such a very strong and powerful message! So well said! I liked it! Yes, sir, I liked it very much! For someone who’s new at this, you were superb and so well gifted! This crowd has obviously taken you into their hearts! I can see why Bishop Carlson sent you to us here today! I think the people here today are wishing you’d stay here with us for good while. I don’t know that I could ever muster or match this much energy you happen to bring into this congregation. I don’t know what we’ll do next mass without your enthusiastic and energetic presence! God has indeed blessed you so very much! Thank you!” “You have a new choir that will help you in glorifying our Lord Jesus Christ! The glory of God, the Holy Trinity, lives here at Corpus Christi Catholic Church, Father. We just forget the little things. We get into the routine of just coming and going to church and not wanting to see any kind of change. Sometimes we need to look back in order to see where we’ve been so that we can go forward with our lives. Sometimes we forget to breathe. We do it automatic. It’s taken for granted. But someday we’ll want to take one more breath, one that we’ll know it’s our last. God is calling. One more breath in order to stay alive for one more split second. We know it will be our last. God knows it will be our last. Sometimes we need to laugh. We need to sing, sing to our lord with all our might. We need to keep one another alive. Me, I want to do that! Everywhere I go! Everyone I meet! Let everybody know I love God, and God loves me! I want to tell that to the whole world. I want to project that with my life! So I leave very, very happy knowing I might have made a slight difference in someone’s life today! Somebody here even if it only lasts for a couple of minutes, even if they forget about me by tomorrow! That’s okay! I was only ing through!” “You know, Franklin, you sound like a real educated scholar, a man with a psychology degree or one with a theology degree, someone who knows a lot about God and the Bible, and someone who knows a lot about life in general.

You’ve made me wake up. You’ve made me believe in you and in your honesty. You’ve have indeed woken up my closed mind. I am so glad you came into my life, all our lives! I’m gonna you for a long time after you leave. I’m gonna be watching for you next week in hopes that you walk through those doors again and be with us again. Please! Do come back! Please promise me you’ll be back someday. As you can see, ‘I’ am missing you already.” Abby leaned into Franklin and said, “We’re all missing you already. As you can see, the people are still on their feet. May God bless you wherever you go! Please, please do come back!” “I will! I promise. I’ll see you … one of these days! I’ll be back!”

CHAPTER 20

Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.

—(KJV) (JOHN 3:5)

With that last statement to Abby, again, like before, he headed out the back door like he did back in Paul’s Valley. He jumped in the Javelin and headed toward I35. Once he found the interstate, he turned north toward Wichita, Kansas. It was a little after 11:00 a.m. He called Marty to find out where they were. “Actually, we’re just about to pull out. I guess we’ll be fifteen to twenty minutes behind you if you are already on I-35. Hey, I called Ms. Bertha, and she was ecstatic about the whole deal. She was on cloud nine! She thought she’d died and gone to heaven, literally jumping for joy! Yep! Once I told her what you were asking of her, she almost busted my eardrums from hollering so loud. She didn’t even have to give it a second thought. She said yes before I could even finish telling her the whole proposal. She called you a smarty-pants. She said you must’ve seen right through her. Truth is she itted she was a music teacher in some little bitty town back in West Texas. She taught music in a town called Amherst. Amherst, Texas, home of the fighting Bulldogs. School colors are white and blue. “Bertha ended up moving to Oklahoma when she remarried for the second time. Her second husband died a little over a year ago. She went to live with her daughter until she ended up at the nursing home three or four months ago. She did say that her daughter would have to drive her over to Paul’s Valley. She also said she could go out there for at least four hours every other day. She doesn’t want the staff to know she actually has a job now and one that probably pays better than what they get paid. She said she wouldn’t want to insult them by them finding out what she will be doing and for the amount you want to pay her. Thought maybe some of them may want to tag along for the ride or for the money! Then she laughed! She was all tickled to death to be able to go back to

work. She thought she was done! Said she can’t wait to get started.” “Fantastic! Thank you so much for handling that for me. I owe you one. Okay! Just add that one to the list! Go ahead and pay her daughter also. Make it worth her time. Pay driving time, watching over Ms. Bertha, meals for both of them, and of course, gas money. Oh, find them a new van or SUV for them to drive. Go ahead and put the vehicle in their names also. Don’t tell them the van will be in their names, at least not yet. Find out from her daughter what she would like to drive. Tell her the van will eventually be for the band when the tutoring is over. Advise her we may need them both for the next two, three, or four years, maybe more, depending on them.” “I figured you’d tell me that. So I’ve already ed a dealership here in Oklahoma City. They’ll send me pictures of at least four or five vans and pictures of four or five SUVs. They’re supposed to send me all the details, extras, freebies, discounts, and final price by tomorrow, Monday. All I got to find out is what color these ladies would like. I they were driving a Ford van. I’ll have to call Ms. Bertha and speak with her daughter to see if they really do enjoy driving the Ford van they drive already. If so, then we are on the right track. They even told me they would even special deliver it for free with a full tank of gas all the way up to the Tuttle Nursing home there in little old Tuttle, Oklahoma! I mentioned the band was paying for it, and they went wild when they found out we were doing business with them. Apparently, they listen to our music at home. They said some of the weekend employees listen to religious stations on Sundays when they are out there working. Old fellow sound very nice and very complimentary about our music. Salesman said they would service the van for free for the next three years from top to bottom, bumper to bumper. They would even fix all flats for free. Compliments of the band Trinity and the Metro Ford Dealership. How about that?” “Sounds like you were one step ahead of me! Sounds fantastic! You’re beginning to think just like me. You’re beginning to scare me! Anyway, you’re an okay guy after all, no matter what the rest of the band has to say! You’re okay in my book! Ha ha ha!” “Funny! You’re a funny guy, Franklin! Instead of being a singer, maybe you should’ve been a comedian! Or a circus clown! You’re not the Franklin I know when he’s up on stage, you know that? Hey, I wouldn’t have you as a friend any other way! Ahh, getting back to business … I called Mr. Shiloh up in Lubbock,

and he said okay. Talking about the coliseum for December 18, that is. The concert time will be from nine till midnight. That is, if that’s okay with you. I told him I thought it would. So let me know if I need to call him back to change the times.” “Hey! Times sound great! When you call him again, tell him you want to add at least twenty more feet of stage all the way around. That is, if it’s possible. Unless there is not enough room because of the seating area or walls or whatever there may be that would not allow the extra stage.” “All the way around?” “Yes! All the way around! Or at least to the right and left sides.” “But there’s only gonna be nine on stage at any one time while you guys are playing! The guys in the band, our four beautiful Voices, and you!” Franklin answered, “Well, yes and no. There will be lots and lots more according to my calculations. Lots more! Believe me! You will just have to wait and see what I mean. We’ll have special guests, ? Many special guests, guests of which you haven’t even thought about! I’ve got plans! Every invited guest who is able to show up will have their own spotlight! This will be the show of the year! Right there in the Lubbock, Texas, Municipal Coliseum! You wait and see!” “Okay! You win! I can somehow already picture. You’re right! I definitely know it’ll be tremendous. Knowing how you’re mind works, I’ll call Mr. Shiloh and see what he says about adding the additional stage. I’ll take care of it, buddy. Okay! I guess we’ll see you in Wichita!” “See you there, Marty! Wichita, here we come!” Franklin was about two and a half hours away from Wichita. He was already on the interstate.

Back in Weatherford, Mary Lou had just woke up and was in the bedroom folding and gathering AnnaMarie’s clothes she was planning on taking back home. AnnaMarie had already wondered back into her room and was telling her

mom of her experience at the Dallas concert. She was telling her of having been on stage with a “real” famous singer, “Jason” somebody. “Yes, Mommy, I was helping Jason sing this funny, silly song about lollipops, Tootsie Pops, and colors. I was all over that song, Mommy. Everybody in the room was laughing and clapping. I think they were laughing more at him than me. He just told me to say whatever came to my head. My little head, is what he told me. He’s funny, Mommy. And now I have this hat. He put it on me to cover my little head, I think. He wanted me to take care of it. Grandma said we gotta find a way to get it back to him. Can I keep it, Mommy? Can I? I know my little head will grow into it. It’s really not that big.” “Honey, that looks like a very expensive hat. I think it’s called a Stetson. Not very many people wear those kinds of hats. You need lots of money to buy those hats or a very good credit card. We don’t have either one. It’s a very high-quality hat. I think the right thing to do is just like Grandma says. We need to find a way to get it back to him some kind of way. I’m so sorry, sweetie. You hang on to it for the meantime. But don’t get it dirty. They’re probably expensive to have them cleaned too.” “Oh, Mommy, there’s another thing! You know that woman who gave me my cross and my Rose … Marie?” “You mean, rosary?” “Yes! My rosary! I think I saw her at the concert. I know it’s weird, but she looked a little like Grandma. She even knew my name, I think.” “Like Grandma?” “You know, like how old Grandma looks!” “Your grandma doesn’t look that old. She in her mid-fifties. The little old lady who gave you the rosary was about seventy or eighty. She couldn’t look younger. People age as they get older. People don’t get younger. She probably just reminded you of her.” “Well, she did look younger.” “People grow older, not younger. I’d say, the woman you saw might have resembled the little old lady from back in Lubbock. Now I do hear that most

everybody in the world has somebody somewhere who looks just like them. A look alike, is what I’m trying to say. Kind of like a twin whom they never had. Anything is possible, AnnaMarie. You may have somebody in New York City who looks just like you. I may have someone living in Kansas, or Colorado, or maybe even in Florida who looks just like me. You never know. But I would recognize you anywhere! ’Cause I know you’re my flesh and blood. Nothing can ever separate us. We were meant for each other. And I’m not trading you for nobody.” “Not no way! Not no how! Right, Mommy?” “You’re 100 percent correct!” “Okay, Mommy! If you say so, I believe you. I’m yours, and you’re mine! Oh, did I tell you that she also knew my name?” “Now say that again …” “The lady at the concert, she knew my name. She said something about having guardian angels.” “Grandma didn’t say anything about that when I spoke with her on the phone or this morning.” “She probably forgot. Grandmas probably do that. You know, her rosary looked just like the one that Jason had around his neck too.” “Well, we probably need to go visit a little bit with Grandma and Grandpa before we head back home to Lubbock. It’s almost noon, and I’m scheduled to work tonight. If we don’t hurry up, it’s going to be a long drive back home and a long, long night at work. We need to head on back home, sweetie.” “Did you buy a new car, Mommy? I saw a real pretty one in the driveway. Is that our new car?” “It’s a long story, sweetie. I’ll tell you about it on the way home. Let’s tell Grandma and Grandpa bye. Please tell ’em thank you for taking care of you, thank you for taking you to the concert, thank you for dressing you very pretty, and thank you for watching over you. And most of all, thank you for loving you so very much, okay?”

“That’s a lot of thank yous, Mommy. I don’t know if I can to say that many of ’em. I’ll try. Are they coming to see us at home for Thanksgiving like you said they would? Or are we coming back here for that? If we come back, it’s okay. I like this house.” “To tell you the truth, I don’t know. If Grandpa’s not working, maybe they can come see us. I’ll ask again. If not, we can always eat at IHOP’s or at Furr’s Cafeteria. They both always have great food that we both like. And it’s cheap, something we can afford on a tight budget! And we are on a very tight budget! I don’t know that we’ll actually have the money to go all out and prepare a full blown-out turkey dinner. We’ll just have to wait and see when the weeks get a little closer to Thanksgiving. We’ll see, okay? I’m sorry, sweetie. I can’t give you a definite answer just yet. But I bet they’ll be with us for Christmas! That I can guarantee you! We’ll be here, or they’ll be with us back home! I’ll be sure and find out and let you know later, okay?” “Christmas? Hooray! A Christmas tree! Lights! Presents! Oh, I’m so happy! I wish it was Christmas already!” “Yes, honey! Don’t we all? Presents … Oh my god! I did have to bring it up, didn’t I? Hey, you ready?” “Yes, Mommy, I’m ready!” “Then let’s go say bye-bye to Grandma and Grandpa. What do you say? We’ll talk about your hat on the way. I want to hear all about it, okay?” “Yes, let’s!”

About thirty minutes outside Oklahoma City, Franklin saw a van stopped off the shoulder on I-35 with its emergency flashers on. The van look familiar. As he came closer and closer toward the van, the hood looked like it was standing open. A couple of girls were standing at the back of the van. They were waving for someone to stop. All of a sudden, this reminded him of Annalicia, Ignacio, and Paul’s Valley. His heart told him he was going to have to stop. He began slowing down and finally came to a stop a few feet directly behind the van. “It’s a white man!” one of the girls hollered back toward the group of girls she

was with. Franklin got out of the car and asked if there was anything he could do to help. “I’m not a mechanic, but maybe I can help with something.” “You got a tow truck?” asked the girl. “Or maybe a new van?” “Well, a quick phone call will get a tow truck on the way. Have you called for one already? Or I can call for one if you all need me to. Your parents need a tow truck?” An older black man was at the front of the van, looking under the hood. “Thanks for stopping, young man. We need either a new battery or a new alternator. I got a boost back in Oklahoma City earlier this morning. I let up off the gas, and it just died. Just like that. Won’t even click now. We attended church this morning, and now we’re headed back home to Wichita. I thought maybe the girls had run down the battery at first, but it should’ve recharged itself by now. My guess is it’s probably the alternator since the battery seems to be dead. What do you think? Got any ideas?” “Well, you’re probably right, sir. It should’ve charged up by now. I bet it’s like you say. But if the battery is just plum dead, alternator is not gonna recharge it either. But if you lean into the alternator, you can smell something burned. Could be the wiring that got overheated and maybe shorted out. Or at least, I think I smell something burned. It could just be my nose … Sorry, I’m not really helping, am I?” “Well, actually, now that you say that … The smell was a lot stronger not more than five minutes ago. I kind of wondered where the smell was coming from a little while ago. You could be right, mister. Maybe we do need a new alternator or a good used one. I only have a fifty left in my wallet. I was saving that one for an emergency. I guess this is an emergency. Don’t look like I’m gonna have any choice anyway, does it? We still gotta get home. And hopefully before dark.” Franklin felt like he needed to help these folks. “Tell you what, sir, I got a buddy who works at a garage. He can find a good used alternator, and I bet he can drive all the way over here, hook it up for you, and get you going in no time. That way, you guys can be home before suppertime.” “Hey, that’s great! You reckon he can come over right away? Like as soon as

possible? The girls need to be in Wichita, Kansas, by no later than 4:30 p.m. It’d be nice if he could come right over. They have a special event at the Agape Christian Church there for a very special group of kids from a kid’s nursery next door to the church. It’s actually an early Thanksgiving gathering. Those kids are looking forward to the concert.” “I’ll tell you what, let me make a couple of phone calls to a couple of friends. We’ll see who can come out here. Since it is Sunday, finding them could be a little difficult. Give me a minute, and I’ll be right back. Hopefully with good news. I’ll let you know in a minute.” Franklin went back to his car and immediately called Marty. “Hey, Marty! Hey, listen, I know you’re about twenty or so minutes behind me. Get on the Internet, like right away, and find a mechanic who’s willing to earn some extra bucks today, right now. This is what I need …” Once Franklin told Marty about the van, the alternator, the battery, and the girls, Marty assured him he would find someone no matter what. Within a couple of minutes, Marty called Franklin back to let him know that the mechanic would be there in thirty minutes or less. The less depended on whether there were any state troopers patrolling the highway. It was almost 1:00 p.m. Franklin had asked Marty to be sure and stop his bus behind the Javelin and advise the second bus and semi drivers to go on ahead to Wichita. Franklin added, “Whatever you do, pretend like I’m just a stranger who flagged you guys down. Act like you don’t know me. You stopped because you needed some rest, and you wanted to ire my 1970 Javelin. As soon as we know for sure that the mechanic is on here and has the right parts, we’ll get back on the highway. If there are pictures of me around, put ’em up. If the girls wish to go inside the coach for any reason, like using the potty or just looking inside the bus, give them a tour. Let them go inside even if it’s just to go inside and sit and relax, okay? Give them anything they like—food, drinks, CDs, souvenirs … Make them feel extra special. Just don’t let them know who I am.” “No problem! We’ll do our best!” After getting off the phone, Franklin went back to the van, and by now, all six girls were singing and practicing harmonies. The older B/M and his wife were still discussing the problem with the van. “Can I help?” asked Franklin.

The old man said laughingly, “You got twenty or twenty-five grand in your pocket for a new or good, old, used van?” “Has this van done had it?” asked Franklin. “Kind of did a year ago. It’s got almost 250, 000 miles to its name. We come a long way, us and her. We travel from Wichita to Kansas, Oklahoma, St. Louis, Mississippi, Tennessee, Florida, and Washington D.C. Once in a blue moon, we get asked to go perform in Dallas. Our church really doesn’t have travel money for us to take the girls all over the country. We travel on donations and our very own paychecks. The girls do car washes, yard cleanups, mini-concerts around Wichita, and, of course, door-to-door asking, the poor man’s way of asking for money. The girls are in big demand when it comes to their singing, but that’s about it. Not much money up front from the church.” “There just ain’t any, mister. It’s not that the church don’t wanna help. They ain’t got the money. That’s all there is to it. Donations ain’t enough to put new tires, new batteries, and definitely no new two-hundred-dollar alternator. We still gotta put gas, change oil, change belts, and feed these girls every time we stop somewhere. Believe me, we stop at McDonald’s, Burger King, or KFC and buy those five-dollar pizzas. It’s no picnic for any of us. We’re retired, but this is work for me and my wife. It’s fun for the girls. We love these girls so very much just like they were ours. We love traveling with them, but I think we are getting too old to be doing this for too much longer. Somebody else is gonna have to take over the reins and travel with these girls sooner or later. I think the misses is ready to stay home. Right now, so am I. I am beat. We’ve never had this much trouble. Sure glad you came along. God must be watching out for us.” “I’m sure, it’s not easy. But I did stop to help. Like I told you, I’m not much of mechanic. I’ll tell you what, I’ll flag the next vehicle coming down the road. Not much traffic today, being a Sunday. We’ll just see who stops for us. If they stop, your wife and girls can go on to where you guys are going, and I can stay here with you till your van is fixed and ready to go. That is, if the vehicle stopping is heading up to Wichita also, okay? If not, maybe they can go in my car. I was heading up to Wichita myself. If you’re heading that way, then I’ll keep you company by riding with you till we get to your church. That is, if you trust me to tag along with you. Once we get to Wichita, I take my car back and go on to do my business there. Can your wife drive a standard? Is that a deal?”

“Oh, you don’t have to, sonny. If my wife and the girls want to go on, I can stay here and wait for the mechanic. I’ll be all right. Wouldn’t be the first time I was stranded out somewhere all by myself. You’ve already done enough simply just by stopping to help. If you’ve got a mechanic on the way, I can wait for him, and you can get on your way. I don’t wanna keep you here waiting on all of us. We’ll be all right, believe me. I’ll just pay the mechanic with my credit card if I have to. Hopefully, it won’t be much over a hundred. God has done sent us some blessings today. We’ll just get to Wichita later this evening. We can play that concert tomorrow. I’m sure they’ll understand. Can’t do much when one has car troubles, right?” “That’s true. Not much you can do when you have car troubles like you said. But I done made up my mind to make sure we all get to Wichita at the same time. We’re sticking together, and we’re arriving in time so your girls can be on stage on time. We’ll get there. I’ve got a good feeling our help will soon be here, along with the mechanic. We’ll keep on praying together! How about it? You with me?” “Sure! You bet! If you say so, then I’m with you! By the way, my name is Joshua. What be your name, mister?” “Joshua, and a pleasure to meet you, sir. Franklin. My name is Franklin. Very nice to make your acquaintance. Hey! Here comes a private bus, or an RV, or something. Looks big. Can’t really tell. Let’s see if it’ll stop for us if we flag it down, okay? This could be our lucky day, Joshua. You never know.” “A private bus? Good Luck! Those go a long ways without stopping. They ain’t stopping here in the middle of nowhere. They don’t even stop in small towns, much less here. We best just have to wait for the mechanic, I think.” “Ahh, come on now, Joshua! Faith! Where’s your faith? You’re a Christian man! Have faith! I got faith! You got faith? You got faith? You got faith, Joshua? Let me hear it! I got faith! You got faith! Yes, we got faith! Franklin got faith! Joshua got faith! The whole world got faith! Hallelujah! Hallelujah, Lord! Give us hope! Give us faith!” The six girls came running from the back of the van. Joshua’s wife came running up to them also. Joshua started hollering, “We got faith! I got faith! We all got faith!” The girls started hollering in tune and repeating the same words over and

over. They were all standing next to Franklin and Joshua, waving the bus down. All were now standing in line next to the road, waving the bus to stop. Franklin had recognized the front of the bus as he saw it coming about a mile down the interstate. He knew it was his bus. Gradually, Marty was coming into view. Marty was on the enger seat of the coach. By now, he was beginning to see the Javelin parked on the side of the road. “Okay, fellas, , we don’t know Jason. He is just some guy flagging us down. Jason is just another stranger to us. We’re just stopping because they are flagging us down.” Bobby, Mark, and Johnny were willing to play this little charade with Marty and Franklin. “Okay, it’s show time, guys!” said Marty. The coach began slowing down and slowly began veering onto the shoulder as it was slowly coming to a very slow stop about twenty feet behind the Javelin. Marty came out of the bus first, and behind him were Bobby, Mark, and Johnny. Joshua told the girls to be careful and not get too close to the bus once it had stopped. “Don’t get to overly friendly and be careful what you say or how to talk. Be respectful though. they are strangers to us just like we are strangers to them. Polite! Respectful!” Franklin kind of knew what Joshua meant. They were all seeing a bunch of white guys coming out of a very expensive private bus. Anything could happen to these young girls at their age. Franklin knew deep down inside his guys were nothing but courteous, polite, and respectful. They would not act any different right now. So Franklin took it for granted that Joshua was, after all, chaperoning these six young girls during the whole entire trip. Nothing had changed that. Joshua was still responsible for their well-being, their welfare, and, most of all, their safety under any and all circumstances. “You all okay? Need some assistance? Need a ride? We saw you guys waving us down. Unless you guys were waving hello. Anyway, we kind of needed to stretch out a little bit anyway. Are you guys needing some help? We can probably call someone for you all if you’d like us to. Wouldn’t be any problem at all. Can we call someone for you?” asked Marty while looking at both Franklin and Joshua. Franklin jumped in to answer and stated, “My friend Joshua here is taking these lovely choir group back to Wichita. Their van broke down. We think it needs either a battery or an alternator. One or the other. Maybe both. It may be a little

bit longer before the mechanic shows, but the girls need to be in Wichita by 4:00 p.m. today. They have an engagement there, and they don’t want to be late. They’re doing a concert for some kids at a nursery, which is right next door to the Agape Christian Church. They want so desperately to get there in time. They may need a ride there if it looks like the mechanic won’t get here on time. They are kind of at a standstill.” “Well, so happens we’re headed to Wichita ourselves. You guys are more than welcome to hitch a ride with us. We got plenty of room, food, snacks, drinks, and seating area for you all’s comfort. The company is us if you guys don’t mid a bunch of ugly guys. Believe me, God knows we are all harmless. That’s a promise. We got a very nice bathroom and an extra nice dressing room. Got all the comforts of home, believe me. We also got a super fantastic stereo system that’s out of this world. By the way, who drives the yellow Mustang or whatever kind of car that is back there?” asked Marty. “It’s an AMC Javelin, and I drive it,” said Franklin. Franklin knew Marty was kidding, so he decided to play along. “Why do you ask?” “Is it broke down too?” asked Marty. “No! It’s running perfectly fine. It’s a 360 horsepower with four on the floor. Not having any problem at all with it. Fantastic motor. Smooth riding if I do say so myself. I myself had stopped to see if these folks needed some help.” “Oh okay! Well, if you’ve got a mechanic on the way, then you probably don’t need us. But since we’re here, if you all want to tag along with us onto Wichita, we can all get on board and keep heading toward Wichita. The women folk can go with us to make sure they get to their venue on time and on schedule. If that’s your wife, sir, she is more than welcome to come along with us too. The sooner we get back on the road, the sooner we can all get there on time. We’ve got a schedule to meet ourselves. You two guys can stay here and keep each other company at least till your mechanic shows up. What do you say, mister. . . ahh …” Marty was looking at Joshua. “Let me talk it over with my wife and see what she says. Give me a minute to discuss it over with her, okay? Let us see what is best for all of us concerned. These girls can be a handful. And we’re responsible for each of them. We promised we would not let them out of our sight. We don’t want to break that

promise. We would not be able to live with ourselves if something terrible was to happen to any of them. We’re kind of on the spot here. But I know we gotta make a decision here, a hard one at that. We’re kind of like up against a tall brick wall. Oh God, please help us make a right decision. Give me a minute, okay, sir?” “You go right ahead, Mr. Joshua. You go right ahead. Tell you what, if any of the ladies want to go inside, find the potty, or freshen themselves up, they are more than welcome to do so. They can fix themselves some sandwiches, grab some drinks, and maybe get some snacks. You all are more than welcome inside the coach. And they don’t have to be shy. No, sir, not at all,” Marty told Joshua loud enough to where the girls could hear. “Yes! Yes! Yes! Oh, please say yes! Please say yes! Please, please, please!” they all shouted. “If this gentleman says it’s okay, then okay! But don’t disturb nor break anything! You respect their privacy and their property. Don’t take nothing without permission. I don’t care what it is. You ask! Don’t go into any closed rooms! You ask where the restroom is before you go in there opening doors! You’ll understand that?” And then Joshua asked Marty, “Pardon for me asking this stupid question, but I’m just curious. I know these buses cost an arm and a leg. And I kind of figure most of these buses are owned by old, rich folks, or they are rented by rich folks too. Is this a rental or privately owned? Stupid question, I know. I’m just curious, that’s all. I’m just an old fool being nosy …” “To be honest, it’s privately owned. Actually, we’re delivering it to its owner. I’m just delivering it, ahh, that is, my friends and I are delivering it. We’re just heading up to Wichita. We’ll meet our friend there, I mean, the owner, that is.” “And you’re sure he wouldn’t mind if he sees these young girls inside his bus when you all get there? I certainly don’t want you to get fired or not get paid when you guys show up with extra cargo! I’m almost certain your friend is white, and these girls are black. I don’t want these girls to be humiliated when they start stepping out of the bus. I’m not too sure about this arrangement. Maybe I better say no. Maybe we ought to just take our chances here with Mr. Franklin. It shouldn’t be much longer anyway. But just the same, thank you for

offering. Don’t think we don’t appreciate it,” said Joshua. “Believe me, ‘our friend’ doesn’t mind. He doesn’t look at skin color at all. He feels just like you and me, I bet. We’re all the same color on the inside, is what he always tells me. We all have the same blood color running in our veins and in our hearts. And if he was here, I know he’d tell us the same thing. He’s the type of person who will take the shirt off his back to give it you if you were needing one. He would give you his last dollar bill if you were needing it right here, right now. I can guarantee you that.” Franklin just smiled at Marty after hearing those words coming out of his mouth. And Franklin knew that Marty was not lying nor exaggerating. He truly did feel just exactly as to how Marty was telling it to Joshua. Franklin suggested to Joshua to go inside the bus, get something to eat and drink, or to go use the bathroom. After that, the girls could also go inside, get something to eat or snack on and get something to drink, and then if the girls did not wish to ride in the coach, they could say so then. “If the girls just feel totally uncomfortable, then the bus can get on their journey, and he would stay with them until the mechanic showed up. If not, the girls can go on ahead to Wichita, and they can wait for us when we all get there.” “Maybe I better ask the young man in charge of the bus before I go barging in inside his bus and start helping myself to his food, snacks, and private restroom. I don’t want to take advantage of his hospitality. It wouldn’t be right, Mr. Franklin.” “You know, you’re probably right. Let’s ask.” Marty didn’t hesitate. “You needn’t ask, sir. You go inside and make yourself at home. Nobody will tell you anything. And they will be more than willing to get you, your wife, and your girls anything you all need or would like to have. You make yourself at home. You go inside, and anything inside there is yours. My guys already ate, and they are all okay with it. Our boss is he—” Marty started to say. Marty cut off the last part of his sentence when he was about to say “here.” Franklin stayed outside and spoke with Marty, Johnny, Mark, and Bobby. “Yes, do me a favor, Marty. Get on the phone here in a little bit and call someone in Wichita and get a new van for the church. Find out from the girls what they would like inside the van besides soft cushioned seats. Then call the dealership

there in Wichita tomorrow or later today and get it bought before we leave Wichita, at least by Monday.” “Okay, boss. You know, you’ve spent more money during these last three days than you have all year long. And it’s nothing but gifts for strangers. Are you ever going to buy anything for yourself? Just asking.” “I already have. I bought me a Stetson earlier today. Oh, I’m sorry. You bought me my Stetson, didn’t you?” “Sure! But it was my pleasure! And I’ll do it again if you were to ask me to,” answered Marty. “Thanks! I know you would! But I won’t! Still, I thank you for letting me know. Hey, if you guys are wanting to be in Wichita early, you might want to hit the road soon. Don’t you think? It’s almost two, and you’re still at least an hour and forty-five minutes or so away. You still gotta make sure everything is on schedule with the rest of the group. Make sure Jimmy and Flenoid are doing okay. Those Jackson brothers are okay. Hard workers, looks like.” “Yep! We do need to get back on the road. Let’s see if Joshua feels comfortable enough in trusting these girls to act responsibly. Ha ha ha!” Franklin and Marty climbed inside the bus to ask Joshua what he wished to do. Joshua was a little hesitant, but his wife convinced him to stay behind if Mr. Franklin meant what he said when he stated he would stay with him till the van got repaired. Franklin then assured her that he was planning on staying with Joshua and would follow him all the way back to Wichita. Once she knew for sure that Joshua would not be left alone on the road waiting for a mechanic who might not ever show up, she agreed to stay with the girls on the bus back to Wichita. They would all ride in the bus with Marty, the driver, and the others. Just as they were making plans, the second coach with Trinity’s Voices and the equipment semitrailer stopped behind Franklin’s coach. The trailer did have the name of the band Trinity in huge, bold, black letters on both sides of the trailer and on the back. The second bus also had the name Trinity written on both sides of the bus. Joshua noticed that for some strange reason, both buses looked exactly alike. And this kind of made him wonder. Was this a coincidence, or was there something going on?

Joshua took a second look and asked Franklin, “You thinking what I’m thinking?” Franklin decided to give Joshua a dumb look and answer. “That we’re all headed toward Wichita?” “Okay, Mr. Know-It-All! No, man! That’s not what I’m talking about! I mean that these buses and trailer are all headed to Wichita! One big caravan! Same interstate! Two buses very much alike! This is a traveling band! The first bus has no sign outside, but the second one does! That tells me that the lead singer is probably in the first bus. All we got to figure out is who the lead singer is. I just bet they all know one another, and they are traveling together! Trinity! I’ve heard of this very talented musical group. My girls sing a couple of this group’s songs while in concert. They love all the lyrics to their songs. They just love the music. I understand this young man on lead vocals writes all the lyrics to all his songs, from start to finish. He’s supposed to be a very gifted young man. I’d like to meet him someday. Could be today, huh? I wonder who the singer is? I’d like to meet him, you know. I personally wouldn’t know him even if I was to see him. I wonder if he’s the one who owns all these buses and trailer? Young man must be rich!” Just then, Bobby walked up to Franklin and said, “Hey, boss!” Bobby quickly realized what he’d just said and bit his tongue. Joshua looked at Bobby and then looked at Franklin. “He just called you boss.” Franklin turned to look at Joshua and automatically said, “Joshua, I think he was talking to you.” Bobby quickly stated, “I’m sorry! Meant to say Joshua. Ahh, what year model is your van?” “It’s a 2001 model.” “Oh okay!” Bobby just walked away before spilling the beans again. The last thing he wanted now was to be asked a question he wouldn’t be able to answer truthfully. Joshua told Franklin, “I wonder why that was so important?”

Franklin answered, “Yeah, really.” Just then, the girls came over to Joshua to tell him bye. “Whoever owns this bus must be rich or must be a superstar,” one of the girls said. “But no one wants to ‘let the cat out of the bag.’ They say it’s a secret.” Then one of the girls looks at Franklin and point-blank asked him, “You’re not a superstar, are you?” Franklin looked at the girl and nonchalantly stated, “Well, I’m afraid you got me. I am your regular run-of-the-mill, superstar. I give up. I’ve always wanted to say that. I’m the superstar you girls are looking for.” Joshua just stared at Franklin but said nothing. The girl then ended her questioning by saying, “Yeah, right! And I’m the Queen of Sheba! Or rather, Ms. Diana Ross! My girls are the Supremes!” And she just laughed. “Jason Skarr is much, much younger than you! Nice try, mister.” And then she turned around and headed toward the bus. Franklin just smiled. But for some unknown reason, Joshua all of a sudden felt like something wasn’t totally quite right. It was kind of the way that Franklin had just answered the girl. Maybe this young man “was” the mystery superstar the girls were looking for. He kind of looks young, except for a little graying hair. He literally stopped a very expensive tour bus, hauling a national award-winning band. Another bus and a cargo trailer also came to a stop directly behind the first one. Surely, they are all traveling together. All engers seemed to kind of connect with Franklin. They kind of acted like they knew one another, and at the same time, they acted like they didn’t know one another. Something was going on, and he was willing to bet that Franklin was the superstar singer for the band Trinity. He was willing to stake his reputation on it. But he was willing to keep this thought to himself for the time being. Sooner or later, Franklin would have to it it, he thought. Although he hadn’t lied about it, he had itted it to his choir girl, kind of. She just hadn’t believed him. She was more preoccupied with being inside the bus. “Let me go tell these guys thank you for stopping to help, okay, Joshua?” “Yeah, sure! Ahh, whatever you say, Franklin. I can go tell them too. Or I can tell you Franklin, I mean, Jason.” Franklin looked at Joshua and said, “Be right back, Joshua. Give me a minute.”

As the buses and the trailer were about to leave, Marty hollered at Franklin, “See you in … I mean, see you all in Wichita!” Franklin and Joshua waved them good-bye. Both got in the van to wait for the mechanic. Joshua started talking first. “I’ve heard lots of good stories about this band, fascinating stories, heartwarming stories of the band and especially their lead singer. I know their lead singer writes great Christian and inspirational songs that really lifts people, especially when they are feeling down. These girls play those CDs all the time. I also understand their singer is a Catholic and real down to earth. And so I ask you, are you a Catholic?” “Yes, sir, I am a Catholic, Joshua.” “Those guys who just stopped, they stopped because of you, not because of me, right? You are Jason, aren’t you, Franklin?” “Yes, sir! I’m Jason Skarr, lead singer/songwriter for Trinity and Trinity’s Voices. Those are my best of friends who just left in my buses and trailer. They stopped because I asked them to. They stopped because they care about what I care. I wanted to help you, guys, and they wanted to help also. We do have a concert to do in Wichita later tonight. There is a mechanic on the way. Sometime tomorrow, you will have a brand-new van to drive your wife and your girls to their concerts. The van will be ed to the church with you as its principal caretaker and driver. The church will get a free and clear title to the van upon delivery. There is no doubt in my mind you will take care of the van as if it was yours. I bet that’s a guarantee. Oh, and the van should have a full tank of gas upon delivery. Any other questions, Joshua?” “Well, now that you’ve answered my main question, I guess not. Nope, don’t think so, Jason!” “Feel free to ask me anything. If you have a question, I’ll answer it. Franklin. Call me Franklin. And now my turn, okay? This conversation never happened. My secret. Your secret. My name ‘is’ Franklin. I don’t consider myself a superstar. I’m only Jason Skarr, lead singer for the band Trinity. All those guys are my friends. For whoever may ask later on, the van is a gift from some unknown gift giver who wanted you and the girls to have so that you could drive a better, safer, and more reliable vehicle to all their concerts. I was just another Good Samaritan who just happened to be ing by and stopped to help

someone in desperate need here in the middle of nowhere. We just both happened to be heading in the same direction toward Wichita, Kansas. And last but not least, it has been a true and sincere pleasure meeting you, your wife, and your six beautiful girls with all due respect.” “I just knew you were nothing but our guardian angel when you stopped. Heaven-sent, is what I’m trying to say. From the bottom of my heart, me and the misses, thank you and all your friends for doing what you did. I don’t know that we’ll ever be able to repay you. Wish there was something I could do to repay you for all that you have done.” Just then, Franklin looked in the rearview mirror to see a small tow truck pull up right behind the Javelin. “I believe our mechanic’s just arrived. It’s show time! Let’s hope he’s got the right tools and parts and get you going. our deal! My name is Franklin, okay?” “Got it!” The mechanic walked up to the van and said, “I brought a battery and an alternator, just in case. I’m gonna check the battery first and then the alternator. I’ll be able to tell you which one has gone bad. Who knows, maybe both. I’ll let you know in a minute. I’m gonna have to boost the van, then I’ll be able to tell you what needs replacing. You guys just hang on. It shouldn’t take but a couple of minutes. I got some cool ones in the cab of my truck, got some soft drinks, and I even got some bottles of water. Your choice. No charge. You’ll just help yourselves. No charge.” “Yes, sir! Thank you!” said Joshua. Within forty-five minutes, the mechanic had changed out the alternator. The battery was still in good condition. Franklin asked Joshua if he needed a battery for any personal vehicle back home. “Well, to tell you the truth, my spare car doesn’t run now because it doesn’t have a battery. That is actually my wife’s car. I been meaning to get buy her a new battery, but I haven’t had enough money to get it. It no doubt could use a new battery. I just don’t ever have any money left after buying groceries and paying the bills. I been meaning to get me a part-time job to make ends meet.” “Well, I’d say, we’re in luck. The mechanic just happens to have a brand spanking new one he needs to get rid of. I’d say, it’s yours! It’s already bought

and paid for. So it’s all yours! How ’bout that? Talk about luck! This is your lucky day, Joshua! And don’t thank me. Thank God!” “Are you sure? I could pay you for it! We’re talking about hundred-dollar battery! I know they ain’t cheap nowadays! I can’t pay you now, but I can pay you later! I promise, Mr. Franklin!” “Joshua, you already have! Seeing your eyes light up! Seeing you smile! Your heart has already paid me! You hang on to your money. You’ve already paid me a million times!” “I have? How?” “Your promise to me. Your friendship! Your honesty! Your trust! That fact that you are watching over these beautiful girls to keep them safe. And sooner or later, God will send you many, many rewards to you and your wife! You just keep doing what you’re doing. God is watching. And he knows where your heart is! In the right place!” “Thank you for saying all those things even though you don’t really know me. Thank you for believing in me. I hope I don’t ever let you down, Franklin. Knowing you, I think I’ve already been blessed and rewarded by my Lord Jesus Christ! Hallelujah!” “Hallelujah, my friend!” answered back Franklin. The mechanic also hollered, “Hallelujah! Amen! Hey, here’s your battery.” The mechanic was looking at both since he didn’t really know who actually had paid for the battery. “What do you’ll want to do with it? Get a refund, sell it, keep it, give it away to someone in need, install it anyway, or stick it in the back of the van? To be honest, I don’t even know who paid for it, but I’ll do with it whatever one of you says.” Joshua looked at Franklin, and Franklin just nodded at him. Joshua turned to address the mechanic and finally stated, “Please place it in the back of the van if you don’t mind, sir.” “Don’t mind at all. A two-hundred-dollar battery needs to be used in some nice car, truck, or another van. She’s all yours!”

Joshua hesitantly asked the mechanic, “How much do I owe you?” “Ahh, let’s see. Sir, you are in luck! Not a single penny! Someone with a big heart and, apparently, lots of money has taken care of it already. It’s all paid for. I was not supposed to ask any questions. I was to install it and make sure everything works properly. In fact, I may need to give some back to whoever paid me. I’ve gotta be honest. On one hand, I was paid a thousand bucks to get here and get this van going. I almost feel guilty for taking all this money. On the other hand, this just paid for Thanksgiving and a couple of small gifts for my very dear and understanding wife. I was sure blessed today when I answered that phone. Glory, glory, hallelujah! That’s why I kind of felt I needed to in while ago when you guys were hollering hallelujah! I say, hallelujah, brother! Yes, indeed, I am blessed today!” “I guess we’ve all been blessed today! I guess your guardian angel and mine may be one and the same!” said Joshua. “Yep! I’d say so! Angels are everywhere, especially when you least expect them! They come in all shapes and sizes, young and old! Yes, sir, they do!” Joshua looked at Franklin. Joshua’s tears were beginning to fall. Franklin stuck out his hand and handed him a one-hundred-dollar bill and said, “Hand it to him and let’s hit the road, Joshua. What do you say?” Joshua turned to look at the mechanic and said, “Our guardian angel says thank you.” Joshua stuck out his hand as if to just shake the mechanic’s hand. The mechanic stuck out his hand too and realized he was being handed a folded onehundred-dollar bill. “Oh, no, sir! I’ve already been paid very, very generously by someone I don’t even know. I wouldn’t feel right. My heart tells me I must remain honest to everyone I come in with. It’s hard to say no to free money, but I must. Tell you what, why don’t you give it to your friend here if he’s the one driving that old classic Javelin? Looks like he’s needing himself a new car. Don’t see those cars anywhere around anymore. If you’re giving it to me, I say, give it to him. He may need it more than you and me. I’m good! Thanks anyway!” “Actually, my friend just bought a new van, a new battery, and a new alternator. And he insists you take the money ’cause he won’t take no for an answer.”

“I guess he’s going having to drive his trade-in to the dealership, huh? Well, if you insist. In that case, either you guys must be reading my mind, or you guys are ‘my’ guardian angels! Angels in disguise! I haven’t carried a one-hundreddollar bill in my pocket in years. Won’t my wife be surprised. Heck, she may even want to frame it and carry it in her purse for a while. That is, till we go grocery shopping. Imagine that? Grocery shopping on a Sunday! Hallelujah! Angels in disguise! Now that’s a good one!” “Well, at least one of us is!” said Joshua. In the end, the mechanic thanked them both after accepting the money, made a U-turn, and headed back south to Oklahoma City. “Well, my friend …” “Yep, Joshua, let’s make some tracks. By the way, what time is your church service this evening? I’m guessing the girls are singing, right?” “Why, it’s at 7:00 p.m. You want to us? Would you like to attend? You would be more than welcome to our very modest little church. It would be an honor to see you there. I thought there was something religious about you. I must it I had you figured out right. You love the church. Are you a preaching man too? I can tell you love everything God stands for. Something tells me you are heaven-sent!” “I may just do that. May bring my friends also. If we show up, it’s okay if you tell your wife and your girls who we are. But they can’t mention it to anyone. Please tell them they can’t reveal who we are. We may just want to help them sing their hearts out. You guys have any extra playing instruments lying around in the church? All our instruments are marked with our names or the band’s name.” “Sure! Got extra mics too!” “Perfect! Now don’t hold your breath if in case something comes up, and we, for some reason, don’t show up. I will do my best to be there, but I can’t totally promise you anything. Okay?” “Sure! One more thing. Franklin is your real name, right?”

“Yes! Jason is only a stage name I use, a pseudonym, a nickname, an alias. Whatever you want to call it. Franklin is my God-given name.” “Okay. Ahh, no last name?” “None for now.” “No problem, Franklin. I say, let’s hit the road! I’m ready to get to Wichita and see my girls!” “Amen! Let’s go! I’ll be right behind you!”

CHAPTER 21

For God so loved the world, as to give his only begotten Son; that whosoever believeth in him, may not perish, but may have life everlasting.

—(KJV) (JOHN 3:16)

Mary Lou and AnnaMarie were by now close to Abilene on their way back to Southland, Texas. “And you say this singer picked you to get up on stage to talk to you? Out of all those pretty girls there, he picked you? I wonder why. Were you screaming, waving your arms, acting silly?” “No, Mommy! I was just sitting there, minding my own business. I think he was iring my rosary, my little cross, and my red beads. He had one too. But his was losing a small diamond, just like the one that was missing from the woman who gave me this one. I still , Mommy.” “Well, that’s weird. Now Grandma told me you got to sing, and everybody clapped and went wild. To be honest, I didn’t know you could sing. I guess you can sing. How come I didn’t know that? I guess I need to start paying more attention to you and the things you can do. I mean, I hear you sing some Christmas songs and some of Carrie Underwood’s song … So tell me, what did you sing?” “A song about colors. Like red and green and yellow. Oh, and blue, I think. It’s a new song for the radio to play at home is what I heard. Everybody there liked it ’cause they laughed and because Jason was being silly when he would stop for me to say something. Everybody just laughed every time I talk on the stage. I got to stand on a tall stool. Everybody laughed at him …” “They all laughed at both of you. The question is who was being more silly? Jason or you?”

“Well, me too, I guess. But he started it! Ask anyone. Ask Grandma.” “Now tell me about how you ended up with this beautiful hat.” “Well, first, he put in on top of my head. He straightened it out real pretty so I could look real cute. Then he told me to take care of it. I just looked at him, and he smiled. I guess at the time, I could’ve said something. I just totally didn’t know what to say at the time. When the music was over, I ran over to Grandma’s, and somebody helped him off the stage where he was singing. We went back to Grandma’s house. I don’t know where Jason went. Jason didn’t ask for it back. So I’m taking care of his hat. I’m taking good care of it, ain’t I, Mom?” “Yes, you are, sweetie! Yes, you are! We oughta be home in a couple more hours. Hey, would you like some ice cream tomorrow from KaleidoScoops? Your favorite place for ice cream! We can both eat our very own favorites! What do you say?” “Sounds great! ‘I’m game,’ that’s what Grandpa says. I can get my two favorite colors, red and green!” “You mean, strawberry and mint, right? Or is that cherry and lime?” “You were right the first time, strawberry and mint! That’s just like the song of colors I sang with Jason! How did you know, Mommy?” “To tell you the truth, I didn’t know. I just kind of thought you might want some ice cream, sweetie. Ice creams have different tastes. Different colors means different flavors! And best of all, we can go tomorrow! Just you and I! Tell you the truth, just thinking about it makes me want some now. I guess we could stop at a Dairy Queen.” “If we get some today, you may tell me that tomorrow. And then we won’t go. I think I’d rather wait till tomorrow if you don’t mind. And you can have your banana split with cool whip and nuts on top! Yeah!”

Jason and Joshua were about thirty minutes outside of Wichita when he called Marty. “Hey, Marty, you guys get there yet? You all make it okay?”

“As a matter of fact, we did about thirty minutes or so. We were just driving up to the Intrust Bank Arena parking lot. Beautiful building. Looks nice, very nice. What’s up?” “I was just gonna ask you, when was the last time you or any of the guys attended church service on a Sunday or a Wednesday?” “Well, since you put it that way, I think it’s time! Tell you what, I’ll ask the guys and see if they want to us for a service today. You are talking about the Agape Christian Church, aren’t you? I can almost read your mind, you know?” “Bud, you are reading my mind! Or maybe you got eyes on the back of your head! You’re right, I am talking about the Agape Christian Church. It’s at 7:00 p.m. One special favor I’m gonna ask. Dress kind of nice since we will be in our Lord’s house. Do me a favor. Ask the guys to sit kind of scattered throughout the church. In other words, not all in the same pew. I’ve got an idea that just came into my mind. I’ll tell you about it later. You with me?” “Of course! You know we are! Sounds great! I’ll see how many of us wouldn’t mind attending. We’ll start arriving there kind of one at a time around 6:30 p.m., 6:45 p.m. Don’t forget, our concert is at 9:00 p.m., okay? By the way, we fly out tomorrow for Lubbock at 10:00 a.m. Gotta be at the airport by no later than nine or close to it. Mr. Shiloh should be there to meet us.” “No problem. Sounds great! Don’t forget to wake me up and pick me up on time.”

Back in Lubbock, Norma was just barely arriving at the car rental place at the Lubbock Preston Smith Airport for Mary Lou when she drove up. Perfect timing, Norma thought as Mary Lou drove up from Weatherford and parked the car. All three jumped in Norma’s car and headed for the sleepy little farming town of Southland, just a few miles southeast from Slaton and Lubbock.

By 6:30 p.m., a large enger van pulled up and parked next to Franklin’s car. Franklin had leaned the front seat back and was taking a concentration nap. New song ideas were always popping into his head. He was always taking notes and

putting them together till he had enough notes and writing a new song. He heard a tapping on the window and spotted Marty. When Franklin arrived at the church with Joshua, he bid Joshua so long and told him he would try to come back and attend their service. He’d seen an Allsup’s on the way in, went back to it to freshen up a bit, and then headed back to the church to wait for Marty. “Wake up, sleeping beauty,” Marty whispered in Franklin’s ear as he was now napping and waiting for Marty to show up. Franklin straightened up and saw everyone dressed in very nice clothes, ready to attend church. This put a huge smile on Franklin’s face. “Well, I see everybody was able to make it here. I do thank you so very much for doing me this favor. I also have a huge favor to ask of you. I did ask for all of you to come, but if you had other plans, you can still leave, okay? You’re not really obligated to attend with me. This is just simply a favor to me and to these young ladies. Don’t think I’m trying to shove religion down your throats. I’m not. That’s between you and God. Anybody wish to leave?” Franklin gave it a few seconds and saw that nobody made an effort to want to leave. “Thank you all, first of all. This is mainly the reason I asked to see if all of you could come. My understanding from speaking with Joshua, on Sunday evening church service, this church has a very small turnout. No musicians. The girls sing three, four, or five songs. It all depends on how bored or sleepy the crowd appears to be. They sing a song at the beginning of the service, two or three during the middle, and one or two at the end. Joshua knows I’m going to be here, and I told him that you guys were going to be on stage for a concert. Joshua is the only one who knows who I am in relation to the group. Nobody else does, not his wife nor the girls. He is keeping this a secret as a favor to me. So the girls will sing their first song with music today. We will take a few instruments in but none with our band’s name on them. When they look like they are about to sing the next song, the Voices will slowly make their way up to the stage and will sing harmony for these beautiful girls. So let’s quickly grab a few instruments inside, tune ’em up, and let’s hope the girls feel comfortable with us up there with them. “Joshua was gonna hint at the girls that hopefully, we would show up. So let’s surprise them and show up for their concert. We will sure fire it up at the end. They know and sing our music from time to time. Joshua was going to convince the girls to sing their favorite Trinity songs. If they don’t, we’ll do our best to play whatever song they decide to sing this evening. That sounds okay to you,

guys? Any questions? Problems? Still willing to participate? Nothing? So I take it you guys are in?” “Sounds like a fantastic idea! I’m in! We’re in! Let’s do it!” said Crystal and Rhonda. “Let’s do it!” said Marty. “We all agree! Great idea! I’ve always wanted to do something like this! Go for it!” said Bobby. Mark, Johnny, and Bobby went inside and up to the altar to see where they would be playing at. They came out and grabbed a few musical instruments and went back inside to tune them up. Rhonda, Crystal, Jamie, and Louis all sat separately but on the same side of the aisle but in different pews. Marty sat toward the back and opposite from all the others. He basically wanted a good picture to see it all unwind and see it come together. This was about to be a oncein-a-lifetime musical event, and he wanted to be a part of it and take it all in. Franklin went to find Joshua to let him know they were all there to attend their church service. The surprise was in the works. Once he found him, Joshua told Franklin, “The girls seem a little bit nervous. Someone mentioned a huge bus outside, and when the bus was described, they figured it was the band. They’re not used to having celebrities present when they sing in church. And since they are singing your songs, they are more nervous now than they’ve ever been. And they are singing them in front of you all! They don’t want to disappoint you all, especially Jason Skarr.” “You tell them that they honor us by just simply singing them. It is us who are honored just knowing they like singing our songs, especially when they sing them in church. It does mean a lot to us to know they like singing them to the Lord.” “Do you need a list of the songs the girls will be singing? Oh, do they need your permission to sing them? By the way, are they violating any copyright laws? Actually, that’s the first time this has ever happened. Do we need to pay you all for them singing these songs of yours?” “They have my permission to sing any of our songs whenever and wherever they may happen to be without fear of breaking any copyright laws nor fines or penalties. So if you could write down the songs they wish to sing and make two

copies of the list, please give one list to one of our musicians and the other list to me so I can give it to my Voices. That would be my background singers.” Joshua added, “One thing I did want to let you know was that I did look up the group’s profile on the Internet. I read that Jason Skarr knows a lot about the Bible. It says you took college courses and you have degrees in music and theology. It didn’t say what your religion is. And so that tells me you know lots about music and the Holy Bible. Therefore, if you don’t mind, I’d like to introduce you as a friend I just met. Would you mind saying something about our meeting and how you happen to be here with us when I introduce you by name? I’ll leave that up to you. Would that be asking too much of you? Would that be okay?” “Joshua, that would be perfectly fine with me. No problem!” “Thanks! I do appreciate that very much.” “You bet, Joshua!” A couple of minutes into the service, Joshua came to center stage and mentioned the mishap with the church’s out-of-town van as they were coming out of Oklahoma City heading home. He mentioned how a Good Samaritan just happened to be driving along down I-35 in a seventies model yellow two-door car. The young man stopped to help and turned out to be a very modest angel in disguise. At this time, he pointed to Franklin and asked him to come up to the stage and finish the story of their meeting. The church had about thirty to forty parishioners attending tonight. Franklin began by talking about nicknames, aliases, akas, and pseudonyms used throughout the universe. Some have very strong meanings, and some are used ever so lightly. “The Bible hints that Jesus was about thirty years old when he publicly started his very own ministry on Earth. No doubt he had many childhood friends. He followed in his earthly father’s footsteps of being a carpenter himself. My guess is he was probably a great carpenter himself. After all, he was also the Son of God! “Something deep inside told him it was time to start doing God’s work. One day he decided to spend some time alone, so he went into the desert. He was gone for forty days. During that time, he was tempted by the devil several times. Jesus did not yield to the devil’s temptations! God’s angels were with him to protect him.

When he came back to civilization, he found John baptizing in the Jordan. He was baptized by John the Baptist. After that, he went fishing. He went fishing for men. He found Simon, who is called Peter; Andrew; James and his brother John; Philip; Bartholomew; Matthew, the tax collector; Thomas; James, the son of Alphaeus; Simon the Zealot; and Judas Iscariot, who would betray Jesus. These twelve men we know as Jesus’s twelve apostles. They were his original disciples. “When Jesus met Simon, Jesus gave him the name of Cephas, which meant Peter. Peter was also another word for rock. Thus, we all know him as Peter, the Catholic church’s very first pope. We all first learned of St. Paul from the Bible when he was first known as Saul. Saul was a Jew and a Roman citizen who persecuted the early disciples of Jesus Christ. On his road to Damascus, he loses his vision and hears the words of Jesus Christ, asking him, ‘Why are you opposing me?’ From then on, he was blind for three days. By the Holy Spirit, Saul regains his sight and starts believing and preaching the Word of God and believing in Jesus Christ. “From the Bible, we know Jesus, who is the holy Son of God, as master, teacher, savior, Messiah, Son of man, Immanuel, Lamb of God, king of Israel, Lord of Lords, redeemer, rabbi, king of the Jews, Christ Jesus, and Son of the Most High … We know God as the alpha and the omega, the Word, I am, and many other names we’ve come to hear and know. “Nicknames, aliases, akas, pseudonyms … Some are funny, some sound smart, and some can be demeaning. A few years ago, and I mean just a few, I still found myself working at a McDonald’s restaurant. Sometimes I worked in the kitchen flipping burgers and frying those fries, and sometimes I was trusted to work the . I seeing this older gentleman in his late seventies, early eighties start coming around. Sometimes he came in the mornings, sometimes around closing time. In the morning, he would come in and order a small cup of coffee and a big breakfast with pancakes. Since he couldn’t really read that well, he would always order the same meal. He would always mention that he was a senior citizen. That way, he could get his senior citizen discount. He always handed me the correct change plus hand me a dime for my tip. I would tell him that we really weren’t supposed to accept tips. But he always insisted. So I would always charge him a one dollar and forty cents, and he would always hand me one dollar and fifty cents. No more, no less.

“Without ever asking him for his name, since by now, he was one of my regular customers, from one day to the next, I just started calling him Buddy. From time to time, I would kind of accidentally give him a large cup of coffee, or an extra slice of ham, or an extra sausage patty, or an extra pancake, and sometimes even an extra orange juice. After a while, when he would hand me his dollar fifty, he simply say, ‘Thank you, son.’ And on Sundays, I would tell him I had an extra free meal coupon, so his meal was free. On a few occasions, I would call him as he was getting ready to leave and tell him that someone had changed their order and that I’d rather give him the meal than throw it away. So he always told me that he could always take it home and eat it later. In a very short time, he soon became ‘my buddy.’ I was his friend, and I guess I soon became his. He’d come in, and he’d look for me so I could wait on him. I always did. I never looked and ran the other way. I knew more or less what time he’d come in. I’d be there. Then one day he stopped coming. Several days went by, and for some reason, something deep in my gut told me something must’ve happened. By now, I kind of feared the worst. I kind of wanted to go check up on him, but I had no idea where he lived. At home, a nursing home, down an alley somewhere? Was he homeless? Did he live alone somewhere close by? “Late one afternoon, an elderly lady came by. She told me she was ‘Buddy’s’ exwife. She told me they divorced some twenty-five years back but went back home to live with him when she found out he was sick. She brought a small piece of paper and, in tears, handed it to me and then left. I went in the manager’s office, closed the door, and sat. I unfolded the white piece of paper and began reading the printed note. I immediately realized it was newspaper’s printing of an obituary. I saw a small picture of a man. It was my ‘Buddy.’ The name printed on top read Carlos ‘Charlie’ Gomez. The note said he was known as Buddy to his closest friend, Jason, who had unselfishly befriended him not too long ago. Buddy was also thanking his friend for watching out for him in his greatest time of need, and his kindness was never taken for granted and would never ever be forgotten. He was a highly decorated Air Force WWII veteran. My tears told me he was talking about me when I first saw his nickname on the note. I had given him his nickname just a few weeks back. Tears built up knowing he’d known me by my first name from my name tag from day one. I met Buddy a few years back. I knew him for a very short two months. And though we didn’t know much about each other, he died teaching me a huge lesson, a lesson I will never ever forget. That lesson was kindness. Thank you, Buddy. No, I didn’t know him for a long time, but I guarantee you, his memory will last me the rest of my lifetime.

“I met Joshua this morning. I also met his wife and six beautiful young ladies. We crossed paths a few miles outside of Oklahoma City along I-35. We kind of met under unusual circumstances. We got to know each other after myself and, later on, my closest friends also stopped to lend a hand. And by the grace of God, we are all here as one in the eyes of God. I too have a nickname. Joshua here is now my newest friend. I will never forget this day. My friends know me as Franklin. Many other people know me by my nickname. My nickname was given to me by my very best friend in life. He is my childhood friend who lived next door to me. By the way, we still live next door to each other. His name is Marty. We call each other buddy. I wouldn’t trade him for the world. Thank you for having me here. Let’s sing!” Since the band already had a list of the songs that the girls were going to sing, they instinctively headed up to the altar area of the church, grabbed their instruments, and automatically started playing the intro music to the first song. Joshua had already told the girls who Franklin really was to the music world. They were both excited and nervous to be on center stage with a famous singer like Jason Skarr, lead singer/songwriter for Trinity. Franklin signaled for the girls to sing his song and that he would sing backup for them. They felt weird about it, but they knew they would sing their very best for him and the congregation. Before the beginning of the second song, Franklin asked for a few volunteers to come up on stage and help him sing backup harmony with the girls. At that, it was a cue for Crystal, Rhonda, Jamie, and Louis to come up to center stage and sing harmony. Franklin went over to the girls and hinted that he would sing the first and third verses and that they would sing the second and fourth verses. Franklin added that the background singers would sing the chorus as a group. By the end of the first song, Joshua had already called friends to call other friends to come to the church for a spiritual revival this evening. He told them this was a once-in-a-lifetime event taking place at this very moment. People were already coming inside and arriving by the carload. By the beginning of the second song, the church was already over halfway full. By the end of the second song, the church was full, and before the third song got underway, people were now standing, swaying, singing, clapping, and hollering one hallelujah after another. At the end of the fourth song, Franklin walked back to the mic and started talking about making mistakes in life either as teenagers, young adults, or even

older adults. He spoke about taking life for granted, taking things for granted, and taking loved ones for granted. He spoke about forgiving from the heart and trying to move on with life by trusting, having hope, and, most of all, having faith. Franklin had recently written a poem that had yet to be considered adding music to it for a new song. He turned to look at his musicians and simply stated, “Key of C.” He turned back toward the congregation and said, “This particular song is called ‘Folded Note.’” Since the group had no idea as to how the song went, Franklin had already grabbed a guitar from one of the guitar stands. He started strumming the strings in order to give his group a clue as to how the rhythm went. Once they got an idea as to the melody, Franklin began singing, and his backup, Voices, just simply began humming the melody, giving it some highs and lows. The choir teenage girls followed the lead of Trinity’s Voices. The song went like this:

I heard the song on the radio The singer sang of disappointments and regrets Of broken loves never to forget And there I sat alone at home Staring at a folded note A neatly folded note Afraid to read, afraid to touch For I knew what it said Things I’d heard before Things I’d said and done before And there I thought, things had changed Done what I could within my range

And the song played on in the back of my mind It now played over and over Mentioning forgiveness and giving second chances Something I’d learned and said again and again Something about sharing and sacrifices and misfortunes Responsibilities and dealing with life’s crises and entices I opened the note and read it all word by word Here is where I expected the big fall Let my heart break and watch myself crawl But three words told it all The note just told it all, told it all in just three words “I love you. Please call.” Silly fool! I read it all! The folded note told it all! Three words told it all! I’d given up, but I was wrong My heart now sang a brand new song The folded note told it all Three words said it all

When the song was over, the group walked away as soon as they could in order

to get ready for tonight’s Trinity concert at the arena. Franklin walked over to say good-bye to Joshua. “Please tell the girls they were true professionals, they sang very beautiful, and I hope to see them again soon, maybe even before the end of the year. Maybe one of these days, they can sing with us on stage. Joshua, I’ll never forget you nor your wife. We’re on the Internet. You can us through our website. If you are ever close to any of our concerts, you guys are our friends and will always be considered very special guests. Just let my people know you are needing to talk to me or Marty. He is my very best friend in the world. We won’t forget. That’s a promise.” “I won’t forget you either, my dear friend. You are a very down-to-earth kind of person. You are also a wonderful speaker. I am honored to call you my friend. You are a true Christian and, of course, a wonderful singer. Everything I’ve heard and read about you is true. And I am glad. I’m sure the girls will never forget this special night you made it out to be. They’ll talk about this night for years to come, no doubt. Too bad there were no cameras around to show off to the rest of the world. Anyway, thank you for all you did for the church, for the girls, and especially, for my wife and me. We are indebted to you forever. Please be safe wherever you guys travel to. There is no doubt that God’s guardian angels are with you wherever you are. God bless you and your friends. Till we meet again, my friend.” “Yessir. Till we meet again, Joshua. Thanks again. Well, I better go. I’ve got some friends waiting for me outside. We need to head on out to the Intrust Bank Arena. Our concert starts in a couple of hours, I think, maybe less.” “A real concert, huh?” said Joshua. “Another concert. Second one this night.” “That’s true. A second one! Thank you for being so kind with us and our girls. I do believe it meant everything in the world to them.” “Meant a lot to me also knowing they loved singing our songs. It really did. I say that from the bottom of my heart. So don’t ever forget that. Our first concert in Wichita, Kansas, was at the Agape Christian Church! That goes down in our books. A small crowd but a real concert with a great audience. The size of the crowd doesn’t mean a whole lot to us. To be honest, we started singing in school auditoriums, birthday parties, and karaoke bars. Those places we will never

forget, neither will this beautiful church.” Franklin got in his car and headed toward the arena for the weekend’s final concert before heading home. He was beginning to feel a little tired and homesick. He knew he definitely needed some rest after tonight. He knew the rest of the group most likely felt the same way. When he got to the buses, he saw Marty walking toward the coach. “On time,” said Marty after looking at his watch. “Great! Everybody here? Everything all right? All on schedule?” “Yes, everything’s on schedule! There is, however, one little problem with some folks on the east side of the building. There are supposedly seven or eight tents set up outside belonging to some homeless people. Some of the people coming to the concert are complaining about all the homeless people wandering just outside the arena. I don’t think they’re doing or saying anything out of line. But you never know. And some of the fans who are here for the concert may feel a little bit uneasy just seeing them outside the building.” Franklin asked, “Have you gone out there to check?” “No, not really. I didn’t know whether I should. I figured security would know how to take care of the situation. I really didn’t know whether I should go out there. I didn’t want to irritate any of them. And I didn’t just want to go out there and run them off. What should I do? Run them off? Tell them to come back after the concert? I don’t want to upset them. That’s for sure!” “No! Let me ask you something. Is this whole building being used? Are there any rooms not being used by the people in charge of this building? Why don’t you go check and let me know? In the meantime, I’ll go check these people out and see what I can do.” “You better take a security officer with you just in case you run into some trouble. Just to be on the safe side, I mean. Better yet, take a couple of police officers instead. We don’t want you to get hurt if one of them gets upset. We don’t want to cancel the concert at the last minute if you get injured or something.” “I’ll be okay. You go find a couple of empty rooms. And order ten large pizzas

with everything on them and five of the two-liter bottles of soft drinks ASAP. Tell ’em it’s an emergency.” “Right, Franklin! Right away!” Franklin went outside and found eight tents. Some of the homeless men and women were outside standing around under a lighted canopy. “Gentlemen, good evening. I came by to see if you guys needed anything for the night. I’ve ordered some pizzas and some soft drinks for you all for dinner. Are any of you veterans?” There were four men and a female who raised their hands. None spoke nor mentioned what branch of the military they were from. One of the older men finally spoke up and said, “We’re not asking for handouts nor charity. Most of all, we’re not bothering anybody. We’re not being disrespectful either. People don’t talk to us, we don’t speak to them. We try to mind our own business. People by, stare at us, and, most likely, go inside and complain being out here. We don’t try to sneak in either. Most of all, we don’t want to cause any problem to anybody either. We’re here ’cause we have no other place to go to. This is a public place. Did somebody complain?” Marty came up to Franklin and whispered to him, “There is a large glass room up on the balcony mainly used for dignitaries and other reservations. Room’s empty.” “Great!” Franklin turned to look at the group of men. “Got some good news. Tell you what, how’d you all like to see tonight’s concert for free? Our compliments! Christian and inspirational country music. Warm room and free dinner. Pizzas and soft drinks! Our treat! And if you guys can go in quietly, you might be able to spend the night there, probably just for tonight though. Get a sleeping bag, your pillow, your meds, if you take any, and my friend here will escort you up to the balcony room. What do you say? Free meal! Is that a deal? Our treat! One thing for sure, if the music is not that good, at least the pizzas will be.” They all nodded yes, and about ten men and four women circled the leader of the homeless group. They all followed Marty inside the building and upstairs to the balcony room number 3. The room just so happened that it was facing directly in front of the stage. The speakers were turned on the way they were told to keep the lights as dim as possible to keep security from going up to check. Within a few minutes, a pizza delivery guy came knocking on the door. He was delivering ten Papa John’s pizzas and five two-liter bottles of Coke, Dr. Pepper, Pepsi, Big

Red, and Sprite. The delivery guy simply said, “Compliments of Trinity” and left knowing there would be no tip coming from the group. His tip was given to him just outside the door that led up to the balcony by Marty. He was handed a twenty-dollar tip for his quick delivery. The music started, and halfway through the concert, Franklin felt a little guilty by not saying something about the homeless. “Please humor me and let me say this before we go on to the next song. I have a story to tell. Please bear with me. First of all, anyone who is a veteran of any military branch, men or women, please stand.” About 30 to 35 percent of all attending the concert stoop. “We personally want to say thank you for your dedicated military service to our country. You are our country’s heroes. It doesn’t matter whether you fought in any war or when the United States was not involved in a war. Thank you! Let’s have a big hand for our military heroes. We are all here because of each and every one of you all! Land of the free! Home of the brave!” The applause lasted a good three minutes or more. Franklin made no effort to bring the applause to an end. At the end of the applause, Franklin began talking. “Not so very long ago, I was working at two fast-food restaurants at the same time. Back then, I had two part-time jobs. One was at McDonald’s, and the other one was at Burger King. Believe it or not, they were almost across the street from each other. At the time, I worked at Burger King in the morning and at McDonald’s in the evening. One morning, a customer came in to tell me that someone was inside one of our dumpsters. The customer told me he’d already called the police to come check out the person digging for something inside the dumpster. The customer also mentioned it was against the law, something I didn’t realize probably because of my age. I was probably still a little bit naive. Then again, I was still in high school. “Because the manager didn’t want to get involved nor go check it out, he sent me to go check and talk to the police when they got there. I can’t say he was afraid or just didn’t care enough to go see. So he sent me. I didn’t give it much thought as to foresee any type of danger. I ired the police. Still do. Anyway, I went outside and saw this older-looking man, probably in his sixties. I asked him what he was looking for, but he didn’t answer. I thought maybe he’d lost something. Like I said, I was a little bit naive. In no time, two police officers drove up and headed toward me. The man inside the dumpster did everything the officers ordered him to do. He just wouldn’t talk to them. At the time, I thought he was just refusing to talk. After a few minutes of trying to talk to the stranger,

the officers went through a black backpack and pulled out clothes and plastic baggies containing personal bathroom items and what looked like a small green metal box. It looked kind of old and faded with scratch marks. One of the officers said it was probably from the army. For some unknown reason, the stranger shook his head from side to side. After the officers mentioned something about running a warrant check, I later learned there were no outstanding warrants. “They then told me the old man was most likely an old Vietnam War veteran back from the late sixties, early seventies. By looking at his military discharge documents, I overheard them say that he was ‘supposedly a highly decorated U.S. Marine lieutenant.’ They had opened his small green metal box and had counted at least four medals and at least eight ribbons from his war record. They also found his honorable discharge letter from the U.S. Marine Corps. They asked me if I wanted him off the property. They also said the old war hero was probably hungry and looking for something to eat. “‘You mean, this war hero? And he’s looking for food?’ I asked. ‘You’re not going to arrest him, are you?’ “All of a sudden, the officer looked embarrassed. He said, ‘I’m sorry. You’re right, young man. This war hero is hungry and looking for food. I was a little bit insensitive in my remarks. He is one of America’s heroes from the Vietnam War. They deserve more than this. America didn’t do a very good job of taking care of them after the war. And no, we’re not going to arrest him. We’re just gonna tell him he can’t be going into dumpsters. He can actually get hurt by doing this. It’s also a city ordinance.’ “At this time, I asked them to wait a couple of minutes before they left. I went inside and paid for a large orange juice, a large coffee, and two breakfast meals. I came back, handed two bags of food and drinks to the man, and told him to come inside the restaurant next time he came back and to look for me. “Within a couple of days, I saw the old veteran enter the restaurant looking kind of lost. My guess was he was looking for me. I went up to him and told him that if he could take out my trash, breakfast was on the house. He understood me perfectly. As far as he knew, he now had a job. He did this for about nine months. During that time, he found out I also worked at McDonald’s at nights. He started showing up there at nights around ten o’clock every night I worked.

He took out the trash for me when I closed. He got hot meals for his troubles. Out of my earnings, I would give him a twenty-dollar bill on paydays. From time to time, I would see someone else with him going through the dumpster while he took out the trash. It was sad seeing this war hero, or heroes, trying to survive on wasted food thrown in the dumpsters. It’s even harder today in this age and time. Many have lost their families, friends, spirit, faith, and, most of all, hope. For many, the VA clinics do not do enough. The United States has somehow turned their backs on many of these war heroes. And many have no one to help them get through what was supposed to be their productive years. So many become disillusioned, resentful, and forgotten. They become hermits. They become angry. They end up hungry and homeless. And in many cases, society just looks the other way. They claim they are scared of them because they can turn on you in a second. “And to that, I say, ‘Come On America! Come On!’” The music started, and Jason began singing his own anthem … “To that forgotten soldier who was once walking the grounds of a foreign land fighting a war to bring democracy or freedom to that land. For those true American heroes who now walk the ghetto streets of America trying to find something to do for a dollar or for a meal just so they can say they ate today or maybe tomorrow. Okay! Here we go! ‘Come On, America! Come On!’”

Come on America! Come on! A wounded warrior’s coming home! Come on America! Come on! Let’s bring that hero home! They stand beside us, walk beside us. We see them here and there. And just like us, they’re everywhere They get through life one problem at a time.

One day at a time. They fought our country’s wars. Though some come back without a battle scar, Some come back with invisible scars

That no one sees, some don’t believe. Damaged futures, damaged minds. We turn away to look the other way. A war is won, a war is lost. Nothing’s gained when young men die. Come on America! Come on! A wounded warrior’s all alone. Come on, America! Come on! Honor the hero home! The one sent to fight a war. A war no one could win. A war that will not ever end. Where’s the honor, where’s the pride? Where’s the hero who went just for the ride? Let ’em come back, let ’em come home. Come on, America! Come on!

A wounded warrior’s here at home! Come on, America! Come on! Honor starts at home! Stand up, America! Stand up! A hero’s back stateside! A hero’s back! Yes, a hero’s home! Back with the proud! Back home with the brave!

At the end of the song, Jason shouted, “Yes! Back home safe with the brave! Hallelujah, brother! America, let’s bring them back home! Amen!” And the concert came to an end. Franklin and Marty made plans to get up no later than eight, go have breakfast, and be at the airport by nine. Their flight was scheduled for a 10:00 a.m. departure time. Everybody else was headed back home to St. Louis. Their next concert stop was for November 19 at Albuquerque and then El Paso on November 20, the weekend before Thanksgiving. Everyone would be home for Thanksgiving, and then they would head for the deep south, Harlingen, Texas, on November 27. This was an area most commonly referred to as The Valley. Trinity’s grand finale would actually end up in Lubbock, Texas, on December 18, the Saturday before Christmas. Franklin was planning an event and a concert to . Music legends from the past! An extravaganza to for years to come! Old legends galore! Lots of music! Musical legends! A musical Christian revival!

CHAPTER 22

But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.

—(KJV) (JAMES 1:22)

Back at the Lubbock IHOP, Mary Lou was getting her midnight shift started when her nice Samaritan police friends from campus walked in. She ran straight to them and gave them both a big hug, kissed them both on the cheek, and told them both, “Thank you from the bottom of my heart! I was so very grateful, and I will never ever forget what you both did or me and AnnaMarie!” Officer Fisher stated, “We haven’t done anything yet! We just got here! We actually just started our shifts! No tickets! No drunks! No arrests! We’re innocent! Why are you picking on us? Don’t be thanking us for something we ain’t done, yet! People gonna get the wrong idea! You trying to give us a bad reputation, girlie? We just want our usual order and of usual coffee! Is that too much to ask? Hot coffee, please! If we don’t get service here pretty pronto, we’re taking our business across the street and get some of them Mancakes, McMuffins, and some of their McCoffee! Can we at least sit and enjoy our regular coffee?” Officer Lee looked at Mary Lou and simply said, “You ain’t getting no thank you from Fish. That’s about a thank you as you’re gonna get! And you’re most welcome, missy! We can’t let our best girlfriend roam all over this great state of Texas go around in a sick truck. Wouldn’t be right. No, ma’am! Hope it was a nice car …” “It was the best! Super wonderful ride! You guys really are heaven-sent! I don’t know what I’d do without you both! I don’t know how I’ll ever be able to repay you either.”

Officer Fisher said, “You already have! Your smile! Your being back in Lubbock. Knowing you are back to deal with us tough hombres is all the thank you we need. Okay, now that we got that out of the way, how about some hot coffee? Let’s get it, girl! Hey, where’s Norma? Where’s your sidekick? Is she here, or is she off?” “Here I am!” hollered Norma as she was coming out of the kitchen area. “And if anybody wants to know, I’ve got proof that you guys really do have a heart. I took pictures just now, and I’ve got a video. I saw all the hugging you guys done! You ain’t fooling us! And here’s your two coffees! Now find your seats and let Lubbock’s finest come on in! You guys are blocking the entrance. You guys know better than that! These officers want some coffee too! Now sit!” Officer Lee said, “Yes, ma’am! Lubbock PD! Come on in, guys! Sunday night! Should be a quiet night! Lord, let it be a quiet night!”

Morning came early for Jason and Marty. Both met outside their buses at 8:00 a.m. After a quick breakfast; both caught a taxi to the Wichita Dwight D. Eisenhower Airport. “Be sure and call Mr. Shiloh so he’ll know what time we land in his hometown. Also, do me a favor. Call your friend Robert and book him a flight up here in Wichita so he can fly out here and drive his fantastic Javelin back home. Stick an envelope in the glove box and drop a thousand bucks for the use of his super car. Thank him for me and tell him I really did enjoy driving his muscle car. Tell him I may make him an offer one of these days if he ever needs to sell it or if he ever decides to sell it.” By the time Franklin and Marty showed up at the airport, they had about a fortyfive-minute wait. They got past the TSA checkpoint with no problem nor any delays. They were booked on an American Airlines flight. On their return flight, both would be flying back home to St. Louis. They would all meet up and regroup back home with the band and the Voices. Once they boarded the plane, Franklin had Marty call the car dealership in Wichita in order to buy the van he promised Joshua and the Agape Christian Church. He also had him call Bertha at the Tuttle Nursing Home. He also took the time to call his mom. “Hello, Mom! Good morning! How’s Dad? Is he already at work, or is he there at home watching TV or doing something in the

garage?” Franklin’s mom, Krystal, answered, “You know your dad. He’s at work by six. He doesn’t like to miss work unless he’s sick or on vacation. He’s always been a hardworking man. Anyway, it’s almost ten. Why are you asking if he’s here at home? By the way, he did ask me if I knew why you hadn’t been home. He wondered where you were working that you couldn’t come by more often. You do work here in town, don’t you? You don’t have a traveling job, do you? I told him you’re probably out there somewhere with Marty or some new girlfriend. What do I know, right? I told him you are either out there teaching your music in some small college or some major university. He asked to know where you work. You know, we don’t really know where you work. He keeps asking when you’re coming home and keeping your promise on becoming a deacon. I’m not going to lie for you about that. It was something you promised, ?” “Well, I actually already am a deacon. I’m an honorary deacon for the Diocese of St. Louis. Just got my certificate a couple of weeks ago. I’ve actually already been to at least three Catholic churches within the last couple of weeks. Anyway, I hope to be back home either by tomorrow morning or tomorrow evening. That is, if everything goes as planned. Which, I hope. Actually, I’m on my way to Texas for a meeting. And it is work related, I might add. And it is in reference to music … at a university. How about that? I can’t believe I’m actually calling this work. But it is!” “What part of Texas if you don’t mind telling me? What city? Dallas? Houston? Austin?” “Lubbock!” “Lubbock? Where’s that? South Texas? East Texas?” “Lubbock, Texas … Texas Panhandle! Home to Texas Tech! Home of the Red Raiders! Buddy Holly! Mac Davis! The Lady Raiders! They won the NCAA girls’ basketball championship back in ’93! There’s a lot of very early music history that’s come out of Lubbock! I thought you were a music freak back in your younger days, Mom?” “I was just kidding, Franklin! Of course, I know Lubbock! It’s south of Amarillo, north of Abilene and Big Spring, and east of Clovis and Hobbs, New Mexico. I’ve never actually been there, but I know it’s the Hub of the Plains. I

read magazines too, young man! I’m not as naive as I sometimes pretend to be, you know. I actually had a chance to go to Texas Tech right after high school. So I read all about that university. I was ready to go, all right. I got pregnant, got married, had you, and the rest is history.” “No regrets?” “None whatsoever! I got you! I’ve got your dad! My life’s complete! Nope! No regrets!” “Complete? Are you sure about that, Mom? What about your singing? Didn’t you get a music scholarship to go to Texas Tech? I know you can sing beautifully.” “I sing in church. That’s good enough. I’m no rock star or country music star. I sing for God and the church. He knows I sing my best for him! What else could I ask for? I don’t know that I could’ve ever sung in front of ten or twenty thousand people like famous singers do. It’s not that easy, you know. Could you sing in front of a thousand people yourself?” “Okay! I believe you. Who knows? Maybe one of these days, your dream may just come true! You never know … One of these days, some famous singer may just hear about your singing and invite you to sing with him … or her. You never know.” “Well, the singer will either know I can sing or even know who I am. I say that because I don’t make it a point to go to music concerts. The music I listen to comes out of a home stereo. On top of that, the singer would have to be pretty desperate to hear me sing, or he would probably be tone-deaf. I never knew I was such a great singer enough to sing on stage in front of thousands. But you’re right. One never knows, huh?” “You’re right. One never knows. Besides, I think you’ve got a fantastic voice that could sell commercial music. CDs, albums, singles, iTunes …” “Coming from you, thank you. That’s why you’re my son. You’re supposed to say things like that. That’s why I love you so very much. You always know what to say. I know you’re smart about music. I just didn’t know you knew that much about commercial music. Anyway, thank you so much for those words of encouragement. It does mean a lot to me. Don’t think it doesn’t. That’s why we

both love you so much.” “Me too, Mom! Well, I better go. Plane’s about to get on the runway. The signal to turn off all electronics is coming on. See you tonight or tomorrow, okay?” “Sure thing, Franklin. Be safe and say your prayers before and after you land. May God bless you and be with you on your trip. Always to mind your manners. See you at home tomorrow. Bye!” Marty had called Mr. Shiloh in Lubbock and reminded him of their arrival time. By the time Marty got off the phone, he looked at Franklin and told him, “Seems like our actual meeting may get postponed either for late this afternoon or maybe even tomorrow. Mr. Shiloh just got some bad news from a lady friend of his who lives in a small town out of Lubbock. A town called Amherst. The woman’s son had ed the marines a few years back and was killed in Iraq. His personal belongings—medals, IDs, and pictures—have just been hand delivered by the marines to her in person. “Apparently, the young soldier didn’t get married before ing the marines for fear he may not make it back home alive or in one piece. He didn’t want to leave a widow behind if he didn’t make it back. So the mother called Mr. Shiloh to accompany her to her son’s memorial service up in Amherst. Now Mr. Shiloh is wanting to know if we may want to postpone our meeting or go with him to this little bitty town west of Lubbock. He can head on out to this town, or he can wait for us at the airport, and we can all drive out to this memorial service to pay honor to this U.S. marine. He said that if we can’t go, he understands, and he also apologizes for the inconvenience.” “Tell him it’s no inconvenience. Did he give you the name of this marine hero or the name of this young man’s mother?” “Actually, yes. I believe he said his name was Thomas Spencer. And I think his mom’s name was Marie. I’m pretty sure that’s correct.” “Okay! Call him right away and tell him we would be honored to attend this war hero’s memorial service if he wouldn’t mind waiting for us there at the airport.” “I believe he said the service is for today at 4:00 p.m. So we should be in Lubbock with plenty of time, bearing any flight delays. Well, that’s if this town

is not too far from Lubbock. He didn’t tell me how far this town is from the airport.” By the time the plane landed in Lubbock, Mr. Shiloh was there waiting for them. At the same time, Mary Lou had spoken with Marie Spencer about the service. Mary Lou had gotten used to calling Marie Spencer mom since her plans had been to marry Thomas after his return from Iraq. Marie was to be her mother-inlaw, and for now, mom was still okay. Mary Lou’s best friend, Norma, had encouraged her to go on a blind date with a “real” cute guy who was at the time a friend of her own boyfriend. Both friends came from Amherst, a small country town west of Lubbock. Thomas would drive to Lubbock on Friday nights and spend the weekend with his best friend from school. Thomas was a cotton farmer. He was kind of shy and, according to Norma, a very good-looking, brown-haired, blue-eyed, handsome football player. Norma called Mary Lou to see if she’d be interested in a “chance of a lifetime” blind date. She said, “If nothing else, it’ll give you a chance for a free meal and coke and a chance to go see a free movie and eat as much popcorn as you can at someone else’s expense. Let someone else pay for a change. In other words, and who knows, this guy may just turn out to be the father of your children. Let’s live a little!” And both just laughed it off. In the end, Mary Lou gave in and went on the blind date with Norma. His name was Thomas Spencer. Mary Lou lived in the big city of Lubbock. To date a farm boy from a tiny cotton-farming town who had a six-man football team was totally unthinkable and unimaginable at the time. But she was willing to give a try. After all, it wasn’t like she was gonna fall in love with a blind date. After all, it wasn’t like this farm boy would be the father of her child. And it wasn’t like this guy was the hero quarterback of the school’s six-man football team. But only time would tell … Yes, time would tell. Thomas turned out to be not only a true gentleman but also a loving, caring, and hardworking young man. He always insisted on paying for everything everywhere they went. He would open doors for Mary Lou, pull out chairs for her to seat, and always had a compliment to say either about her dress, pants and shirt, hair, makeup, perfume, smile, eyes, or any little thing he could think of at the time. He somehow always managed to have something nice to say about her all the time. And such compliments always made her feel comfortable, safe, and secure being around him, day or night. He was always a gentleman

around her. So one date led to many as the months went by. One-liner led to long conversations as they slowly began to learn things about each other. Conversations led to huge laughs, hugs, kisses, and plans about their futures. 10:00 p.m. eventually led to 1:00 a.m. and 2:00 a.m. late-night dates. And double dates soon became boyfriend and girlfriend dates. And in no time, graduation from high school was just around the corner. Thomas had already decided to the U.S. Marine Corps and go fight in Iraq. Mary Lou knew that Thomas really wanted to “pop” the question about marriage, and she was ready to say yes in a New York minute. But she also knew the dangers of going into this dangerous war overseas. They both knew the strong love between them would survive the war. He promised to make it official by getting down on one knee and ask for her hand in marriage when he came back to the States. At the same time, she promised to wait for him and have his answer ready. Both somehow already knew what her answer would be. Either way, both were excited to know they had a future together upon his return back to Texas. A month before leaving Amherst for basic training at Camp Pendleton, Thomas took Mary Lou to meet his mom. Both seemed to like each other from the very first moment they met. Even though Mary Lou was still a teenager, she kind of knew the heartache Thomas’s mother was going through knowing the dangers her son would be facing in a matter of weeks ahead. Thomas’s mother showed concern and worry about his ing the marines. On one hand, Mrs. Spencer also knew the marines were some of the most feared men in the whole world as far as being the best of the best trained for combat. On the other hand, she had already lived during the Vietnam War, the Korean War, and the Gulf War. It was her son’s decision to the armed forces and become a man. She would now be ing millions of mothers, wives, and girlfriends counting the weeks and the days before their loved ones came back home. And in a way, Mary Lou would also be counting the weeks and the days waiting for her future husband to come back home and marry her and someday start a family together. Time finally came, and Thomas left for basic military training but not before both giving each other’s complete and innocent love they had for each other. They promised to write each other as often as they could, especially him. And they did until Thomas’s letters stopped coming. By now, according to his letters, Mary Lou knew he was somewhere outside Ramadi, Iraq, wherever that was in comparison to Baghdad. By then, Mary Lou had hinted to Thomas in her last

letter that she would have a super wonderful surprise waiting for him when he came back into her arms. And marriage was a definite “yes”! But before her letter could ever reach his location, she got a phone call from Marie Spencer, a phone call that would forever change her life and the course of history between Thomas, her waiting surprise, and herself. “Thomas is missing in action” was what Mrs. Spencer told her. That same instant, she dropped the phone and drove immediately to Amherst to read and reread the letter that came from the U.S. Marine Corps. By now, Mary Lou was showing the signs of her pregnancy. She confided in Thomas’s mom and told her the fantastic news. She also told Mrs. Spencer she was already taking the first steps in planning their wedding. She told her, “That is, if Thomas is still wanting to marry me after he comes back to Amherst …” Mary Lou was still believing that sooner or later, Thomas would either write back to her and say that he was okay or come back home to his mom and her in a matter of weeks or months. But weeks went by. Weeks soon turned into months with no word from Thomas or the Marine Corps. Before she knew it, AnnaMarie Diane Spencer was born at six and a half pounds. About a year later, she got a call from Marie Spencer that she’d received another letter from the marines with some more bad news. She knew that sooner or later, a marine officer would be coming by to her residence. She knew what that meant. She’d heard many stories of such visits, and she’d seen enough movies to know what those visits were all about. Only this time, she didn’t want to be there alone for such a visit. Marie didn’t want to be there without someone else to deal with the pain of possibly having lost her son. For now, she didn’t want to open the letter, so she called Mary Lou to see if she would be able to come by and be there with her when she opened the letter. Mary Lou brought a newborn AnnaMarie with her. Marie held AnnaMarie while Mary Lou opened and read the letter out loud. Both were heartbroken over their loss. One had lost a son; the other, the love of her life, her future husband; while the other, the daddy she would never get to see, play with, or get to know. Both Mary Lou and Marie cried on each other’s shoulders for what seemed like forever. Both promised to stay in close with each other now that their only bond to Thomas was AnnaMarie. It would be years before Thomas’s body would be recovered and brought back to the States. And now his remains were coming home. The United States had been

slow in trying to bring back dead American soldiers back home. A lot of it was purely due to politics. Nevertheless, some were home, and many were still considered MIAs. DNA was being done on all in order to confirm true identities so as not to make mistakes and when notifying their loved ones. And now Thomas Spencer was back home in Amherst, Texas. The memorial service was set for 4:00 p.m. this November 15, 2010, at the Amherst High School Auditorium. Classmates, teachers, friends, and family had all been notified after the school had offered their auditorium since it would pretty near accommodate the majority of the town for its hometown football and war hero. Now Mary Lou and AnnaMarie were headed to Amherst to say good-bye. Mary Lou’s “love of her life” had finally come home. A part of him was now the main reason for her own existence, AnnaMarie. AnnaMarie knew just a little bit about death. She’d seen enough cartoons and movies to know that when something or someone dies, they don’t come back to life. The hard part was explaining why those characters come out in other shows or movies. Explaining that was Mary Lou’s job. So AnnaMarie knew that in real life, death meant they weren’t coming back. So in real life, she knew that her daddy wasn’t coming back to them now that she was told he had died. She knew her daddy had died as a soldier fighting a war on the other side of the world. She knew he died a hero, and now it was time to say good-bye before he was laid to rest in the city cemetery. Now she could go talk to him, but she wouldn’t be able to see him, at least not yet. According to her mom, she would be able to touch her daddy’s coffin only, not him. And she wouldn’t be able to see him either. She would just have to know that her daddy was sleeping inside the beautiful box. She would, no doubt, see several pictures of her daddy displayed around the coffin. She would be able to meet some of his best friends from school and say hello to her other grandmother, Thomas’s mother. People would say a lot of nice things about her dad, hear stories about him when he went to school, and maybe even see some soldiers who knew him when he ed the marines. AnnaMarie was real excited about the whole trip. She asked Mary Lou a lot of questions, a lot of questions that Mary Lou found hard to answer, some that brought tears to her eyes. AnnaMarie didn’t really understand how sad all this was for her mom. It would be the first time in her life to attend a funeral service. She was wearing a beautiful red dress and red cowboy boots and wearing her dark-brown hair in a

double-braided ponytail under her friend’s Stetson hat. Mary Lou was wearing a black one-piece, knee-high dress. When they arrived at the town’s high school auditorium, Mary Lou asked her not to wear the Stetson. “It may not be appropriate for this very special occasion, sweetie” was what she told her. “But the pictures I’ve seen of you with Daddy shows him always wearing a halfdirty farming hat, Mommy.” “You’re right, but that was a long, long time ago. Please, sweetie, not for this occasion. Maybe you can wear it later, okay?” “And that’s how I’ll always him, Mommy. With his hat on … There’s no way I’ll ever picture him looking any other way.” “You’re right. I hadn’t realized that, AnnaMarie. That had never crossed my mind. You’ve never seen him without his cowboy hat. I am so sorry. But do Mommy a very special favor for this one time, okay? In this case, and for this very special moment, this very special tribute to your daddy, pleases leave your hat in the truck. Please, pretty please … It wouldn’t exactly be very respectable if you walked into a building wearing a hat. So I’m asking you to please leave your hat in the truck. Pretty please, okay?” “Sure, Mommy. I’ll do as you ask.” “Thank you, sweetie.” “No! Thank you, Mommy. I wasn’t thinking.” “Ahh. Were you just now being sarcastic?” “Me? Sarcastic? Me? I don’t even know what that means. I’m still a little girl, and I’m still trying to figure out the three- and four-letter words, ?” “Right! Anyway, we’re almost there, maybe fifteen or so more minutes before we get to this small cotton town of Amherst. It’s a little bit bigger town than Smyer, Carlisle, or Southland. This is where your daddy was born, where he grew up, and where he went to school before. He fought for your freedom and mine. Always that, honey. He is a war hero. For the rest of your life,

always be proud of that. He gave his life for his country … and for you, and for me …”

Back at the airport, Mr. Shiloh had held a cardboard sign with his name printed on it. Since he had never actually met either Jason Skarr or Marty in person, he didn’t want to miss their arrival at the Lubbock Preston Smith Airport. Besides that, he needed to get on the road as soon as possible and head for Amherst. And he didn’t know if they knew what he looked like either. Marty had seen pictures of Mr. Shiloh on the Internet from musical stories out of Lubbock and spotted him immediately. Mr. Shiloh had requested an airport police escort from the secured area of the airport all the way to his own personal vehicle outside. He didn’t really know if the lead singer for Trinity would even be recognized by someone there. But one could never tell …

CHAPTER 23

There is one lawgiver, who is able to save and to destroy: who art thou that judgest another?

—(KJV) (JAMES 4:12)

Mr. Shiloh was assigned two police officers to do the escort. One was a female officer nicknamed Cookie and a male officer named Garcia. Both officers had over sixty years of experience. Both knew famous singers or personalities must be arriving into Lubbock, or else Mr. Shiloh would not be there personally. He was pretty well-known throughout the city in the entertainment business. He dealt with artists who loved all kinds of music, from rock to country, the old and the new, music especially from the fifties and the sixties. So even though the officers were in their mid to late fifties, they figured Mr. Shiloh was there to pick up someone who was an original singer from way back then. They were not expecting someone younger than sixty or maybe even seventy. Once Mr. Shiloh met up with his two guests, Officers Cookie and Garcia escorted them out the building but not before getting lots of stares from the public. Even some of the TSA agents were looking, staring, and whispering to one another. Mr. Shiloh was walking out with a young man in his mid to late twenties and an older man in his late thirties, early forties. Jason Skarr’s disguise with beard and mustache was not bad. Mr. Shiloh thanked the two officers for their professionalism and their courtesy. They left the airport and headed for Amherst. “Mrs. Spencer had asked me to do her a huge favor. She asked me to say something that brings honor to her son. She wants the residents of Amherst to her son for many, many years to come, something that will bring pride to him and to the military, specifically the marines. You got any ideas, ahh, especially at such short notice? I shouldn’t impose nor should I put you on the spot. Sorry. Never mind. It’s something I need to think about before getting there.”

Jason answered, “Actually, I do. I was working on something like that a few months ago, a memorial tribute to a deceased military veteran. I had gone to a funeral of a friend of a friend of my dad’s. We sat through the church service, and it was just too darn quiet—not much Glory, not much enthusiasm, and not much was said to bring honor to this old WWI war hero. In my mind, more could have been done to bring way more recognition to this man. I kept waiting and waiting for something to kind of ‘bring the house down,’ but nothing happened. I hate to say it, but I was kind of disappointed. And that made me think. Yes, I do have an idea.” “Well, in that case, how would you like to do me a tremendous favor and help me bring honor and pride to a dear old lady friend of mine and mother to a fallen war hero and a mother’s son? It would mean a lot to me, to his dear Mother, and, most of all, to his young six- or seven-year-old daughter. My understanding is that he fathered a baby girl right before he left for Iraq. I knew he was coming back to marry his girlfriend if he hadn’t lost his life in the war. I don’t believe he even knew he was going to be a daddy before he left for Iraq, but I know he wanted to marry this wonderful girl the minute he returned home from Iraq. I’m almost certain this girl and daughter of his will be here for the service. I’ll be honest with you, I have no idea who this girl is, what she looks like, nor what her name is. Hopefully, we’ll get a chance to meet them both here. I think you’ll like her, Mr. Skarr. I do believe I’ve only met her once some few years back. That is, when she was still a teen.” “Answer to your question, it would be an honor to do this. I wholeheartedly respect the military no matter whether they serve in combat or they served during a war or a peacetime. What I am going to need is for you to round me up at least one military person, male or female, from each branch of the military— marine, army, navy, and air force. I’ll need at least one police officer in uniform and one or two kids from the Boy Scouts or Girl Scouts in their uniforms. I’m sure the American flag will be displayed besides the one draping the casket. So as soon as we get there, round up these veterans and these kids for me if you don’t mind. Once we round them up, I will give them some instructions as to how this is going to unfold. We’re going to give this war hero, his mother, daughter, and this community a memorial service they’ll talk about for years to come. It will be something they will all be proud of.” Jason then asked Marty for some paper and pen. He began making some notes only he knew what they meant.

Mary Lou and AnnaMarie arrived at the school auditorium in Amherst and immediately saw her friend Norma waiting just outside the main entrance. It looked like she too had brought her seven-year-old daughter, Loretta, and infant son. AnnaMarie placed her hat on top of her seat and quickly ran toward Norma’s daughter. Both knew each other, and both had played together many times when both moms visited each other. Mary Lou headed toward Norma, said their hellos, and held hands momentarily. Norma’s husband had been one of Thomas’s best friends from back in high school. Norma’s husband had actually been the one to introduce Thomas to Mary Lou when they went to Lubbock. “Looks like the whole town is going to be here for Thomas’s service and last good-bye,” said Norma. “I know he was very popular in school before he graduated,” Mary Lou answered back. “I can’t believe it took this many years to bring him back after he went missing in combat. Anyway, I guess Thomas can finally rest in peace knowing he is back home with his mom and all his friends. And with AnnaMarie and me. He will always be my first love and maybe my last. I miss him so much … One of these days, after time has gone and settled down, I’ll have to bring AnnaMarie back here so she can visit her dad’s grave, and all three of us can have a family gathering. When everything settles down.” “You talking about the crowd?” “That and everything else, I guess. Right now, she’s probably too young to understand any of this. To her, it may be just a whole lot of commotion with all these people here. She probably doesn’t understand any of it. I mean, she knows why we’re here. I’m not sure that she truly realizes the whole concept nor the whole impact this event has on loved ones. I’m referring to the whole meaning of it all. After all, she’s not quite seven yet. She will be on Christmas Eve, December 24. Believe it or not, she’s already acting like ten or more. I don’t know when nor where she got all that smarts. She certainly didn’t get it from me. I think I was still very naive even when I fell in love, not her. She’s got me beat by a mile and a half. I swear. Sometimes I’m even afraid to think out loud ’cause if she is listening, she will certainly either correct me or set me straight. “Well, I know we weren’t no geniuses in school. I know you made As and high Bs, while I made more Bs and a couple of Cs. And that was probably on a good

day. In PE or the library at that. So I guess her smarts came more from her daddy if I must it the truth. I might remind you that he was valedictorian in his class. That means he was very smart. I guess I wasn’t really a such a big dummy. After all, I have his daughter. I just wish I could’ve been just a tiny bit smarter. I could’ve tried a little harder, I guess. So I guess what I’m trying to say is that maybe AnnaMarie’s mommy wasn’t really a big dummy nor a total loser after all. Does that make sense?” “Don’t sell yourself short. I bet deep down inside, she really does know exactly what is going on here today. She may not know how to put it into words, but we both know she’s no dummy. She may just be trying to downplay this whole event in order to deal with it in her own way at a later time. And in time, she’ll be able to tell you all about it. From her perspective, that is. You’re just going to have to give her time. And it may take a few years.” “You know, I do believe you’re right. I’m just going to have to give it some time.” It was about 3:15 p.m. when Mr. Shiloh arrived at the auditorium with his two invited guests, Jason and Marty. Jason reminded him not to forget about looking for four military guys in uniform, the police officer, and the two scouts. Since the ceremony was close to starting, he requested one more favor. He was going to need someone with two small wooden boards about four to six inches long that hopefully would not break when slapped together. This person would be standing behind an open door, or behind a wall, and out of sight. This person was eventually going to bang these boards together three times as loud as possible in order to simulate a 21-gun salute. “Got it,” said Mr. Shiloh. All three got out of the car, and Mr. Shiloh went hunting immediately for the people Jason was needing. As Jason and Marty walked through the parking lot, Jason figured he might go ahead and put on his sunglasses just in case someone might just recognize him, someone who actually was familiar with his music or Trinity. Both ed right beside Mary Lou’s truck, and as they walked right next to it, Marty saw a Stetson hat lying on the enger seat. He stopped for just a second and then took a second look at the old beat-up truck. “Franklin, maybe I shouldn’t even be thinking like this. But stranger things have happened. So here goes … You know, I’m pretty sure I just saw a white Stetson hat inside that old

beat-up truck. A high-dollar hat like that in a small country town here in the middle of nowhere Texas. A high-dollar Stetson hat left behind in an old, wrecked truck like that. Why would anyone do something like that to a hat like that? Don’t they know its value? Who knows? Might even be your hat, Franklin. You reckon?” But Franklin didn’t quite hear Marty’s last statement. He became totally focused on two young ladies hugging each other just outside the building, smiling and crying at the same time. Norma was hugging Mary Lou in a way of trying to comfort her best friend, Mary Lou. Mary Lou then stated, “I guess we better round up our precious little girls and go inside and find our seats. No telling how many people are already inside, finding their way up to the front. I need to go inside anyway and find Thomas’s mom and most likely sit next to her. And I better round up my precious little cargo. Would you mind if AnnaMarie sits with you all just in case she doesn’t want to sit with her grandma and me? She’s probably gonna want to be running around all over this auditorium. After all, she’s still just a kid, you know.” “Sure! No problem! I’ll ask her when they come back. You go and find Mrs. Spencer. Don’t worry about AnnaMarie. I got ’er.” “Thank you.” Both Franklin and Marty were already inside, making their way up to Mr. Shiloh’s location. Franklin had already spotted him and finally caught up to him. Mr. Shiloh said, “Okay! We got a friend of the family who’s trying to round up two more guys to dome dressed in their military duds. One is from the navy, and the other one is from the army. They were told to go home and come back ASAP in full dress uniforms. The Boy Scout and Girl Scout are already next door, getting changed. We should be good to go in twenty minutes or less. We have another young man cutting up six 2 x 4-inch boards, and he will be our 21-gun salute man. He’s just next door, so he ought to be here any second now. I think everything else is in order. I hope I haven’t forgotten anything.” Within a few minutes, the auditorium was just about full. Franklin walked over toward Mr. Shiloh and asked him to introduce him only as a friend of the Spencer family. “Do me a favor. Tell the audience my name is … Franklin. No last name. Simply, Franklin. Don’t introduce me as Jason Skarr, singer for the group ‘Trinity’. Nobody is supposed to know I am here. I am actually here

incognito if you know what I mean. Just tell them you just met me and that you only know me as Franklin. And I’ll take it from there, okay?” “No problem, Franklin. Okay! I guess this service is ready to start. That is, whenever you’re ready.” “I guess whenever all our uniformed officers are here, we can get started.” When all four military personnel arrived, Franklin gave them their instructions as to where to stand and at what moment they were to salute the American flag. He also instructed the police officer and the scouts as to what they would be doing and at what moment. The memorial service was ready to begin. Father Peter, a Catholic priest from Lubbock’s Covenant Medical Center Chapel, had been asked to conduct the opening and closing prayers for the service. Schoolteachers, coaches, relatives, and friends now filled the auditorium. Mrs. Spencer and Mary Lou sat side by side, holding hands. AnnaMarie sat with her friend, Loretta, about six rows back. Pictures of Thomas were displayed all around the front stage and on tables set up for g of guests books. A short fifteen-minute video of Thomas when he was growing up was shown after the opening prayer from Father Peter. Father Peter sat down after the opening prayer, and Mr. Shiloh walked up to the podium and mic. He read Thomas’s obituary. It was short. Thomas’s life had been a short one. He mentioned knowing the family through his friendship with Mr. and Mrs. Spencer that went back some twenty years ago, right after Thomas was born. At this point, he introduced Franklin as a friend of the family. He took his seat. Franklin stood and walked toward the mic. For a few seconds, he stood quiet and looked all around the packed building. He was dressed in a casual dark-blue suit. “I didn’t know Thomas Spencer at all, but by being present right here and now and seeing all of you here, I know he was very well-known, ired, respected, liked, and loved. I’m not from here, but I can tell the whole town of Amherst is most probably here paying your respect and honoring this young marine soldier and one of our American heroes. And we are also here to honor his mother for giving us her son so he could serve his country. We honor his unselfish and dedicated service to his country. Not very many of us are willing to give the ultimate sacrifice for America’s goal of spreading democracy and defending other countries around the world. But Thomas believed in what he ed up to do knowing he could lose his life. In

the end, he did pay with his life so that the rest of us could continue to live our lives in the freedom we seem to take for granted every day of our lives here in the United States. My understanding is that he was involved in a gunfight just outside of Falluja, Iraq, when he stepped on a mine and eventually died from his injuries. By stepping on that land mine and covering the blast with his body, there is no telling how many other American soldiers he mostly like saved. “I know he left behind a very caring and loving mother, aunts, uncles, cousins, and other relatives. He also left behind a wife-to-be, mother of their beautiful six-year-old daughter. He left many, many friends behind. He left a legacy at his high school’s alma mater. He was a very well-known, highly respected high school athlete. And in the end, he was one of America’s the few, the proud, a United States Marine Gunnery sergeant! Gy. Sgt. Thomas Spencer! A Bulldog! A Red Devil! A leatherneck!” At this moment, he turned to see where the American flag was set up at. He motioned for the Boy Scout, Girl Scout, and the police officer to go stand and face the flag a few feet away from it. He then turned to make sure there was someone from each branch of the armed forces present. All four stood right next to one another. A young man stood at the door to one of the auditorium rooms holding two small boards. Franklin took a deep breath and began his own version of a military honor to a deceased veteran. “Attention! Marine!” And the marine took one step forward and quickly saluted the American flag and then quickly stepped back to his spot next to the others. “Marine! You leatherneck! You stand proud next to that hero! “Navy! You sailor!” And the navy sailor did just as the marine before him had done. “You sail proud with that hero! “Army! Step forward!” And just like the marine and navy, the soldier stepped forward, gave a quick salute to the American flag, and then stepped back and lined up next to the others. “Army! You foot soldier! You walk proud next to that hero! “Air force! You airman!” And like the others before him, the airman saluted the American flag and got back in line. “Air force! You flyboys! You fly proud that hero home! “Law enforcement! Mr. Policeman!” And the officer did the same as the military

before him. “Policeman! Men in blue! You serve and protect with all your pride that national hero! “Boy Scouts! Girl Scouts! Scouts of America!” And both scouts saluted the American flag in the same way. “Scouts of America, you scout proud for this true American hero! “America, from north to south, from east to west! You honor this hero! You honor your hero! You stand and be proud, for this is your hero! Because this is our hero! He has not died in vain! America’s hero! We salute you with all honors!” After a short pause, Franklin hollered out loud, “Spencer!” No answer. The silence was broken by the sound of two small boards being clapped together once. This was to simulate the first of three shots of a 21-gun salute. The sound was deafening. After another short pause, Franklin hollered, “Thomas Spencer!” Again, there was no answer. And again, the silence was broken by the second sound of the two small boards being clapped together. This was the second simulated round of the 21-gun salute. After another short pause, Franklin again hollered, “Marine! Gy Sgt. Thomas Spencer!” And for the third time, there was only silence and still no answer. For the last time, within the silence of the auditorium walls, came the deafening sound of the two boards clapping together one last time. The sound echoed throughout the tall, hollow building. Tears were all over people’s faces by now. Sobbing and crying could now be heard even more clearer and louder. This had been the last sound to be heard from a 21-gun salute. At the ending sound of the last simulated 21-gun salute, Franklin turned to do his personal honored salute to the American flag and respectfully sounded off once more “America! Here’s your American hero! Oorah!” As he did, the four military servicemen answered back, “Oorah!” Upon doing so, Franklin finished the ceremony by stating, “Welcome home, hero! Welcome home!” When he finished, one could hear men and women sobbing and crying. There was not a dry eye in the house when the ceremony came to an end. Even AnnaMarie sat motionless, staring at her Dad’s picture. At the end of the ceremony, the whole audience stood on their feet with a sense of pride for Thomas Spencer. Franklin quietly stepped away from the podium

and headed toward the hallway, giving a chance for the audience to give their condolences to Thomas’s mother, Mary Lou, and other family . Mr. Shiloh found Franklin and Marty talking in the hallway as both stood next to a water dispenser. “You guys ready to head back to Lubbock? I’ve already said good-bye to Mrs. Spencer for us. She thanked you from the bottom of her heart. She said she will never forget all the kind words you said about her son. She is extremely grateful to you. I didn’t get a chance to talk to the mother of Thomas’s daughter, though. To be perfectly honest, I don’t really know her that well at all, I’m sorry to say.” Franklin answered, “Well, if you’re ready, then we’re ready whenever you are. Let’s hit the road. I’m anxious to go see Lubbock’s famous Texas Technological College and ‘The Bubble.’” Just as he said this, a very attractive young lady entered the hallway they were standing in. She took a quick look at all three of them, took a glimpse down the hall, and then turned back around and headed in their direction. “I wanted to thank both of you for that most beautiful and most profound honor to Thomas and the rest of the military. I have never attended one of these military funeral services, and it was very emotional and inspiring. Are they all like that? Anyway, Thomas was my boyfriend before he left for Iraq. I don’t know if you knew this, but we were planning on getting married when he got back and out of the service. I’m sorry. I’ve forgotten my manners. My name is Mary Lou McDonald. I wanted my daughter to meet you both, but she is here somewhere with her little girlfriend. I wish she was here so you all could meet her. She is one very precious little six-year-old. Anyway, thank you for that very powerful and emotional ceremonial speech you gave, sir. I’ve never witnessed one with that much power, not that much personal emotion. Sounded like you either knew Thomas or like you’ve practiced or done it several times before. It brought chills to my spine and tears to my eyes the way you presented the whole speech. I know Mrs. Spencer felt the same. I’ll never forget it, or you, for that matter. Thank you.” Franklin said, “It was my most profound honor, and it was certainly my pleasure being here and part of this unforgettable memorial ceremony. I won’t forget it either, ma’am. Thank you, from the bottom of my heart, for your very kind words.” Mr. Shiloh knew he kind of had to say something here. “Actually, my friend has

been in front of many audiences before. He is truly a professional and a tremendous per … person when it comes to personal and sensitive subjects. He is at his best when it comes to being inspirational. He is a true professional. I wouldn’t be a bit surprised if he hasn’t won several national awards for his writings, compositions, or interpretations. My friends are just trying to be too modest at what they do best. He truly is a tremendous … ah, speaker, orator, and, let’s say, a troubadour.” “A troubadour? Are you a singer … too?” Mr. Shiloh quickly stepped in and stated, “A singer? Why, sure! Aren’t we all?” Mary Lou then asked, “Don’t you deal with singers? Artists? Actors? That is your profession, isn’t it, Mr. Shiloh?” “Well, yes! But my friend here, is here on a personal trip. Nothing to do with … my line of business. We shall see later on, I’m sure.” “Okay! Good enough. Anyway, thank you all for everything. Sure made Tom’s mom feel so very proud of him. Me too! I miss him so very much. I’m sure my daughter, AnnaMarie, misses him too.” Mr. Shiloh quickly stated, “I believe we need to get back to Lubbock. We are quickly running out of time. If we’re ready, gentlemen—” Franklin interrupted Mr. Shiloh when he thought Mary Lou had mentioned the name AnnaMarie. “Did you say—” But at the same time, Mary Lou’s friend Norma entered the hallway and hollered, “Mary Lou! Mrs. Spencer needs you right away!” “Sorry, but I have to go! Thomas’s mother is needing me! Bye! Hope to see you all again soon!” And she immediately turned around and left the hallway with Norma, and both headed back into the auditorium. Mary Lou was heard asking Norma, “And the girls? Have you seen them?” Norma answered, “Apparently, your little Ms. AnnaMarie saw some guys come in the auditorium wearing their cowboy hats, and you know her … She went to the truck to get hers. She wanted to wear hers too. They oughta be back any second now. You know how she is. There is no way I was gonna try and stop her.

She’s got a mind of her own.” “Don’t she? Okay, thanks.” As Marty, Franklin, and Mr. Shiloh were exiting the building through the hallway doors, both AnnaMarie and her friend were reentering the auditorium through the kitchen door just ten feet away. As the three ed by Mary Lou’s truck, Marty made it a point to look back inside the truck. “Well, I don’t see ‘your’ hat anymore. I guess somebody in there ‘is’ wearing it. Wouldn’t it be funny if your little superstar is right here, right now, at this very place? I mean, like right under our very nose. I mean, like right before our very eyes. And we just happened to have missed her. I mean, like, what are the odds?” “Yes! What are the odds? You’re right! That would be funny! And right before our very eyes! Oh, come on, let’s go! We got things to do, and we need to get ’em done so we can get back to St. Louis!” As AnnaMarie was going back inside the auditorium, a strange woman in her late forties stopped both girls and hollered, “Hey, young ladies! I just wanted to say I am very sorry for your loss. Your daddy, no doubt, is with the rest of … ah, I mean, he is in the best hands anyone could be in. He is with God, our savior! He is in heaven!” The strange woman then looked straight at AnnaMarie and said, “AnnaMarie, sweetie, your friend was looking for you just a little while ago. But know that he will be back soon, real soon. You know, Santa has a gift for big surprises. So be on the lookout. God bless you, AnnaMarie. Till we see each other again, okay? By the way, your mommies are looking for you as we speak. It was nice running into you again. Bye!” Both girls walked off. Then all of sudden, something made AnnaMarie want to touch the rosary around her neck. And just as she did, she turned around, but the lady was gone, disappeared into thin air. “Who was that woman?” asked her friend. “An old friend,” she answered back. “My guardian angel, I’m sure.” “You have one? One that you can see and talk to?” “Sure do. Don’t you?”

“I don’t know. Never seen one before. Ain’t talk to one either. I hope I got one too.” “Me too. I like mine. She’s nice. When you find yours, hope she’s nice like mine. Oh hi, Mommy!” Mr. Shiloh, Marty, and Franklin were already headed back to Lubbock. It was almost 6:00 p.m. “Hey, I feel like eating a banana split!” Franklin stated. “And a milk shake! Strawberry or banana milk shake,” said Marty. “That makes three of us! And I know the perfect place! How about KaleidoScoops?” “How about Basking Robbins?” said Franklin. “We have KaleidoScoops! Actually, at one time, it used to be Basking Robbins. They have twenty to thirty flavors too! Let’s go!” Both Franklin and Marty stated at the same time, “Let’s go! I’m buying!” But Mr. Shiloh argued, “I’m afraid not, boys! This is my house! You are in my town! You are both my guests! So it’s my treat! And no further discussion! It would be my honor anyway!” “Your car too! No argument here! You win!” By the time they got back to Lubbock and the ice cream shop, everybody was feeling kind of hungry. It had been a long day already. Mr. Shiloh suggested, “What do you say we go find us a nice restaurant, have a nice dinner, and save the ice cream treat for tomorrow? From there, we can go take a look at the coliseum, and we can discuss the details tomorrow. Tonight, you all can stay at the Holiday Inn or our city’s brand spanking new Overton Motel. Both are downtown. Give you guys a West Texas chance to relax, enjoy the beauty of this fantastic city where Mr. Buddy Holly was born. How about it? This is pure Hubof-the-Plains hospitality …” “Can’t argue with that! You really know how to drive a hard bargain, Mr. Shiloh,” stated Marty. “Anyway, now that you mention food, I am kind of hungry. Mexican food, steak and mash, steak and fries, or a homemade cooked

meal, I don’t care! Food sounds great!” “Agreed!” finished Franklin, “as long as we don’t leave Lubbock tomorrow without touring Texas Tech, Raiderland, and the Buddy Holly Museum. And I ain’t leaving without our ice cream. I’m not going back home without my ice cream, okay?” “It’s at the top of the list! I promise, Franklin. Okay! Mexican food? Barbecue? Steak? Name it, and we will head in that direction. I eat to my heart’s desire!” “Is there a genuine Mexican restaurant close by with some real homemade recipes, fresh-off-the-skillet homemade corn or flour tortillas, and homemade hot salsa?” asked Franklin. “I can only think of one place close by from the top of my head. They have been here in Lubbock since the sixties or late fifties. Montelongo’s! Let’s head that way! Not really sure on their cervezas. Dos Equis, Tecate, Corona, Carta Blanca, or good ol’ American beer like Coors, Bud, tap, can, or bottle. Take your pick …” “Well, in this case, maybe tea will probably be just as good. Maybe beer next time,” said Franklin. At Montelongo’s, they had their serving of carne guisada, crispy beef tacos, tamales, and cheese enchiladas. All three shared a large servings of tostadas and homemade hot chile salsa. They asked for a pitcher of sweet tea, and to finish their meal, they got a platter of freshly made sopapillas with warm honey to pour all over them. All found themselves licking their fingers from the sugary cinnamon and honey. While they ate, they talked about the city, the hospitals around town, the schools, the hospitality all over town, the United grocery stores, Walmart stores, and the surrounding towns close to Lubbock. From there, Mr. Shiloh got both Marty and Franklin two rooms at the Overton Motel. And from their rooms, both could see Texas Tech University, Jones AT&T Football Stadium, the United Spirit Arena, the Lubbock Municipal Coliseum, and the city’s skyline. All the city lights and a full moon to the west made the whole city look beautiful. It was a cool and clear starry night. Then 10:00 p.m. came around, a hot shower, and Marty fell asleep in his room. Franklin called his mom, but his dad answered the phone. “Dad! I figured you’d be asleep by now. Sorry I woke you up. How

inconsiderate of me. Please forgive me. I was trying to get ahold of Mom so I wouldn’t wake you up. Anyway, I’ll probably be home tomorrow night. In case Mom asks, I’m down here in Texas. Lubbock, Texas, that is. Ever heard of it?” “You talking about the Hub of the Plains? Home of the Red Raiders? Lubbock High Westerners, Monterrey Plainsman, Coronado Mustangs, Dunbar Panthers, and the Estacado Matadors? And just around the corner are the Cooper Pirates, Frenship Tigers, Shallowater Mustangs, and Idalou Wildcats, and let’s not forget those mean, green, and gold New Deal Lions! Of course, I know all about that flatland city! It’s the home of Buddy Holly and Mac Davis. That, my son, is football country, where practices and games are played outdoors! I had a chance of living there a few years back when I was a teenager. How can I forget Reese Air Force Base? I almost ed the air force to be a pilot! I read all about the city and surrounding towns! I went out there and actually lived out there for about a year. Long story, son! One of these days, remind me, and I’ll tell you all about it. Hey, we’ll see you tomorrow then. Driving or flying? Marty coming over too? By the way, I haven’t seen him around the house either. You guys must have very similar schedules. You ain’t here, and he isn’t either. You come by, and he comes home. Yep, I know, cell phones …” “Flying, Dad. Hey, tell Mom I called. Love you both. Good night, and yes, Marty will probably be over too. I done called him. Said he’ll be home for a couple of days too.” “Okay! Sounds great! Night, son!” “Yes! Night, dad! Love you …”

CHAPTER 24

Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is ed from death unto life.

—(KJV) (JOHN 5:24)

By eight in the morning, Marty knocked on Franklin’s door and hollered, “Wake up! Hey, mister! Wake up! Got some news for you from back home! You up already? Knock, knock!” “Hey! What’s up?” Franklin said once he opened the door. “What are you doing up so early this fine Lubbock morning? What’s going on? Our meeting is not till ten. I could’ve used another thirty minutes of good ol’ West Texas sleep. What’s this about some news from back home? Dad didn’t mention anything last night when I spoke with him. What’s going on? I tell you what, let’s go for breakfast, and you can tell me all about it. Give me a few minutes for a quick shower. Deal?” “We’re having breakfast at a place called the Ranch House. Mr. Shiloh is supposed to pick us up at 9:15 a.m. out front.” “You couldn’t call me on the phone? You know I’m always available.” “Oh, I guess I could’ve since you put it that way. Hey, got some hot news from home! Looks like our high school band director is retiring around Thanksgiving week. They found some kind of cancer, prostate cancer, I think it was. He’ll have to do chemo and, later on, radiation. So he’s decided to go ahead and retire before the end of the year. He doesn’t want to look sick in front of the class. Get this … My informants tell me your name’s come up as a possible replacement. Effective immediately! You know, not very many people know what you do for a

living, especially in our circle of friends back in St. Louis. The truth is bound to come out sooner or later. Most think you are out teaching music in some junior college or some nerdy high school, you know. So don’t be surprised if you get a call or a letter from our old alma mater schoolmates or high school principal or superintendent. They all thought very highly of you and liked you a lot. I’m just saying. Get ready! No doubt they will be coming after you!” “Tell you what, right after our Albuquerque concert this Friday night, why don’t we all fly back to St. Louis early Saturday morning? Earliest flight out, okay? We’ll have a going-away concert at our very own Rosati-Kain High School in honor of Mr. Rains. Of course, we will have to get permission to use some of the school’s musical instruments. We can use some of ours only if they don’t have our names on them or Trinity. If we have to rent some, we will. We will be on stage as band of the school, not as Trinity. We will feature some of Trinity’s songs but not all of them. You will be in charge of calling the school to set it up with istration. You might need to call ex-high school band . Tell them to the word to others. If they have their old musical instruments from their high school days, tell them to bring them to the concert. The concert is for next coming Thursday evening.” “Okay! I’ll get on it right after breakfast! All of a sudden, I feel as hungry as a Texan! Texas sized!” “Me too! Let me take a quick shower, and I’ll see you around nine. Hey, don’t forget to call your friend up here so he can go get his Javelin and be sure to book his flight with us back to Wichita.” “You bet! I’d almost forgot! See you in a little bit!” “Okay!” Mr. Shiloh knocked on Franklin’s door. It was a little after nine. Both Franklin and Marty were ready and waiting for him. A short drive from the Overton Hotel and they arrived at the Ranch House Restaurant. Steak and eggs, sausage and eggs, bacon and eggs, and a stack of pancakes with coffee and orange juice were ordered. Hash browns, Tabasco sauce, and dry toast on the side came with their orders. From there, they took a drive and toured Texas Tech University, home of the Red Raiders and Lady Raiders. They got a close-up view of Jones AT&T Football

Stadium and, finally, the Lubbock Municipal Coliseum. The building manager was already there waiting for them to give them a brief history and tour of the building. He gave Franklin and Marty brochures to read and look at. Franklin had always been a sentimental type of person, and he was fascinated by the structure, its condition, and its layout. It didn’t take long for him to quickly want to discuss it with his best friend, Marty, and the of the contract. Franklin was eager to sign on the dotted line. Marty reminded Franklin about their flight times. “We still need to go pick up our friend Robert at a little town just north of Lubbock.” “You’re talking about New Deal or Abernathy?” asked Mr. Shiloh. “New Deal!” “That’s just about four or five minutes north of the airport.” Marty added, “Our plane leaves at 2:15 p.m. Oh, and we’ve still got to go get our ice cream, ?” “Well, call your friend and tell him we’ll pick him up between 1:00 p.m. and 1:30 p.m. It’s about fifteen till noon. KaleidoScoops?” “Hey, count me in! I’m ready! Let’s go! We done walked off a few calories from our breakfast. Ice cream sounds pretty good right about now.” By the time they got to the ice cream shop, both Marty and Franklin saw a Lubbock police patrol car. “Uh-oh,” said Marty. “Maybe it’s not a good time. Hopefully, it wasn’t a robbery. Hope no one got hurt.” “Don’t worry, a PD friend of mine hangs out here at the ice cream shop. I think his wife works here managing the shop. He comes by from time to time to check on her. He’s probably in there most likely having lunch with her. I’m sure everything’s all right,” said Mr. Shiloh. “Just to be sure, I’ll go inside and double-check. Just give me a sec.” Mary Lou ended up spending the night at Mrs. Spencer’s house in order to keep her company. They spent the rest of the evening looking at photographs of Thomas when he was a baby till high school graduation day. They were pictures that not even Mary Lou had ever seen, and now she actually knew a little bit

more about Thomas. Now both Mary Lou and AnnaMarie were heading back home to Southland. On the way back to Lubbock from Thomas’s funeral service, Mary Lou ed she had promised AnnaMarie her two scoops of strawberry and milky coconut ice cream from KaleidoScoops. “Mommy, I think I need to go,” she told Mary Lou. “Yes! We’re going for your favorite ice cream. Be patient. We’ll be there in a couple of minutes. Hold your horses, young lady.” “No, Mommy! I really do need to go! Really … need to go! Potty! I need to potty! Like really, really quick! Hurry! Please, Mommy!” “Okay! KaleidoScoops is just a few blocks away! I don’t wanna speed! God, I hope there’s no cops around close by! Hang on, sweetie! One or two?” “One! Two maybe! But one, for sure! But when we get there, don’t forget my two scoops of ice cream! One for the potty, two for my tummy!” “Gotcha!” Franklin, Marty, and Mr. Shiloh had just sat to enjoy their ice cream treat. Franklin got his banana split, Marty got his milk shake, and Mr. Shiloh got his two scoops of banana nut and coconut ice cream. They were almost done when Mary Lou pulled quickly into the parking lot. “Tell you what, I’m going to the men’s room before we head on out toward the airport,” stated Franklin. As he was opening the bathroom door, Franklin saw a little brunet girl running out of the blue pickup heading straight toward the front door of the ice cream shop. He smiled and thought, Potty time … He kept his smile and walked right in. The men’s restroom door was closing behind Franklin when AnnaMarie came running inside the shop and was seen running straight to the ladies’ restroom. Marty whispered at Mr. Shiloh, “Potty time.” “Yep!” Mary Lou came walking in, recognized Mr. Shiloh, and gave a shy smile at him. She went to the counter and placed her order. She then walked over to Mr. Shiloh’s table to say hello. “I see you again, Mr. Shiloh. I decided to spend the

night with Mrs. Spencer, and we are just on our way back home. I’m not sure if you knew. She was going to be my mother-in-law. My little baby girl is Thomas’s daughter. We never had a chance to actually get married. We were supposed to marry when he got out of the service, when he got back from Iraq. So I see you still have one of your friends from yesterday still with you. Is your other friend not with you all anymore? The handsome one, I mean … the speaker. Is he gone? Okay! The cute one!” Mr. Shiloh started to answer when Marty spoke up. “The cute one? Oh, that was me! Just kidding! We can’t seem to lose him. He’s like glue. He’s in the men’s room. He ought to be out any second now. And speaking of that handsome devil, here he comes. Just don’t tell him what I said. You’re right, he is the cute one. Or the handsome one.” Mr. Shiloh quickly spoke up. “Ahh, Jas … Mr. Franklin, this lady was just asking about you.” “Ms. Mary Lou, right? Funny seeing you here. You had an urge for ice cream too? How very nice to see you again. I take it that was your daughter running toward the ladies’ room just now. I know the feeling. Been there, done that! Mrs. Spencer indeed had a wonderful son by looking at the huge crowd from yesterday, an honorable son. Once again, I am very sorry for ‘your’ loss.” “Thank you. And I see you both are still hanging out with Mr. Shiloh. Must be some big business deal you all must be working on. Something tells me one of you guys is famous. And why do I get the feeling it’s you, Mr. Franklin? Who are you for real? Are you a ‘wannabe’ famous singer? Interpreter of classic songs from the fifties or sixties? An Elvis impersonator? The Beatles? Hank Williams? Sinatra? Dean Martin? Are you guys a duet? Something tells me you gotta be a famous singer or part of a group of famous singers. It’ll probably hit me after you all leave here in a minute. It’s probably right on the tip of my tongue. You care to help me, Mr. Franklin? I’m probably beginning to sound a little like a crazy teenage fool.” Marty quickly stated, “That’s true! And we do need to get going! Fixing to be noon thirty. We got a small window by the time we get back to the airport.” Franklin thought he’d throw this in before leaving the ice cream shop. “With all

due respect, you’re very cute but not a fool, Ms. Mary Lou. Famous? We’re all famous to someone, famous enough to be recognized, maybe not always. Only the Holy Trinity is famous just as the Father is to the Son and to the Holy Ghost. ‘Trinity’ is famous to the whole Christian world. Us, we’re only a product of the world trying to find it and spread it with all our hearts someday. For now, we must say bye, Ms. Mary Lou. Hope your little girl’s okay. Tell her we said hello. Maybe we’ll see you both again soon. This is the second time I miss seeing your little girl. Maybe next time I’ll actually tell her hello in person. I will say we are gonna try to be back here around Christmastime. Maybe you can stay in with Mr. Shiloh, and he’ll be able to tell you more. And whatever it is we’re all looking for, maybe we’ll find it here in this beautiful city of yours. It was a pleasure meeting you, ma’am. For now, bless you and your precious little girl. Please don’t forget Mrs. Spencer.” “Yes, thank you, Mr. Franklin. And no, I won’t forget her. Bless you both. Good luck wherever it is you guys are traveling back to. May God be with you both. I’m guessing you both are traveling together.” “Yes, we are. Bye, ma’am.” As they were driving away, Marty saw the little girl sitting across Mary Lou, facing her and facing the outside window. Both were eating their ice cream by now. Marty turned to Franklin and stated, “You know, that’s the second time we’ve seen this very cute lady. She has a young daughter, which we’ve not been able to see face-to-face. No husband and, sadly, no boyfriend. But it’s the second time I have personally seen a white hat inside a blue truck that nobody’s wearing. And I’m pretty sure it’s a Stetson! Are you thinking what I’m thinking? You know where I’m going with this?” “I think so. That many Texans wear Stetson? That the Stetson inside her truck may just belong to a new boyfriend? One whom we haven’t seen nor met yet?” “No! Not at all! That’s not even close to what I’m thinking, buddy! What I am trying to say is that a certain singer lost a Stetson in Dallas! A white Stetson in Lubbock, Texas, inside a blue truck belonging to a nice young lady who has a young girl we haven’t seen yet that nobody’s wearing! That just could be ‘your’ Stetson! Has that even crossed your mind?” “Not yet! Anything is possible! Tell you what, when we get back to St. Louis,

get ahold of Roger and ask him to replay the stage conversation between the little girl and myself and see if there’s any hint about where she might have said her mommy’s name or where she’s from. See if your intuition is correct. Then let me know.” “I can call him right now … Ahh, tell you what, I’ll wait and call him when we get back to St. Louis.” “Sounds great! Call him tomorrow. We’ll see.” “I guess we will. Hey, let’s head up to New Deal! My friend is supposed to be waiting on us. I’m sure he’d like to see his Javelin and hot rod it back home. Let’s go home!” “Ready!” Marty had booked two separate flights. One was for his friend Robert, who would be flying to Wichita, Kansas. The other was for them flying back home to St. Louis. Franklin had already place five one-hundred-dollar bills inside the Javelin’s glove compartment wrapped around the car’s insurance card. When they arrived at Robert’s house, Franklin made it a point to tell Robert that his GPS was inside the glove box. He told him to be sure and check it because he couldn’t get it to work right between Oklahoma City and Wichita, Kansas. In fact, the GPS had worked perfectly. “Maybe I pushed the wrong buttons, but it was trying to route me down to Wichita Falls. So I turned it off and placed it inside the glove box. You may want to check it out before heading home. I’m pretty sure I did something wrong. So you may want to reprogram it before heading out of the parking lot. Thank you for everything. Be safe going home. Love your Javelin! Fantastic ride!” “I’m pretty sure it’s okay. You might’ve pushed Wichita Falls instead of Wichita, Kansas. I’ll check it out, and I’ll get it back on track to bring me back to Lubbock. Don’t worry about it. I’m sure it’s probably okay. If not, I’ll buy another one next time I decide to travel. Hey, it was nice meeting you, Franklin. And Marty, it was great seeing you again … Hopefully, we’ll see each other again soon. Hopefully, next time you get back this way, we’ll go watch our New Deal Lions play football or our Texas Tech Red Raiders! They both had a great season this year.” “Hey, we’re planning a trip back here before Christmas. Hey, maybe we’ll see

you then. Invite your whole family and friends to come and spend some time with us.” “You bet! I may just do that! We’ll see you’ll then.” By now, they were back at the airport. Franklin hollered at the officers from the previous day. “I see you guys are still here. Is this a new day for you all, or are you all still here from yesterday? Let’s see, Officer Cookie and Officer Garcia, right? We don’t really need an escort this time. But if you aren’t doing anything that needs your immediate attention, we don’t mind walking with you guys. That is, if it’s okay. And by the way, we’re not really famous. We’re just friends of Mr. Shiloh. He had a big meeting with the Civic Center people, so he dropped us off here at the airport. We didn’t think we’d be mugged or robbed. Now that you guys are here, I know we won’t. We’re on our way back home. We had a most wonderful time here in Lubbock. Nice, quiet, beautiful city. Maybe when I retire, I’ll come back and live right here in Lubbock. We loved the Depot District. Fantastic atmosphere. Mr. Buddy Holly would’ve been proud of ‘his’ city. And Mr. Shiloh is a fantastic host for this beautiful city.” “And by the way, where is home if you don’t my asking?” asked Officer Garcia. “St. Louis!” answered Marty. “Good ol’ St. Louis, Missouri.” “So if you don’t mind my asking, what do you guys do? Sing, act, buy, sell?” asked Officer Cookie. “Sounds like you’re investigating us. You’re not trying something sneaky on us, are you, ma’am?” “Me? Why, no! Just trying to be nice and cordial to our out-of-state guests! Just killing time with you, sir. I’m just trying to show our hospitality and that we are nice down here in good ol’ Lubbock, Texas, USA. We love visitors here in our fair city. We’re not Dallas, Fort Worth, Austin, or Houston, but we are the Hub of the Plains! We love our West Texas homegrown music artists! We treasure our Buddy Holly fans, along with our fans who love Mac Davis, David Box, and Ritchie McDonald. You know, we were also home to John Denver when he attended Texas Tech, Joe Ely, Lee Ann Womack, and Mr. Tom T. Hall. We’re famous for our music writers too,” stated Officer Cookie. “Officer Cookie, I have done a lot of reading into Lubbock’s ties to America’s

music business from yesterday and today. You are so very right. Well, next time we come back to Lubbock, Texas, we will be asking for you both to escort us again. Maybe the two of you can be our guests, and we can get you guys some autographs.” “Get whose autograph? Are you guys like managers of someone or some group? Or are you guys a musical group or duet? Just who the heck are you, guys?” asked Officer Garcia. “Tell you what, when we come back, you can find out!” said Marty. “Free tickets? Sounds like a great deal already! I’ll go for that! Count me in!” “Hey, you both have a safe flight, and God bless you both!” hollered Officer Cookie as both Marty and Franklin headed toward the boarding tunnel. “Thank you both! And God bless you both. Take care and hope to see you both on our return.” By the time they landed in St. Louis, Marty was already on the phone talking to some of his ex-high school friends about having a going-away concert for Mr. Rains this coming Thursday evening at their old high school gym. Marty called the school’s principal to set it up and, at the same time, make sure it wouldn’t be in use for some kind of an event. He also needed to get some people lined up to sell snacks and refreshments, get someone to set up and decorate the gym plus the stage, and finally, get Mr. Rains to stay away from the gym so he wouldn’t get suspicious that this party may be for him. It was, but he wasn’t supposed to know that. Once it was all set up, the ball was rolling, Marty reminded Franklin that they might be in a very tight time frame. “This means the band is going to have to find a way how to get to Albuquerque for their Friday concert at the Albuquerque Convention Center by no later than 8:00 p.m.,” said Marty. “We can get the trucks and buses headed to Albuquerque sometime during the day on Thursday. The band and the Voices can fly with us early Friday no later than 2:00 p.m. We should all be there with plenty of time for the concert. That’s nine of us, and all you have to do is let them know the plan, buy the plane tickets, and get the boarding es and let us all know where and when to meet so we can all be at the airport at the same time as a group. Everyone needs to be on the same page and on the same schedule. Sounds easy enough. So there’s your assignment. I have faith in you, my friend. Once you got it all done, figure

out the times and let us all know so none of us be left out.” “By golly, I think I got it! Sounds like a plan!” “Great! Hey, I told Mom and Dad you were coming over to the house! You still got your car at home, don’t you?” “Yep! You need a ride home? I thought your truck was here?” “It is. But if you give me a ride, that’ll give us both an excuse to leave the house later to go see some friends at McDonald’s, Burger King, and our old karaoke stomping ground. Who knows, we may have a friend or two hanging out there, looking for his break into the music business. We’re old enough now to buy our own beer and go through the front doors instead of through the back.” Both looked at each other and laughed. “You’re reminiscing now, aren’t you? Hasn’t really sunk in, has it? On the other hand, it hasn’t really been that long for us to be reminiscing, I didn’t think. I thought one had to be gone for like twenty or thirty years to go back in time and reminisce about anything. Maybe I’m wrong. Hey, what do I know, right?” said Marty. “Nah, you’re right. I’m trying to not let this good fortune go to my head. Heck, I’m in my twenties still! I’ve told you, God is watching out for us! And that includes you too! One of these days, we’re all gonna wake up and ask ourselves, ‘Was this a dream?’” “Well, we’ll go to our karaoke bar and see the old gang,” stated Marty. “Sounds like a great idea to me too,” agreed Franklin. By the time they got to Franklin’s house, his mom had just finished making dinner. “Marty, what a nice surprise! Hey, you been calling your dear ol’ mom like you’re supposed to?” “Oh yes, ma’am, I have. I’m heading over there from here! I just ran into good ol’ Franklin at the airport. He needed a ride. And so here we both are! Together again! I made sure I brought him to you all in one piece. So what’s been happening with you, Franklin? Old buddy, old pal? How’s the music teaching business? I done forgot what college you teach at. You teaching here in good ol’

Missouri or out of state? We need to stay closer in with each other. I kind of miss the good ol’ days! Don’t you?” “Mom, I think my good old pal is talking too much, don’t you? I smell homemade food …” “Okay, Marty. Now contrary to what you may be trying to say, I know you guys keep up with each other twenty-four hours a day or close to it. God gave me only one son, but I inherited you as my second son when we moved here next door to your mom and dad. I am proud to call you as my second son. To be honest with you, I don’t really know what you do for a living, but I think it’s funny that when Franklin is gone, so are you. And when he comes home, so do you! Now I, for one, find that very, very strange. And you say you guys don’t work together! Maybe not, but there’s something in what you’re saying that I’m trying to get my fingers around. I’m either no listening too well anymore because of my age, or there’s something you’re not telling me, and maybe you are. But sooner or later, I am determined to figure it out. And I will! Just wait and see! Anyway, dinner is ready, ready or not! Everybody, grab a plate! Your dad ought to be here pretty soon, boys! You guys can dig in if you’re hungry. I, for one, am starving, but I’m gonna wait for Dad. You guys go ahead!” “Great! Thanks, Mom! Come on, Marty, grab a plate and let’s eat. I need to show you something later. Nothing better than a mother’s home-cooked meal! I am always hungry for that!” “Well, I’m indeed ready for a home-cooked meal too. Anything is better than McDonald’s or Burger King, especially when you spend a good time away from home. And we, that is, I have certainly been away from ‘this’ home for quite a while. So I think I’ll serve myself this time, ma’am, ahh, if that’s okay?” “It has always been okay! We told you that over fifteen years ago!” “Hey, do I smell chicken fried steak?” asked Franklin. “Dad must’ve told you we were coming. Our favorite! Thanks, Mom! You are the greatest!” “Yes, ma’am, you are the greatest!” added Marty. “Yes! Y’all’s favorite. Made two for each! Don’t worry, there’s two for your dad too! He love’s ’em just as much. So eat up! They’re still warm. Mashed potatoes, corn, and fresh green beans and some homemade dinner rolls! Don’t be shy,

Marty! And there’s a homemade peach pie in the oven for dessert!” “Shy? Who, me? Not me, Mrs. Scarborough! You kidding! I practically live here when I’m at home! Heck, I adopted you and your husband when I started hanging out with Jas … Franklin when you guys came to live next door to us. You may not know this, but you became my second mom a long, long time ago! Don’t be surprised if I kind of start calling you mom one of these days … That is, if it’s okay? If you and your husband and Franklin don’t object, that is? Heck, I live here more than I live next door when I am at home. As you can see, I ain’t shy. I just don’t want you to run me off if one day I decide to move in and become the second son you guys never had!” Within minutes, Franklin’s father came home. “Hey, I smell some chicken fries. Franklin and Marty must be home! You didn’t let them eat my share, I hope!” “Yes, Mr. Scarborough! I’ll let you know, this is my favorite restaurant! You better hurry up before I go into second gear and get up to eat your share! I just love the cook! I just told her I’m gonna start calling her mom and you pop! All I need now is your okay! And your blessing! Hey, it’s good to see you again! Do come in! Dessert coming out of the oven in a little bit!” “I don’t have a problem with that. Just make sure it’s okay with your parents. And you know you’re welcome here anytime, day or night! Anyway, where’s the cook? I need me a hug and a kiss from the cook so we can all eat! I’m kind of starving for my chicken fries!” After their meal, Marty spent the rest of the evening at his residence with his own parents and on the phone. By 8:00 p.m., he called Franklin and asked him if he wanted to go by the school and go check out the gym and look at the progress being done for Thursday night’s concert. From there, they would go to Franklin’s fast-food restaurants he worked at when he was in high school, and then both could head on out to the karaoke bar to see if the Voices were there checking out their old stomping ground.

By the time they both arrived at the karaoke bar, they found Jamie bartending. Louis was sitting alone at his old single table and chair. They just knew Crystal and Rhonda were in there somewhere. Kind of looked like nothing had changed. Everything still looked the same as when they first went in there looking for

some singers for Franklin’s backup group. “What will it be, gentlemen? You guys must be new in the neighborhood. Tap’s on sale tonight, guys. Two-for-one sale! Can’t beat that! Cash or credit! And tips are definitely accepted! I’d say you guys look awfully thirsty! Yes, what’ll it be? Tell you what, first drink’s on the house! My treat! And you guys karaoke? To tell you the truth, if someone doesn’t get up on stage soon, I’m afraid I’m just gonna have to get up on stage myself! And it may not be a very pretty sight! Hey, let me ask you, can either one of you sing a lick? One of you looks like a singer! Come on, be brave!” And all three just laughed. “Franklin said, “You know, I think I’ve heard this spill before. You’ve had a lot of practice, huh? Just like old times. I’m glad. I’ve missed this place too. Well, maybe not as much as you though. Glad you’re all here.” Jaime answered, “We’re glad you guys are here too.” Franklin fired back, saying, “My friend here wants to try karaoke. I know for a fact he likes ol’ Dino. Maybe you all have an old Dean Martin classic back there.” “Marty? Really? Old boy can sing after all, huh? Well, I bet we can fix him right up! Hey, Marty, you for real? You want me to set up one for you? I bet Franklin can help! Give it a try! Don’t be like we were a few years ago right here in this very place! It’s actually a lot of fun! You won’t regret it! One Dino coming right up! Get up there on stage! Take a couple of deep breaths and go for it!” Marty looked at Franklin. “I want to stay as your manager, you know. I didn’t come here to sing karaoke. I’m no singer, you know that. What makes you think I can even sing? I couldn’t sing a lick, not even in school. Here? In public? I don’t think so! You guys must be out of your minds! I’m already sweating and nervous! I’m not like you, guys! I’m not cool like you, guys!” Franklin stated, “I’ve never said you were a singer. I’ve never said you weren’t one either. Get it out of your system. It’s fun. Or it can be. Even if you just try, even if you fail, nobody will laugh. I can guarantee you. It takes a lot of guts to do it. Not everybody does. Sing for yourself. You don’t have to sound like a pro. Sing for fun. No pressure. Hey, we can sing together, me and you, for fun, for laughs. Come on! Make us all laugh. They won’t be making fun of you. We’re just going to have a little bit of fun. How about it? You in?”

“Okay! Only ’cause you’re asking. I’ll do it! What if I forget the melody or the tune?” “Once you start singing, it’ll come to you. I guarantee you. I may not it either. It’s an old song from the sixties. Think I’ll it myself?” “Okay! How about ‘Little Ole Wine Drinker Me’?” “Yeah, how about the little ol’ wine drinker?” said Jaime. “No! That’s actually the name of the song!” “I know! Just kidding. I’ll set it up. Follow me to the stage, fellas. Get ready, Marty. Your song is coming up next.” “Come on, Franklin. You promised. I don’t wanna make a fool all by myself. I may need some help.” “You bet, buddy. I’ll stand next to you. I’m not a feared. I can do this. I can do this. I can do this. Hey, I’m shaking!” And they all laughed. “Thanks,” said Marty. “You bet. Relax and take a deep breath. You’ll be great!” From out in the audience, both Franklin and Marty saw Rhonda, Crystal, and Louis stand, cheer out loud, and applaud when they saw Marty grab one of the mics. They also showed a thumbs-up for him. Marty leaned into the mic and said, “To the best friends whom I really enjoy spending all my time with, who I really and truly do respect and ire. I also want to say thank you all for doing their best in working with a couple of young kids. That would be us, Franklin and myself. In all honesty, I’m not really a singer, but I’m not entirely tone-deaf either. I’m just a ‘little ol’ wine drinker me! But only a far and in between occasion. Thanks, guys! Let’s see how it comes out. Hope I don’t disappoint any of you all! Hit it!”

I’m praying for rain in California

So the grapes can grow and they can make more wine And I’m sitting in a honky in Chicago With a broken heart and a woman on my mind

And that was the cue to start the song. When the music started, Franklin, as well as the rest of the band, and Trinity’s Voices were totally surprised when they heard Marty’s voice come out through the mic. Everybody just looked at one another in amazement and with huge smiles in the faces. Franklin leaned into the mic to sing the chorus with him. During the music segment, Franklin again leaned into Marty and whispered, “Do I need to put you in the line up from now on? If I don’t, I wouldn’t feel right. You, my friend, have a fantastic voice. And I’m not just saying that to make you feel okay. I really mean it, Marty.” “I’m your manager, not a singer. I’m sticking to managing.” “You wanna bet? You’ve been holding out on all you, especially me. We’ll play it your way for now. Don’t worry, I’ll have you on stage before the end of the week. We got a school party to go to this Thursday and Friday night. Your time is just around the corner, you little ol’ wine drinker.” And the singing part of the song came back on. By the end of the song, the band and the Voices came up to congratulate Marty. He was overwhelmed by the strong and receptive confidence in his newly discovered talent. “You guys aren’t overdoing this, are you? You’re not just trying to make me feel good, are you? I mean, I can take a hint. I can take criticism too. Did Franklin put you guys up to this?” “Hey, Marty, you just wait till Friday. It’ll be your turn to be on the spotlight. We want you up front with Franklin or by yourself. We don’t want to see you on the sidelines. Okay, maybe it’s up to Franklin.” Franklin asserted, “That’s right, Marty! You do have a fantastic voice! And who knows, you could actually be singing solo at least one or two songs by the time we get to Lubbock! You can count on that, buddy. And if there’s a song you feel comfortable singing with me, you let me know which one. I bet I can fix that too. I’d be proud having you up there standing and singing front stage next to me. It would be my honor and my pleasure. Any song! Don’t you forget that! Any song! You just let me know.”

Thursday afternoon finally came around. Franklin and the band were all dressed in jeans, sneakers, and T-shirts and wearing their old Rosati-Kain High School baseball caps. The band’s Voices were there also looking like ex-school of the school. The stage had been arranged so that anyone who had been a band member could come up and right in and play their old instrument. Although there were plenty present, only about ten managed to get up on stage and play with their ex-high school friends. No one had a clue that the actual band on stage was “Trinity” even though many were familiar with the band’s music. Most of them knew Marty and Franklin from their old school days but not as of Trinity. Looking like teens helped disguise the group from being easily recognized. Trinity’s fame was well-known, but pictures of Franklin on CD covers were always from a distance. Then again, Trinity’s lead singer was Jason Skarr, not Franklin Scarborough as he was known in Rosati-Kain High School. Mr. Rains, the guest of honor, finally entered the gym and realized the concert was to honor him once he saw all the banners hanging taped to the walls. He immediately recognized Franklin and Marty. After shaking hands and hugging students, teachers, parents, and friends, Mr. Rains gave a short speech, thanking all present for this wonderful going-away gift he would never forget. Tears came to his eyes after itting that Franklin’s gift of music and talents were the main reason he had stayed at the school for so many, many years. And knowing that Franklin was here, he could now retire and stay home knowing that the school’s music department would be okay. Franklin thanked Mr. Rains for those undeserving and very humbling words. Franklin thanked everyone for showing up and signaled for the music to start. “Mr. Rains, ‘You Were the Music” in our lives! Thank you! Here we go!” Franklin started with a clarinet and with a slow beat of the drums. After a few notes, Franklin grabbed the trumpet and then the saxophone before grabbing his twelve-string guitar. The Voices began humming when they heard Franklin start a very low-pitched humming.

Heard you were leaving.

So, what’ll we do when you’re gone? You were the teacher, our mentor, You were more than a friend.

You said, “Life is a rhythm Just like a song.” You said, “Rhythms and rhymes should always be strong.” You were the music. We were the song. A ballad, a waltz, And every now and then, a rock-and-roll song. And just like a song

With verses, a chorus, and music in between, The music and tempo can change. That’s how we live out our lives, Sometimes out of tune, Sometimes we’re off-key. But, we never really forget how to sing. ’Cause we never forget where we’ve been. For, that’s why we’re here.

You were the teacher, the mentor, You were more than a friend. We’ll never forget you. You’re why we’re here. You were the music. We were the song. You were the teacher Singing your song. Yes, you were the teacher. We were just singing your song.

You said, “Life is a rhythm Just like a song.” You said, “Rhythms and rhymes should always be strong.” You were the music. We were the song. A ballad, a waltz, And every now and then, a rock-and-roll song. Yes, life is a song

By the end of the program, Franklin and the band ended up mixing some rockand-roll oldies, a few country hits, and five of Trinity’s hits. Marty unexpectedly sang Paul Anka’s “Girl, You Turn Me On” hit from the seventies. The next morning by ten o’clock, Franklin, Marty, and the band plus Trinity’s Voices boarded a plane for Albuquerque. When they landed, they headed straight for the Convention Center to meet up with Roger and the rest of the group. By now, even the Jackson brothers had heard about Marty’s singing debut back in St. Louis. High-fives and slaps on the back were coming from everybody, including the drivers. Marty approached Franklin and stated, “Franklin, I really don’t want to redo the song list. I’m not wishing to take the spotlight away from Trinity, especially from you! You’re the star. You don’t need me up there. I think you already have enough singers up on stage. Believe me, I’m really okay on the sidelines. I mean that.” “Speaking about stealing the spotlight … From me? I want you to sing with me, with us, as a solo! You bet! Don’t worry about stealing the spotlight from anybody, even from me! If you do, great! You deserve some recognition too! That wouldn’t be our problem! That would be yours! I still want you as my manager! You’re a great manager! I wouldn’t trade you for the world! But singing can also be a hobby! Sing for fun! No pressure! That’s my job! Our job is to please and entertain up here! The pressure is all on me! I don’t mind! You got a voice! Let the audience hear it! Don’t ignore it! It’s a gift! It’s a beautiful gift! I know! And because of you, we’re all here! ?” “Okay! But for now, I still want to be your manager. If I want to sing, I’ll let you know, okay?” “You bet! Fair enough. You just let me know. We’ve got plenty of mics, you know that. One more right beside mine won’t bother me one bit. Always know that, okay? One of those mics has your name on it. You just say when.”

CHAPTER 25

For it is better, if the will of God be so, that ye suffer for well doing, than for evil doing.

—(KJV) (1 PETER 3:17)

The concert in Albuquerque went as expected, smoothly and without a hitch. The concert ended at midnight with a couple of encores. From there, the entourage drove to El Paso, Texas, as soon as everything was loaded and packed. By the time they arrived in El Paso, it was almost 8 a.m. Marty woke up as they were entering the city limits. He checked his cell phone to see if he had any messages or alerts. He had several. He read one and immediately turned on his laptop. The band’s live CD was ready. He was about to get a shipment of about one thousand CDs through FedEx. And an El Paso FedEx location sounded like as good a place as any to go pick them up. He sent a reply to the text immediately. Another text let him know that Annalicia’s cassette had been dubbed already with background music and was also ready for his approval. Marty answered the text by requesting at least two s to his e-mail address. If the two s met Jason’s approval, he would approve the entire CD. Trinity would produce and promote the CD. Within the hour, Marty gave Franklin the good news about both CDs. Franklin asked about AnnaMarie, but Marty simply stated, “No luck there.” “Well, no sweat! Just be sure to carry a blank check with you. And I guess Trinity is now a production company. Notify our attorneys and tell them to draw up a contract to offer Ms. Annalicia Muñoz. You’ll be taking a master copy of her new CD to her to see how she likes it. But first, set up a meeting with her, fly out to Oklahoma later today, and get a signature if she approves of how the CD sounds like. Write her a check for one hundred grand to start off with. Tell her

that Trinity is taking all the risks of promoting her CD. Offer her the normal percent in royalties associated with her songs. Make sure she likes the CD. Don’t shove it down her throat and leave her speechless. Hear what she has to say. And don’t mention me at all. Tell her you will be in touch to see about concerts where you would like her to attend in order to promote her music. “And that reminds me, call Bertha also at the Tuttle Care Center and see how the music lessons are going up in Paul’s Valley with the kids. And finally, check on Joshua from the Agape Christian Church and see how he likes his new van. Check on how his girls are doing also. Tell him to leave our Lubbock date open for a possible Christian revival concert date out of town. Don’t tell him where yet. Oh, and make sure our special guests for Lubbock are being lined up and hopefully willing to attend.” “Okay. Up till now, I’ve lined up B. J. Thomas and Johnny Rivers. Patty Loveless is right now a maybe. She hasn’t said no. Carrie Underwood is also a maybe. Ms. Lee Ann Womack said she would try. She hasn’t said no either. Mr. Shiloh said yes on the Cactus girls. Mac Davis and Ritchie McDonald both said depends on their schedule. I’ll the rest later on today. I’ve still got my list of all those other names.” “Perfect! You know what, I feel like getting me an Almond Joy and a real icecold Coke. I saw a store about two blocks away. You want go with me? We’ll be right back.” “You mean, walk?” “Is that too much to ask? What, you don’t walk anymore? Exercise, my man! That’s all this is! Exercise! A stroll in the park! Yes! Walk!” “Smell the tires! The fumes! City streets! Traffic lights! Traffic accidents! Ain’t no walk in the park! I don’t even the last time I walked anywhere! We don’t even know the city!” “We’ll be back in twenty to thirty minutes or less.” “Tell you what, I’m going to make some of those calls you want me to do. Get them out of the way. If that’s okay with you? If you really need me to go with you, I will. Just know what time it is! Don’t eat too many sweets before your singing … , you’re singing in a few hours! Words to the wise!”

“No problem. You go ahead. I may see something else I like and maybe get an inspiration or something for our next hit. You never know. Maybe hear something or maybe see something. I’ll let you know later.” “Knowing you, that’s true. Hey, got your phone with you? I mean, just in case.” “I got it.” “Okay! Just in case I need you or in case you lose your way. I guess I’ll see you in about thirty minutes or so. Be careful or be careless. Watch out for bad dudes.” “You bet! I won’t be long. Promise, Mom. El Paso, here I come!” He checked his watch to make sure he got back in plenty of time so Marty wouldn’t be worried. He saw people walking everywhere on and off the sidewalk. The parking lot to the El Paso Convention Center was huge. It looked like the band was going to be entertaining a very huge crowd tonight. He saw about ten buses loaded with what appeared to be Trinity fans. Banners and shoe polish writing on the sides of the buses mostly read, “Trinity, El Paso bound.” Franklin waited for the traffic light to change to green before crossing the street. And he thought, Mama always told me to look both ways, and it made him smile just thinking about that. His mother would be proud of him for being an obedient young man. The sidewalk was very crowded with young and middle-aged people going about their daily business. People walked fast, gave him a smile, and even gave him the right-of-way. They were probably just being courteous since he looked like a tourist, at least, from out of town. Some even said hello. By the time he reached the second intersection at the end of the block, he’d seen maybe one hundred or two hundred people walking in both directions. He wondered if it was like this every day or maybe because it was Friday. One thing for sure, this was definitely a very populated city. He could see the 7-Eleven store halfway down the next block. On both sides of the street, vendors were selling CDs, candies, Chiclets, belts, wallets, hats, T-shirts, and food like tacos, gorditas, snow cones, jewelry, and blankets. Anything and everything could be bought out in the street. There was no need to walk into the stores. If you walked far enough, you’d probably find it sooner or later. But no Almond Joys! He finally reached the corner after zigzagging back and forth around the people

and vendors. One or two elderly women were seen asking for a peso or two. As he waited for the traffic light to change, he saw a man in his late thirties playing a six-string guitar. He would strum a few chords, approach a person walking by or a young couple, but would be brushed away. It looked like he was selling a song for money. The light changed, but Franklin never moved as he kept his eye on the man. The cycle of the lights went through a second time when he heard a young Hispanic boy say, “You cross, senor? I can help for fifty cents, senor. I no get you killed! Me do this always! I help if you scared of getting killed on street! I stop traffic and help you cross. I hold your hand.” Franklin looked at the boy. He was six or seven, maybe eight years old. Franklin knew the boy was also trying to earn some money. “Okay, muchacho, you help me. You no get us killed, okay? You say fifty cents? Mexico money or American?” A smile was on the boy’s face. “Come on, mister! I need fifty American cents to make my day! I already have Mexican centavos! I want American money like you have! I cross you, and when you come back, I cross you for free! We have deal?” “We have deal! One way be okay! I can cross back by myself.” The boy took Franklin’s hand, looked both ways, and hollered for an older man on a bike to watch out for them, hollering, “Cuidado, amigo! Nino Cruzando!” which meant, “Child crossing.” The biker stopped for both the kid and Franklin. Both said, “Gracias” simultaneously. When both reached the other side of the street, Franklin realized he didn’t have any change with him. With the broken Spanish he’d learned back in high school, he thought for a second and said, “Tendajo … necesito cambio … tu espera un momento … okay?” “Okay, senor! Yo te espero. Pero rapido! Un dollar be okay too!” he said as he smiled. “Si! Si! Muy rapido!” Franklin started walking toward the 7-Eleven when he was approached by the guitar player. “Two dollars a song, mister. If I know it, I’ll sing it for you right now. If I don’t, I’ll play it anyway as best as I can. I play it, you sing it. How about it? Only two dollars.”

“You play it, I sing it? How about you play me something you can sing too. Can you sing in Spanish and in English?” “Both, sir. I’m actually from Texas. I’ve been living here in El Paso for at least five years. This is what I do to get by. I live in a twenty-dollar room at a very cheap motel every night. I eat snacks all day, basically what I can afford if you gotta know the truth. I shop at Goodwill and The Salvation Army. I go to charity houses for clothes and a hot meal when they don’t run out. What you see in front of you is all there is. I’m down on my luck, but it’s my luck. There’s no one to blame. I can’t seem to gather enough money to go back home. But I will even if home turns out to be inside a wooden box. I know God is watching over me, and one of these days, my life will turn around for the better.” “Where is home?” “Good question. Parents still live there. Little bitty town in the Texas Panhandle. I farmed, drove tractors, planted cotton, picked cotton, and hoed those cotton fields, you name it. I did it as a young man growing up back home in that small farming town of Cotton Center. Probably never heard of it, huh?” “You’re right! Never heard of Cotton Center, Texas. Sounds like a rough life. America is made up of millions of small towns like Cotton Center. You have nothing to feel sorry for. Farming is a dying industry. I’ve always ired farmers. My dad was a farmer once back in the day.” “Not very many people have heard of Cotton Center. Six-man football. You blink and it’s gone. Population is around 175, more or less. Right now, minus one.” “I hear you. Nothing wrong with small towns. Famous people still come from small towns. Some are still being born there. I too come from a small town. Anyway, what’s your name?” “And we’re not famous either like you say … I guess we weren’t born in the right small town in order to be famous, my friend. My name is Ramon. What’s yours? I guess we might as well get acquainted. I’ll probably never see you again after today anyway.” “Franklin. So tell me, you’re going to play me a song or not? Or do I have to get someone else to sing me one?”

“You mean like Paco?” “Paco? Who’s Paco?” “The little kid who helped you cross the street. He sings too! You mean, he didn’t try to sell you a song? He probably sings better than me even for his age! He’s got a fantastic voice. I’m talking about the Spanish songs! He’s got one hell of a singing voice! You ought to hear him! He’ll blow you away!” “No! He never mentioned anything about singing.” Well, if he does, he will amaze you. In all honesty, he sings way better that I ever will. Anyway, here’s my song. You want country, rock and roll, a ballad, or gospel?” “Sing me one you think I would like even if you don’t even know me.” “That’s a tough one. Okay! Let’s see. You don’t really sound like a true Texan. You sound more like you’re from somewhere up north. You’re in your late twenties, early thirties. How about one from the early sixties? Way before you were born anyway. A true rock-and-roll legend, Mr. Chubby Checker, ‘Johnny B. Goode’! If you’ve heard it before and you want to in, don’t let me stop you. We might actually sound good as a duet. I won’t mind. Hope you know the words though. Here goes!”

Deep down Louisiana close to New Orleans Way back up in the woods among the evergreens There stood a log cabin made of earth and wood Where lived a country boy named Johnny B. Goode

Halfway through the song, Franklin ed in as he saw a crowd of young kids come up and start singing along with the two of them, and some began dancing around them. The excitement grew fast. Ramon’s bucket was getting dollars and

American coins plus a few Mexican pesos. Paco came running and started dancing too. Franklin watched Paco dancing and heard him singing too. When the song was over, Franklin asked the crowd to wait. He stated, “Una mas. One more!” He walked over and grabbed Paco and told him, “You’re next, amigo.” But Paco was only too eager. Franklin grabbed Paco’s baseball cap, turned it upside down, and set it on the ground next to Ramon’s bucket. Paco knew it was his turn to sing and excite the crowd as more and more people were gathering around them. Franklin asked Ramon to play his guitar in order to accompany Paco. Paco immediately requested “La Ley Del Monte!” This was one of the most famous and requested songs in all of Mexico made famous by Vicente Fernandez. Paco started singing right on cue once Ramon began playing the song. He had perfect pitch for such a young kid. The crowd grew silent as they heard his voice with all the low notes and the high notes. He was singing it with tremendous energy. He walked around while singing, bowed to the people, and smiled at them back. Franklin handed Ramon a ten-dollar bill out of his pocket and handed Paco the same. “Tell you what, Ramon, can you sing me five songs later this evening? I’ll make it worth your time. I just need you for about thirty minutes or so. You may get to play alone or with three other guys, okay? I can guarantee you, you won’t regret it, maybe the chance of a lifetime for you. You can come as you are. You wear whatever you have. It’s not going to be a fancy place. So don’t go out there and purchase any fancy clothes. The place is about two to three blocks from here. I would need you there by no later than 8:00 p.m. Is that a deal? Think you would like that? Extra money …” “Sure! You bet! That’ll easily pay this month’s rent! You bet, I’ll be there!” “Okay then! I’ll need a list of the five songs you want to sing preferably rock, country, Christian, gospel, and at least one Spanish song. I’m going inside the store, and I’ll be back in about five minutes. I’ll get your list when I come back out in a little bit. Have your list ready, okay?” “Got it! Hey, thanks! How much you going to pay me if you don’t mind my asking?” “You tell me.”

“How about maybe three or five dollars a song? I’m trying to make my rent.” “How about more? How about one hundred dollars a song?” “You said one hundred dollars a song? I’ve never charged that much! I’m not a professional singer! I don’t know that I can sing good enough to charge that much for a song. Mister, that’s too much! Please, I don’t want to let you nor your friends down! I don’t know who’s gonna be at this party, but I don’t want to be laughed at. How about just five dollars a song? I’ll be satisfied with that.” “Okay! We’ll see. We’ll see how much they like you, okay? When you get to the building, go to the back, find a huge coach bus, and whoever is there standing next to it, tell him you want to meet with Marty. Tell him Franklin sent you to him. When you meet Marty, tell him you’re supposed to sing five songs for his friend Franklin. He’ll guide you to the big room. Got it? Be there no later than eight, okay? And give me your five songs here in a little bit.” “Be all right to be there by 7:45 p.m., right? Now is that going to be cash, American dollars?” “Yes! Cash! You bet!” Franklin finally made it inside the store and got his Almond Joys. In fact, he bought ten extra Almond Joys. When he finally came out, he found Paco waiting for him outside the doors. “Me take you back to your place, senor.” “You sure? Me pay you fifty cents more, okay?” “Oh, no, senor. I get money for singing already. Me get money to help pay rent too. Me need five more American dollars. Then I go home and give to Mama. I take you back for free. This is a ‘pilon’ for you.” “Pilon? What is pilon?” “Extra. I walk you for free. Extra walk across street. No charge. Free! Pilon!” “Okay! I get it! You fine and honest kid, Paco. You help your mom. You help me too! Your daddy work too?” “No papa. Only mama. She take good care of me. I take good care of her too!”

“You know, you sing very good. You have great talent. You sing someday and make lots of money.” “Mama show me how to sing. She sing in church on Domingos, Sundays. She sing like angel. She sing in choir. She sing at nights at the plaza. But she not sing this week. She sick.” “Is she seeing a doctor?” “No doctor. They charge too much. She sees home nurse. Next-door neighbor is good nurse. Nurse almost doctor. Mama be okay by tonight. She sing with mariachi girl group of four senoritas. Girls very pretty. Mama pretty too.” “Your mama sings with a mariachi band of girls?” “Yes! Five bonitas senoritas. Guitarras, violin, and one trumpet. All sing. Mama lead singer.” “How much they make?” “Propinas! Tips, senor. Sometimes twenty dollars or more a night! Good American crowds at plaza.” “So let me ask you, when do you eat? Dinner, I mean?” “I eat tomorrow!” “Tomorrow? Tomorrow morning? Dinner? Tonight! When do you eat tonight?” “No, senor! Mama comes home two or three in the morning. She wakes me up. She bring leftovers from corner taco stand. She buys leftover tacos. She come home and counts American money. I count my American money too. Then we eat, and then we sleep.” “I see. Hey, you want to make big extra bucks tonight? You and your mom and her mariachi friends? That’s if your mama not to sick to sing tonight. Oh, and you get to eat lots and lots of free pizza, or fried chicken, or tacos!” “Sounds okay, sir. I have to tell Mama. She still my boss.”

“You bet! Be sure she knows! When we get to the bus, you and your mama and her mariachi girl friends are going to ask for my friend Marty. You tell him you are here for the 8:45 p.m. set. Your mom will sing three songs with her mariachi. Then she can stay and sing with you, or she can stand and watch and hear you sing. There will be a lot of people. You won’t be nervous singing in front of a bunch of people, will you?” “I sing to a lot of people every day. Ten sometimes twenty people. I no get nervous. Mama sings pretty too. She lets me sing alone. And if I sing her song, she sings with me too. She no get nervous. She sings every night. Her group is Mariachi Estrella. They sing all over city. Everybody knows them.” “Okay! We’re here! This is our bus. You and your mom come dressed and ready to sing, okay? After you sing, you all will be given lots of pizza or Coke. If you need something else, you ask Marty, okay? You guys eat all you can. And you and your mom will make lots of money tonight.” “We get rent money for two days?” “Maybe for a few month … We’ll see, okay? Don’t forget and please don’t be late, okay? No later than 8:45 p.m.” “I can dress like a real charro, senor?” “You better believe it! Bring your best! Look sharp!” “I only have one suit. Mama has two. A black and a blue one. I like the blue one. I tell her to wear the blue one. My suit is black.” “Perfect! Thank you, Paco. Looks like we just got us a contract!” “Si, amigo! Me do good business today. Me make good money. God is always watching over Mama and me. We eat good tonight. Me go home and tell Mama.” “Hey, before you go, you have telephone?” “Mama has pocket phone. Cell phone. No minutes right now. Get minutes on payday. Maybe tomorrow, right?” “Sure! Tomorrow be okay. Can you give me her number? Next time I come back

here to El Paso, I call you again, okay? You make more money. Hey, what’s your mom’s name?” “Her name? I told you already. Estrella! Mariachi Estrella! Mariachi name after her.” “Sorry! I should’ve figured that out earlier. Of course! Hey, you like Almond Joy candy?” “Yes! American candy good too! Me bring you Mexican candy tonight, okay, amigo? Mama helped friend make home-cooked Mexican candy. You buy some from me, okay? No! Sorry! I give some to you for free. No charge! You no have to pay. Another pilon for you, senor!” “Amigo! That sounds great! You, my amigo. You bet, amigo! Maybe I give you a pilon tonight too, amigo! That is, after you sing, okay?” “Okay, amigo! Me and my mama look good for all your friends tonight! I try take bath too, okay?’ “Si, amigo! You and your mom look nice for all my amigos. See you later this evening, Paco!” Franklin spoke with Marty and told him about Ramon and Paco and his mom’s mariachi girl band. “Ramon should be here around 7:45 p.m. and Paco around 8:45 p.m. I’ve asked Ramon to sing five songs. He doesn’t know who I am or about Trinity. Hey, on my way back here, I bought some straw hats like the one Ramon was wearing. Now he may be a little bit nervous when he sees the thousands staring back at him. I don’t know, but I want you to do me a favor. Tell the guys to be ready to play with Ramon. Here’s a list of the songs he wants to play and sing. Let the guys familiarize themselves with them. Listen to them on the Internet. Do a quick study with the guys over the songs. If he does appear a little bit nervous because of the huge crowd, halfway or before, we are all coming in and playing with him. This is our show too, so we want to make him look good and make him feel comfortable. I got you a hat too, so if it’s a song you know and feel comfortable, have the sky mics turned on, okay?” “To tell you the truth, I already see three songs I especially like. I just might right in with you, guys.”

“Fantastic! We will all be on stage in tees and jeans with our new hats on. Talk to Roger. Have him on standby, waiting for your signal. If the red light comes on, bring on the lights and light up the stage. We’ll all kind of find our places during the song. The Voices can be on standby also. I bet it’ll sound wonderful. But let Ramon take lead on the singing, okay? “As for Paco’s mom, the group is called Mariachi Estrella. Her name is Estrella, which means star. How about that? Anyway, they will each sing three songs apiece. They will start at 8:45 p.m. You need to hear this kid. He’s got a super voice on him. Sings like a pro. I don’t think we have to worry about either one being stage fright. Ramon maybe but not Paco nor his mom. Do me a favor. Record both sets. I’ll talk to them later, and I’ll see about paying them for their recordings.” “Okay! I’ll talk to Roger and the rest of the band. Now where are those straw hats?” “Aqui, amigo! Ole!” “You mean, ola?” “I mean, ole! Toro!” “Bullfighter ole! I see!” Marty looked at his watch, and it was almost 7:30 p.m. Your amigo Ramon ought to be outside somewhere by now. Hopefully, he didn’t chicken out and got scared. I’ll go check. Keep your fingers crossed.” “Do me a favor and buzz me the second you notice he may be nervous, in shock, or about to walk out the back door, okay? Anyway, get those hats to the band and go outside and find him. This show is about fifteen minutes away from getting started for all our early birds.” “Early birds, you say? House is already packed up to the ceiling! These fans all got here early! House is full, full, full!” Both Franklin and Marty stepped outside the room and saw Jimmy guarding the door. He told Jimmy to get hold of his brother, Flenoid, so he could set at least three extra instruments out on stage and have them ready in ten minutes. He asked for a banjo, his twelve string, and a trumpet. “Yessir!”

At 7:40 p.m., Marty called Franklin to let him know that Ramon had finally shown up out by the coach. Ramon asked for his new friend and stated that he had never played for a bigger crowd than ten or fifteen people. “He seems very nervous. He didn’t know he would be playing in a concert or this size. He says he doesn’t want to get stage fright at the last second and make a fool out of himself with thousands laughing at him. He’s inside the building now but let’s hope he doesn’t find an exit door. I personally think he’s getting the jitters, Franklin. He’s looking for you. I think he’s forgotten your name he’s so nervous. He keeps trying to describe you.” “Okay! We’re heading toward the stage now. Tell him we’ll be the ones with the straw hats and the mustaches. Tell him we hired small group of musicians to help him. Convince him that he can’t quit on us now, okay? Tell him that I am also one of the musicians but that you don’t know which one. We are ready! Get him to the stage now! Tell Roger to keep the lights down for the first set at least. We’ll wait for him to feel a little bit more comfortable then blast them all the way up on stage!” “Okay! We are here! Here we go! I’m sending him up to center mic …” “Okay, bring up the lights to about 25 percent and keep ’em there till the second song. Johnny, tap your drumsticks twice to let Ramon know we are there and ready for him to start. We’ll see if he takes the cue. Ready, guys, here we go! One, two, three …” Ramon heard the drumsticks tap a couple of times, and he immediately hit the first chord right on target. And the first song was underway as the capacity crowd began clapping away and cheering. All of a sudden, Ramon felt at ease and comfortable once he heard the rest of the musical instruments behind him. Franklin knew the order of the songs Roman had written down. Franklin also knew that the banjo would give the first song some added flavor. Ramon began singing a little roughly at first. His voice settled down after a couple of lines. Halfway through the song, Franklin moved from behind Ramon and stood beside him and began singing with Ramon to make it sound like a duet. Once Ramon noticed that it was his new friend behind the thin mustache, he felt at home. Franklin could see that Ramon was moving, swaying, swinging, dancing, and even smiling more and more. “On the next song, bring up the lights to about 50 percent,” he whispered to Marty on his private mini mic.”

“Roger that,” answered Marty. “Hey, you guys sound pretty good. The crowd is loving it! Way to go! Your new friend sounds pretty good!” “I think so too!” said Franklin. At the end of the song, Franklin turned to look at Marty to let him know he needed to grab a mic and in. “Are you sure? You guys are doing just fine. You guys don’t need me. But if you insist,” said Marty. “It’ll be fun! Come on with us! You’ll see!” “Okay! Give me a sec!” The next song was an old Roger Miller song, “King of the Road.” By the time Ramon got to the last song, Franklin had all the lights on stage so with the spotlight on Ramon. Franklin was to the left of center stage from Ramon. This was the first time Ramon realized he wasn’t the only on up on stage. He now realized he had a full band playing and singing with him. He still couldn’t tell if one of the guys up on stage was Franklin or not. He turned around and saw the musicians. He then took a quick look at the background singers, two guys and two girls. He wondered what the name of the group was that was up on stage with him. All he knew was that they sounded pretty good. He also wondered if it might be a local group or what. But one thing for sure, he was sure glad they were there to back him on all his songs. He thought, My new friend sure made it easy for me to shine tonight. He really came through and made me sound real good. He also wondered as to how many people were actually inside this building. Just as he was about to play his last song, Marty came on up to center stage to introduce Ramon to the crowd. “Good evening, ladies and gentlemen! For you, we introduce Ramon, a West Texas native. He hails from the small town of Cotton Center! How about a great big hand for Ramon? He is a very promising young singer who is right now working on his first recording contract! You all make him feel welcome by standing and giving him a tremendous round of applause! We hope you all enjoyed it, and we certainly thank you! He is a solo artist, but we also thank the backup band! They all sounded great! Last song! Says here this is a very personal for our new singer! It’s an old Charlie Rich hit song, ‘Rollin’ with the Flow.’ And it’s one of my favorites too! Let’s do it!”

As the song began, lights flickered on and off all over the Convention Center. Ramon could finally see that he was singing to thousands of people. He was now more curious as to who the group was up on stage with him. Most of all, who could draw such a huge mass of people here in El Paso? The group sounded like real professionals! They weren’t trying to drown him out with their playing nor their singing. And the singer just a few feet away from him wasn’t trying to sing over him either. He’d always known that given the chance, he might just be able to sing like a real professional like he was singing now. Maybe my luck was about to change, he thought. At the same time, he wondered if his friend was out in the audience, listening to him sing. By the time the song was over, Ramon felt like he was on top of the world. Franklin rushed off stage to keep from being recognized by Ramon. Marty also rushed over to Ramon to escort him off stage and then hurried him into a dressing room. A table had been set out with pizza, fried chicken, French fries, salad, fruit, and some soft drinks. Marty told Ramon, “Eat all you want, stay as long as you like, and when you like, you can ask the guy outside to escort you inside the center to enjoy the main attraction or let him know you are ready to leave. He can also escort you so you can go listen to your friend Paco and his mom if you like. And, if you are still hungry, you can come back after Paco’s set and eat what’s left. Oh yes, be sure and take as much as you can with you for later or for tomorrow. Everything in there is for you. Compliments of the band. One last thing, here’s ten one-hundred-dollar bills! I was told you earned every little penny! Great job! Congratulations!” “A thousand dollars! Are you sure? I thought I might get maybe a fifty- or a onehundred-dollar bill! I wasn’t counting on this much! Man, don’t kid me! Five songs for a grand? You’re not kidding me, are you? I mean, my friend didn’t really say how much I was going to get paid, but one thousand bucks is a hell of a lot of money! I need to see him so I can tell him thank you!” “Your friend doesn’t joke about money. This is a business. You ‘were’ great! The crowd loved you by all the applause in there! Even I liked your music! If you’ll give me your phone number, we’ll be in touch next time we’re down this way, okay? Oh, and by the way, all the music on stage is recorded. I need to tell you that. And as for the money, that’s among you, me, and our friend.” “So you got a recording of me and my songs?”

“Yes! We need you to know that. Is that a problem?” “Oh, no problem, all right! Now I can tell all my friends back in Cotton Center that I was good enough to have some songs recorded! You don’t know how much this means to me! I guess I ought to say thank you! All right!” “That’s true, and if they like your voice and they think it’s of commercial quality, and the recording company wants to offer you some kind of contract. That’s why we need a phone number from you to get back with you, all right?” “Sure! You bet! I see!” In the meantime, Mariachi Estrella was on stage, ready to start their set. Estrella had been told to sing three songs, stay on stage after the set, and wait for Paco to be introduced. Paco would sing after her. Paco would introduce his own songs. Estrella felt pride in finally seeing one of her dreams come true, not just for her and her band but also for her son. Playing for hundreds of people was something she had dreamed about for years. And now she knew it was a huge building that could seat thousands. At first, she could tell if the building was packed or not. She was excited not just for her band but also for her son, Paco. Paco had mentioned something about the night, but she wasn’t expecting this. And being nervous was not in her vocabulary. She was ready, just as she was sure her group was also. Franklin was back in his dressing room, getting dressed for his own set. Mary came by and told him that Ramon was a very, very happy individual right about now, enjoying a hot meal and figuring out how to deal with his brand-new streak of good luck. “And he’s definitely glad you came along, I’m sure.” “Hey, that’s great! He earned it! I’m glad I ran into him also! Maybe we can change his luck for the better. You let him know we had a recording of his set?” “Sure did! He was ecstatic about it. He’s in cloud nine right now. I also told him we’d him later on if the recording company wants to sign him.” “Great! We’ll get Roger to get us a CD later and see how it came out. Thanks!” “No! Thank you! It was fun getting on stage with all you, guys! It does give you a different kind of feeling, a great feeling! I loved it! But I’m keeping my manager’s position. If that’s okay with you?”

“It’s all right by me. And it is fun, ain’t it? Hey, go check and let me know how the mariachi band does and Paco.” “Okay! See you after a while.”

Back in Southland, Texas, Mary Lou was putting AnnaMarie to sleep. “Listen, I know it’s Saturday night, but I’ll be leaving for work in a little over two hours. This coming Thursday is Thanksgiving. I’m hoping I get some extra tip money so I can get us the two pies we decided on. I’m still thinking we may end up going to Furr’s Cafeteria. Grandma and Grandpa said they may come but not to hold our breath. It’ll all depend on Grandpa’s job, I’m sure. We got to have something nice on the dinner table for them, right?” “And your KK friends? Are they coming too?” “I don’t think so, sweetie. My fiend Norma and her daughter, Loretta might. I haven’t asked her yet. But I will as soon as I have a chance. Now please go to sleep. The next-door girl will be here in a couple of hours to stay with you till I get back in the morning, all right?” “Okay, Mommy. Bless you and see you in the morning.” “Bless you too, sweetie. Night, night.”

Back in El Paso, Franklin walked into the crowd just as Paco was about to take center stage. The huge crowd had just given Estrella and her mariachi band a standing ovation and an applause that wouldn’t end. Marty began announcing Paco. “Ladies and gentlemen, our next featured guest is the son of one of the ladies in the mariachi band. His name is Paco. He is seven or eight years old. He was just recently discovered singing in one of your own street corners. He sings from the heart with a whole lot of enthusiasm and lots of vocal power. You will be amazed at his range. He sings to one, to four or five, and sometimes to ten people at a time. Today he will sing to all ten thousand or more of you! Please make Paco feel welcome and at home! How about a great round of applause for our very special friend and future artist? Here’s Paco!”

Paco walked onto the stage wearing his beautiful charro suit with his charro hat in his left hand raised high above his head. He grabbed the mic in the other hand and bowed to the audience. He hollered out loud to the crowd, “Viva Mexico! Viva Los Estados Unidos! Viva el Mariachi Estrella! Gracias a mi madre! ‘Guadalajara’!” And that was the cue for the music to begin. And like a true professional, the music started just as he also started dancing with his charro hat still in his hand. The audience went wild just as he started dancing. The mariachi band took that as his cue and began playing this famous song from Mexico. In perfect timing, Paco began singing it like a real professional. All of a sudden, Franklin felt goose bumps just by watching this young kid sing this very popular song like none before. He said to himself, “Way to go, Paco! Way to go! You sing it, man! You sing it!” By now, the entire crowd was on their feet screaming and hollering as they sang along with Paco. Paco knew the song by heart. When he wasn’t singing, he was walking back and forth all over the stage either encouraging the mariachi or encouraging the crowd to sign louder. At times, he would also dance or just simply raise his sombrero higher and higher. The crowd was full of energy. They followed his every gesture. Franklin could see the pride in Estrella’s face as she followed every move and gesture her son made. Her eyes glowed with every note Paco sang. By the end of the second song, Marty came up to center stage and mentioned that Paco was only seven years old and that Estrella was his mom. At this, Estrella stepped forward and took a bow. Paco immediately ran toward his mom, held her hand, and then gently kissed her on the cheek. Marty then stated that Paco would be singing one more solo and that in order to finish this last set before the main band came on, Estrella and Paco would be singing one last song together. Estrella also had a very mellow but powerful voice. Both Paco and his mom already knew what song to sing together. They’d sung together at home dozens of times. Paco then hollered, “La Negra!” This would be his last solo song. The music started, and so did Paco. For their last song together, Paco and Estrella sang “Amor Eterno,” a famous song by Juan Gabriel. The crowd grew silent as candles, cigarette lighters, and cell phone lights came on swaying from side to side. Not a sound nor noise was heard from the audience. The only sound in the entire building came from mariachi and the beautiful voices of Paco and Estrella. This was the perfect song to finish this set. When the song came to an end, Paco waived his charro hat and bowed to his

mom and then to the crowd. Estrella curtsied to Paco and then the crowd. She also raised her charro hat to the crowd. As the lights came on, both saw in amazement that the building was at full capacity. Both looked at each other, bowed one more time, held hands, and bowed for the last time. The rest of the mariachi band stood side by side and waved at the crowd good-bye with their hats. They were all basically waving good-bye and saying thank you at the same time.

CHAPTER 26

For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:

—(KJV) (1 THESSALONIANS 4:16)

Paco and Estrella and her mariachi band were led off stage by Marty. Marty took them down into the hallway toward their own respective dressing rooms. Before entering the dressing rooms, Ramon met up with them and congratulated them by saying, “You guys stole the show! I’ve heard you guys sing and play before but not like tonight. It took my breath away. Man, you sang great, Paco. You’re something else. I knew you could sing, but I’ve never heard you behind a microphone. Man, it took my breath away! Our friend just made us famous, you know that, don’t you? You too, ma’am. You guys were fantastic! By the way, have you seen our friend Franklin? I think that’s his name.” “Hey, you were great too, Ramon. You weren’t too bad yourself! I like your music too. This was fun! Fantastico! For all of us! There must be five or ten thousand people inside this building. I thought I was going to faint when I saw how many people were there when the lights came on! But it was fun!” Marty stated, “Paco, we need to go inside ’cause in fifteen minutes, the main group needs to be introduced. By the way, I didn’t think you knew how to speak English. Sounds good to me.” Once inside the dressing room, Marty counted out five thousand dollars. He handed Paco one thousand dollars and then gave four thousand to Estrella. “Ma’am, one thousand is for you and divide the other three thousand among the rest of your band. That would be $750 each, okay? Is that all right?” “Oh yes, sir! Thank you, senor! Oh, thank you so, so much! Are you sure we

deserve this much? We don’t ever make this kind of money for singing! God has blessed all of us, especially Paco and me! Thank you and your friends! We will never be able to thank you for this very night! Thank you again!” “As far as we are concerned, you all have earned this money. It is yours to keep. Like I told Ramon, these songs you guys played and sang on stage were recorded. The production company will be in later to let you know if it is okay to put them on a possible CD. You all think about it. There may be some royalties they will pay you later and maybe a recording contract, okay? This would be compliments of Trinity. I have to leave. Stay as long as you like. Eat all you like and take the rest home. As a matter of fact, take it all home for tonight, tomorrow, or the next day. And you’re all more than welcome to go inside after a while and watch the main attraction. You will have an escort to get inside. One of my people will be outside your door. And I hope this was an event to for a long, long time. Thank you all so much for all the energy you guys put in to make this concert a success.” Marty left them and headed straight to center stage once he looked at his watch. He was about one minute away from introducing Trinity. “Ladies and gentlemen, for your evening pleasure, getting ready for their first ever world tour early next year, Trinity, featuring Jason Skarr and Trinity’s Voices! Sit back, relax, and enjoy this musical event!” The music began, and Franklin came up slowly to center stage. He began singing one song after another. After a couple of songs, he asked the audience to give another round of applause for Texan-born and raised Ramon from the small cotton town of Cotton Center. “And how about Estrella and her all-girl mariachi band? And finally, last but not least, how about that fantastic voice that came from little ol’ Paco? Wasn’t he a world of dynamite? He even had me singing and dancing! I see a fantastic future in music for that young man! For all my guests! Yessiree, I think they all have a great future in the entertainment world! And we may just have to our very own sponsors to sponsor them too! How about that? How neat would that be? Yeah! All right! Hey, let’s move on! “For our next number, here’s one that may or may not get much airplay on those radio stations. But I wrote it anyway, and we’ll just have to wait and see. I think it’s got a special message. It’s about a relationship that seems to be on the rocks or maybe not. See what you think. ‘Folded Note’!”

I heard the song on the radio The singer sang of disappointments and regrets Of broken loves never to forget And there I sat alone at home Staring at a folded note A neatly folded note Afraid to read, afraid to touch For I knew what it said

Things I’d heard before Things I’d said and done before And there I thought, things had changed Done what I could within my range And the song played on in the back of my mind It now played over and over Mentioning forgiveness and giving second chances Something I’d learned and said again and again Something about sharing and sacrifices and misfortunes Responsibilities and dealing with life’s crises and entices I opened the note and read it all word by word

Here is where I expected the big fall

Let my heart break and watch myself crawl But three words told it all The note just told it all, told it all in just three words “I love you. Please call.” Silly fool! I read it all! The folded note told it all! Three words told it all! I’d given up, but I was wrong My heart now sang a brand-new song The folded note told it all Three words said it all

By the end of the concert, Ramon had already left the building. He figured his friend was inside the building as a fan listening to the music just like everybody else. Maybe he was the promoter for this event. Estrella and the girls along with Paco were also leaving as the last song came to an end. They had wanted to leave earlier in order to beat all the fans exiting at the same time. They had quite a few blocks to walk to get home. But at the last minute, Paco told his mom he needed to do something before going home. Paco decided to go back to the Convention Center one last time. Franklin was already out of his dressing room and was being escorted back to his bus by Flenoid. As he was walking, he saw Paco running up toward him. “Mr. Franklin!” “Paco! What are you doing here? Are you all right? Where’s your mom? Is she okay? Is everything all right?”

“Yes! We are all right. I had come back to say thank you, but I think Ramon may be in trouble. On my way over here, I think I saw three bandidos take away his guitar because he wouldn’t sing them a song for one dollar. He said he wouldn’t sing for less than fifty dollars. So they hit him and took his guitar.” “Where is he?” “Around the corner inside el callejón. I don’t know if he is hurt or not. Bandidos may still be there. I can go call the police or Cruz Roja.” “I tell you what, I go to alley, okay? I go check on Ramon. If my friend Marty comes out looking for me, let him know where I’m at. For right now, don’t call the police.” “Are you sure, Mr. Franklin? They may carry guns and knives. Maybe we call police now. They have guns too!” “We don’t want Ramon hurt. Wait on police. Tell Marty to bring other friends. No guns, no knives. Tell him to bring ‘big’ friends.” “Okay, mister!” Franklin rounded the corner and saw three young teenage kids with Ramon’s guitar. He approached from behind as he saw Ramon still lying on the ground. “Oh my god! You guys got my guitar back! I’ll go ahead and take it now! I notified the police, and they are on their way over here already. Thanks, guys! I can take it from here now. I’ll stand by for the police and tell them you guys helped, okay?” “Not so fast, gringo! This is our guitar! We buy from him. Now he change his mind and want guitar back. Now we no sell. We want him empty his pockets. We break guitar and then shoot him or something.” “Tell you what, I pay you what you pay him, okay? I need guitar for tomorrow. I no leave without ‘my’ guitar. Police be here soon. My name on guitar in special place. You want to go to jail tonight? Or you want money and go home tonight? Your choice.” “We no sell!”

“Name your price! Twenty dollars? Thirty dollars?” “How we know this yours? No picture on guitar! Where is name?” “Name on guitar? My secret! I can play it better than anybody! Tell you what, I play song for free, okay? If you can play better than me, it’s yours! If not, I get my guitar back. Deal?” “You play and sing too? Any song we like?” “In English! Yes! I play and sing any song you like as long as I know it!” “What if you play, and I sing?” “Are you sure? I can do that too! Maybe we can both sing! We can do a duet! We sing together! I no charge to play!” “You no charge to play? You funny, mister! I sing pretty good!” “Me? Funny guy? Maybe! Hey, whenever you’re ready, buddy. But I can’t play without ‘my’ guitar.” “Okay, yes! I like you! You funny, okay, guy! You play Beatles ‘Twist and Shout’? I don’t know all the words, but I love to sing it sometimes.” “That’s okay! I’ll cover you! You want first part, or you want me to start? Tell you what, I’ll start playing, and I’ll let you know when to start singing, okay? Are you ready?” “No! You start singing first. I start after you.” “Are you sure? This is your song. The spotlight is on you, not me. You’re singing for your friends! If they want to sing too, they can sing, right? I don’t have to sing. They can if that’s okay with you!” “My friends sing only in Spanish. You and me sing this time.” “Okay! One, two, three!” Franklin started by playing Ramon’s guitar. The three, including Ramon, were instantly glued to Franklin’s fingers as he played Ramon’s guitar. His fingers moved up and down the neck of his guitar, and his

strumming never missed a string. After a few bars, Franklin motioned for the bandit to be ready to start singing. When Franklin realized the guy wasn’t quite ready because he panicked or was awestruck with his guitar playing, he began singing the famous song. After a couple of lines, the guy finally began singing, off-key, monotone, but singing nonetheless. As both were singing, Marty showed up with the Jackson brothers. Paco followed a few feet behind them. Franklin motioned to Marty that everything was all right. When the song came to an end, the three hoodlums looked at Ramon and stated, “All you had to do was play one song, ese vato. But no, you had to ask for all that money! That’s what made me mad, man! You’re nothing but a street singer! Where we get all that money? We’ve seen you around before. You sing for nickels and dimes just like everybody else, man! You asked for it!” Franklin interrupted, “How about you guys just leave, okay? I think the police may be real close by. Tell you what, here’s a fifty for the guitar. The playing was for free. My gift to you, guys. We all call it a night. You guys go your way, and we go ours, okay? We call it even. No one goes to jail, okay?” “No, senor, we don’t want your money. It was just a matter of principle. You keep money. You keep your guitar. You are honest guy, and you play great on that ten-dollar guitar. I’ve never heard anyone play that song like you just played. You play like real professional. Play better than the Beatles, I think. Maybe you are somebody famous, no? Are you? Never mind! Me never find out. I rather not know. If you are famous, I’ll have to find out for myself one of these days, right? I go see you in a concert or something. Later, I can buy one of your CDs too.” “Before you guys go, here’s the fifty. Take it. My gift to you, fellas, for Thanksgiving, which is just around the corner. You guys buy the turkey and dressing or treat your parents or girlfriends to a Thanksgiving meal at a nice restaurant. As for us, we’re heading to the casa, okay, amigos?” “Since you put it that way, we’ll take your fifty so we can buy us a couple of turkeys. Lucky for us, our moms know how to cook. Our girlfriends don’t. Ha ha ha!” “No wives? No one married yet?” “We are brothers. Not married yet. No babies either.”

“How about that? That’s great! Hey, here’s a gift for each one of you. A fifty for each one, okay? Happy Thanksgiving, amigos!” “You are something else! You must be a gift from God! God bless you whoever you are! Who are you for real? You are famous, aren’t you? I feel it in my bones. I just know it!” Marty started to say something, but Franklin stopped him. “I’m just a friend, and now I have three more friends. I’m gonna take this friend home,” he said as he turned around to look at Ramon. “You guys take care. Oh, and stay out of trouble, okay?” “Sure thing, my friend.” The three looked at Ramon. The oldest walked up to him and said, “We’re sorry.” He shook his hand and walked away.” Franklin looked at Ramon and asked, “Are you all right? If you like, we can walk with you to your place.” Ramon answered back, “I think you’ve already done enough. More than I expected to tell you the truth. I owe you a lot. You give me a job, pay me all that money for just five songs, save my neck from those guys, get my guitar back, and you want to be my bodyguard too? They were right, you know. You are a gift from God! You indeed are some special kind of guy! I’m like them. Just who in the world are you? Where the heck did you come from, man? I think you’ve just changed my life. And right before my very eyes!” “Why do you say that? I’m just like you. Just another guy.” “That’s where you’re wrong. These guys here, those other twenty standing over there, they are all here for you, not me, not your friend Marty or something! They’re all here to protect you! I know it, Paco knows it, and you know it! We all know it! You are somebody famous! The way you sang, the way you played the guitar, and that song you sang! I don’t know that the Beatles could’ve sung that song like you just did! Hell, even I wanted to in! Calm, confident, and as generous as you are? I’ve never met anyone like you, Franklin, never in my life! I will certainly never forget this night! No, sir, I never will!” “Well, this is who I am. No pretending! I’ve sang many times for free. I’ve sung for money, just like you, Ramon. I know people are going through some hard times right now. You are. Paco is too. Millions out there also. Be proud of what

you do. Be proud of all your talents. But sometimes we all have to what got us here. Don’t ever forget that, Ramon. Don’t be afraid of doing something for nothing in return. God will reward you for every good deed we do in life. God will reward you ten times forever and ever. You were rewarded tonight, so was Paco and his mom. I’ve been there myself. We’ve all been there, including my friends. We are a family. We are supposed to watch out for one another. And we do.” “What are you trying to say? Sounds like you’re preaching to me now.” “You really want to know?” “Yes!” “Okay! This morning, when I first saw you, you couldn’t get people to stand still and hear one of your songs. You couldn’t get them to stop so you could sell them a song for pennies and change. You practically begged me to listen to one of your songs for a few dollars. I did, and so did Paco, but he wasn’t trying to sell me a song. I didn’t even know he could sing until you told me he could. He was only wanting to help me cross the street for fifty cents, something I’ve been doing all my life. I’m sure he knew that. I should’ve been crossing him, not the other way around. Before the end of the day, you sang five songs for a lot of money. You had your thirty minutes of fame where you were basically on top of the world. These guys came around. They wanted you to play them one song. One song! Even if you had sung it for free, you were still already way ahead! You’d already made your money when you were up on stage! What I’m trying to say is you have a gift! Share that gift even if people don’t pay you for the performance of that gift that God gave you! Do it because God wants you to share all that he’s given you! I tell you, some of God’s gifts don’t last forever. Here today, gone tomorrow! That’s life. We die someday, and all we own stays behind, except for the clothes on our backs, no matter what it is … even our loved ones.” “You are famous, aren’t you?” “Let’s say only to my friends, to my parents, and to God.” “They know who you are, don’t they? I still don’t. That’s okay. I know you now. You are Franklin, a friend I will certainly never forget.”

“Yes, they know me, but they are the best friends I could ever ask for. I know they will do everything to keep me safe. And I will do the same for them.” “Somehow I truly believe that. I bet you would. Kind of like you just did for me … They all work for you. I can tell. You are famous. I don’t know for sure who you are, but I know I am honored and blessed to know you. Somehow I feel that God put you in my path or vice versa.” “Look, Ramon, whether I am famous, it doesn’t really matter. Right now, what matters is that you’re okay. You got your guitar back, you still have your money, and now you can go home and enjoy the rest of the night. Tomorrow you will start a brand-new day and think about this day. You make sure Paco gets home safely, okay? Because of him, we are all here, including me! He cared enough to let me know you needed some help. Because of him you’re all right. Maybe he is your guardian angel, not me! I just happened to be there when he came looking for help. Anyway, good luck with the rest of your life. Make it mean something, not just for you but also for others!” “As a matter of fact, I’m going home tomorrow. I’m catching the Greyhound bus back to Lubbock or Amarillo, whichever leaves first, and then hitching a ride home to Cotton Center, Texas. I want to be home before Thanksgiving, that’s for sure. Can’t wait to see my mom and pop. And this time I’ll actually have some money to give them. That is, thanks to you and your friends.” “Sounds great! If you’re available and not real busy, we’ll call you before Christmas for something real special, okay? We’ll be doing some business in Lubbock around that time. So keep your guitar tuned up. As for now, I guess we’re out of here. You guys take care. Now be sure Paco gets home safe, okay?” “Bye, Mr. Franklin. Thank you for all you did to help Mama and me. Mama also tell me to tell you thank you for everything,” said Paco. “Bye, little man. You take real good care of your mom, you hear? You guys were wonderful together. Took my breath away! Believe me, it was exciting! I definitely expect you guys to have a career in the music industry one of these days, maybe sooner than you think! I know we’ll all see each other again soon! Stay close to your phones! We’ll be in touch! I’m betting on it!” “Yes, Mr. Franklin. Mama would like that. I tell her tomorrow. God bless you, Mr. Franklin.”

“God bless you too, Paco. I take that back. God bless all of you! That includes you too, Ramon!” “Yes, sir! God bless you for coming to our city and saving us from poverty. Thank you also for giving me a lesson in humility and generosity. I’d never known anyone quite like you. Now I know there are good, decent people around to kind of steer us in the right paths. I needed such a lesson. Thank you, sir.” “I think we all need reminding from time to time. We all do.” Marty stated, “Franklin, we’re loaded and ready to go according to Roger. We need to hit the road and head up to St. Louis. We’re twenty-two to twenty-four hours away.” “I’m ready.” Both Ramon and Paco heard St. Louis. “St. Louis? You guys from St. Louis? Isn’t that in Missouri?” “Yep!” said Marty. “You’re a long ways from home, aren’t you all? What’s a guy like you, Franklin, doing way out here?” “I guess you can say we’re out here rescuing you, Paco, and his mom, I guess.” “You’re right! I’m sorry. I didn’t mean it like that.” “I was also just kidding too. Let’s just say, having fun, doing something we love, and making new friends. Like you, guys!” “I’ll buy that!” “Okay! We’re gone! Take care, guys!” Franklin, Marty, and the rest rounded the corner to find the buses stopped and waiting in the middle of the street. They all boarded the buses and slowly began driving away. Ramon and Paco ran toward the street to look at the private buses driving away. No pictures on the buses were visible. A huge semitrailer could be seen at the opposite end of the street bringing that was about to start rolling.

Both Ramon and Paco looked at each other and ran toward the trailer. Both saw the Jackson brothers walking fast toward the trailer. Ramon hollered, “Hey! Wait!” Both Jimmy and Flenoid stopped to see what they needed. Once they caught up to them, Ramon asked, “Who was that Franklin guy? What does he do? Who is he? Is he famous or something? Is he the famous singer of a famous group? He could sure play a guitar and sing like a real pro. Is he for real?” “We can’t tell you. If we could, we would. But I will tell you that the answers you want will be staring you in the face when you read the writing on the wall. All you gotta do is look for it. Just read the writing on the wall, okay?” And both brothers went one more time inside the building. Ramon was left speechless. Paco said, “The writing on the wall? I wonder what he meant by that.” Disappointed, both began walking away. Neither one took the time to read the huge letters written on the side of the trailer. From one end of the trailer, “Trinity” was written in large bold letters, featuring Jason Skarr. According to MapQuest, it was over 1,200 miles back home to St. Louis. It all depended which route they took either way. By bus, they were looking at twentyone or twenty-two hours driving time. They figured on getting home by 2:00 a.m. or 3:00 a.m. on Sunday.

Back in Lubbock, Mary Lou had just started her shift. In the distance, she saw and recognized Mr. Shiloh walking in by himself. She hollered, “Mr. Shiloh!” He looked around and saw her. “Yes! Wait a minute! I’m supposed to know you. The funeral … in Amherst … right? I’m sorry. I’m trying to recall your name. Give me a sec. Mary! Mary Lou, right? Is that right? Mary Lou?” “Yes! Very good! It is Mary Lou! How nice to see you again. Can I get you a cup of coffee?” “Yes! Thank you! I’ve had a long evening at the office. Got late … got hungry … and here I am! But I don’t know if I should have a late dinner or an early breakfast. What would you recommend, young lady?” “Well, LPD normally gets breakfast this time of night. The KKs get breakfast

this time of night also. Travelers get breakfast also. Late night club people get breakfast. But we have some great burgers and hot dinner meals that’ll make your mouth water. I just love the chicken fried steaks. Makes me hungry just thinking about ’em.” “Well, how about your best chicken fry, mashed taters, salad, and a hot cup of java?” “Coming right up! I’ll have your coffee right up.” Mary Lou came back with the coffee. “You’re in the entertainment business. You may or may not know the answer to this, but my daughter somehow was given a very expensive hat to watch for someone. For some unknown reason, she still has this that. I think it’s a Stetson, a white one at that. It has a few raindrop stains. I don’t know how much it would cost, but do you know a place where I could get it very nicely cleaned? Mainly, where it wouldn’t cost me an arm and a leg?” “Well, right now, I can only think of one place that is actually owned by two brothers. They have been in the dry cleaning business for the last twenty to twenty-five years. Now I can’t really tell you if they still clean hats or not. I know they used to. Thing is, they are in Abernathy, a small town just north of here on I-27. They are a family-owned dry cleaning business. Been there for as long as I can . Just ask for Bobby or Bruce. I know Bobby. I’m not that familiar with Bruce. But they are the nicest folks you’ll ever meet. If you want that Stetson cleaned and pressed just right, go there and see if they can help you. There’s no doubt in my mind they can even make a ten-year-old hat look like brand spanking new.” “Well, that’s what I want! Thanks! I’ll go right after Thanksgiving and see what they can do to get one looking extra nice. I just heard the bell. Your meal may be ready. If you’ll excuse me, I’ll go check. Oh, and thank you. You’ve been very helpful. And that’s Bobby or Bruce, right?” “Yes, ma’am, Bobby or Bruce! You got it!” “Thank you so much! Oh, oh, here come my KK customers!” “You’re welcome, hon! Sounds like Officer Fisher’s voice already!”

“Coffee!” “Be right there, guys!”

Back on the bus, Marty was dozing off after having been talking with Franklin. Both had listened to the recording of Ramon, Paco, and his mom’s mariachi. Both were more impressed with Paco and Estrella’s performance. They liked Ramon too, but they felt that Paco and Estrella could be superstars. Ramon needed lots more work before he could be considered good enough for a recording contract. “From what I gather, Cotton Center is an hour or so from Lubbock. We could invite him to our Lubbock Music Revival. He said he was going home, so he would be close by anyway. As for Paco and his mom, we could fly them there. We just need to send out letters right after Thanksgiving so all our guests can start making plans to be in Lubbock the weekend before Christmas. So I guess you need to start calling all these people, get their names right, and start buying some place tickets as soon as possible.” “I’ll start on it tomorrow!” “All right! Hey, I’m getting sleepy. How about—” “Right there with you, buddy!” “Okay! I’m turning in! See you come daylight.” “You bet!” The rest of the trip back home was uneventful. Both buses arrived in St. Louis the next morning around three o’clock. By the time Franklin and Marty pulled into the driveway of Franklin’s home, his mom turned on the front porch light. She was letting him know that she was up and waiting for him to get home. “I’m glad you called me last night. I was able to sleep and had my alarm set for three. I’d say we both had good timing. Your dad knows you were coming. He sounded very eager to know you were coming home. He said something about Lubbock, Texas. He’s still asleep right now.” From behind the front door, Mr. Scarborough was heard, saying, “I am? I bare heard the alarm. I wondered why you’d set the alarm for three in the morning. I

kind of figured Franklin was coming home from somewhere. Tell Marty we have an extra pillow, his favorite couch, and a warm comforter waiting for him. He can sleep here so he won’t have to wake up his parents next door.” “Thanks, Mr. Scarborough. Might just take you up on your offer.” “Your couch is ready for you anytime, son. Extra cushions if you need ’em.” “You’re the best! Thank you, sir.” “You’re most welcome! It’s a little bit cool tonight. You’ll come on in.” “Thanks, Dad.” “You’re welcome, son. Why are you all so late? Where you both been this late at night? Mexico? You both been partying?” “Well, as a matter of fact—” Marty started to say. But Franklin interrupted, “Touring a Texas college!” “Both of you? Marty too?” “Marty went for the ride, Dad.” “Well, you guys are home. That’s what matters. Don’t forget, next mass is this Wednesday at 4:00 p.m. I expect both of you there. I guess you can do the homily, Franklin. I was scheduled, but I want you to take my place. How about it? Are you up for it? Can you do me this favor?” “You bet, Dad. Be my honor.” “Okay then! Let’s all go inside and get some shut-eye.” “Night, Mr. and Mrs. Scarborough.” “Good night to you too, Marty,” said Mrs. Scarborough. “Good night, Mom. Night, Dad.” “Good night, Franklin,” both Mom and Dad answered at the same time.

Back in Lubbock at the IHOP, an unusual song was beginning to play on a radio station. Norma hollered at Mary Lou, “Hey, girlfriend, come here and listen to this new song! It’s the one I told you about last week about this cute little girl talking to this ‘hot’ singer. He’s talking about colors, and she’s describing what the colors mean to her. It’s a real cute song. I think they said the song is ‘Colors of the World’! I don’t know whether it’s on iTunes yet, but I’m gonna check it out! I Think the name of the group is Trinity, but I’m not real sure. They’re fixing to play it any second!” The song started to play when Officer Fisher and Officer Lee from Tech campus walked in the restaurant. “Coffee!” hollered Fisher. “We need a menu too!” Jason Skarr had just started singing when Mary Lou told Norma, “Let me get a menu for these guys.” “Okay!” “Hey, weren’t you guys here earlier? We were here for about five minutes only! We had to leave on a burglary-in-progress call. Then we had a loud party call, and we’ve been busy all night after that. Not turning out to be a good night for us. We are plumbed pooped! But maybe it’s died down now. I’m tired, cranky, and hungry! But first things first! Coffee!” “Okay! I’ll get some fresh coffee brewing right now!” “Thanks!” “No problem, fellas!” “Hey, what’s Norma blabbing about over there?” asked Officer Lee. “A song on the radio, a song about colors and a little girl talking to the main singer about what the colors mean to her.” “‘Colors of the World’! Very cute song. The little girl sounds so cute. You can tell she loves her mom very much by what she says. She wants a red dress for her mom and something about yellow snow. Very cute song!”

On Wednesday, 8:30 a.m. came early back in St. Louis. Breakfast was ready when Franklin woke up. He headed straight to the bathroom and took his morning shower. “I smell breakfast,” he told his mom and dad who were already waiting for him in the kitchen. “A tall glass of milk and a couple of pancakes ought to do me, Mom.” “Sausage? Bacon? A couple of eggs over easy?” “I’d like to, but I think I’ll this time. Thank you though.” Marty was walking back to Franklin’s house just as Franklin and his parents were walking out the front door of the house. “Ready, guys? Got my Bible with me!” “I’d say, good timing!” stated Franklin. “I, for sure, didn’t want to miss your sermon, Franklin. I want to see if you will someday make a good priest or a good deacon. With your dull life and mine, I want to see how you can someday inspire me to follow in your footsteps someday. So you better try hard, my friend!” “Well, get ready to be inspired, ol’ buddy!” “I expect a good homily too,” stated Mr. Scarborough. “I’m sure he’ll do fine, Jim,” stated Mrs. Scarborough. “I’ll do my best, Dad!” “I know you will, son. You’ll get the hang of it after four or five homilies.” Marty was looking at Franklin, and both were smiling. Marty gave him a thumbs-up sign. Marty knew Franklin would do great. After all, Franklin already had at least three or four practice runs under his belt. He’d already been at Pauls Valley, Oklahoma City, and Wichita, Kansas. By the time Franklin got up to the pulpit, he already knew he would be talking about trust and friendships.

“Jesus’s three most trusted and closest friends were Peter, James, and John. Or else, he would not have taken them with him up to the Garden of Gethsemane. And even though they fall asleep three different times, he still allows them to see Moses and Elijah, talking with him during the transfiguration. Now Moses and Elijah had long since died thousands of years back. There was no doubt in their minds that it truly was Moses and Elijah standing there with Jesus. And Jesus trusted Peter even after Peter had denied him three times before the crucifixion, or he would not have told Peter to build his church. Jesus would not have told John to take Mary as his mother. And he also knew that James had a kind heart. “Today I am reminded of a story of a young girl who pretended not to speak English in order to get a stranger help her dad fix a flat tire. And there was also another elderly man touring around the country with six teenage girls in an old beat-up van so they can sing their gospel songs to our Lord Jesus Christ. I am also reminded of an elderly woman in a wheelchair living in a nursing home who also did everything she could in order to take her nursing home friend and her daughter to a Christian concert on two free tickets. Then there’s a six-year-old boy who practically lived out in the streets helping people cross the street by day and sing his heart out for nickels and dimes by night in order to help his mom pay the rent at a rundown apartment. There’s also a man and his thirty-dollar guitar singing for a dollar a song in order to save enough to get back home to his parents. Last but not least, there was once a seven-year-old kid who grew up next door to the best friend a kid could ever wish to have, a friend who is more like a brother, the best brother he never had … He is the best brother ‘I’ will ever have. “A kid who lives the life God wants him to live, the life his parents want him to live, and the life he was destined to live in order to make God proud of him. It’s a life where money means nothing, except to share it with those who have less than him. It’s a life that brings happiness to others because of a special gift that God has given him, the life a teacher and mother helped shape, control, and guide. It’s the life a father dreamed for his son. It’s a life he wouldn’t trade for the world. That is my life. No, it’s not a perfect life, but I think it’s the life God wants me to live. I live for my God! “Jesus had a dream, a mission, a goal. We all have a mission in life, dreams that keep us living from day to day, and goals to get us from year to year ultimately to be in God’s grace and be with him in the end, to be with him for the rest of eternity. We are all sinners. Jesus died on the cross for all our sins. Jesus

believed in Peter, James, and John. I believe in Jesus Christ, our savior. Glory to God in the highest! Amen!” A tear could be seen in the eyes of Franklin’s mom and dad. Marty also had a couple of tears flowing down his eyes. Somehow all three knew Franklin was talking about his own personal life. They knew how honest and sentimental he could be. They knew his feelings were genuine, honest, and sincere. Somehow all three wanted to clap, but they wouldn’t dare until … all of a sudden, the priest stood and began clapping. And within seconds, the whole congregation stood and began clapping. Marty’s and Franklin’s parents stood and ed in with tears rolling down their eyes. The priest walked up to the pulpit and said, “If I didn’t know any better, I would say this was a very personal confession of life, a most profound homily. I’ve never heard a most touching way of expressing a personal experience with the teaching of the Bible. It was very nicely done, Franklin. We may want you to come back again and soon!” Franklin headed back to his seat and sat between Marty and his mom. As soon as he sat, his dad and Marty both shook his hand. His mom hugged him and gave him a motherly kiss on his lips. “You’ve always made me very proud, son,” said his mom. “Somehow I get the feeling there’s a confession in your homily. And we loved it! Know that we will always love you unconditionally and trust you completely. You just be careful with all the strangers you meet out there, okay? Wherever you are …” “Yes, ma’am, I am!” “Marty too! You guys be sure and take care of each other! There are bad people in the world. So, you both be careful!” Marty added, “Yes, ma’am! And yes, we are always looking after each other … ahh, whenever we are together. We’re in constant touch with each other almost twenty-four hours a day. I know where Franklin’s at, and he knows where I’m at literally.” “Oh, I figured that out a long time ago, Marty. I bet if we’re looking for one, we can always find out by calling the other. You guys are like peas in a pod.” Franklin knew they did not have a concert scheduled for the Thanksgiving weekend. After mass, he asked Marty if he wanted to go visit their music teacher

to see how he was dealing with his illness and retirement. That afternoon, both ended up visiting Mr. Rains and could tell he was having a hard time dealing with the idea knowing it he would have to go through with the chemo pretty soon. All three knew that in order for him to hopefully get any better, Mr. Rains would have to deal with all the side effects that come with it. Mr. Rains did all he could to maintain a smile through their visit. He had been their teacher, their mentor, and their friend. After their visit, Franklin and Marty went to visit his old friends still working at McDonald’s and Burger King restaurants where he used to work. His old managers still worked there. Franklin was offered his old job back at McDonald’s when he was told, “In case you’re here looking for a job. I know there are a lot of young men fresh out of college with their new framed degrees with no jobs after graduation. You can start tomorrow night!” Franklin smiled and stated, “Thank you, sir. I do appreciate it very much. Just visiting here for the weekend. To be honest, I stay busy with what little I do already. I’m in and out of town a lot. Maybe someday I might just take you up on that. Right now, I’m still okay. But thanks for the offer.” Little did the manager know that Franklin had enough to buy or build many franchises. And Franklin was not the type of person to rub it in. He had too much respect for fast-food employees and managers. He’d been there before in their shoes. He was not about to belittle anybody for anybody doing this type of work. “If I ever find myself in a bind, I’ll take your offer. A rain check, you could say. Okay?” “If I’m still here, you come back anytime, Franklin. Your job will always be here waiting for you.” “Thanks!” Franklin and Marty called it a night by heading where they knew Jaime would be, the karaoke bar. For the next few days, Franklin managed to rent a car and drove down to Wichita, Kansas. There, he found Joshua at the Agape Christian Church. The girls were all doing fine. They would be heading to Topeka, Kansas, the following weekend, so he was in the process of having his new van serviced and getting it ready for the trip.

From there, he then drove to Tuttle, Oklahoma, and discovered Bertha was up at Pauls Valley, Oklahoma. He drove up to Pauls Valley and met up with Bertha there. She was tutoring Anna’s cousins on playing half notes, rhythms, and different rock-and-roll and country styles. It didn’t take long to realize the kids were so well advanced in music. They were fast learners mainly because they all loved music. Annalicia was out of town with Lillie and Jessie. They had been invited to go sing at a small Catholic church in Norman, Oklahoma.

CHAPTER 27

In hope of eternal life, which God, that cannot lie, promised before the world began; —(KJV) (TITUS 1:2)

On his way back to St. Louis, Bobby called Franklin to let him know he would probably head to Harlingen a couple of days early ahead of their concert. The group’s next concert was scheduled for the fourth of December at the First National Ballroom in Mercedes, Texas. This was about fourteen miles west of Harlingen. Since Bobby still had family living way down in South Texas, he was wanting to fly out there on a Thursday, spend some time with his cousins, and go do some sightseeing before their Saturday night concert. “Hey, how about I meet you out there Friday sometime after lunch? I’ve never been to that part of Texas, but I’ve read some wonderful stories on Texas magazines about those beautiful cities down there. I wouldn’t mind meeting your family and friends still living there. And I wouldn’t mind touring your old hometown.” “You bet, Franklin. Me and the Voices were here a couple of weeks back, but we just drove right on through. I didn’t call anyone down here ’cause there wasn’t enough time to spend it with anybody down there. But if you really want to come and meet some of my kinfolk, then call me later and let me know the airline you’re flying in and your arrival time, okay? I’ll be there with bells on to pick you up. And don’t worry, your true identity is always safe with me. As a matter of fact, to tell you the truth, nobody down here even knows what I do for a living. I’ve never told anyone down here. Now don’t ask me why. They just don’t. Hey, is Marty coming with you, or is it just you? Doesn’t matter if he is. He is also welcome. You two are always welcome, okay?” “Just me. And it sounds great! I’ll get Marty to book me a flight, and I’ll call you later with that flight information. Thanks!” “Fantastic! Oh, and, Franklin, thank you for even caring enough to even want to spend time with me and wanting to visit my humble hometown. I hope you’re not disappointed. It’s not as famous as St. Louis. Probably never will be.”

“You know I love traveling. Visiting your birthplace will be a treat for me. I bet it’s a very beautiful city. And I look forward to seeing it and some of those smaller towns around it. So I guess we’ll see you Friday, sometime after lunch.” “Yessir, boss!’ “You know, I’d much rather you call me Franklin, Bobby. Or you can call me friend. Please drop the ‘boss’ thing. I’d rather know I’m your friend instead of your boss.” “No problem. See you Friday then, Franklin.” “Till then, Bobby.”

Franklin flew in to the Harlingen Airport that Friday around 1:30 p.m. Bobby was there waiting for him already. “Hello, Franklin. Hey, thanks again for coming a day early ahead of the concert. I told my cousins that a great friend of mine was flying in from up north. I told them you are here on some kind of business deal. They didn’t ask what kind of work you are in, and I didn’t volunteer any more information. Boy, was I glad. I didn’t want to make up stuff, but I didn’t want to have to lie either. So right now, all they know is that you will be here sometime today. No one knows about me, my job, nor about you, the music, nor Trinity. They listen to a lot of Spanish radio stations around here. So when you meet some of them later today or tomorrow, it’s up to you what type of business you want to tell them you are in. You might have to keep wearing your mustache disguise at least until the concert. It’s up to you.” “Okay! No problem. You don’t want to tell ’em that you’re in the music business yourself? You don’t want them to know you’re a keyboard player for Trinity? That you’re on tour right now, which is why we’re both here in Harlingen? That we’re playing here in their city tomorrow night in Mercedes? So what happens if some of them are actually fans of Trinity? Won’t they be surprised when they see you if they already have plans to be there? What if some of your cousins or old friends show up at the concert, or what if they invite ‘you’ to the concert? What then? They’re going to think you lied to them, won’t they? Why not tell them now and invite them to the concert? It’s free! My compliments! And it would be my honor to see them all there and to know they are very proud of you playing in a professional band! I’ll leave it up to you. If they can all go, it’s on me.”

“Are you sure? There’s a bunch of them. Us people multiply fast! You don’t know my family!” “Am I sure? Sure, I’m sure! Hey, the more the merrier! Make sure they all come! All your friends too! I mean it! Don’t kid yourself! You’re a fantastic musician! I wouldn’t say it if I didn’t mean it! You’re also a tremendous friend! You have a tremendous talent! Your family and your friends need to be there so they’ll know what you do for a living! Invite them all! Like I said, my compliments!” “I can tell you right now I know they’re probably not going to believe me. I personally never thought I myself would ever amount to much. So they’ll think I’m joking. You know, a couple of my cousins do play in a couple of local bands. Or at least they used to. They already think they’re hot stuff! They, for sure, think they’re way better than me.” “Well, you’re not here to show off or to show them that you are better than them anyway. Least I hope you’re not. You are here as a professional musician to do a concert. You play your music just as great as they play theirs. One of these days, they may play for a famous band and travel all over the country too. Who knows, they may even get some recording contracts and make tons of money. You never know. We must never forget we were once in their shoes. We don’t belittle anyone, especially family or friends. We are better than that, and we definitely try to encourage others to do the same. We encourage them to never give up their dreams. After all, our dream is what got us here. And here we are!” “You know, I hear honesty in your words and how you always seem to put it just right. Thanks! I also agree! I do wish them good luck! I do hope they make it big in this business like I did, like ‘we’ did!” “Great! Hey, let’s go meet your family! Let’s keep my identity a secret for now, okay?” “You bet, Franklin!” They drove from the airport and eventually arrived at Bobby’s old neighborhood, 700 West Hanson Street. “I went to school here when I was in grade school.” Pointing to a school building, he stated, “That’s Thomas Jefferson High School down there. Believe it or not, I was a school crossing guard for a short spell. Would you believe I even won a spelling bee contest back when I was in the fourth grade?” Laughingly, he stated, “I could actually spell back then! That’s

when we kind of became migrant workers going up to the north end of Texas. West Texas aka the Texas Panhandle! Our family was looking for work out in the cotton fields. We pulled cotton back then. We also hoed cotton. We harvested tomatoes, onions, and cabbage. We even planted the onions! Can you believe that? Once the smell of onions got on your hands and clothes, it stayed with you forever! No soap could take the smell away. That’s just the way it was for us back then. A few blocks from where I grew up is where we went to church. It’s the Immaculate Heart of Mary Catholic Church.” “You’re Catholic? You’ve never mentioned that!” “Nobody’s ever asked. It’s never been a topic of conversation for me. It’s just never come up. It’s no big deal. I don’t go to church as often as I used to when I was growing up. I don’t go as often as I should, maybe I should say. Back then, going to church on Sundays was a ritual. We didn’t miss a Sunday, come rain or shine. We didn’t miss school either. Heck, it was only three blocks to church and four blocks to school. We walked and never thought anything of it. I still a time when a hurricane hit the Gulf, and the city ended up with flooded streets. For us kids, it was fun! Or at least we thought it was! As kids, we didn’t know any better. We didn’t realize how dangerous it could’ve been wandering in those flooded streets and alleys. We went wading in those flooded streets for two or three days. The water soon receded or sank into the ground, and then all we had was a bunch of muddy streets and sidewalks. That’s when the mess began. Back then, not many homes grew grass in the yards. So when it rained, we all played in muddy yards. Mom didn’t like that at all. But we played anyway.” “Hey, let’s go check out the First National Ballroom in Mercedes. Let me see how big this place really is. Marty said it was sold out about three or four weeks ago. Have you been there or seen it?” “Yep! It is a pretty big size building. I’ve never been inside, but it’s got a huge parking lot. We saw it a couple of weeks ago when we were down here. I was impressed. Nice building from the outside. Very nice. I’m sure the inside is just as nice!” “In that case, I guess from there, we can go to your family’s house and visit your cousins,” suggested Franklin.

“Deal! Dinner is normally around six. Posole and cabrito are on the menu for today. Mainly because of my special guest, which is you! By the way, the address is 709 West Hanson Street. I was told that years ago, there was a movie theater at the end of the street and just around the corner. It was supposedly very popular way back in the late fifties, early sixties. They had talent shows back then. ‘Aficionado’ nights were very popular then. If you could sing or dance, you could actually win a dollar or two. Not much money, but a dollar was a dollar back then! But you had to get the most applause from the audience in order to win.” “No doubt some of your older family or friends tried out, huh?” “I wouldn’t be surprised. Even now, they sometimes get together to tell their old war stories from their youth. And if they are having a grand time, they may even exaggerate a little or even a lot! Who knows, right? But if they are really, really having a great time, somebody will eventually start singing or dancing before the night’s over! And who knows, this night could be one of those nights! You can’t ever tell with my family! We shall see!” “I guess we will! Sounds like a lot of fun!” “If they like you, I know it will be. And I am more than sure they will! I guarantee it! It will be fun! Hey, I got some good-looking girl cousins too! You may turn out to be a catch for one or two of them. So be careful. Some of my cousins don’t even have boyfriends. They say they are waiting for the right one. You may be it, buddy boy! If you do happen to fall for one of my cousins, try not to show it. She could already have a secret novio, a boyfriend who I don’t even know about. So kind of take it easy at first. Let me find out if there is one waiting in the lurks, okay? First, test the waters then slowly jump on in! , a jealous Mexican boyfriend down here in South Texas is the last thing you want! Ain’t no telling where you may end up at! The Rio Grande is nearby.” “Hey, don’t worry ’bout me. Warn the boyfriend!” Franklin stated laughingly. And both laughed. “I’m just kidding, Franklin.” “Me too! I’m not looking for a girlfriend, at least not yet. Although there is a very nice young lady I met just a week ago back in Lubbock. But who knows if I’ll ever see her again.”

Bobby added, “I was just kidding! None of my girl cousins have boyfriends. They are still in high school. Very intelligent girls! All planning on going to college. The last thing on their minds are boy distractions. You’ll see what I mean when you meet them later on. You’ll see.” “Well, you don’t have to worry about me making any es at them. I’m not sure I’m ready for any serious relationship nor commitment right now, especially with our very busy and hectic traveling schedule. Love will just have to wait.” After visiting the ballroom in Mercedes, Texas, they headed back to Harlingen. They finally arrived at Bobby’s old home where his cousins now lived. “Well, we’re here! This is basically where I grew up as a kid. Just an old house, but it was home to me. Lots of memories here for me that I will never forget. Franklin, just so you know, Damian sings in a Tejano band, and he does have a huge chip on his shoulders. His brother, Juan Carlos, plays keyboards. Juan Carlos’s nickname is Rib Eye. One other thing you need to know, when we were growing up, I actually used to play bass guitar. I tried forming a band when we were all in our early teens. But we could never get a good practice session enough to play gigs, so the band never actually made it out the garage, you could say. They like to rub it in every now and then. They claim I didn’t have what it took to keep the band going. And maybe I didn’t. That’s old history now. So don’t be surprised if they find a way to throw that back in my face just to let you know they got a ‘real’ band. In other words, be careful what you say or how you say it. They may try to lightly put you down too. Please don’t take it personal. These guys are very proud of any little thing they do or accomplish in life. Living down here in South Texas is not easy. And music is very, very strong and popular down here. People ’round here live for the weekends and their favorite bands.” “No problem. I’ll just try to be a good listener. I could defend you and let them know you are the best keyboard player in country and Christian music and that you play with a famous band. After all, the music charts don’t lie, and we are sitting on the number 1 spot in the music charts right now.” “I’d rather stay like you, anonymous when it comes to what I do. I was never one to brag about anything. I love what I do, and that’s why we’re both here, right? I just wanted to come and spend time with my family, catch up on family stuff, and let ’em know I still care about them and that I’m still alive, I guess.” “Sure! You bet! By the way, what’s the name of the group?”

“The Latin Beats!” “Latin Beats! Sounds great! They got a business card?” “Sure do! Here, I got one! Damian made sure I got one from him a couple of months ago when I came by!” “Thanks! That reminds me, I need to give Marty a call to see if we have everything in order for tomorrow night. They should be on their way down here already.” “And Damian is going to make sure you know they play tonight at Wild Bill’s! It’s a Tejano dance. He’s going to challenge you to go listen to his band. Actually, to hear him sing. Mostly, he just wants to brag.” “No problem. I don’t have any other plans. Do you?” “I’m game if you’re game!” Damian, his friend Ruben, and Juan Carlos were in the living room waiting for Bobby and his friend. “You guys get lost?” asked Damian. “Bobby mentioned bringing home a friend from out of town somewhere for a couple of days. I guess he forgot to mention he was a ‘honky.’ Imagine that! I guess living up north, there’s not much raza up there. So I guess our blood has to make friends with the rest of the world … Hey, I’m just kidding! I’m Damian, and this here to my right is my best friend, Ruben. Welcome to my chante. It ain’t a brick home, but it’ll do for now. When I finally get rich, I plan on buying this whole block. And I’ll build me my own brick house. Say, Bobby, so who’s your friend?” “This is Franklin. Franklin, you just met Damian. The quiet one to the left of Damian is Juan Carlos. They are both my cousins.” “My pleasure, guys. I do thank you for your most welcomed hospitality, especially at such short notice. I hope I’m not intruding and hope I’m not a burden nor an inconvenience to you or your family. Bobby mentioned this beautiful neighborhood and warm and wonderful home he grew up in. I am most happy to be here. Thank you all so very much. I know it brings him a lot of wonderful memories just coming back home. So I guess you guys are extremely lucky to still value this wonderful home enough to want to keep it in the family. That’s great! I envy that! So I am very humbled to know that Bobby had the

courage and courtesy to not only invite me to this beautiful city but also to enter his childhood home so I could ire it as much as he does. I do thank you all from the bottom of my heart. Knowing that he still cares enough about his family to want to come and see them tells me a lot about Bobby’s heart and sentiments.” Damian and Juan Carlos stood speechless and in awe. Bobby knew Franklin’s way of showing honesty in everything he said. He knew the words really did come from his heart. He’d most likely meant every word he’d just said. But it was the way he’d said it that deep down inside, he could feel himself saying, “Yes! You tell ’em, Franklin!” “Ahh, you guys come on in,” said Damian. “Bobby tells me you fellas are musicians. Damian, I bet you’re the lead singer. And Juan Carlos, you sing too? Or what do you play?” “I play keyboards, Franklin. I hum too.” “I’m the singer, said Damian. Because of me, the band even exists!” “And do you play an instrument besides just sing?” “Girls like the singers. So I don’t have to play any music instrument. I just dress to kill and sing mainly to the girls!” “You don’t think guys like to hear guys sing? Now you sing Tejano, right? You don’t sing boleros, cumbias, or valses? What about mariachi or country?” “The popular music right now is Tejano music. That’s our kind of music! So I sing Tejano! That’s what my fans want me to sing. Tejano music! Tejano is in, man! If someone asks for anything else, I tell ’em they’re at the wrong party! I’m singing my kind of music!” “Is that right?” asked Franklin. “Is that because you don’t know any other songs, or you really do believe that the fans only want to hear your Tejano songs? I’ve always thought that the main objective of a music band was to please the fans. Try to play some of the songs they like to hear too! I guess that just shows how much I know about the music business.”

“I tell you what, honky, you and Bobby come to the Wild Bill’s Dance Hall tonight and hear us play. You’ll see what I mean. And you get a chance to hear my kind of singing! You can see what a real singer sounds like up on stage! And sooner or later, you can start buying my CDs and start your collection!” “You guys have a recording contract already? Bobby hadn’t told me yet!” “I’ve got a friend who records our songs on a cassette player when we play in concerts. We get the best songs, and pretty soon, we’ll send a tape to record producers until we get us a contract or get discovered.” “Why don’t you just call a record producer to come listen to you in front of a crowd? Or send your manager to him and let your manager promote your music? In other words, don’t send the tape. Do it in person. You guys do have a manager, don’t you? I mean, let him do something besides mailing your cassette all over the country or all over the state.” “Well, not exactly. That hadn’t crossed our minds. People just normally call me or Ruben if they want to book us for a gig. You know, you seem to know a little bit about the music business. I think I know more, but maybe you got something there. Are you looking for a job? Right now, it doesn’t pay a whole lot, but it will soon! You thinking you might want to work for me and the band?” “Well, how much is not much?” asked Franklin. “That’s a good question,” stated Juan Carlos. “I wonder how much a manager makes myself. As a matter of fact, how do you figure out how much we make? We all know the singer gets more than the musicians. I guess that’s how it’s supposed to work. But we count too, don’t we?” Franklin asked, “What instrument do you play, Damian? I know you sing, but what instrument can you play? And you, Juan Carlos, besides keyboards, can you play any other instrument? Do you also sing backup or at least hum just a little?” “Dang! You trying to start a war here? You asking too many questions there, buddy!” Looking at Bobby, Damian stated, “I didn’t think your friend was here for the twenty-one-question game, Bobby!” “He does like to ask questions. I guess I forgot to mention that! I also think they

are righteous ones though. Sooner or later, they’ll have to be answered too! And maybe not today though.” Bobby slightly turned to Franklin and gave him the “what’s up” look. “I’m sorry,” Franklin stated. “I didn’t mean to sound of as being nosy. And I’m definitely not trying to start a war between the two of you. I apologize. Tell you what, how about I pay you something for you to sing us a song right now? I haven’t heard any Tejano music in like forever. Who knows, I may like it and buy me some CDs before I go back home!” “You kidding! You want to hear me sing right now? I tell you what, buy you a ticket for tonight’s concert! Then you can hear me sing!” “Just how much is a ticket, Damian?” “Ten dollars to get in the doors! And that’s cheap! You got ten bucks? Or do you gotta use a credit card?” “I got a ten!” Franklin took out his wallet and took out a twenty. “You got change for a twenty, Damian?” “My musicians aren’t here. No mic either. Got have the right atmosphere for me to sing. Gotta be on stage! Why don’t we leave this for tonight?” “I see! I can pick a little if you like. And if I correctly, I think Bobby here used to play bass in his younger days! You got any instruments here at home? We can form us a little band right quick, if you like, that is?” Juan Carlos blurted out that their dad’s twelve string was somewhere in the bedroom closet with the old bass guitar Bobby used to play. “I bet it still sounds just as good as ever! I can go get ’em right quick!” “I don’t know that we’ve got time for a quick music lesson, guys. I’ve got to save my voice for tonight. I don’t want to put a strain on it. I almost didn’t finish out the concert last week at that wedding party, , Juan Carlos?” “Strain it? One song? Why not an easy one that won’t strain your vocal chords, Damian?” stated Franklin. By the time Franklin had finished his sentence, Juan Carlos was already digging

out the twelve string, the bass, and a small stand-up organ. “They are most likely both out of tune. And to be honest, we have a guy in the band who tunes all our instruments. I wouldn’t even know where to start without one. Maybe I need to learn, huh? He says they’re ready, and we believe him and start playing,” said Juan Carlos. “They always sound great!” Damian got a phone call right about this time. “Sorry, fellas, but I gotta go! A very special lady fan waits for me and is wanting my presence next to hers! Ahh, the price of fame I gotta pay when you’re the lead singer in a band!” “You’re kidding! You’re leaving? Now? Won’t take but two or three minutes, tops!” “Hey, if you want to hear me sing, I’ll see you tonight at Wild Bill’s!” “We’ll see you there. How about you, Juan Carlos? You gotta go too, or you feel like jamming for ten or fifteen minutes?” “Fifteen minutes? Why not? The guitars are way out of tune though. And I don’t even own a tuner. They’re gonna sound way, way off! If that’s okay with you . . . ?” Bobby quickly stated, “My friend here knows just enough about ’em to make them sound good … enough.” Franklin grabbed the bass guitar, tightened a couple of strings, and slightly loosened one of the strings and then handed it to Juan Carlos. Then he took the twelve string, tightened all twelve strings slightly, and in no time stated, “Okay, Juan Carlos, what are you wanting to play and sing?” “Wait a minute! I’m not a singer! I just play! I can help on the backup, but I don’t lead.” “Well,” said Franklin, “you are now! If you can hum, my sixth sense tells me you can sing too. Problem is Damian isn’t giving you a shot at singing. Well, he isn’t here right now! This is your chance to sing! So what do you really want to sing? An oldie, ballad, ranchera, country, rock, gospel? You name it! We’ll follow. Just let me know what key you want to sing in.” “You do know something about music, don’t you? I can tell. There’s something

you ain’t telling us, isn’t there?” “I’ll say this much, just enough to have a little bit of fun, Juan Carlos.” “Fair enough.” Bobby looked at Franklin just as Franklin turned to look at him. Juan Carlos then said, “To be honest with you, I don’t know how to read music. As young kids, we worked in the fields. We didn’t have the time nor the money to the school’s band because our parents couldn’t afford to rent nor buy music instruments. I normally play by ear. That’s the honest truth in a nutshell. So I guess I’ll never be able to play for a professional band. I guess I’m stuck with Damian.” “No problem. Tell you what, you sing a verse without music, and we’ll take it from there. Once we figure out the music, repeat the same verse as if we were just starting the song from scratch, okay? How ’bout it?” “My singing is not that good! I’m telling you! I don’t know why you think I can sing!” “Tell you what, pretend you’re singing to your parents or, better yet, pretend you’re singing in the shower or your girlfriend. No pressure, okay?” “I just got a new girlfriend not too long ago. She loves the song ‘Carino.’ How about that one?” Bobby looked at Franklin and stated, “That’s a very beautiful love song. It’s kind of like a ballad or maybe even a bolero. This song is sung in lots and lots of weddings.” “Well, let’s do it!” said Franklin. Franklin heard the first two lines of the song and knew that Juan Carlos had been hiding his love for singing behind his brother, Damian. The sound of his voice was genuine, smooth, and pitch-perfect. The music started with Juan Carlos on bass, Bobby on keyboards, and Franklin on the twelve string. Bobby ed the song from years back growing up in Harlingen. Franklin followed Bobby’s playing on keyboards. By the time the song was over, Franklin could see tears flowing from Juan Carlos’s eyes as he sang the last note pitch-

perfect and with lots emotional feeling. “How about Brooks and Dunn’s ‘Neon Moon’?” hollered Franklin. One song led to another as they played on. Before too long, fifteen minutes had turned into thirty. The girls had come home and were now sitting around listening to Juan Carlos instead of Damian. There was also a white guy jamming in their house. One of the girls stated, “You sing better than Damian, Juan Carlos! We didn’t know you could sing!” Juan Carlos quickly stated, “You better not even say anything to Damian! He’ll figure out a way how to fire me! Keep it hush-hush, okay? I don’t want him to know I’m singing behind his back!” Juan Carlos was ecstatic and slightly out of breath. But he was feeling totally and, without a doubt, very self-confident. “You need to find a way to selfpromote your singing. Try singing while you’re up on stage instead of just humming. Try getting closer to a mic or direct the stage manager to set you up one closer to you. Don’t sing over Damian’s voice, know his range, and sing a little lower than him. Don’t let him think you are trying to take over. He won’t like that at all! After all, he is still the band’s lead singer, right? And he is your brother! No quarrels between the two. That wouldn’t be cool. You guys make the band. And it takes everyone in the band to make it work.” “Something tells me you know something about this business more than you let on, sir. Do you have a band back home? Are you a musician? Bobby hasn’t exactly told us what he’s into these days or what kind of work he does. He never really told us a whole lot about you either, only that a friend was coming over. He never told us where you’re from or what you do for a living. But you seem to know music; how to set up a stage; how to play a twelve string, which is not easy for anyone in the first place; how to tune a bass guitar; and I could go on, Franklin. As for the twelve string, now tell me, how many people actually play them in a band? Not many. I’ve never seen anybody play one, and I’ve seen many bands play on stage. And you even know how to tune one! Heck, it sounded perfect when you played it just now! And you tuned both guitars without a tuner! Heck, nobody can do that ’round this part of the world! I’ve been playing for a good while now, and I can’t even tune one with or without a tuner for God’s sake! I’m almost embarrassed to tell you guys that! Anyway, I guess we’ll see you guys at Wild Bill’s tonight, okay? You guys weren’t kidding about going, were you?”

Bobby and Franklin both stated, “You bet! We’ll be there!” Both assured Juan Carlos they wouldn’t miss it for the world. And somehow Bobby knew exactly what was on Franklin’s mind. “Hey, Juan Carlos, I’ve got some friends coming to Harlingen tomorrow sometime after lunch also. No, they’re not planning on staying here at your house. They like to get together, tell stories, and sing songs. You know, have a little bit of fun. They mentioned going to the Trinity concert at the First National Ballroom tomorrow night in Mercedes. I believe it starts around nine. If you aren’t booked for a gig, you’re most welcomed to us if you like.” “Where will you both be hanging out at?” “Well, we’ll all meet there at the concert! A friend of mine can let you in through the back door. His name is Marty. that. Tell him your name and that you are Bobby’s cousin and my friend. And if Damian isn’t busy doing something else, he can come over, and he can also bring his girlfriend. Oh, if you have your girlfriend with you, bring her along too. The more the merrier! My treat! It’ll be fun! I guarantee it!” “If I’m not mistaken,” said Juan Carlos, “my girlfriend and her sisters and cousins are going to it. They love the band, and they love their music. You know what, I think she’s got four or five of their CDs. She’s let me borrow a couple of the CDs so I could listen to them. They got a great sound. She claims the lead singer is the writer and producer of their music. She says he is the best singer she’s heard in a long, long time. She also claims she read somewhere that he plays six, seven, or eight different instruments professionally. So I guess I’m going too! I wouldn’t miss it for the world. And if you guys are going to be there, that’s even better! I’ll tell Damian. Hopefully, he’ll want to go. I’m sure his girlfriend will want to go and see a ‘real’ concert! Hey, thanks! Bobby said you were pretty cool! One of a kind! I know the tickets cost a pretty penny! Forty or fifty bucks probably! Hey, I can pay you later if that’s okay?” “My gift, Juan Carlos! And you’re more than welcome! It’s my pleasure!”

CHAPTER 28

For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:

—(KJV) (EPHESIANS 2:8)

It’d been a long time since Franklin had eaten a real, authentic Mexican meal. He found out that Bobby’s aunt was from Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico. The posole soup and cabrito were both delicious. It took a little bit to swallow the meat from the cabrito once Franklin learned that the cabrito was actually a young goat’s meat. It was a little on the spicy side, but he ate it anyway. Somehow he managed to eat it anyway. Hopefully, he wouldn’t be bothered with heartburn. The homemade corn tortillas were not bad either. For dessert, Bobby’s mom made a real homemade flan. It was a type of cream pudding that he’d never tasted before. It was sweet and delicious. The agua de horchata drink made the whole dinner event a complete feast. He felt like he’d died and gone to heaven after eating such a fantastic meal. “I don’t know that I’ll ever want to go to a Mexican restaurant unless I know your aunt’s the head cook,” he told Bobby. “If I do, I know I’ll be disappointed if the posole or cabrito don’t taste like the one I had tonight.” “Now you know why I come down here and stay with my aunt and cousins when I’m anywhere close to Harlingen. My aunt is my mom’s sister. My mom cooks exactly like her.” “She does? Well, maybe I need to start visiting you at your mom’s from now on, huh?” “Hey, come by anytime you like! I guess I should’ve invited you a good while back! Sorry! I just didn’t think you were much into Mexican food. Now I know! Sorry!”

Franklin and Bobby made it to Wild Bill’s Dance Hall in plenty of time. Bobby figured there were maybe two hundred or so inside the hall. Both made sure Damian saw them. Franklin wasn’t much of a dancer when it came to Tejano or Spanish music. He didn’t know enough about it to have an opinion. But he did love music. He did notice there was no mic in front of Juan Carlos while he played. He thought, No wonder Juan Carlos mentioned he mainly hummed more than he sang while he was up on stage. What a waste of talent. Damian didn’t sing bad, but he immediately knew Juan Carlos had a much clearer, sharper voice. Juan Carlos just needed to sing more and be heard. It wouldn’t take long for him to win over a few of Damian’s fans. Juan Carlos’s girlfriend came over to say hello to Bobby and Franklin. Bobby was looking around to see if he could spot someone he might know or recognize from years back. Mainly, he was looking for a girl … a girlfriend from the past. Franklin asked Bobby, “Everything all right? Looking for someone? A friend? Or is it a girlfriend from yesterday’s past?” “Ahh, just looking. I thought I might see an old familiar face. Someone from the past? Yes, kind of, someone from the old days! Actually, from the good ol’ ‘school’ days! So far, no luck.” “Sounds like you’re talking about an ex-girlfriend, Bobby. Maybe she’s already here. You just haven’t spotted her yet. Don’t worry, you will. If she knows you’re here, she’ll show up. Have faith in love, ol’ buddy!” “Well, right now, I’m just looking. But yeah, something like that! You could say that!” Just then, Damian finished a song and took time to introduce a cousin who was in from out of town visiting The Valley for a few days. “He left Harlingen about seven years ago, and he’s back visiting family and friends. He went up north, and he is here to hear us play! You wouldn’t know it, but at one time he used to play bass guitar with a band he was trying to start. It didn’t work out, so he left to find a real job! But now he’s back! How about that? How about we get him up here on stage with a huge round of applause and see if we can get him to play a song with us? Let’s show him how it’s done down here in Harlingen! Let’s see if he re how to play! Come on, Bobby! Get up here and get your three minutes of fame!”

Franklin looked at Bobby as Bobby stood motionless, staring at Damian in disbelief. Damian had just literally embarrassed him in front of all these people. Franklin stated as he looked at Bobby, “I guess Damian just put you on the spot. Sounds like a challenge you can’t refuse. My guess is Juan Carlos told Damian you still play. Why not show ’em all?” “Yep! I reckon.” “Well, don’t disappoint him. I bet you can sure show him! Don’t turn him down. But see if you can trade places with Juan Carlos. Be sure Juan Carlos gets a mic in front of him. I’ve got an idea. Find a way to get me up there too, and we can sing what we sung at home earlier. Let’s have a little bit of fun with this. This may be Juan Carlos’s night to shine! Let’s help him!” “Sounds like a plan! Why the heck not? One new singer coming right up!” “Just give me a second. I’ll be right back. I’ll be the one wearing the longer sideburns and thicker mustache. I’ll see if I can get me a baseball cap here somewhere. The mustache I have on right now is getting kind of itchy ’round my nose. See you in a minute or so. Just stall ’em for a couple of minutes. I won’t be long.” By the time Bobby made it up to the stage, he glanced over at Juan Carlos and pointed at a second bass guitar and made a motion for both to swap places. Juan Carlos would now be closer to a microphone. Juan Carlos knew what Bobby was hinting at. The mic was nearby and hot. Both knew Bobby was wanting him to stand directly in front of it. Bobby went straight to Damian and shook hands with him and thanked him for taking time in mentioning him and asking him to come up on stage with his band. Just as he started to speak, he saw Franklin behind his new disguise walking toward the stage. Bobby immediately knew what he needed to do and say. At the same time, he finally saw what he’d been looking for since he got there at Wild Bill’s. Bobby finally got a glimpse of his first love who had actually been his first and last love. She had finally managed to get close enough to the stage so that he could see her. He was not at all disappointed. She was still as beautiful as ever. She’d been his only girlfriend so far. He immediately thought, Time to work! Time to win her back … That’s if she didn’t already have a boyfriend or a husband. “Damian, my dear cousin, thank you! I’m not really sure why I’m up here! I

guess I’m supposed to just say hello. So hello! Hello everybody from The Valley! It’s been quite a few years since I’ve been down here in Mercedes and Harlingen! I’m from dear ol’ Harlingen! Born and raised! I do love this part of Texas! Right now, I am currently living in St. Louis! But my heart is still here in Texas! I’ve already seen a few familiar faces from back in high school! I tell you, it’s great to be back home! Thank you for inviting me to your concert, Damian! Let’s hear it for The Latin Beats! Aren’t they great? I tell you, this is fantastic! I see you guys have a lot of fans! So I’ll get off stage now and let you guys continue! Thanks!” Bobby pretended to start walking off stage when Damian quickly grabbed the mic and grabbed Bobby by the arm. “Not so fast, cousin! You’re staying up here with me! Ladies and gentlemen, a few years ago, my cousin here tried forming a Latino band here in Harlingen. It never got off the ground. He could play bass pretty good at the time, and later on, he tried finding someone to show him how to play keyboards. So while he went around trying to find someone, his band broke up, and his friends kind of went their separate ways. I guess it wasn’t meant to be. Now being the nice cousin that I am, what do you say we give you a bass guitar to play with us? Better yet, let’s say we let him play keyboards! My understanding is that you finally learned how to play the keyboards! I bet my little brother, Juan Carlos, wouldn’t mind!” Without hesitation, Juan Carlos moved over to the second bass guitar set up next to an open mic. Bobby played along and stated, “Are you sure, Damian? Now I do play a little bit better than I did back in high school. I only knew a few keys back then, but I know a few more now! I may surprise you now!” And the audience just laughed it off, not really knowing what to expect. “I learned a couple of songs too! A few just recently! I didn’t come up here to take away your spotlight now! This is ‘your’ concert! I certainly don’t want to steal your show!” Without giving it a second thought or knowing what to expect, Damian looked to the crowd and said, “Hey, you go for it, cousin!” “You sure? I’m warning you! Last chance! You may regret this, Damian!” Damian stepped away from the mic, sarcastically bowed to Bobby, and just laughed as he made a gesture like “It’s all yours!” Damian then pretended like he was about to walk off stage but stopped and turned to look at Bobby to see what

he would do. Damian thought Bobby would walk away from the mic too, but to his surprise, Bobby stayed on stage. Bobby already knew what he wanted to do and how to get it done. He knew Juan Carlos and Franklin were ready. All he needed now was the perfect timing. Bobby looked at the audience as the audience stared back at him. He saw young teens, young adults, and people in their fifties, sixties, and seventies. “Okay! You know, I love being a romantic, but I love to smile, laugh, and jest! I love to watch a good movie once in a while too. I also like to shake some of the dust off my shoes too. I literally like to shake it up once in a while! Don’t you? What do you say we go into the archives of love songs and rock and roll? I know some of you like to say, ‘Hey, I haven’t heard that song in ages!’ So with Damian’s permission, and with your permission, we’re stepping into the past, so I hope you brought your rock-and-roll shoes ’cause we’re fixing to shake it up a little bit tonight! What do you say? We’re going way before anyone knew anything about Tejano music! Damian can come back in a little while and sing you guys those Tejano favorites he likes to sing! Are you all ready? “But first, a great friend of mine just got here a little while ago! He is also from out of town. He knows a little bit about music, and he also showed me a couple of things about music. I don’t know if he can sing a lot of the songs you all like to hear, but he sure can play a couple of instruments. And with your applause and encouragement, let’s see if we can bring him up here on stage with us. How about it? I won’t give you his name ’cause I think the border patrol is still looking for him! Just kidding! But he is a little bit careful about giving out his name. He’d rather stay anonymous.” And the crowd just laughed it off. “By the way, he looks more white than Hispanic! But he is Mexican all over! Let’s give him a big round of applause! Let me see if I can spot him in the crowd!” Franklin had spotted an extra classical guitar sitting next to the twelve string. He went straight to it, picked it, and strapped it around his neck. He waited for Bobby to get behind the keyboard, looked over at Juan Carlos, and hollered out loud, “‘La Bamba’!” This was Bobby’s cue to start hitting the first note. Since Franklin’s guitar was not electric, he immediately ran over to Damian’s mic, lowered it in a split second, and began hitting the chords hard enough to make that unforgettable sound that made the song famous for Ritchie Valens. Franklin looked over at Juan Carlos so that Juan Carlos would start singing the song. But Juan Carlos froze before he could even get started. Franklin started singing, and the crowd went wild with the beginning of the song. The entire crowd piled onto

the dance floor and began dancing to the song. During the music segment of the song, Franklin ran over to Juan Carlos and hollered at him, “It’s your turn, Juan Carlos! Don’t let ’em down! This is your turn to shine, man! Don’t let these folks down! It’s now or never!” Juan Carlos looked at Franklin, trying to recognize him. But once he heard Franklin’s voice, he realized it was Franklin, although he was actually expecting another one of Bobby’s friends. “Got it! I’m ready! Let’s do it! Hopefully, Damian won’t get too suspicious.” Still playing the guitar, Franklin rushed back to the mic, saw a trumpet next to the drum set, and grabbed it. He turned around to look at Bobby and then turned to look at Juan Carlos. They both knew he was about to play the trumpet. Without missing a note, Franklin began playing the trumpet. Franklin played the trumpet, following the rhythm of the song as Juan Carlos leaned into the mic and began singing the last two verses of “La Bamba.” Just as the song was coming to an end, Franklin grabbed the electric guitar and shouted “Twist and Shout!” And the song began just as Franklin began playing it. Franklin looked over at Juan Carlos, and both began singing it together as if both had practiced it a hundred times. As the song came to an end, Franklin walked over to center stage and said, “For those still in love, for all the wives, girlfriends, and even exgirlfriends, ‘Carino’! And how about a great big round of applause for Juan Carlos?” As the song began, Juan Carlos didn’t need for Franklin to give him a cue. As soon as Bobby hit those recognizable notes, Franklin followed just as Juan Carlos did also. Juan Carlos sang the song with full energy. When the song finally came to an end, Franklin immediately headed backstage as did Bobby. Juan Carlos immediately moved over to keyboards about the same time that Damian walked back on stage. The screaming was still going on along with the clapping and hollering. Many were asking for another song. Damian didn’t know what to say. The Tejano music came back as the band came back on just as the people found their way back to their seats. Damian was at a loss for words. He didn’t even know what song to sing next in order to get the people back to the dance floor. “I guess we’re going to take a short ten-minute break, folks. We’ll be back with some of your favorites …” Franklin looked at Bobby, and both shook hands just as Bobby spotted his exgirlfriend who was now walking toward him. Bobby glanced at Franklin and

hinted somebody special was coming his way. “I’ll see you in a bit, Franklin.” “I’ll just make myself scarce. No problem.” “Hi, Bobby!” “Hey, sweetie! Nice to see you. Been a while, hasn’t it? Didn’t expect to see you here. What a nice surprise. How are you?” “Been doing fine. Hey, you were great! You in a band or something? Are you back in Harlingen for good or just ing through? Are you here on vacation? I’d heard you weren’t living here anymore. That was a couple of years back though. Are you visiting, or have you come back for good?” “Visiting! I guess you could say I’m just ing through. We, or I, leave Sunday morning. Those songs kind of brought back old memories. They kind of reminded me of you, especially the last one, ‘Carino.’ I used to practice singing it to myself, hoping that someday I would sing it to you. Sorry it never happened.” “Me too! I’m also visiting from out of town too. Where do you live now? What do you do? Work? Go to school? Got a wife, kids, girlfriend?” “Nope, nope, and nope! I’m actually living up around St. Louis.” “St. Louis! So what do you do up in St. Louis if you don’t mind me asking? For a living, I mean …” “Ahh … It’s a secret. Actually, it’s kind of hard to explain. Not really, but I’m kind of sworn to secrecy. For right now, I mean. I’m just trying to follow my dream. And I think I am. We’ll see how far I can get, at least till I get hitched and decide to settle down. We’ll see.” From behind Bobby, Franklin came up and stated, “Hey, Bobby, I think we need to head on out. But I’ll tell you what, young lady, I know where Bobby’s going to be tomorrow night. He’ll be at the Trinity concert at the First National Ballroom in Mercedes. A couple of friends of ours gave us some free tickets for the concert. I bet we can get a couple more for you and a friend. Why don’t you make plans to be there tomorrow night? I believe it starts at eight thirty or nine o’clock. If you don’t have any plans already, how about we see you there?”

“Actually, I already got my ticket for the concert. I can’t wait to go! Can’t wait to see the band. They say the singer is very good-looking and has a very beautiful voice. My friends say he’s single and very cute. I read where he writes all the songs for the band. And he supposedly plays six, seven, or eight different music instruments and that he’s also a very devout Catholic. All his songs are very inspirational. So you can count on me being there!” “Well, in that case, ma’am, we’ll see you there. Hopefully, we’ll run into you there. Hopefully, you’ll be there close to center stage. Maybe we’ll see you backstage. Maybe have a surprise or two when you get there.” “You guys have backstage es?” “No! Not us! Ahh, our friend does though!” “Oh okay! Yes! I’ll see you guys tomorrow then! I’ll try to work my way up close to center stage! I’ll for sure recognize Bobby! So if you’re anywhere close to Bobby, I’m pretty sure I’ll recognize you too.” Franklin finished by saying, “Sure! You bet! Till tomorrow then.”

At 1:00 p.m. the next day, Franklin got a phone call from Marty. “We’re here! You and Bobby still together? Or are you stuck in some motel out here in Harlingen? Tell me where you wanna meet.” Franklin answered, “I’m still here with Bobby at his cousins’ house, but I’ll probably catch a cab and see you at the ballroom in an hour. He may still be asleep. Let me shower first, and then I’ll head your way.” “You sure? I can go pick you up. No problem.” “That’s all right. I’ll call a cab in a little bit and see you in an hour.” By the time both Franklin and Marty got together, both were ready for the evening’s concert. Franklin handed Marty a note with three songs from the late fifties and sixties he wanted to do tonight. Franklin wanted to add the songs to the oldies list that hardly ever got any play time on the radio. Franklin told him about Juan Carlos. “So be sure and lace an extra keyboard and an extra open mic

up on stage for me. This guy doesn’t know he’s going to sing yet, but if he shows up, we want to be ready.” “No problem. I’ll take care of it. I’ll make sure we get everything set up for him if you see him there.” Franklin and Bobby were back at Franklin’s coach. Bobby had already taken the time to listen to the added songs on the list. He knew that Franklin was wanting to feature his keyboard talent on a particular song, “At the Hop,” which had been made famous by Danny and the Juniors back in 1957. This was right about the time, and rock and roll was the newest sensation on the radio. As for the Spanish song, “Lo Mucho Que Te Quiero,” made famous by Rene Y Rene back in 1969, was a love song that Bobby was sure Franklin would get Juan Carlos to sing if he showed up. Bets were on that he would show up. After all, the tickets were free, and it was Saturday night. What else was there to do anyway? At the same time, Franklin was hoping that Damian would be there also to watch an ol’ cousin play professionally for a famous group. And he would also see his own brother, Juan Carlos, sing with a famous group featuring his very own singing skills. It would definitely be a night to . It was now Saturday just past noon, and Bobby, Marty, and Franklin drove around Harlingen for a couple of hours just sightseeing the city. Franklin made it a point to attend mass at five at the Immaculate Heart of Mary Catholic Church. Both Marty and Bobby attended the mass with Franklin. Franklin spoke with Father George before mass. After showing the priest his certificate showing he was an honorary deacon, he was asked to do one of the readings and give the homily. At the beginning of the homily, Franklin saw in the audience Bobby’s exgirlfriend inside the church. She was sitting alone and figured she either wasn’t married yet or even still, had no boyfriend. He knew this was also the beginning of Advent. This was when Mary’s cousin, Elizabeth, discovered she was with child and that her child’s name would be John. Later, the same angel would appear to Mary to let her know she would also be bearing God’s son, Jesus, two miracles of God. Love between a man and a woman. And soon, both Elizabeth and Mary would be giving life to John the Baptist and Jesus Christ. One would baptize with water while the other with the water of life. Both mothers would lose their sons at the hands of men for believing in God and in believing that Jesus was the Son of God. Both would die for the glory of God. Both live in the Bible for the rest of eternity. Both live in our hearts today. At the end of mass,

Bobby caught up to his ex-girlfriend just outside the main doors to the church. He told Franklin he was going with her to give his respects to her parents. “I’m guessing Bobby still has feelings for her,” stated Marty. “My guess is one never really forgets their very first love no matter who or what causes their breakup,” said Franklin. “You’re probably right about that. Hey, let’s go get us a bite before heading toward the ballroom. By the way, here’s a list of all our commitments for Lubbock. I’ve called and made plane reservations for all on the list. So far, I think everybody’s showing up. Them and family or guests.” By 8:00 p.m., the ballroom was jam-packed and standing room only. Franklin was having a meeting with his band and Trinity’s Voices. Franklin thanked them all for being a major part of the band, for their loyalty and trust, and for being a major part of his life. He mentioned the revised song list he had given Marty earlier and mentioned he had added two more songs to the list that were huge hits back in the late sixties. A CD with the new songs were handed to them at the beginning of the meeting. “Please listen to them right after the meeting, make some mental notes, and we’ll see how they come out. You guys have never let me down, so I know we’ll all do okay. We’ll simply do our best to sing them right, I know. And I also have a new song that I also want to try out tonight. Music sheets are attached to this new song. Any questions? If not, we’ll see you on stage in forty-five minutes or so. Thank you all.” As they were walking out of the meeting room, Franklin told Bobby to keep an eye out for Juan Carlos. Bobby stated, “If I see him, I’ll give you some kind of signal.” About fifteen minutes till nine, Marty called Franklin on the two-way radio. “My guess is that Bobby’s cousins, along with boyfriends and girlfriends, are all here asking for you or Bobby. And I’m guessing that even aunts and uncles are showing up also. You got a special location you’d like them at? A special room or a certain area around front stage? They didn’t all have tickets, but they’re all inside the building. They all claimed to be special guests of the band. Some were even claiming to have backstage es. But none showed me any es whatsoever.” “No problem! Put them all inside the mayor’s box unless the mayor actually

shows up. If he does, then we’ll figure out something else.” “I was just about to say something about that. The mayor and the whole city council box is already full. Seems they all showed up for Trinity. How about next door in the VIP room? It’s empty right now!” “Perfect! Hey, I owe you one! Make them all feel special. You’re a lifesaver, you know? Get Juan Carlos alone and tell him some friends want to talk to him about his newly discovered talent. And two songs before our fifties and sixties tribute, get him and bring him up on stage. Have everything ready for him. Tell him there’s a very good chance he will be singing later on in the program. Tell him some friends are counting on him.” “Everything is ready for him already.” “Perfect! Hey, we’re starting with that new ‘Texas’ song. Mention the Texas cities we’ve been to lately and those friends we’ve come across. I’ll take it from there, okay?” “Sure thing, Franklin. Say, it’s almost time! Good luck!” Marty walked up to center stage once he got the cue from Roger “Dodger” that everything was a go. The Jackson brothers were outside Franklin’s door standing guard, waiting to escort Franklin down the hallway and on up to the stage. Franklin knew he would be walking directly in front of the now fan-filled VIP room. Everyone inside was glued to the huge glass window, trying to get a close look at this famous singer/songwriter for Trinity from St. Louis, the highly acclaimed young singer, winner of several music awards, and who was recently nominated for at least five more ACM awards, gospel music awards, and crossover awards. As Franklin was approaching the VIP room, he tilted his famous white Stetson up just a little so that his face could barely be visible as he walked in front of the window. From the corner of his eye, he saw Damian and Juan Carlos right in front of the window. He could tell that Damian was trying his hardest to get a good look at his face. Juan Carlos just gave a thumbs-up to Jason Skarr as he walked past him. Franklin, in return, pointed at him and also gave him a thumbsup right back. Juan Carlos was in total shock to see that such a multitalented superstar had even taken the time to notice him, seen his thumbs-up gesture, and gave one right back to him. This gave him a chill up his spine. All of a sudden,

he felt kind of foolish having done the thumbs-up. But at the same time, it gave him a warm feeling that maybe, this particular superstar was also down to earth. After all, the music, the songs, and his background all told the fans that he was, in reality, down to earth. All the songs he’d heard from this band spoke mainly about true life’s ups and downs. “He saw me! We communicated! We connected! Jason Skarr saw me!” Juan Carlos screamed inside the VIP room directly to Damian. “I saw that! Way to go!” cheered Damian back to Juan Carlos. Marty was finishing up his introduction of the band and all the tidbits about Jason Skarr, the band, and Trinity’s Voices. “This year we’ve seen more Texas highways than our very own state in Missouri. We’ve seen more truck stops, city limit signs, and lots and lots of Texas skies! Within the past three months, we’ve been to some of the finest cities in America. And the best thing about it is they have all been here in this magnificent state of Texas. We’ve been to Houston, Amarillo, Austin, Dallas, Fort Worth, Corpus Christi, and El Paso. We’ll be in Abilene, Midland-Odessa, and Lubbock to finish out this year of 2010! And man, I tell you, we are all very excited! Tonight we are here in The Valley, the deep South of Texas! I don’t know if this is the heart of The Valley, but it certainly feels like it! Thank you, Harlingen! We’ve got some new music, old music, some oldies from the fifties and sixties, and, of course, all your Trinity favorites! “So now, the moment you’ve all waited for! But one more huge applause for the Randy Rogers Band! These guys have some fantastic Texas country music! Without further ado, known for the smooth sound of his voice and tremendous inspirational lyrics and is personally known by me to play more than eight musical instruments professionally, here he is! The singer you’ve all come to see! Trinity and Trinity’s Voices! Ladies and gentlemen, please say hello to Trinity and Jason Skarr!” The cheers, the applause filled the ballroom. Jason entered the spotlight on center stage wearing his famous white Stetson. “Here we go, Texas!” Jason Skarr listened for Mark on bass, then Johnny “Ringo” Lamar on drums, and finally, Bobby Lopez on keyboards. Franklin aka Jason Skarr began playing the trumpet that would take him to the first verse on this new song, “Texas.”

I’ve been here and I’ve been there Yes, I’ve seen it all From Detroit City, ’lantic City, and New York City Idaho Falls up to Niagara Falls Toured from Bangor, Maine up to Fort Wayne Walked the sands of Myrtle Beach and swam Miami Beach Yes, from Long Island, Ellis Island, and Rhode Island, Tacoma, Daytona, and Oklahoma, I saw the setting sun and Mother Nature’s beauty Like the Smoky Mountains and the Rocky Mountains And saw the Badlands of New Mexico and met a thousand Fresno farm hands And from the skies, I saw the Great Lakes and the Great Salt Lake Saw the shores of the Missouri, and the mighty Mississippi Yes, I’ve been here and I’ve been there

Yes, I thought I’d seen it all Till I got to Texas There I saw with awe the Dallas-Fort Worth skyline The Houston towers and the famous Astrodome Saw Corpus, Padre Island, and the Gulf

Toured the Valley, Austin City Limits and good ole San Antone Drove I-20 on down to Abilene, Midland and El Paso From there I saw the Guadalupe Mountains and the Rio Grande Headed north to Palo Duro as we drove right into Amarillo Saw the hard West Texas skies and the flatlands coming into Lubbock Yes, I’ve been here and traveled there And now I know I’ve seen it all I’ve traveled here and traveled there And when you see Texas, you know you’ve seen it all

Halfway through the song, Franklin took his twelve string and played the lead melody on the song. The song ended with Franklin playing the ending melody with his harmonica. As the song came to an end, Franklin started the next song with the harmonica. The song was “Michael, Row the Boat Ashore.” He finished the song playing the flute. He then started the very next song together with Bobby. Franklin stood in front of the second keyboard. The song was an old classic song by the Byrds, “Turn, Turn, Turn.” At the end of the song, Franklin raised his hand as a signal for Marty to go find Juan Carlos. Marty knew that in two more songs, Juan Carlos should be on stage singing alone or with Jason Skarr. Marty practically ran over to the VIP room, knocked on the door, went in, and asked for Juan Carlos. “A couple of friends are looking for you. One may be your cousin, I think. That’s what I was told. You need to come with me right now, sir. We need to hurry if you don’t mind.” Juan Carlos quickly answered, “Must be Bobby and his friend, Franklin, I guess, although Franklin did say that some other friends of theirs were coming to the concert. I wonder what they want me for.” Because of the dim lighting around the stage, neither Damian nor Juan Carlos had even suspected that Bobby was

even on stage playing keyboards for the famous band Trinity or that Franklin was the famous award-winning singer for Trinity, Jason Skarr. Right about this time, Franklin was introducing his famous band and his background singers, Trinity’s Voices. “Crystal, Rhonda, Jamie, and Louis! Please welcome them with a huge and warm supersized Texas round of applause! Trinity’s band is the best group of players in the country! I not only claim that but also so does the music industry! I am proud to call them my friends. Without their professionalism and tremendous positive attitudes on stage and off stage, we would not be where we are at tonight! They are simply the best in the industry! I wouldn’t be where I am at tonight either! On drums, he hails from Denver, Colorado, Johnny aka Ringo Lamar! On bass guitar, from St. Louis, Missouri, Mr. Mark Samms! Last but certainly not least, a product of Texas, born and raised very near here, a next-door neighbor to many of you all, a high school classmate to some of you all, a student to even some of you teachers here, and a very close friend of mine, on keyboards, Mr. Bobby Lopez! How about it folks? Give them all a great big hand! We are Trinity!” Lots of people in the audience who were familiar with Bobby hollered, “Hey, Bobby! Way to go, Bobby! Welcome home, Bobby!” Bobby came up to center stage, took a bow, and walked back behind the keyboards. Back in the VIP room, Damian stood against the plate glass with his mouth wide open in disbelief. He was trying to figure out what he’d just heard from Jason Skarr. “As for me, I’m Jason Skarr! And I am very proud to say we are Trinity! We thank you all so very much Mercedes, Harlingen, and the Rio Grande Valley! It is our tremendous honor and our privilege playing for you here tonight in this beautiful house! Thank you for making us feel at home and welcomed here tonight! “For this next musical segment, let’s go back in time! What do you say? Ladies and gentlemen, Bobby on keyboards! ‘At the Hop’!” Franklin’s singing brought the whole audience to their feet, dancing right there on the spot. When the song came to an end, Marty directed and pointed to Juan Carlos the extra keyboard on stage. Marty hollered at him, “It’s all yours! Give it your best! Your new friend is counting on you, and so is Bobby! The mic is hot, and the invisible screen in front of the mic shows the words to the next songs! Give it all you got!” And Marty walked back into the darkness.

The band was still playing a slow musical melody. Jason Skarr had already grabbed an electric six-string guitar. Jason Skarr leaned into the mic and said, “Ladies and gentlemen, for this next couple of songs or so, a newly discovered young singing star out of Harlingen, Mr. Juan Carlos! How about a great big round of applause for Juan Carlos? Let’s make him feel welcome! I understand he’s in love! His girlfriend is somewhere here enjoying the concert. So how about ‘Lo Mucho Que Te Quiero’ by Rene Y Rene? Juan Carlos, this is your song! Let’s do it!” But Juan Carlos went blank just as the music got started. Franklin quickly walked over to him. Juan Carlos stood behind the keyboards, stared at the mic, and saw the huge crowd staring back at him. All of a sudden, he felt like he was frozen in time and couldn’t speak nor move. From the corner of his eye, he saw Trinity’s famous singer, Jason Skarr, approaching him and leaning in toward him. “Come on, buddy, you can do it!” Juan Carlos stared suddenly, realizing who it was. “It’s you! You’re—” “It’s me, buddy! I trust you! I know you can do it! We want you to! The band! Bobby! Let’s do it here together! On three!” Franklin rushed back to center stage. “One, two, three!” And Juan Carlos took a deep breath and out came the words to the song. The song was half Spanish, half English. Juan Carlos would eventually sing the Spanish part of the song, and Jason Skarr sang the English part of the song. Both sang the chorus along with Trinity’s Voices. By the time the song came to an end, the crowd was cheering and clapping and on their feet. And they were asking for more from Juan Carlos. “Ladies and gentlemen, thank you for your patience. This next song I know is a favorite of many living either in Mexico or here in America. It was made famous by a young Hispanic kid living in California at the time. He was still in high school when he recorded the song. His name was Ritchie Valens! Let’s hear it for ‘La Bamba’! Juan Carlos!” Juan Carlos knew this was his cue to sing the song. Jason Skarr began playing the start of the song. Juan Carlos stood mesmerized and watched in awe at how cool Franklin, or Jason Skarr, played with so much confidence in front of fifteen thousand or so fans of this famous band. It gave him the chills just knowing Jason Skarr was sharing center stage with him, a nobody until now. The more Juan Carlos remained up on stage, the more comfortable and confident he felt.

But back in the VIP room, Damian was in complete silence and in total shock. He was curious as to why it wasn’t him up on stage singing next to this famous singer. He had never actually given his brother the opportunity to sing with him, yet he was up there singing with this superstar. Juan Carlos had never sung this way, this great, in front of two hundred or three hundred people, let alone fifteen thousand or more. From one minute to the next, his brother had become a superstar himself, leaving him behind … “Okay! How about Juan Carlos, ladies and gentlemen? Isn’t he great? One more! This last song was made famous by a young man out of a little bitty town in Texas. He is now a member of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame! He had many number 1 hits before his ing. This artist is still very famous today for this, his signature song! A movie was even made based on the title of this one song! It is our privilege to sing this rock-and-roll timeless hit by Mr. Roy Orbison! For every good-looking woman in the world! For every good-looking woman here tonight! This song is for you! Mr. Johnny Lamar, take it away! Ladies and gentlemen! Here we go! One, two, three! ‘Pretty Woman’!” The start of the song was no doubt out of this world unmistakable. Jason Skarr was on his twelve-string lead guitar. Chills went up and down on Juan Carlos’s spine just knowing he was playing with a true legendary band, which was considered musical professionals, and sharing center stage with a legendary singer. And this highly acclaimed musical genius was now his new friend simply known to him as Franklin. And most of all, he had a cousin who had not bragged nor shoved it down his throat about his very own music talents. All of a sudden, he now had more respect for his cousin than for his very own brother. Sad but true. But he still loved and cared for his own brother, Damian. And yet somehow he knew that after tonight, there would be some changes coming with The Latin Beats. Jason Skarr started singing this very famous song. After the first verse, Jason turned to glance over at Juan Carlos. Jason gave him a half nod, and Juan Carlos immediately knew Jason was granting him the next verse. Once Juan Carlos started singing, Jason moved Juan Carlos away from behind the keyboards, and Juan Carlos grabbed Jason’s mic and headed toward the main center stage. Juan Carlos began moving and singing with the song with pure confidence. Within a few seconds, Jason moved closer to him and now strumming his twelve-string guitar. Both sang the end of the song together. Jason leaned into Juan Carlos and said, “Thank you, sir! You were awesome! We’ll do this again one of these days,

Juan Carlos! Hey, take a bow! You’ve earned it! This is your home! This is your town! Thank you! You were great! Ladies and gentlemen, Juan Carlos! Wasn’t he great? Let’s hear it for Juan Carlos!” Juan Carlos took a bow and quickly walked over to Bobby, shook his hand, and told him, “Hey, thanks, Bobby! It was fun! Really great! I’ll never forget this moment! He’s a great guy, a true friend! Thank you for bringing him down here to Harlingen! Glad I finally got to meet Mr. Jason Skarr!” “He is a great guy, best friend you’ll ever want to have! Hey, you were great too! Good luck with Damian, good luck with the band, and good luck with your music! Get ready for all your new fans, especially your girlfriend!” “You were great yourself! I would’ve never guessed you played for a famous band! None of us knew! I bet Damian feels like a fool right about now.” Jason Skarr spoke into the mic and said, “Hey, folks, let’s slow it down just a tad. What do you say? Hey, here’s a song we did about three years ago. One, two, three …” Damian would end up leaving the VIP room before the end of the concert. He didn’t have a whole lot to say to Juan Carlos once he got back to the VIP room. In a way, Juan Carlos did feel a little bit bad for Damian. All Damian said to Juan Carlos was “I guess you want my job now, huh?” But Damian walked off before Juan Carlos could even answer. At the end of the concert, both Bobby and Franklin spotted Damian close to the front of the stage walking toward them. It looked as if Damian was trying to get a closer look at Jason Skarr’s face. Damian was still wanting to see Jason Skarr face-to-face. All the while, Damian was thinking, Was Jason Skarr this Franklin guy, or was Franklin the Jason Skarr singer everybody was here to see? If not, where was Franklin? Was he in another suite with the friends who had come from out of town? Did they even make it to the concert? And why didn’t Bobby ever mention that he had made it big time with this famous band from St. Louis? He dang sure could play keyboards like a true professional. Heck, he was! He was that good! Not really, he was great! He’d proven it tonight in front of fifteen thousand or more fans! And if Juan Carlos was able to get a break and play and sing in front of this huge crowd with this great band, what about me? Franklin turned slightly around to look at Bobby, and both knew Damian needed

and deserved a break too, just like Juan Carlos had just gotten. Franklin knew the band was about to go into a ten-minute break. Franklin raised his hand and twirled it around, signaling the music would continue on. “Hey, ladies and gentlemen, we normally take a ten-minute break right about here. Well, not tonight! I just saw the lead singer who sings for a local group! I believe he was at Wild Bill’s last night! I know he’s a great singer! And I am sure he will only get better with time! I guarantee you, he will! I just spotted him on the floor just a few seconds ago! Let’s see if we can bring him up here with us just like what we did with Juan Carlos! Let’s see if he can get him to come up and sing a couple of songs for you, guys! How about a big hand for our friend Damian? He’s the lead singer for The Latin Beats! Let’s see if we can get him up here! What do you say, Mercedes?” Inside the VIP room, Juan Carlos just screamed to himself, “Yes!” From the floor next to the stage, Damian was in disbelief when he heard his name being mentioned by Jason Skarr. Damian stared at Jason Skarr and pointed to himself and said, “Me?” “Yessiree! Come on up here, Damian! We got room for you! We got a hot mic with your name on it! Ladies and gentlemen, let’s get this guy up here before he goes home! What do you say?” Damian ran up the stairs onto the stage, and Marty quickly led him toward the open mic. Damian realized it was Franklin under that famous white Stetson hat, nice long-sleeve white shirt, Wrangler jeans, and black Roper boots. “Ladies and gentlemen, this is our friend Damian! He loves Tejano music! Let’s see if we can get him to sing two of his best Tejano songs!” In the end, Damian got to sing his two songs. The music in the background was played very smoothly, thanks to Bobby to coached Louis and Johnny on which key to play. The mic was set for a more smoother, more bass sound. This made his nervous voice sound a little more natural. Jason Skarr kept him on stage as he sang his own last two encore songs. Trinity got a standing ovation that lasted several minutes. Their last applause lasted over five minutes nonstop. Juan Carlos had tears coming out of his eyes as his girlfriend came up to him, hugged him, and kissed him for having had the courage to get on stage and sing to her and thousands of fans. Damian ran over to Bobby at the end of the concert and congratulated him and thanked him for introducing him to his now famous friend

Jason Skarr. In the end, Damian found his way over to Jason Skarr to thank him for giving him the opportunity to get up on stage with him. “You guys are fantastic! Your music is out of this world! The show was awesome! You guys are true professionals! Sounded great! Even I sounded great! I didn’t realize how great Bobby played the keyboards! I guess he did follow his dream and made it come true! I sure am proud of him! He is a professional after all! I don’ think I’d ever sounded this good behind the mic! You guys got some super songs! I’ve never heard anyone sing as clear and as smooth as you, Mr. Skarr! I can see why you’re winning so many awards all over the place! You’re something else! You are the real thing! And I thank you for all your advice! I promise I’m gonna put all your advice to practice beginning tomorrow! Thank you for making me realize how great a singer Juan Carlos really is! He sang great! I should’ve known that already! As for the future of The Latin Beats, I guess we’ll be singing together from now on! He’ll have some solos, of course! And that’s a promise!” Franklin asked him to keep his identity a secret and then bid him good-bye as he headed for his bus. Bobby met up with Damian, thanking him for letting him stay at home with him and the family. He then said good-bye to both Juan Carlos and Damian. Bobby also got one last chance to see his ex-girlfriend and promised to be back after the tour and maybe catch up on how their lives were going. They all wished him well and good luck with the rest of the tour. Right before Juan and Damian walked off, Bobby told them, “Guys, we end our tour in Lubbock, Texas, on December 18 at the Lubbock Municipal Coliseum. There will be almost twenty very special guests right there on stage with us. It’s a musical awakening, a musical extravaganza, and a musical revival. Famous music legends, some unknown singers and bands, and future singing stars. You both try to be there, and I can almost bet that Frank or, that is, Jason Skarr, will definitely put you on the lineup. If you do go, let me know and come prepared to perform! No guarantees, but knowing Jason Skarr, I would almost bet on it!” “We will be there!” quickly answered Damian. “Hey, thanks for being the best cousin we could ever have hoped for. And thanks for letting us sing with you all in front of that huge crowd. I don’t guess we’ll ever forget this concert! Please tell your friend Jason we’ll be in Lubbock for this music show you’re talking about! I bet it’ll be packed! We’d definitely love another opportunity to sing with you guys once again!”

“I’ll be sure and let him know! I know the band had a lot of fun! I had fun myself! And I bet Jason would love to see you guys there too! Anyway, tell the family thanks for everything!”

CHAPTER 29

Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil; Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth; Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.

—(KJV) (1 Corinthians 13:4–7)

It was almost midnight. Back in Lubbock, Mary Lou was headed for work at the IHOP. She turned on the radio just as her mind was now wondering and thinking about Christmas being just around the corner. Her mom and dad had promised to come spend Christmas week with AnnaMarie and her in Lubbock. Just then, the disc jockey mentioned something about Trinity, a Christian music band. “America’s hottest Christian/country band with singing sensation, Jason Skarr. This is their latest tune that is hitting the top of the charts, ‘Colors of the World.’ The song features a six-year-old girl. As of now, the name of the little girl is still unknown to us! , Trinity is scheduled to be in Lubbock at the Lubbock Municipal Coliseum, right next door to Jones-ATT Stadium, home of the Red Raiders! The concert is scheduled for Saturday, December 18, which is one week before Christmas! How about that for a Christmas gift? Word is, there will be ten to fifteen different acts! Oh yes, Trinity and Jason Skarr will be the headliners of this music event! So make plans to go see this awesome band! Just hearing Trinity, you will get your money’s worth! I guarantee it! You won’t be disappointed! Jason Skarr is known to play seven, eight, or more music instruments! He is the band’s singer/songwriter and a major superstar! He certainly is the real deal! Down to earth, super nice, very genuine, very modest, and a very warm individual! You will never meet anyone else like this young man in the music business! You will truly be amazed just by listening to this man’s songs and voice! I personally saw him in Dallas just a few weeks ago! He

was amazing!” Mary Lou thought, A Christian/country concert! Hmm, sounds interesting! I wonder how much the tickets cost. Just then, the disc jockey mentioned the thirty-five-dollar to seventy-five-dollar tickets. “Well, that answers that question,” Mary Lou said to herself. And the disc jockey stated, “If anyone can tell me the color and brand of hat Jason Skarr wears, you get two free tickets!” The question somehow gave Mary Lou the chills up and down her spine when she happened to glance over at the front enger seat and saw AnnaMarie’s hat lying there. She immediately ed she needed to take it Monday morning and get it cleaned at the City Cleaners over at Abernathy. She had made a promise to have it cleaned. She ed a Bobby or Bruce working there who were experts at cleaning hats. Just then, a caller to the radio station mentioned a white Stetson hat. And Mary Lou thought, A white Stetson! How about that? Wonder what kind of white hat this one could be? Surely, not a Stetson! Only rich guys buy these! Surely, this one ain’t a Stetson! At least, not Jason Skarr’s! Mary Lou was parking at the IHOP parking lot when she killed the engine, and the radio went off. Norma was eagerly waiting for Mary Lou just as she exited her truck. “Great news! My hubby just won two free tickets to the Trinity concert! I am so excited I feel like bursting! He just answered the question on the radio and got us two free tickets with backstage es. The concert is on the eighteenth! We’re going! We’re going! Oh, I hope you can go too!” “I’m glad! Very happy for you, Norma! I’ll try to save enough, and maybe AnnaMarie and myself can go too. I’d like to see this little girl singing with Trinity. She sounds adorable. Bad thing is Mom and Dad are supposed to be coming down here for Christmas. I don’t know if they’ll be here for the eighteenth or by the twenty-fourth. I need to call them and find out to be sure. I’ll have to let you know something later.” Just then, Norma screamed, “There’s the song! ‘Colors of the World’ with the cute little six-year-old! She sounds so very cute!” Both Norma and Mary Lou listened as the song began. Mary Lou had forgotten

the name of the song that AnnaMarie had mentioned when both were back in Weatherford. She had also forgotten the name of the group her mom and AnnaMarie had gone to see up in Dallas. And she thought, Maybe this is the group! Maybe this is the song! Could be! It’s possible! The little girl mentions a red dress! A blue truck! Green grass and yellow snow! Was this AnnaMarie on the radio? Could it be AnnaMarie singing with Trinity? Surely not! What are the odds? This little girl sounds like a professional! “Coffee, please!” came the sound from a female who had just sat. “Yes, ma’am! Coming right up!” “Mary Lou, right?” “Yes, ma’am. I’m Mary Lou! Do I know you?” “Pretty song, isn’t it? And cute! Gorgeous little girl on the radio! You have a daughter, don’t you? About six or seven, right? And you got your red dress for Christmas yet? Nice young man singing on the radio, don’t you think? Very nice young man if I do say so myself …” “I’m sorry. Do I know you, ma’am? I don’t think I’ve ever seen you here before. You kind of look a little bit familiar but just a little bit different. Have we met once before? Where do I know you from? I do get the feeling that we’ve met before, but I just can’t place you.” “Well, we might’ve met before. That’s a very strong possibility. But I just came in for a cup of coffee to go. I need to go and sell my little trinkets down the sidewalk.” “Well, let me get you a to-go cup. Sugar and cream?” “Oh yes! Thank you, Mary Lou! You ed!” “Coffee’s on the house! But don’t tell anyone! Don’t wanna get fired! Thank you for coming in. Sorry I didn’t you. But don’t worry, it’ll come to me sooner or later. Always does!” “Don’t forget the hat, Mary Lou! And say hi to your gorgeous little girl! She does have a very beautiful voice! Well, bye, sweetie! See you at the concert!”

“Huh? Ahh, ma’am! Ma’am! Wait! Ma’am!” But in a split second, the woman stranger had disappeared behind a car parked next to her truck. “You okay, Mary Lou?” asked Norma. “All right? No, I don’t think so. Did you see the woman I was waiting on?” “Woman? What woman? I thought you told me you were going to the restroom to wash up. The only woman in here now is the one in my section over at table 5. You had a woman just now? Your side’s been empty for the last ten minutes. Are you sure? Are you okay? You’re not losing it, are you? Maybe you need to sit for just a bit. Why don’t you fill the jars with salt, pepper, and sugar? I’ll take care of any customers who come in, at least till you clear your head, okay?” Franklin was dozing off inside the coach. They would be back in St. Louis late Sunday night or early Monday morning. Abilene was the next concert on schedule for the eleventh. But by now, he was more excited about the Lubbock concert on the eighteenth. It would be a show of shows and a concert to . Marty was going to have to get on the ball and call all the guests, purchase bus and plane tickets, and book lots of motel rooms to accommodate them all. In a way, he was ready for this year to be over. It had already been a long year, and he was ready for a little bit of rest. Then again, so was everybody else. One little thing still preoccupied his mind, a little girl. AnnaMarie was still a mystery. Where are you, young lady? he thought.

Monday morning came around for AnnaMarie Diane. She couldn’t find her hat. “Oh yes! Mommy’s got it in her truck. She’s supposed to get it clean today.” In fact, Mary Lou had made it a point to head on out to the Abernathy City Cleaners early in the morning right after she got out of work. She figured it would be about 7:30 a.m. or a little after by the time she got there from Lubbock. “I hope it doesn’t cost me an arm and a leg. I won’t know if I can afford it or not if it’s too much.” When she arrived at the cleaners, Bobby was just getting his day started at the cleaners. Bobby noticed she was carrying a white Stetson in her hand. “Hope you’re not needing it cleaned. To be honest, we haven’t cleaned a hat in quite a long while. We kind of got out of that kind of business.”

“Are you Bobby or Bruce?” “I’m Bobby. Bruce will be here after a while. He’s out picking up uniforms.” “Okay. You guys were highly recommended by Mr. Shiloh. He’s from Lubbock, you know, and he said you might say just that. He also said you were the best in the business. Please don’t tell me no. I’ve got to have this very nice hat cleaned today or as soon as possible. It actually belongs to a famous singer. My six-yearold is taking care of it till he needs it back. This singer is scheduled to be in Lubbock soon. And I want to return it looking like new if it’s possible. So please don’t tell me you can’t clean it. For me, it’s a matter of life or death. Mainly ’cause it means so much to my daughter. I’ve never owned a hat myself. I have no idea what it costs to have one cleaned. Mr. Shiloh highly recommended you and your brother. And I’m here all the way from Lubbock. I went out of my way just to come see you guys all the way down here in Abernathy. In fact, it’s been twenty or so years since I’ve even been here. The last time I was down in this area was at a basketball game between the Abernathy girls’ basketball team and the New Deal Lady Lions. I came with a friend. To be honest, I think the New Deal girls won. Sorry. So please, please help me out this one time. Please!” “This Stetson belongs to Jason Skarr?” “Ahh … yes! Jason Skarr!” “I know Trinity will be in Lubbock on the eighteenth. I know the lead singer wears a white Stetson. I’ve got a couple of their CDs in my car I listen to all the time. Well, I don’t really know if your story holds water, but if Mr. Shiloh sent you here all the way from Lubbock, how can I refuse you? Okay! I will give it my best to clean it for you! It should be ready by Wednesday before 5:00 p.m.” “About how much will it be, Bobby?” “I’m not sure. Haven’t done one in a long time. I’ll have to check with Bruce, but he won’t be in till after nine. He usually has some deliveries to do in the mornings. You can call back, or you can find out when you come back in to pick it up, okay? It shouldn’t be much.” “Okay! See you Wednesday afternoon, if not, by Thursday.” But Wednesday and Thursday came and went. Mary Lou had no extra money to

get the Stetson from the cleaners. And AnnaMarie was more than anxious to get her hat back. Mary Lou continued making excuses as to why she didn’t have time to get the hat from the cleaners. She definitely needed to get the hat back, at least before the eighteenth, for sure.

Trinity arrived in Abilene by 10:00 a.m. on the Saturday the eleventh from playing a concert in Midland-Odessa area the night before. The concert in Abilene was to be held at the Taylor County Expo Center at 9:00 p.m. Nothing new and nothing out of the ordinary was planned by Franklin there. Both Marty and Franklin were now more than preoccupied with their last concert of the year in Lubbock. The excitement was building up more and more as the day got closer. Franklin would stick to the list of all songs already planned. His mind was also on the people he’d met in Pauls Valley, Oklahoma City, Wichita, El Paso, and Harlingen. He was hoping to see each and every one of them once more in Lubbock. This would be the grand finale to a fantastic year. And before he knew it, the concert was over, and it was time to head back home. He’d played all the favorites and the most requested. The crowd was very receptive and enthusiastic to his music like always. His Lubbock concert was being promoted all over West Texas, from San Angelo all the way up to Dumas and from El Paso all the way to Dallas. The band was being promoted as the best Christian/country band in the country. It was now nominated for all kinds of awards. Somehow Jason Skarr and Trinity were going to have to schedule some award shows into their already busy schedule for 2011. They already had January 1 as their very first concert in Nashville. Marty was in the middle of booking some concert dates in Las Vegas for around the Fourth of July. The band was also planning to touring overseas early in 2011, but for now, Franklin was anxious to do the Lubbock concert. He was also counting on his mom and dad to be there in Lubbock. And he now had it all figured out as to how to get them there. Sneaky, but he would make it work. “Send Dad a letter about him needing to be in Lubbock for a Southwestern Deacon Convention, all expenses paid. The two diocese will be working together. The St. Louis Diocese and the Lubbock Diocese are doing this as a t venture. Send an extra ticket for the spouse,” Franklin told Marty. “Tell him that his presence is required. Motel accommodations are already reserved in his name. And send him a large bill for meal tickets. At least one hundred bucks,

okay? That way, he can’t say no.” “No problem. I’ll take care of it ASAP.” “Also, send a letter to our bishop in St. Louis and the bishop of the Lubbock Diocese. Oh, and there’s a Father Peter in Lubbock also. If I correctly, I think Mr. Shiloh told me he is a chaplain at a Catholic hospital. You’ll probably have to dig some information on that. Or you can call Mr. Shiloh and see if he can tell you where Father Peter has his church. Send him an invitation also and a ticket to the concert.” “I’ll do some research later in the day and get started. Hey, Bobby’s cousins out of Harlingen already got their package, and so did your little friend Paco and his mom, Estrella, and of course, her mariachi band. They have all agreed to come. They all seem to think this is for a talent contest. Your other friend Ramon hasn’t called me back. He may be in his hometown of Cotton Center by now. I’ll keep trying. Mr. Rains, our old band teacher, was asked to come to judge some high school bands. He sounded very excited about coming to good ol’ Texas. He wasn’t sure as to why ‘he’ was asked. I told him that you had made the request. I literally think he actually jumped for joy. He asked for you. I told him that you’d probably be there. The girls from Wichita are all coming, along with their parents and siblings. As far as I know, everybody’s coming, that I know of. I’ll let you know about Ramon as soon as I hear from him. I will keep on trying though. Oh, even Lou, the guy from the Oklahoma City Western wear store, is coming! Can you believe that? He said he wouldn’t miss it for the world. Asked if he could bring his wife, and I said, ‘Sure! Wouldn’t want it any other way!’ Anyway, I’ve got some more people to call. I won’t stop until I get ahold of everyone of ’em.” “Fantastic! Let’s go home and get some rest for next weekend.”

Thursday morning after work, Mary Lou finally headed toward Abernathy to pick up her Stetson from the City Cleaners. AnnaMarie will be happy to get it back, she thought. By the time she got there, Bobby and Bruce had decided that since it was for Jason Skarr, lead singer for Trinity, they would not charge her a dime. And of course, she was more than happy and pleased. The hat looked like new.

By the time Friday morning, December 17, came around, Franklin was still at home with his mom and dad back in St. Louis. He was very excited about the Lubbock concert. Course he was trying not to show it in front of them. His mom and dad were also very much excited about their trip to Lubbock. They were flying with Bishop Carlson on the same plane. They thought it was strange that somehow they were going for what they thought were two different events at the same town, at the same time, and on the same day. But it was a prepaid trip, and they weren’t about to say no to a free all-expenses paid trip, no matter who had paid for it all. And the extra one-hundred-dollar bill, with a brand-new Franklin on the front, was telling them to go! Motel accommodations, free meals, couldn’t say no! And one would have to be crazy to turn down an offer like that. They only wished that Franklin, their son, was going with them. Franklin pretended not to know anything about it. He could always go some other time. After all, he’d been to Lubbock just a couple of weeks back. He did, however, encourage them to go and enjoy the trip, have fun, and, most of all, get out of St. Louis for a change. Franklin reminded his mom to take her song book “just in case.” He’d already found out that his music teacher was going and excited to go see Texas Tech University, home of the Red Raiders. He’d never been to Lubbock but knew Lubbock had several wonderful universities. He was a little bit nervous but excited at the same time for having been invited. He would somehow have to deal with the medications he was now taking. Hopefully, he wouldn’t have a bad episode or a setback during the trip. Friday afternoon came around. Franklin took his parents to the airport mainly just to keep any suspicions down. Franklin had told them he was also planning to go visit some friends he’d met within the last few weeks. Marty and himself were scheduled to take a later flight up to Lubbock. Mr. Shiloh was to meet them at the Lubbock Preston Smith International Airport upon their arrival. By the time Franklin and Marty’s plane landed in Lubbock, Mr. Shiloh was waiting for them on the brick side of the airport. Officers Cookie and Garcia were training a couple of new female officers, April and Callee. They had spotted Mr. Shiloh minutes earlier. They could tell he was waiting or looking for someone. And they knew a plane was just arriving. Officers Cookie and Garcia

all headed toward the area where engers deplane. Officer Cookie saw the two young men who had been with Mr. Shiloh just a few weeks back. “So you’re back! I just know you gotta be singers! I just read where a group called Trinity will be here in Lubbock tomorrow. And we just saw Mr. Shiloh outside the secure area. Looked like he’s looking or waiting for someone. I bet he’s waiting on you both. I read where Mr. Shiloh is going to be the emcee. You guys must be the VIPs he’s waiting on. You want us to escort you to him?” “You don’t forget much, ma’am, or officer. Tell you what,” said Franklin, “come to the coliseum tomorrow night. Our compliments to all four of you! Look for my friend here or just ask for Marty, and he’ll let all four of you in for free. But don’t get in trouble with your bosses for accepting free tickets. It’s not a bribe. It’s an invitation, okay?” Officer Garcia stated, “You’re the VIP, aren’t you?” He said this as he looked at Franklin. Franklin answered, “Right now, it’s a secret.” Officer Cookie looked at Garcia and stated, “That’s why he’s wearing a fake goatee. Now leave him alone and let’s go find Mr. Shiloh.” Franklin just looked at Marty and wondered how she had been able to tell he was wearing his fake goatee.

AnnaMarie’s grandparents, Suzanne and Greg, were already on their way to Lubbock from Weatherford. They had heard about Trinity playing in Lubbock, so they wanted to be there on time for the concert. AnnaMarie and the Stetson hat were also on their minds. The visit would also be a surprise for both Mary Lou and their granddaughter. They had already bought tickets for all four online. Mary Lou was at work when her KK cops, Fisher and Lee, walked in, hollering, “Coffee!” “Be there in a sec!” hollered back Mary Lou. Officer Lee asked, “You going to the Trinity concert?” “Probably not! Norma’s already taking off for it. I barely had enough money to have a hat cleaned and steamed. Thank God, the cleaners didn’t charge me a

dime. I’m saving money for Christmas presents for AnnaMarie and Mom and Dad. Rent’s due by the end of the month. Light, gas, and cell phone bills are all piling up! After the first, I’m always broke! Concert? I wish!” “How about a loan?” asked Fisher. “A loan? You asking or offering?” hollered Officer Lee and Mary Lou at the same time. “Asking? No, I’m not asking! I’m offering! Of course, I’m offering! You can pay us when you make your first million! We know you ain’t got no money! That’s why you work here! But you wait! Your luck’s about to change! Just wait and see, girl!” “First million! That’ll probably be in NeverNever Land! Which means, probably never!” “Well, we’ll see! Don’t ever give up hope! You never know!” “Well, that’s true! I guess I could start playing the lotto! All I need is an extra dollar every now and then!” “Hey, I bet we got one hundred bucks between. You can spend it however you like. You can go buy Trinity tickets, pay bills, or buy Christmas gifts! Do with it whatever you want! I don’t care!” “I’ll see. Gee, thanks! I will pay you guys back as soon as I’m able to. I promise! This time I won’t say no.” It was around 6:00 a.m. when Greg and Suzanne walked into the IHOP Restaurant where Mary Lou worked. Mary Lou was serving coffee to a couple of Lubbock PD officers. “Young lady! Young lady! May we have some hot coffee, please!” Mary Lou turned around and screamed, “Mom! Daddy!” She ran over to give them a huge hug. “When did you guys get here? Christmas is not till next weekend! Oh, what a wonderful surprise! Oh, thank you both so much for coming! AnnaMarie will be so excited! Oh, thank you so much for coming!” She escorted them to one of her tables. Greg said, “Since we really don’t know

where you live, we took a chance and decided to surprise you here at the IHOP. We kind of figured you might be working tonight. We also wanted to surprise you, and so here we are! Hope we don’t get you in trouble with your boss for taking your time away from your duties. Is AnnaMarie doing okay? I’m sure someone is taking good care of her while you work. Are ‘you’ doing okay?” “Yes! We’re both doing fine! She’s at home asleep. My babysitter lives next door. She comes over and stays with her till I get home. They both go to sleep around 8:30 p.m. or 9:00 p.m. and wake up around 7:30 a.m., just about the time I get home. I thought you guys weren’t coming till next Thursday or early Friday.” Greg answered, “Your mom wants us to go to the Trinity concert at the coliseum. So we got us all some tickets! Yes! We got tickets for you and AnnaMarie too!” “Are you kidding? Oh, thank you both so much! You guys are the greatest! AnnaMarie will be so excited to go and to see you both after a while! I feel goose bumps myself just knowing we’re all going! Oh, thank you, thank you, thank you!” Suzanne stated, “You’re welcome, welcome, welcome! I guess AnnaMarie still has her hat?” “She practically lives in it. She cares more for it than herself. She has it in her possession almost twenty-four hours a day. I actually just had it cleaned and steamed a couple of days ago. AnnaMarie hasn’t seen it yet, but it now looks brand new. A guy named Bobby did a wonderful job cleaning it for me. Actually, him and his brother, Bruce. Got a big discount too. Both were nice enough to do it for free! I couldn’t believe it!” “Well, since we’re here, we’ll have a quick BLT sandwich, and how about some bacon, scrambled eggs, and dry wheat toast with two coffees and a large orange juice? Oh, don’t forget a short stack for me and a waffle for your mom. And we’ll just follow you home once you get off, okay?” “Thanks, Daddy! You guys had perfect timing. You guys just made my day! AnnaMarie will sure be surprised when she sees you. This will be a perfect Christmas for all of us! I just know it!” “We’re not through yet, young lady! We got a trunk full of Christmas gifts for

both of you when we get home! So be sure they all get put under the Christmas tree!” By the time Mary Lou and her parents got back to Southland, AnnaMarie was barely getting out of bed. As soon as she saw her grandparents, she ran up to them and screamed, “Grandpa! Grandma! Mommy! Is it Christmas already? Mommy, did you get my hat?” AnnaMarie went around, giving hugs one by one. “Please don’t get it dirty,” said Mary Lou. “Grandma and Grandpa have a very big surprise for you. But it’ll have to wait for later, okay?” Suzanne interrupted Mary Lou and asked, “You the concert we both went to in Dallas? The group was named Trinity. Well, young lady, that same group is coming to Lubbock tonight! And guess who all’s going to it?” “You and Grandpa?” “And you and your mommy, silly! Isn’t that wonderful?” “Best of all, we get to see Trinity again!” “And maybe give Jason his lucky hat back! Maybe get up on stage with him again! Won’t that be fun?” “Yes, Grandma!”

Franklin’s cell phone rang. “Honey, this is your mom. Just got a call from someone telling us your dad’s deacon meeting is going to be at the Lubbock Municipal Coliseum. There’s only one problem. A concert will be held there at pretty close to the same time. You know the group Trinity, don’t you? I’m not sure where our bishop will be when all this is going on. Hopefully, we won’t be scattered all over this town. I’d like to see the university, but I don’t know if we’ll even have time.” “Surely not, Mom. Let me see what I can find out for you, guys. I’ll call you in a little bit. Let me do some checking. For sure, this building most likely has meeting rooms that are soundproof. I think there’s also an auditorium next to the

coliseum. Maybe the meeting for Dad will take place there. I’ll call you as soon as I find out.” Franklin called Marty right after he hung up. “Yes, I was just fixing to call your mom and dad. I told them that the deacon convention is in conjunction with the Trinity concert. I Just called our bishop and the Lubbock Bishop Placido Rodriguez to tell them the same thing. I also called Father Peter so he can be there for the opening prayers and a couple of words of encouragement. You know, Father Peter is a hard priest to get a hold of. Course, it is a big hospital. He was told to be there no later than 7:45 p.m.” “Sounds great! Most everybody should be here in Lubbock already anyway, right?” “Our friends from El Paso should be arriving soon. Bobby’s cousins should be here in less than an hour. Both Mr. Johnny Rivers and Mr. B. J. Thomas were supposed to have flown in last night. They sounded anxious to meet you. They’re supposedly very huge fans of Trinity! I would’ve never imagined that! Bertha and her daughter Relia are driving in their new van. Annalicia, Nacho, the kids, Lillie, and Jesse should all be flying in no later than 2:00 p.m. Jim Johnson and Abby are both on a Greyhound bus. They should be here by now. Joshua, his wife, and the girls are also driving in from Wichita. I called Ramon again, our singer from El Paso, and left him another message on his voice box. Paco and his mom are here in town already. Ramon still hasn’t returned my call. I’ve left several messages already. Hopefully, he’s not back in El Paso or in jail cell somewhere.”

It was 7:00 p.m. Ramon found himself inside a cell at the Lubbock County Jail. He had a speeding ticket that had gone to a warrant on a fail to appear. He was on his way to Lubbock when he got pulled over for failing to signal a lane change in order to make a left turn. When the LPD officer ran the tag, it showed an outstanding warrant on Ramon. He was subsequently placed under arrest and taken to the county jail. Ramon did not wish to leave his guitar behind, so he asked if he could bring it with him to jail. The officer obliged him. “Sir, please, I need to make a very important phone call. It has to do with my future. Please I beg you. I’m supposed to play at the Trinity concert tonight.

You’ve got to believe me. I know I don’t look like much, but it’s the truth. This is supposed to be my big break. The number to call is on my cell phone. If I’m not allowed to make the call, please do me a favor and call for me. I’m begging you, sir, or officer.” But the booking officer would not hear of it. Ramon’s phone rang. The booking officer smirked and said, “It’s probably your mommy or your homeboy checking up on you.” “No! I know who it is! It’s the manager for the band Trinity! I promise you! It’s probably him looking for me! Please! Please answer it! Please let me talk to him! I’m begging you! Please give me a break! They did!” “Okay! One minute! No more!” The officer flipped open the phone. It showed seven missed calls from a long-distance number out of Missouri. The phone stopped ringing after five rings. The phone now read eight missed calls and eight voice mail messages. “Please call the number back!” pleaded Ramon. “It should be the manager for Trinity. They promised to call me and give me a chance to play two or three songs at tonight’s concert. It’s my lucky break, my last chance at a little bit of fame! Please! Don’t take that away from me! I’m begging you!” “Okay! Why not? My wife and I are supposed to be going to the concert. I’m off as soon as I get done booking you. I almost want to believe you. Ahh, give me a minute. Let’s see who answers. I’ll be right back. Ahh, don’t go anywhere. That’s supposed to be funny. A joke! Get it! Don’t go anywhere!” “Oh, I got it the first time! You’re funny! Real funny! Yep, you’re a real comedian!” Within a couple of minutes, the officer came back with another officer. “Okay, Ramon, you go with this officer. Take your guitar. He’s going to take you out to the coliseum. Your story checked out okay. A guy named Martin or Marty answered and verified your story. He offered to pay your fine. I told him time served. You don’t owe a thing! You’re free to go! Maybe I’ll see you at the concert. Hey, good luck! And next time, pay your tickets! And don’t come back!” “I will! Sorry! And God bless you, officer. Thanks! I guess you’re really not

such a bad cop after all.” “I’m a jailer, not a cop! Big difference, but thanks!” Marty called Franklin to let him know about Ramon’s predicament. “Great! Have you bailed him out already, and is he on his way over here?” “Actually, I was going to bail him out, but the jailer told me time served. Hey, I just went by your coach. Where you at? It’s a little after 7:15 p.m.” “Well, if you must know, I’m at the corner 7-Eleven store. Come here for some Perrier water. Now I’m at the corner between walk and wait. I’m kind of blending in with this huge crowd trying to cross this wide intersection to get to the coliseum. Parking lot looks full. I’m at the back of about seventy-five or one hundred people who just came off two Amarillo ISD buses. They seem to all be talking about our band.” Greg and Suzanne pulled into the huge parking lot. Mary Lou and AnnaMarie were in the backseat of her dad’s car. They were actually right behind Franklin as he was walking behind the huge crowd. Franklin looked back and moved to his left to allow room for the car to him and go find a parking space. “Thank you, young man.” “You’re welcome, sir! Hope you find a parking space up ahead! Good luck!” Just as Franklin hollered, AnnaMarie looked to the side to get a look at Franklin. Franklin looked at the car as it ed by. Franklin gave a real quick wave, and AnnaMarie also gave a quick wave back. Mary Lou was carrying a conversation with her mom. Franklin hurried toward the rear side of the coliseum as he got closer to the building. He headed toward his coach. He needed to take a quick shower and start getting dressed before meeting with Marty, his band, and Trinity’s Voices. “This way, sir!” hollered a parking security officer at Greg. “Yes, thank you, ma’am, or officer,” answered Greg. “You can park at the end of the aisle. I see you got your whole family with you. Is that your gorgeous little granddaughter with you? Well, this is her night to shine! Hey, you all have fun and enjoy the show! It’ll be a night to !

See you after the show!” AnnaMarie smiled and said, “Mommy, that’s my friend. That’s the lady who gave me my rosary!” “Honey, the lady who gave you your rosary was much, much older. This lady officer is way much younger. It can’t be.” “You guys enjoy the concert now! Shine, young lady! You be sure and give it your best, you hear? Make Mom proud! Bye, AnnaMarie!” As Mary Lou heard AnnaMarie’s name, she immediately looked back to get a good look at the officer, but the officer was gone. She only saw a male officer now. “Where’s the female officer?” she asked AnnaMarie. “I guess she went inside the coliseum. I’m sure I’ll see her again, Mommy. I always do! I told you she’s my guardian angel!” Mary Lou looked around, but the female officer was now nowhere in sight. They started walking toward the entrance doors. “Is my hat on all right, Mommy?” “Yes! Looks perfect over your cute little ponytail, sweetie,” answered Suzanne. “We need to ask for a man named Martin once we get inside. I think that’s his name.” “Why?” asked Mary Lou. “Who’s Martin? You got our tickets, don’t you, Mom?” “It’s Marty, Grandma, not Martin. Or we can go find Jason!” Franklin had just come out of the shower. He called Marty and told him he wanted to see the band and his Voices by 7:30 p.m. for a short meeting and review since there were several famous legendary guests performing and several of his new friends also performing tonight. They all needed to know they would be recording everything for this venue. He wanted everybody to feel that “special and welcome” feeling at this once-in-a lifetime Lubbock Christian Musical Revival. When the meeting finally got started, Franklin first thanked each and every one of them for having such a super fantastic year. He thanked them for all the

honors, awards, and recognitions the band had received for 2010 and for the new year, 2011. He reminded them of most likely traveling to Europe sometime right after Easter Sunday. He reminded them they would need to make sure their visas and ports needed to be up-to-date. “I want to spotlight the Voices tonight individually with their favorite song of your favorite artist. One of you guys likes B. J. Thomas. That would be Louis, I think. I believe Jamie likes Johnny Rivers. As for the ladies, I think Rhonda likes Patty Loveless, and last but not least, Crystal likes both Carrie Underwood and Lee Ann Womack. So think of which song ‘you’ will be singing tonight as a solo up on center stage! This will be ‘your’ time to shine! Know the words and try to sing as close as you can to the original. The crowd will love it. I would bet money on that. I guarantee it! I’ve called in some professional backup singers just for this little segment of the program. Don’t worry, I’m not replacing you at all. So don’t go getting any ideas. You guys are with me forever! So be sure and give Marty the name of the songs you wish to sing solo so we will all be on the same page, okay? This will be after all our special friends we’ve met along the road this past few weeks sing their songs. At the end, we will play our songs on the list. I haven’t changed the encore. As far as I know, that will probably stay the same unless something major, major happens. We’ll see. “Oh yes, for a couple of songs with Annalicia, Lillie, and Jesse, we will be featuring her three little cousins. They are the kids I met in Pauls Valley, Oklahoma. The kids will be playing their own instruments when Annalicia and Lillie sing. But beginning the second song, one by one, you guys will in and start playing with them. You can come in whenever you like. The music will gradually get stronger and stronger. The crowd will go wild! We’ll make them shine like never before. They may be a little bit nervous at first once they see the huge crowd. If they are, we’ll just have to come in little bit sooner. But we definitely want them to play their instruments before we come in. Any questions?” Marty asked, “We are still featuring the Cactus Cuties from Lubbock, right? By the way, Mr. Shiloh invited a very popular local group that got their start in a nearby town called Acuff back in the sixties, I believe. They are the Maines Brothers. They asked to be part of your revival. I told Mr. Shiloh they were more than welcome.” “Fantastic!”

“One more thing, Franklin, Damian and Juan Carlos brought their band with them,” said Marty. “Sure! Bobby’s cousins? You bet! Give each of our band a copy of the lineup, the songs, and the order. Leave a couple of blanks for the encore. I’m still thinking about that, okay? On this type of an event, gotta leave room for one more song just in case.” “No problem. I feel the same way.” “Okay! Marty, tell Roger to video the whole show. I will be an extra musician on most sets. I will wear and change facial disguises from time to time. Set out all the extra music instruments somewhere up on stage. Make sure they’re all tuned. If not, I got ’em. Set out horns, trumpets, maracas, banjo, clarinet, sax, flute, and guitars. Anything and everything we brought. No one will know it’s me till later in the show. I’ll give you a signal. As for Mom, I will be there as her son, not as Jason. I will also sing with her before Trinity comes on. Okay, I think that’s it! Let’s go do it, you all! Marty, I need to talk to you in private so don’t leave just yet.” “Sure! What’s up?” “So Mom and Dad don’t get curious or suspicious about me talk to Mr. Shiloh? He will emcee all our special guests. Give him a list of all of them. You and me will perform together as Marty and Franklin after Mom’s set. After you and me are done, you will take over as emcee. That’s when you will introduce the band and the Voices. While you are introducing Trinity, have Jimmy and Flenoid bring me my shirt, pants, and hat. Take your time by stalling the crowd. They’ll probably guess what’s happening. Then tell Roger to show clips of me performing with all the previous guests. Introduce me as Jason Skarr, yada, yada, yada. Once you do, I will turn around, and I will no longer be Franklin but Jason Skarr. Everybody will know my true identity, including Mom and Dad.” “I think I get the picture. I think it’s a fantastic way to end the year. I may even get a news camera to be on standby. I think there’s a Channel 11 or a Channel 13 here in town. I may just go ahead and call them both to do a live telecast. Is that okay? I may even get a little emotional myself.” “I don’t have any problem with that whatsoever. Go ahead. I mean, about the news cameras, get Mr. Shiloh to help you out with that.”

“No problem. Won’t your parents be surprised?” “They probably will! I think they need to know anyway. Hopefully, they won’t be too terribly disappointed with me.” “As for your friend from Pauls Valley, Ms. Annalicia just cried her heart out when I handed her a stack of CDs with all her songs. She asked if you had anything to do with it even though she was more than sure all this had been all your doing. She called you and said you still had that Jason Skarr guy answering your voice messages. She wanted to know if you were Jason Skarr. I just laughed it off. I didn’t want to have to lie. So I didn’t answer her.” “Well, I guess she’ll find out who Franklin is, or who Jason Skarr really is, won’t she?” “I agree. Oh, Mr. Lou and his wife, they guy from the Western wear store in Oklahoma City, should be here to watch you. He sounded excited on the phone when I spoke with him.” “Great! Hey, what about our legendary guests?” “Yes! Mr. B. J. Thomas, Johnny Rivers, and Ms. Patty Loveless are all here. They all came in last night. They said they would dress casual at first. When they sing solo, they will have their change of clothes ready. They brought wigs and mustaches to keep from being recognized by the Voices. They’re excited to be here and ready to get on stage and actually meet Trinity and especially you. Ms. Lee Ann Womack said she will try very hard to be here on time. I have to call her after a while.” “Have you spotted Mom and Dad? Where are they now? And what about everybody else? Where’s everybody waiting at?” “Your dad is up on stage now. He’s to do one of the readings from tomorrow’s mass, along with our Father Peter. The first five rows on the floor directly in front of the stage are all roped off and marked reserved. I went ahead and called in a youth mariachi band made up of junior high and high school students from Cavazos Junior High and Lubbock High for little Paco. The group wanted to sing and play for Paco. I’ve asked Estrella, and she loved the idea of having extra musicians also when she performs. So I think everybody’s just about ready. I think all our nonprofessional guests just a just little bit nervous, but they all

seem to be ready. That includes Ramon. He’s looking for you, and so is Paco. They both asked for you earlier when I saw them.” “What about you, Marty? You got your two songs ready?” “Actually, I’ve got one Dino song and one Paul Anka song in mind.” “Great! Hey, what time is it?” “A little after 7:45 p.m. Our bishops, your dad, and Father Peter should just about be getting ready to start by now. All private rooms have TV monitors in them, so all our guests can watch the stage and see what’s going on. Jimmy and Flenoid have a list of who’s where, and they will be roving back and forth, escorting guests back and forth to the stage. After their performance, they will have them sit in the reserved seats in front of the stage unless they wish to go back to their rooms. The Jacksons have their families here, and a sister even came from the Houston area for the concert. Their mom is supposed to be about ninety years old. She’s even here! Those guys are on cloud nine right now!” “I’m glad! Well, let me get my facial disguises ready. I’m going to change on stage right after Mom’s first song. We’ll see what happens. She always wanted to sing with somebody famous. She will tonight!” “Oh, I bet it’ll be fun! Hope she doesn’t faint when she finds out your secret!” “My secret? You mean, ours!” “Right! Ours!” answered Marty. “Hey, Marty, thanks for a fantastic year! I know I couldn’t have done it without you! You are the best! The best friend, the best manager, the best brother I could ever have wished for! I mean that from the bottom of my heart! I hope I haven’t driven you to the insane asylum by depending on you as much as I do!” “Franklin, I love being your friend and manager, and you are the best brother I could ever have! And all these guys who follow you, work for you, and look up to you and ire you are all very fine and honest folks! I tell you, we are all here because of you! You are one of a kind! You are honest, sincere, kind, generous, caring, and down to earth. Everyone inside this building is here mainly because of you! We all know that! We are all very proud to be a part of your life!

Heck, even the bishops are here because of you! So don’t you forget that! That goes for the band, Trinity’s Voices, and myself! Your mom and dad are even here! I know this kind of stuff doesn’t go to your head, but there is no exaggeration to what I just said! And I know you’re not about to change! There, I said it!” “But we’re still missing one person …” “We are? What, a girlfriend?” Quietly, Franklin answered, “A little six-year-old, a little girl who I was hoping we’d found by now.” “Ms. AnnaMarie, I believe. Who knows, maybe she’s here inside this building, waiting to see you! Don’t give up hope now. Maybe we’ll find her yet! Hey, I think I just got a text! Ms. Lee Ann Womack is here!” “All right! Lee Ann is here! Our show should now be complete!”

Greg, Suzanne, Mary Lou, and AnnaMarie were at the concession stand. “Mommy, I need to go to the potty room.” “I’ll take her,” said Suzanne. “You and your dad stay in line. The show will be starting pretty soon. I believe I heard what sounded like some scripture readings just a little while ago. We’ll be back in a jiffy.” “Thank you, Mom. We’ll see if we can find an usher in a minute who might help us find our seating area.” “Okay! Be right back.” Mary Lou then saw a female usher standing a few feet away from her. “Oh, ma’am, can you please direct me to where our seats are located at?” “Yes! They’re on the top balcony area directly in front of center stage. You’ll be facing directly in front of the main singers. When the rest of your family gets back, I’ll personally escort you all up there. It’ll be my pleasure.”

Before she could say thank you, Mary Lou realized she had never shown her ticket to the lady usher and wondered show she had known exactly where their seats were located at. And how did she know that family were missing? “How did she know?” Mary Lou asked herself. But before she knew it, the lady had disappeared into the crowd. In the meantime, Franklin’s mom, Krystal, was in one of the rooms, waiting nervously and anxiously. The TV monitor was on, and she could see Bishop Carlson from St. Louis and the Lubbock bishop, Bishop Placido Rodriguez. Both were encouraging the psalms and Christian songs normally sung in church and how they affected real life. Her eyes glowed when Jim and Father Peter read the scripture readings. Everything kind of felt right, except for one little problem. Her son was not there. How she wished Franklin were somewhere anywhere close to Lubbock so she could ask him to come see this magnificent Christian band that everyone was talking about. Once Suzanne spotted Mary Lou and Greg, she saw Mary Lou waving at her, trying to get her attention. “Mommy’s over there, sweetie. Maybe you’ll get a chance to see your friend. I’m sure he’ll be glad to get his hat back, reckon?” “He’ll see I took real good care of it, Grandma.” “You sure did, sweetie.” Just about then, Mary Lou caught a glimpse of Mr. Shiloh. He seemed to be walking kind of in a hurry. He had a handful of papers. Marty had just handed him a list of performers, songs, and time schedules for each and every one of them. “Mr. Shiloh! Mr. Shiloh!” she hollered and waved at the same time, trying to get his attention. He quickly turned around as he thought he’d heard his name. He then saw Mary Lou waving at him to stop. He immediately stopped, quickly ran over to her, and asked, “May I help you, ma’am? Or were you just waving hello? I was in a bit of a hurry, so I apologize if I didn’t hear you the first time. I’m trying to how I know you. Your face looks so familiar. I know I know you from somewhere.” “The IHOP! Hart, Texas! I work midnights at the IHOP! The military funeral almost three weeks ago!”

“Ms. Mary Lou! Of course! You bet! I now! Hi! How are you? You lost? You trying to find your seat? Is everything okay with you?” “Yes! Everything’s okay! Look, I know you’re in a hurry. My daughter, AnnaMarie, she’s got this hat that’s supposed to belong to a ‘Mr. Jason Skarr.’ She wants to find a way to return it sometime before the show is over or before this guy leaves Lubbock. He’s supposed to be here for the concert. I’m not sure if he plays in the band or not. Can you see if you can find him and talk to him so we can get us a backstage for after the show? I’d like to thank him for trusting my daughter with his hat. Looks like an expensive one.” “I’ll certainly the word to his manager. I’ll see what I can do. As for now, I’m very sorry, but I gotta go. But you can bet I’ll make sure someone gets the word. Where are you at?” “Very top! Supposedly in front of center stage, I think! Way up at the ‘faint’ section!” “Okay! I’ll the word!” And from out of nowhere, a lady’s voice was heard. “Tell Marty that Ms. AnnaMarie is in section JJ, row O, seat 5. Now don’t forget.” Mr. Shiloh turned to look at the female usher and just said, “Got it!” The lady usher turned to look at Mary Lou, AnnaMarie, and the rest of the family and said, “Okay, guys, looks like everyone’s here. Let’s go find those seats. Are you guys ready?” Greg asked, “How did you know where we’re supposed to be seating at?” “Ahh, your daughter showed me your tickets a little bit ago. Well, just follow me. Watch your step. Hold on to your precious little star! I’m sure this will be a night to . Glad you guys made it to some special event! May I say ‘welcome back.’” Mary Lou asked, “Welcome back?” But the usher kept walking without answering back. “Mommy, she was about to Grandma and me.”

“Sweetie, but you never been here. I don’t think your grandma has either.” “She was talking about the concert.” “Huh? Now how would she even know that?” “But she does know, Mommy! She knows a lot!” “Here we are, ma’am.” The lady usher turned to face AnnaMarie and said, “God bless you, sweetie! Now don’t forget to say your prayers every time you have a chance. This is going to be a very special night for you. You know that, right? But of course, you already know that! I’ll see you a couple more times before we part, sweetie. And thank you!” “Thank you! You are my very own special angel, aren’t you?” “I am, sweetie. Bye! I’ll see you in a little bit. I’ll let you in on a little secret later.”

CHAPTER 30

To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven: A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted; A time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up; A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance; A time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing; A time to get, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away; A time to rend, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak; A time to love, and a time to hate; a time of war, and a time of peace.

—(KJV) (ECCLESIASTES 3:1–8)

Mr. Shiloh came up to center mic. In the first five rows directly in front of him sat Ignacio; Lou and his wife, both from the Western wear store in Oklahoma City; Joshua and his wife from Wichita, Kansas; and Mr. Rains, Franklin’s old music teacher from high school. Greg, Franklin’s dad, was also seated on the same row in front of center stage. Robert, Marty’s friend and owner of the Javelin, had just driven in from Colorado Springs. He had also received free tickets from Marty for the concert. The Jackson brothers had been given twelve tickets for family and friends. Damian and Juan Carlos had also received twelve tickets. Any Catholic priest attending the concert got in free with or without a ticket. In the middle of the five front floor rows sat Bertha and her daughter Relia and their best friends, Mary and Aaron. Franklin had also reserved twelve extra tickets for his Holy Trinity Catholic Church from back in St. Louis. The six choir and their spouses had also been invited. They had actually flown in on a later flight out of St. Louis. They had somehow managed to get a message to Marty that they had finally arrived. Jimmy had found the group wandering around halfway lost and were finally escorted to Krystal’s dressing room. The spouses were then escorted to

where Jim was sitting at. The parents of the Agape Christian Church found Joshua and his wife and were overjoyed to finally see a familiar face. Marty had chartered a King’s Highway bus for family and friends of the girl choir group. And at the last minute, all in a row came walking in Mr. Rains’s old Rosati-Kain High School Band. As soon as he saw the band, he excitedly ran up to them to greet each and every one of them with a great big hug and some tears. He shook hands with the new band teacher, along with the school’s principal and superintendent who followed behind. Both told Mr. Rains that an anonymous exstudent had sent thirty tickets to the concert, along with traveling money. A private plane had been chartered specifically for the students, the faculty, and two chaperones. It was a trip they couldn’t turn down. The students had been told to bring their instruments also. Mr. Shiloh walked up to center stage and began. “Ladies and gentlemen, good evening! This is a night for huge surprises! Get ready! Welcome to this Christian Musical Revival. This concert is one of a kind, compliments of Trinity! This band travels all over the United States trying their best to bring hope to each one of us with their lyrics, messages, and music! This group has won more awards these past couple of years than any other musical group in either rock, country, contemporary, gospel, or Christian! Trinity brings inspiration to all of us who listens to the words in all their songs! As for the group’s singer/songwriter musician and lyricist, Mr. Jason Skarr is a very multitalented, God-gifted young man. If I’m not mistaken, I believe he is still in his mid-twenties or so. I’ve actually had the pleasure of getting to know him for having a real strong faith in our Lord Jesus Christ and adheres to the Word of God and Jesus Christ! There is no faking in this young man! He is a true Christian all the way down to the bone! “Tonight this band brings all of us a gift a week before Christmas. As we all walk out tonight out of this old building, everyone will get a fifty-dollar bill. So either you are reimbursed for your ticket, or you get a little extra if you paid less than that. This is the band’s gift to you! Merry Christmas from Trinity and Mr. Jason Skarr! Okay! Now that we got that out of the way, first, we will listen to friends of the band. Up until tonight, these performers were ordinary folks living ordinary lives until Trinity came along. Some of them do not even know that their future has even changed for them forever. But it has! Trinity just very recently became a record-producing company and will soon be offering many of these talents recording contracts to these bands, groups, and individuals! Later in the show, you will also have a chance to see and hear some true legends from the past and some from not too long ago. Some of them still tour all over the

country. In the background for some of these bands, Trinity may or may not provide some shadow and silhouette musicians who you may or may not actually see or recognize. Some will appear as cameo musicians or singers. There is no prerecorded music in the background. All music and singing will be completely live! Feel free to scream, holler, and cheer! “One other thing, all Trinity concerts are videotaped and recorded. Best of all, Trinity encourages the audience to video, record, and/or photograph to show on your tweets, e-mails, blogs, Facebook, YouTube, or whatever! So let’s get started! The first set comes to us from right here at home. They were discovered here in Lubbock at our very own Cactus Theater!” By now, Flenoid had gone to dressing room number 3 and reminded the first group of girls they were first on the list. They were to sing ‘America, the Beautiful’ followed by ‘The Star-Spangled Banner.’ The music in the background was played by the Maines Brothers. Franklin had actually been behind the curtains playing the trumpet. At the beginning of the first song, Jimmy rounded up Annalicia, Lillie, Jesse, and Annalicia’s three cousins. On one hand, the kids were jumping with excitement. On the other hand, Annalicia and Lillie were extremely nervous. Jesse was reciting a prayer to himself and appeared to be at peace and tranquility. As they all walked down the hall toward the stage, Annalicia thought about Franklin who had promised to see them before the end of the year. She knew he would be proud of her if only he knew where she was now and what she was doing or about to do in a few minutes. She thought to herself, Was this his doing? Did he have anything to do with this? He mentioned being headed to the Trinity concert just a few weeks ago when they first met. She now had her first CD with her very own songs on it. She was about to perform in public in front of several thousands of people. The concert was headlining Trinity and Jason Skarr. So was Franklin here? Maybe, just maybe, Jason Skarr was … or is a good friend of Franklin just as he had made me believe back when he ed through Pauls Valley. “Ladies and gentlemen, this next group was discovered in a little bitty town in Oklahoma! Pauls Valley, Oklahoma! The kids you are about to meet up here on stage are musically tutored by a retired music teacher out of Tuttle, Oklahoma! Their tutor and music teacher is right here with us tonight! How about a hand for Ms. Bertha?” At hearing her name, Ms. Bertha stood and bowed to the crowd

and began waving to the crowd and the kids who were now walking across the stage. By now, the kids were in front of their music instruments. Mr. Shiloh continued, “Their cousin is Ms. Annalicia! Along with her is Ms. Lillie, and last but not least is their friend Jesse on harmonica.” The kids started playing kind of low, and in the background, they heard someone playing a flute. They wondered to themselves who was the man behind the silhouette everybody could see, including them. Even after the first four notes, the kids still felt a little bit nervous, and it was noticeable to Annalicia, Lillie, and Jesse. Franklin signaled his band to start playing a couple of decibels lower than the kids. Once Annalicia felt confident, she began to sing “Ave Maria.” At the end of the song, both Annalicia and Lillie sang together. When the song came to an end, Jesse began playing on his harmonica “How Great Thou Art.” Lillie began singing first this time. Franklin played his grand piano for this song. From behind the shadow curtains covering Franklin and the Trinity band, Franklin could clearly see everything and everyone on stage. At one point, Annalicia turned to look back to see if she could see the faces from the unknown band playing in the background, but she was not able to see clearly. Franklin wished she could see him so she would know he had kept his promise to her. But right now was not the time. And the song soon came to an end. The applause was loud and then came the standing ovation. Mr. Shiloh continued emceeing the program. “Ladies and gentlemen, I neglected to tell you that Ms. Annalicia already has her very first CD out, and it’s on sale out front. She is currently working on her second CD where she will soon go into the Trinity Recording Studio and start working on new material! They will all be recording as a group or maybe even separately!” Just then, someone from the audience hollered, “Let the kids sing! The kids can sing! Let ’em sing!” It had been Bertha hollering from where she sat. The applause and cheering went wild. People in the audience began screaming, “Let them sing!” One of the cousins hollered, “‘Go Tell It on the Mountain’!” Their little sister hollered, “‘He’s Got the Whole World’!” Mr. Shiloh leaned into the mic and stated, “Great songs! You all sing or just one of you?”

One of the kids hollered, “We all sing!” Roger had already set up mics above each one of the kids. Roger was always thinking ahead. For this concert, he had mics above the stage hanging in midair. They could be lowered and raised at a second’s notice. They could be moved and shifted forward and backward, left or right. Franklin was now set to play an accordion. “Okay, guys! Whenever you’re ready! But before you start, why don’t you tell us the name of your band and your names so we’ll all know? How about it?” The oldest kid hollered, “Michael!” The second boy hollered, “Gabriel!” And their sister hollered, “Dahlia!” And all three at the same time hollered, “We are Voices from Heaven!” And the music began. Michael began on lead guitar, Gabriel followed by playing bass, and Dahlia played keyboards. Trinity’s band quietly played in the background so as not to drown the kids. Franklin changed to clarinet and then a pair of maracas. He played one and then the other. Michael began singing, and Gabriel and Dahlia sang chorus. The applause and cheering started seconds before their first song ended. Both Annalicia and Lillie had hummed throughout the chorus. Jessie played his harmonica and helped out on the chorus. As soon as the first song ended, the kids went directly into their second song. This time Dahlia played bass, Michael played keyboards, and Gabriel played lead guitar. Dahlia began singing “He’s Got the Whole World,” and this time Michael sang lead on the chorus. Gabriel and Dahlia took lead on the separate verses. Franklin played a snare drum also. Again, the kids got a standing ovation when the song came to an end. The crowd was full of energy by now. Flashlights and cameras had gone wild by the end of the song. In the end, Annalicia, Lillie, Jesse, and the kids all lined up, held hands, took their bow, and headed off stage. “Ladies and gentlemen, Voices from Heaven! Weren’t they great?” stated Mr. Shiloh. “Coming up, we will have Jim Johnson and Ms. Abby.”

Tech PD Officers Fisher and Lee were about to get in line at the concession stand when Officers Cookie and Garcia spotted both of them. Officers April and Callee were with them. Cookie stated, “You mean, you cops ain’t working the campus? Or are you guys working this event for cash? What’s the deal? This

kind of music is way out of your league! What you all doing here? I hope you guys got permission to enter this building! , this is a city building, not a Tech building!” Officer Fisher answered, “Hey, we paid for our tickets! Besides, shouldn’t you all be out there landing those planes, chasing rabbits or something, or clearing out those runways? You guys are the ones way, way offbeat!” Officer Garcia stated, “I’ll have you know, this is our kind of music. I love this Christian music!” Lee said, “Ours too! Hey, why don’t you all us? Give us a minute to get our popcorn and drinks!” “Make ours a Coke!” said Cookie. “Garcia goes in at midnight, and I go in at six! Hey, aren’t you guys ’bout ready to retire? You guys been here since the seventies or eighties! Better yet, you all been here since Tech was still called Texas Technological College, haven’t you? Now that’s a long time! Fish needs to be in a rocking chair at his age! Ha ha ha!” “Funny! Very funny, Cook! Hey, we’re friends, so I don’t give a blank what you say! I still love you! And say ‘hi’ to your husband for me next time you see him!”

“And so, ladies and gentlemen, Jim is on piano, and Ms. Abby will sing for us! She will be singing for us ‘This Land Is Your Land’ and ‘Kumbaya, My Lord’!” In the background, Franklin played a pair of maracas on the first song and a xylophone for the second song. Trinity’s Voices sung harmony in the background to both songs just like in the previous sets. At the end of the two songs, the crowd applauded and cheered to both hymnal tunes. “Ladies and gentlemen, Jim and Abby! Such harmonies! Such powerful songs! I don’t believe I’d heard either song in over twenty-five years! Thank you both so much for bringing back such wonderful memories to us! Yes, indeed! Thank you both so much! And now you better hang on tight! These next beautiful young girls come to us from out of Wichita, Kansas. They are teenagers, still in high school! They certainly have a most wonderful sound and wonderful spirit! They are from the Agape Christian Church Choir! They are used to traveling mainly to

other churches inside and outside the state. And fortunately for us, they are here in Lubbock, Texas, tonight! Let’s make them feel at home! How about a huge Texas round of applause for the Agape Christian Church Choir? This evening they will be singing for us ‘Oh, Happy Day’ and a brand-new song, ‘Psalm 23 to Our Father’! This second song is a brand-new composition by Trinity’s Jason Skarr. The girls were given this song for their first new recording, which will take place real soon. this song, along with all others you hear tonight, is being recorded live during this concert! Listen to the words, the harmonies, and the voices of these six beautiful girls! They will blow you away! Ladies and gentlemen, ‘Oh Happy Day’!” Franklin, as with all of Trinity’s songs, had written the music and did all his music arrangements. But for the first song tonight, he played a set of bongos, and for the second song, he knew he would be playing a set of double harmonicas. Since Trinity’s Voices were also familiar with both songs, they would be blending harmonies mainly to the second song. Franklin had not sung his song with his group yet and was very anxious and excited for the girls because he somehow knew it would be an instant hit. The first song had started. The song was sang with echo sounds from the teens, which brought the whole coliseum to their feet. The choir used two lead singers for this song. The crowd began to sway from side to side to the tune of this most beautiful song. At the end of the first song, Mr. Shiloh rushed to center stage to say something about the second song coming. “Ladies and gentlemen, this next song comes straight out of the Holy Bible. Psalm 23 and Matthew 6:9–13. There may be a couple of hallelujahs in the song! Mathew 6:9 is better known as the Our Father. Please listen to the arrangement, the background vocals, the melody, and the smooth harmonies from all these girls! This song is truly a gift to all of us and to this beautiful choir out of Wichita, Kansas! We thank Mr. Jason Skarr for ‘Psalm 23 to Our Father’!”

Our Father which art in heaven, The LORD IS MY SHEPHERD; I SHALL NOT WANT. Hallowed be thy name. He maketh me to lie down in green pastures

Franklin began playing his double harmonica in order to set the tune for his band to follow. He played eight notes before they started. Nothing but silence followed for a good while. And soon, the prayer known throughout the world, recited all over the world in every known language known to man, could be very distinctly heard from the girls of the Agape Church Choir. As Franklin heard his lyrics being sung, he wanted to in and sing but held back his enthusiasm. He knew this was now their song. And they were praying it to his music arrangement. It had never sounded more beautiful. In the end, tears came down people’s eyes. Some sobbed. Some just let it all out and cried. Almost the entire audience prayed and sang to the song and finished with amen. At the end of the song, one of the girls expressed their gratitude to Mr. Jason Skarr for the prayer and song. She expressed their wish to get a chance to finally meet this very gifted singer/songwriter once and for all. “And hopefully, tonight this will happen! After all, we all know he is the big reason we are all here tonight!” Mr. Shiloh also knew that before the night was through, everyone would get a chance to finally see and/or meet Trinity’s lead singer and composer. But not yet! For now, the show needed to continue. Back in the dressing room, Krystal Scarborough and her church choir companions from the St. Louis Holy Trinity Church were enjoying the gospel songs being sung. They were completely glued to the TV monitor in their room. How I wish I could’ve convinced Franklin to have taken some time off from his busy schedule to be here with us. He might’ve even had time to have written us a new gospel song to sing here in front of our bishop and this group of people, she thought. Little did she know the coliseum was filled with way over ten thousand fans waiting to see “her” son. At the same time, Franklin’s dad, Jim, finally decided to text Krystal to see where she was or what and how was she was doing. He text her on her phone.

Enjoying show. Great singers. Fantastic sound. Wish you were here next to me. Wish Franklin was here also. Hope you are doing okay in your meeting. Or, whatever it is you are now doing here in this fair city of Lubbock. Wish you were here with me to enjoy this as much as I am. Kind of wish our son was here

also enjoying this Christian Musical Revival. He could probably benefit and learn something just by being here, don’t you think? Well, won’t he be surprised to learn this Jason Skarr is some kind of hero way down here in Texas!

After a couple of minutes, Jim got an answer to his last text from Krystal.

I believe I heard someone here say that this particular singer is from our hometown of St. Louis. Did you know that? I didn’t!

He replied,

To tell you the truth, I don’t even turn on the car radio. Maybe we both need to start buying some of these CD’s, or start turning on the radio more often.

Mr. Shiloh continued, “This next young man was discovered in El Paso! He was actually born and raised close by in a small farming town not far from here. He comes to us from Cotton Center! Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome, Ramon! We have our backup musicians to help out. He will treat us with a Christmas classic ‘Mary, Did You Know?’ and ‘Holly Holy’!” Franklin would play an Indian bamboo flute for the first song and saxophone for the second song. At the very beginning of the song, Ramon felt a sense of nervousness and stage fright come all over him. He panicked. Within a couple of seconds, he hit the first two notes and immediately knew he was off-key. He knew everybody in the audience had just heard that. He froze and debated whether it would be better to just run off stage, go hide for the rest of his life, or just let the next act come on. Only thing was Jimmy was just barely walking back to get little Paco and Estrella. He, on the other hand, was already there, and everybody inside the building was waiting for him to sing.

Realizing what was going on in Ramon’s head, Franklin quietly began counting to where only Ramon could hear his muffled voice. “One, two, three …” And Franklin began playing his hammered dulcimer, allowing Ramon to follow along. Ramon began hitting the right notes perfectly and finally began singing with a much more confidence. Ramon did not have any more problems after the first song and the second song. Franklin played his saxophone for the second song. By the time Ramon finished singing his second song, he had tears in his eyes. And even though he couldn’t see the crowd close up, he believed in his heart that this building had at least a couple thousand people inside hearing him sing. At the end of the song, he stated, “I do want to thank a dear friend of mine whom I just met a couple of weeks ago. Because of him, I am here! This for me is a dream come true! Thank you all so very much! May God bless you all and my friend!” Mr. Shiloh literally ran up to the mic and said, “Thank you, Ramon! Beautiful songs! Yes, indeed! Great job! Now get ready for these next two acts! A mother and a son will be next! First will be the son! Then his mother! And finally, they will sing together! They will blow you out of your seats! Let’s bring him out! Playing his mariachi music is none other than Lubbock’s own Cavazos Junior High Youth Mariachi Band to accompany little Paco from El Paso! He will be singing for us today to a couple of very famous international songs from years past! The first one is ‘Yo Soy El Aventurero,’ and the second will be ‘Buenos Dias, Senor Sol.’ Now as only he can sing it, let’s hear a great big giant Texas welcome for Paco!” The music started, and Paco eagerly entered center stage with mic in one hand and his sombrero hat in the other raised high. He wore a beautiful black mariachi outfit, boots and spurs, and a gun and holster on his waist. The crowd went wild upon seeing him come into full view. His voice was very clear and full of energy. Franklin played this Spanish guitarron and trumpet. The second song was an inspirational song that thanked God for each and every day. Franklin played his classical guitar with the nylon strings. The crowd got into the second song when Paco encouraged the crowd to sing along with him. Paco had real charisma and got several standing ovations during both songs. Paco found his way across the stage facing the crowd, coming to edge of the stage, and dancing to the music in front of a bunch of young female fans. The crowd just screamed, “More! More!” as the second song came to an end. Paco walked off after bowing to the audience even though he knew he would be

back in a few minutes after his mom finished her two song set. Mr. Shiloh came back to center mic and stated, “Ladies and gentlemen, ain’t Paco a world of musical dynamite? Don’t worry, he’ll be back in a little bit! Let’s welcome now his mom. She is Estrella! Her mariachi group is Mariachi Estrella! She will sing for us a Christmas classic in Spanish! ‘Peces En El Rio’ and ‘La Guadalupana’!” Estrella wore a white mariachi outfit, matching a large mariachi sombrero and white boots. Her mariachi group and the Cavazos mariachi group made a half circle all along the stage. At the end of the two songs, Franklin knew that Paco and his mom would just about bring the whole audience to their feet. Paco, he knew, would display all his energy on these last two songs. “Roger, I hope you are sitting for this next set.” He heard Marty saying through his earpiece. “I am! We are videotaping the whole show, ? We got every angle covered! Got you covered too! I see awards written all over this live show. Congratulations, Franklin! Fantastic show so far! This is fun! Paco sure is fantastic! And he is only six years old! He’s a little ball of dynamite!” “Man, I think this kid was born for center stage!” Estrella went into the first song, “Madre De La Iglesia.” It was a very upbeat, fast tempo Christian song normally sung in mariachi style. Both Estrella and Paco usually sang together in church back home. The second song, “Ay Jalisco,” brought out cheers from everyone inside the coliseum. The crowd begged for more, but their set was finally over. Both bowed to the crowd and waved goodbye with their large sombreros as they headed off stage. Mr. Shiloh returned to center mic and stated, “Talk about energy, enthusiasm, vocal chords, charm, and Mama is very pretty too! Thank you, Estrella and Paco! You both have stolen our hearts! Yes, indeed! And now let’s make welcome, The Latin Beats! This next group comes to us from Harlingen, Texas, down in The Valley! Lead singers for this group are brothers Damian and Juan Carlos! They have different singing styles, but together, they make wonderful music! First song is ‘El Carpintero,’ and their second song is an old Christmas classic done in Spanish featuring Juan Carlos on lead vocals, ‘Noche De Paz’! ‘Silent Night’ in Spanish!” During both songs, Juan Carlos somehow just knew that Franklin was the musician responsible for the flute he heard in the background. Knowing what he

knew from Bobby, it couldn’t be none other than his new friend who had discovered him back home. When the song came to an end, the audience was cheering even more so when Mr. Shiloh announced that these two brothers had a famous cousin musician in Trinity’s band. “We’ll let you know later who that famous cousin is! We’ll keep that a secret for now! And now we’ll take a fifteenminute break! Some exciting singers are just around the corner after this brief intermission! Don’t go away! We’ve got lots more coming your way! See you in fifteen!” Franklin rushed back to his dressing room and put on a thin goatee and a thin mustache for his next disguise. He immediately called Marty for a few more instructions. Marty got the new instructions and went to meet up with Mr. Shiloh to the information along. Franklin decided to go take a quick walk around the corridors when from a distance, he saw Patty Loveless and Lee Ann Womack taking a walk too. One was wearing a black wig, and the other was wearing a multicolored blond wig. Neither had on any makeup nor lipstick. “Ladies, could I buy you both a candy bar, a popcorn, or a drink? Or how about just a bottle of H2O?” “Oh, no, thank you,” they both said together. “Our husbands are getting our snacks already, they said.” “Would your husbands be Johnny or B. J.?” Franklin asked jokingly. “Jason? Jason Skarr? Is that you wearing a goatee?” asked Patty. “Yes, ma’am. I see you ladies are also incognito. You two okay? Are you all having fun, or has it gotten a little bit boring? Can I get you ladies anything?” “We’re doing great! Having lots of fun! This is great! All these future stars of tomorrow! We’ll this one for sure! Lubbock will this one!” “Thanks! Best is still yet to come! Wait till you guys hit the stage! Hey, thanks for helping us out! I owe you guys big!” “Oh, you owe us real big, mister!” Ms. Womack said with a smile. “Just let me know when and where ladies!” “We will!” they answered back.

Jason gave Ms. Womack a friendly hug and started to hug Ms. Loveless when he saw a familiar face smiling at him when the woman walked right beside him. The female was headed toward the ladies’ room. Mary Lou had wanted to go check out some CDs, T-shirts, and posters in order to see if she could get a good look at this Jason Skarr singer. As she walked past the concession stand, she had seen this young man hugging the long blondheaded lady and the brunette. Both Franklin and Mary Lou managed to meet eye to eye without realizing who the other one was when she walked by. She smiled at the same time he also managed to smile back. But he continued his conversation with the two ladies whom Mary Lou automatically assumed were his two dates for the night. She thought, Guy must have plenty dough to afford all three tickets to this concert. AnnaMarie had stayed in her seat and, all of a sudden, decided she also needed to go to the little girl’s room. Grandma went with her since Mary Lou was already gone. As they both got to the hallway, Norma and her daughter, Loretta, recognized AnnaMarie and hollered at her. Once the two girls saw each other, they ran toward each other and hugged. Norma introduced herself to Suzanne as Mary Lou’s coworker and best friend from the IHOP. Norma asked about Mary Lou, and Suzanne mentioned going out to check out some CDs. Norma asked if her daughter could hang out with AnnaMarie while she went looking for Mary Lou. Suzanne stated she would watch both girls till they got back. Mary Lou was just about to reach for a CD on the display table when Norma tapped her on the shoulder. Just then, they heard it was five minutes before the show resumed. They both hugged and greeted each other. Both knew it was time to return to their seats. Mary Lou did manage to get a good look at a Trinity Tshirt hanging on a portable wall next to the CD table. She saw a picture of a handsome young man wearing a white hat. “What kind of hat does Jason Skarr wear?” she asked the salesman. “His signature hat is a white Stetson!” hollered back the salesman. “Thanks!” “By the way, they still haven’t found that cute little girl yet! Country music hasn’t found her! That lucky little girl!” he hollered. “Okay! Thanks!”

Norma added, “Country music stations all over have been looking for the little girl who somehow got to sing with Trinity! And something about a hat, I heard.” “Got what? Whose hat?” asked Mary Lou. “Trinity’s hat! The singer’s! I think it’s a white Stetson!” “A white Stetson? Are you sure?” “Yes! Don’t you listen to country? Or are you just tuned in to Christian music stations? It’s been all over the radio for four or five weeks now! Girl, where’ve you been?” “Stuck in a rut or stuck in a closet, I guess! Hey, we need to hurry up and find our seats before they bring down the lights!” Walking back to go find Suzanne and AnnaMarie, Mary Lou saw the young man she’d seen just minutes earlier. Only this time, he was talking to a guy. She decided to say something cute and see what his reaction would be. “Lose your girlfriends?” “Huh? Excuse me?” “Your girlfriends! The blond girl and the brunette.” “Oh, them! We’re just friends! That’s all! We have a professional relationship. Just friends, ma’am. Promise.” “Okay! If you say so. You don’t really owe me an explanation. And I shouldn’t have even butted into your own private life either. It was really none of my business to begin with. And I’m sorry. By the way, your cross is fixing to get tangled up on your T-shirt.” “Thanks. I appreciate it. You weren’t butting in. I’d say, you were very observant. That’s all. Anyway, are you enjoying the show? You know, you kind of look familiar now that I think about it. Kind of feel like I’ve seen you before somewhere. But I guess it would kind of be about the question since I’m not really from around here.” “Right! Nice try! That’s a good pickup line. I’ve got a kid, a daughter at that!

And right now in my life, that’s all I need! Bye, cowboy!” “Yes, ma’am. I truly didn’t mean anything by it. Honest! I was simply just trying to be polite, ma’am. I’m sorry if I offended you.” “See you after the concert, country boy! If … you can find me, that is!” Mary Lou kept on walking away. Norma was a few feet behind Mary Lou when she began walking away from Franklin and just stated, “Cute! Very cute! Sounded to me like a real gentleman! Country boy? I think he was even wearing a rosary! Sounded like he may need to get him a job, earn some real money, and replace that sparkly stone on his cross. Anyway, it’s probably a ten-dollar rosary like the ones they sell outside the Golden Corral.” “Maybe, maybe not! He could also be rich! Have you thought about that?” “Okay, okay! Hey, let’s go find our seats! Lights have gone dim!” said Norma. And the lights had gone dim already. Franklin had just given Marty further instructions on how to get his mom up on stage without her backing out. “Got it! I’ll see you up on stage in a little bit.” “Well, let’s do it then!” said Franklin. Mr. Shiloh came back to center stage as still the emcee in order to introduce Mr. Rains and the Rosati-Kain High School Band from St. Louis. The Jackson brothers already had them all lined up to climb the steps and enter the stage. At first, Mr. Rains had no earthly idea as to why his band was even here in Lubbock. The band listened to one of the cue and began playing. After playing the school’s fighting song, they were asked to just stay on stage even after their second song. Mr. Rains had no idea what was going on. As he heard the next two names being announced, he felt a little bit more comfortable. He’d heard Franklin’s parents names being announced, and then it kind of rang a bell. Somehow, in his heart, he knew that Franklin had something to do with his very own presence here in Lubbock and Franklin’s parents. But who was singing was what he didn’t know. After all, he didn’t really hear Franklin’s name.

CHAPTER 31

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.

—(KJV) (GALATIANS 5:22–23)

“Folks, from St. Louis, we have the Holy Spirit Catholic Church Choir!” mentioned Mr. Shiloh. At that moment, Mr. Rains recognized Franklin’s mother, Mrs. Krystal Scarborough. She was usually always standing in the middle spot of the church choir. The choir would normally sing one or two of Franklin’s compositions during mass on Sundays. Mr. Rains managed to glance over one of the student’s music sheets and saw the titles of the two songs the choir would be singing. In this case, both songs were new to him, and at the top corner of the music sheet, he finally saw what he already had suspected. In very small print, he noticed what he was kind of hoping and needing to see. “Written by Franklin Jay Scarborough.” “Yes!” he silently said to himself. “I knew it! I just knew it! You did it! You certainly did it, my friend! Way to go, buddy! Way to go, Franklin!” “And leading the choir with her beautiful voice is Mrs. Krystal Scarborough! The choir will be singing two beautiful songs normally sung during Sunday mass at Holy Spirit. And may I add that these two songs were written specially for her and the choir! I don’t know that these songs have ever been heard around these parts of the country! So here to lead the Holy Spirit Catholic Church is Krystal Scarborough! In the background is the Rosati-Kain High School Band!” In the shadows behind the stage’s curtains, Franklin was smiling from ear to ear to himself. “Sing it, Mom! You’ve always wanted to sing in public! Well, here’s your chance, Mom! You always wanted to sing professionally! Well, here we go! At one time, you wanted to sing with someone famous! Well, we’ll fix that in a

little bit too!” Up in the audience, Suzanne was trying to convince Mary Lou that this was her chance to meet Jason Skarr and to get AnnaMarie up on stage somehow so she could return that famous Stetson hat back in person to Trinity’s Jason Skarr. “You gotta get a message to a guy named Martin, I think,” said Suzanne. “Tonight’s your only chance to do it! It might be a long, long time before this band comes back to Lubbock or some other city close by.” “I know! But I know that AnnaMarie has grown so attached to that hat she may not want to give it up! And I don’t want to break her heart! I’m sure this guy has others in his closet! Surely, he won’t miss this one! And she looks so cute and beautiful with it on! I don’t wanna break her heart! But I know I gotta do what’s right Let me think for a bit!” “You’re right! She does look very cute with it on! But, sweetie, you gotta do what’s right!” “Yes! I’ll need to find an usher who will halfway believe my story. Maybe I can get a backstage to see Mr. Skarr or Martin after the show or before the band leaves the coliseum. Give me a couple of minutes to think about how I’m gonna say this, all right?” As the second song came to an end, Mr. Shiloh came back to center stage. “Great songs! Well done! Very beautiful messages in those songs! Let’s have another round of applause for this choir!” And the crowd applauded enthusiastically. “Okay! This next part of the show is going to be a very special treat! A mighty tricky, I might add! Some of you may or may not know the background of Trinity’s Voices. That would be Trinity’s background vocal group. They were all discovered at a karaoke bar in St. Louis. Truth is, they each have very individual singing talents! After all, that’s why they were individually selected to form this band we all know and love as Trinity! “Let’s have all the musicians who just got through performing back on stage! That would be the Voices from Heaven, Jesse, Jim, Johnson, Ramon, The Latin Beats, and Mariachi Estrella! They will all be lining up on one side of the stage! Next, we’ll have the rest of the singers back on stage! They will be on the other side of the stage. Okay, let’s go! Let’s get up here! One more bow before we continue. After that, they can take their seats. We will also have four very, very

special guests as our very special backup group to help out and still to perform later! You will certainly get a chance to meet them later! They will amaze you!” Trinity’s band was already on stage. “Okay! We’ll now be featuring Trinity’s Voices individually! It’s their time to shine! We’ll start with the ladies first! Let’s welcome, Crystal! Crystal is from the great state of Texas! She comes to us from Amarillo! Here with us to sing a Lee Ann Womack song, ‘I Hope You Dance’!” The song started, and the audience grew quiet. By the end of the song, Crystal felt like all her dreams had finally come true. She is a very huge fan of Ms. Womack. Her second song, “Stronger Than I am,” started. After the first verse to the song, she heard a very distinct voice coming from the huge speakers directly in front of her. The sound was in perfect pitch. She continued singing and listening at the same time when she finally saw a female walking across center stage toward her. The female singer was a long-haired blond. She had a very soft yet beautiful voice. The voice sounded very familiar to her. As the female got within ten feet from her, all of a sudden, the blond wig came off, and the crowd went wild as they too realized it was none other than a true country music superstar. It was Ms. Lee Ann Womack in person. Both immediately held hands. Ms. Womack took a quick bow, thanking the crowd. Both finished singing the song. In a matter of seconds, “Lord, I Hope This Day Is Good” started playing. Ms. Womack sang most of the song but got Crystal to come back and finish singing with her. In the end, both walked off stage hand in hand. Up next was Rhonda who didn’t know what to expect. “Rhonda hails from Jackson, Mississippi!” stated Mr. Shiloh. “She will be singing for us ‘Two Coats,’ which is an old Patty Loveless hit from a few years back.” Rhonda sang the song plus another Bluegrass Gospel song named “Rise Up Lazarus.” And just like Crystal, Rhonda also heard a background voice become louder that was all too familiar to country music fans. She immediately recognized the voice without a doubt as one belonging to her favorite female country music singer, Ms. Patty Loveless. Rhonda turned around and saw Ms. Patty Loveless walking up from behind her. Both hugged, held hands, and saw a wig fly off from her head. Both sang and finished singing the song together. After the song, Ms. Loveless jumped into her song “When the Fallen Angels Fly.” And just like Ms. Womack, Ms. Loveless brought Rhonda back to center stage with her to help finish her song. In the end, the crowd went wild with their applause and cheering for both.

qAt the end of the song, Mr. Shiloh literally screamed into the mic. “How about that? And now we welcome, Louis, who comes to us from Boston, Mass.! Here to sing an old B. J. Thomas classic, ‘I’m Gonna See Jesus’!” At the end of the song, Louis leaned into the mic and announced his next song, “God Bless the Children,” and the music started. Halfway into the first verse, from the left side of the stage, he saw someone come up as the voice kept getting louder and louder and immediately realized it was a true music legend from the sixties. It was the unmistakable voice and sound of Mr. B. J. Thomas. From the audience, someone hollered, “B. J. Thomas!” Louis automatically extended his arm and pointed his index finger at him and then gave him a thumbs-up. Louis took a slight bow, and both took turns at singing each verse. The crowd was on their feet during the entire song. As soon as the second song was over, both sang one of his number 1 hit songs, “Mighty Clouds of Joy.” The crowd was in awe just listening to Mr. Thomas’s vocals, which were still very much as strong as ever. Both ended taking bows at the end of the set. Memories had been made tonight. Trinity’s Voices had individually sang with their singing idols. Lee Ann Womack, Patty Loveless, Johnny Rivers, and B. J. Thomas had come all the way to Lubbock to enlighten and bring added enthusiasm to this Musical Christian Revival. As far as Franklin was concerned, this concert was already a hit, a real success! Mr. Shiloh was back on center stage. “For some of you who may not know or may not , Ms. Lee Ann Womack was once a resident of Lubbock. Actually, I’d read where at one time she was a student here at South Plains Junior College for those of you who are from out of town, out of state, don’t , or just didn’t know. That really hasn’t been too long ago! So we welcome back home, Ms. Lee Ann Womack!” By now, Crystal, Rhonda, Jamie, and Louis were all back on stage at their normal spot. They all took a bow at the same time that Lee Ann Womack, Patty Loveless, Johnny Rivers, and B. J. Thomas took a bow. Trinity’s Voices were ready for Franklin aka Jason Skarr to take command of the main event. Mr. Shiloh stated, “Many of you have probably never heard of a little bitty town east of here called Acuff. How about Idalou? And how about New Deal? Know how to get there from here? Here in Lubbock, we are very proud of our locally homegrown musicians! We have plenty of them now! If you didn’t know this already, we have several of them in the Hall of Fame whether it be country, gospel, or rock and roll! We have a Hall of Fame wall here in Good ‘ol Lubbock,

Texas! We also have a local band that loves to remind us of an old highway we used to have. Oh, the highway still exists! It’s better known as I-27 now. The old highway? U.S. Highway 87! For us old folks, it’s still U.S. 87! Well, back in the sixties, we were calling this highway as the Amarillo Highway because if you were coming from Amarillo to Lubbock or you were going to Amarillo, you got on that road! Well, This family and some friends recorded this song back in 1980. Here to perform ‘Amarillo Highway’ are the Maines Brothers!”

Well I’m a high straight in Plainview Side bet in Idalou And a fresh deck in New Deal

At the end of the second song, the crowd was on their feet cheering and screaming. “Well, was that a show, or was that a show? Let’s hear it for the Maines Brothers and our favorite legends who came a long way just to be here with us tonight! Okay now! We’re going to ask everyone left on stage to get back to their seats, except for one lady. I’m going to ask Mrs. Scarborough to kind of hang out with us up here on stage for just a little bit longer. A great friend of mine has, in a way, confided in me that Krystal has always had a dream of singing professionally in front of a big crowd. She has always wanted to sing with someone famous. Well, you know we have some famous people here tonight, right? Well, this young man coming up is not really a legend yet! My friend also tells me that this young man is known to sing a song or two every now and then! So first, let me introduce my dear friend. His name is Marty James! Let’s welcome Marty to Lubbock, folks!” Jim, Franklin’s father, almost came out of his seat when he heard Marty’s name. “Marty? Franklin’s best friend from next door? What the heck is he doing here … in Lubbock? We’re here, so is Franklin’s ex-band director from St. Louis, so is our bishop, and so is our church’s choir! What the heck are all these people from back home doing here in Lubbock on the same night, on the same city, and in the same building? What is going on here? Could it be that Franklin could

also be here in this building somewhere in the crowd? Franklin, where the heck are you, son? Is this your doing? Is all this your doing?” And at the same time, Krystal was also asking herself the same questions. “Where are you?” Krystal was asking herself as she looked around the stage and into the front rows, searching for Franklin. “Something tells me you are here somewhere. If Marty is here, you just gotta be here somewhere.” Only thing was she was now the only one still left on stage with all these other musicians and singers. “Me? Sing professionally? Now? I could get stage fright! I could freeze up! Sing with someone famous? Who? Could it be Tom Jones now? Englebert Humperdinck? Loretta Lynn? Petula Clark? Reba? Which one of these famous singers is here waiting to sing with me?” she kept asking herself as she just stood there, waiting to see what happened next. “If the Marty we know from back home is here, and Franklin and him are usually always together, is Franklin here somewhere? It’s always been fate, a total surprise, sheer coincidence, or a well-planned chance meeting that when one shows up, the other shows up sooner or later. Was this one of those moments? So where the heck are you, Franklin?” Marty walked across the stage and shook hand with Mr. Shiloh. Krystal looked shocked as she stared at Marty. It was indeed Marty, Franklin’s best friend from next door. It was the guy who had just called her mom just a couple of weeks back. He was more like her second son whom she loved very much next to her Franklin. He was Franklin’s adopted brother, his confidant, and his trusted companion. Marty just quickly walked over to Krystal, gave her a warm hug, and whispered in her ear, “Hi, Mom …” Marty walked back to Mr. Shiloh and purposely acted nervous being in front of the mic. By now, Roger had turned down the mic. “Hello! Hello! Is this mic on? Hello, my name is Marty, Marty James! Can, ahh, you all hear me? Sorry, I’m a little nervous.” From out of the audience, someone hollered, “Louder! We can’t hear you!” “Okay! Yes, thanks! Thanks for letting me know. Anyway, I just happen to know Ms. Krystal. That is, Mrs. Scarborough. My friend or, should I say, my best friend is also her son. Now I know she’s a fine singer. I’ve heard her sing in the church’s choir. If I’m not mistaken, she sings every Sunday and sometimes on

Wednesdays. I was simply doing some traveling across this part of this magnificent state of Texas, and here I am in Lubbock! This is Lubbock, right? Yes! I’m sorry! It’s just that I travel so much I get a tendency of forgetting where I am sometimes. Half the time I’m not really sure if I’m in Missouri, Oklahoma, Kansas, New Mexico, or in Colorado. I’m beginning to ramble on. I’m not used to talking into a mic either. Being here up on stage is kind of new to me. And I’m not really used to being in front of thousands of people looking back at me. So many music fans! This music must be great, or you all wouldn’t be here, right? “Anyway, what I’m trying to say is that I’ve always ired Mrs. Scarborough and her husband, Jim. So before she goes find her seat next to her husband, who I bet is out there somewhere in the audience, I would like to ask her to sing us one more song. How about giving her a huge round of applause so she won’t back out? Her son, my best friend, told me a few years back that no one could sing this particular song better than her. In fact, I know she has sung this song with her son back home in St. Louis at the Holy Trinity Catholic Church a time or two.” By now, Marty was holding Krystal’s left hand, while she wondered what song Marty was talking about. Marty blinked his eye and then slowly leaned into her left cheek, kissed her, and quietly said, “I love you, Mom. Franklin will be proud of you. Thank you. Please do as I ask, mom. Please trust me.” Krystal just mentioned one word, “Franklin …” “Ladies and gentlemen, Mrs. Krystal Scarborough! ‘Michael, Row the Boat Ashore!’” The music started. It was a song she had sung for years to Franklin as a young boy when he was growing up, and a song both would eventually sing together in the church choir. They each sang different verses of most songs in the choir. Only this time, Franklin wasn’t there to sing it with her. Or was he? she thought. Just then, Marty raised his right hand and right index finger. He was secretly giving Roger the signal to raise his mic volume just a little. All this time, his mic was on the monotone mode, which explained why the crowd had a hard time understanding him just seconds ago. But then, no one really knew this, except Marty, Franklin, and Roger “Dodger,” Trinity’s sound technician. Roger answered Marty’s private earphone, “Going up 50 percent, buddy!”

All of a sudden, Trinity’s band started playing Krystal’s song. As Krystal began singing the first two lines, she knew the third line usually belonged to Franklin. And at the perfect time, a spotlight showed the shadow of a man standing behind a see-through curtain. At the beginning of the third line in the first verse, the voice of a man came on, and there was no way that Krystal and Jim would not have recognized that voice. Her eyes began to tear up, same as Jim’s, who by now was on his feet, searching and looking for Franklin. His mind and his heart told him that his only son, Franklin, was indeed there with them. But where? Franklin’s mic was still monotone and set on high treble. The shadow of the man began moving away from the curtain and then began moving to the front of the stage toward Krystal. Franklin was still wearing his fake mustache, goatee, and baseball cap. At first, Krystal didn’t recognize him behind the disguise and wondered why he was disguised the way he was. But his voice was unmistakable to her. She knew it was Franklin. Both continued singing. The choir from Holy Trinity had tears running down their eyes when they saw both hug each other, and Franklin kiss his mom on the lips. Jim’s eyes were covered in tears. Mr. Rains, who had always ired Franklin, was also literally crying like a baby. As soon as everybody in the first five rows got a glimpse of Franklin, all simultaneously stood, began cheering and clapping, and began screaming. “Franklin! Way to go, Franklin!” Franklin’s rosary around the neck was out in full view of the audience. From Annalicia, Nacho, her three cousins, Jesse, Bertha, Jim Johnson, Abby, Lillie, Lou, Joshua, and the Agape Church girls to Paco, Estrella, Ramon, Damian, and Juan Carlos, all who had had a chance encounter with Franklin, stood as soon as they recognized him and began cheering and hollering. They were cheering, thinking that Franklin had finally gotten the courage to get up on stage and actually sing with his own mother. They could all tell that the sound system was way off and that maybe he wasn’t really a good singer. But he did have the courage to get on stage and not walk away from stage fright. And they all thought that Jason Skarr will be coming out on stage any minute now and maybe sing a song with Mrs. Scarborough. After all, she did wish to sing with someone famous someday. At the end of the song, Marty came back to center stage. His mic was still way off its stereo setting. At the same time, he was also still trying to act like an amateur in front of this Krystal and the fans who were anxiously waiting to see the main star of the night. “Well, folks, I’m back! A little bird just told me that

Ms. Krystal’s husband is also somewhere here in the audience. You all reckon a round of applause can get him to come up here with us? How about it, folks? Humor me one more time! You won’t regret it! How about a big Texas round of applause for Mr. Jim Scarborough? They both hail from a not-so-famous town called Bowling Green, Missouri!” And the crowd humored Marty by clapping and cheering as loud as they could. Jim stood and saw two black male ushers waving at him to come up. “Are you Mr. Scarborough?” When he nodded yes, they said, “Come this way, sir.” Jim then said when he got to them, “That’s my wife and son up there.” “Yes, we know, sir,” said Flenoid. “Please follow us.” “Lead the way, guys!” he answered. Marty continued talking to the crowd, “I’ve known this guy quite a few years now. He’s the kid next door, the brother I never had, and the best friend a friend will ever have even if I live to be one hundred years old. And I mean, through thick and thin. There’s a lot more to this friend than meets the eye. He will literally give you the shirt off his back if you are ever in need. Many of you down here already know this. But I tell you, my dear friend should’ve come a little bit better dressed, don’t you think? Maybe just a little bit more presentable to you all, to his mom and dad. A little bird told me he did bring an extra change of clothes. They are here somewhere, I think.” At this, Marty raised his right arm, and from the side of the stage, a three-piece folding curtain came to center stage that surrounded Franklin. Not knowing what was happening, Krystal just stepped back in awe and shock, not really thinking about what Franklin was about to do. The lights dimmed just a little around the stage. At first, the three walls were dense black. There were three young female assistants who came from opposite sides of the stage. One carried a pair of black Roper boots, the other carried a pair of Wrangler jeans and a white long-sleeve Wrangler shirt, and the last one carried a Western belt buckle. By now, the entire crown inside the coliseum knew what this young man was about to do. While changing clothes from behind the curtain, Franklin removed the fake mustache and goatee. They were then handed to Krystal in a small envelope who was still standing in front of the curtain. She took the envelope and wondered what all was going on. By now, she had a thousand questions going through her head.

After a couple of minutes, Marty raised his right arm and raised his right thumb straight into the air. From this signal, Roger knew to raise mic volumes to full stereo capacity. Franklin’s mic was also now set to his customary setting. The next time Marty spoke into the mic, he sounded like a real pro. It took Krystal and the rest of the audience by total shock and surprise to listen to him speak in front of the mic. “Okay, ladies and gentlemen, here we go now! I thank you all so very much for your complete indulgence and for your patience! The sound system is in check and working perfectly now! Thank you, Mr. technician! Let’s continue! Over two thousand years ago, a king nicknamed The Preacher wrote some lines probably on some piece of cloth. Those lines would eventually end up in a great big book. We now call it the Bible. Many of us have one at home! You can also find them in motel rooms and, of course, in our churches. The author of those words was King Solomon! You’ll find this writing in chapter 3 of Ecclesiastes! The Byrds recorded it in 1965 and became an instant hit! The song, ‘Turn, Turn, Turn.’” At this time, Jim Scarborough was seen walking across the stage with a box in both hands. As he reached the three-sided curtain, a faint silhouette of Franklin could now be seen through the curtain. Jim could now be seen placing a hat on the young man standing behind the concealed curtain. At that instant, the entire coliseum went wild. There was no doubt that crowd began chanting and screaming, “Jason! It’s Jason! Jason Skarr!” Jim was seen hugging Franklin through the curtains. Franklin knelt in front of his dad, and Jim gave him a blessing by doing the sign of the cross over his head. Marty spoke into the mic and said, “Ladies and gentlemen, Mrs. Scarborough wished to someday sing with a famous singer! It is my honor, my pleasure, and my privilege to introduce to you tonight Trinity and Trinity’s multitalented singer/songwriter, Mr. Jason Skarr! Trinity is nominated for several awards this year, and they are also winners of many awards too many to name.” Just then, the music started. The voice of Jason Skarr could be heard coming from all speakers. Everybody was on their feet, clapping and cheering for Jason Skarr. Krystal’s eyes were covered in tears. She wondered if Franklin was this ever so famous, Jason Skarr. Jim was now crying from so much enthusiasm knowing now his son was this famous singer/songwriter entertaining artist. Marty walked over and hugged Mr. Scarborough. Franklin walked from behind the curtain and walked over to kiss his mother’s tears away as their eyes met and he in turn, smiled at her. He then started singing the song as he held his mother’s hand.

Everyone in the first five rows were in total shock and in tears. They were also happy for Franklin’s parents. They couldn’t believe that Franklin really was Jason Skarr, lead singer for Trinity. Juan Carlos, Joshua, Lou, and Bertha had been the only ones who had known the secret all along. Now everybody knew it. It was wonderful to see it unfold before their very eyes. They thought that Franklin deserved every cheer and every applause. Mary Lou had sung this song before, but it had been a long time since she’d heard it been sung live. Jason leaned into his mom and pointed to an invisible stand where the words to the song were flashing across. “It’s like singing karaoke, Mom,” he whispered in her ear. She then began singing with Franklin. As both came toward the end of the song, Franklin saw from the corner of his eye that Marty was moving toward center mic. He knew Marty was not through. But before Mary could speak a word, Jason belted out, “‘This Land Is Your Land!’ One, two, three!” And the song began. At the end of the second song, Marty stated, “Mr. Jason Skarr, folks! Winner of multiple music awards in country, Christian, gospel, and contemporary categories! Jason is considered the best voice in the music industry! If you think he’s been quiet for the last hour, take a good look at his silhouette in the background! Our cameras shot him during each and every set you all just sat through! He was the silhouette shadow you all saw from time to time! He is known to play seven and sometimes eight instruments professionally! Let’s count them! Flute, grand piano, accordion, clarinet, maracas, xylophone, double harmonica, bongos, bass, pedal steel guitar, and his twelve-string guitar! Hey, that’s eleven! But I know for a fact he also plays lead guitar! He also plays keyboard, a horn, and a trumpet! He also has a PhD in music and a second degree in theology! I guess we can all call him Dr. Jason Skarr, right? Get this, he knows the Holy Bible like I know the back of my hand! He can teach it, quote it, and lives it! And I know he loves people! He loves to make people happy! He loves his parents, his friends, and his fans, and he loves God! As for me, I believe in him! I trust him with my life! And all you folks here tonight are here because of just one band! How about a huge round of applause for Trinity, Trinity’s Voices, and Mr. Jason Skarr?” At this point, the entire crowd began hollering, cheering, and stomping their feet for Jason. Jason felt like he definitely needed to say something in a way of thanking Marty for this unexpected, somewhat humbling, honor Marty had just paid him. Jason began, “Thank you! Thank you all for being here tonight and hear us play! Thanks to all the old fans and our new fans! We are much indebted

to you all! Thank you, Marty! It brings me great joy and satisfaction being here in front of you all here in this magnificent city of Lubbock, Texas! Lubbock, this is your house! Thank you for opening your door to us guys from St. Louis! You know, I love this old building! Lots of famous people have entered and entertained inside this dome. It’s a tremendous honor for us to be given the opportunity to walk the hallways of their footsteps! I love singing to our Lord as you all know! To our Lord Jesus Christ and to each and every one of you! If my messages in these songs I write, if my words and lyrics can touch at least one of you, then I feel I am doing something good in God’s eyes! And I feel contented in my heart! That is my wish! That is my prayer! “My most dearest friend is this gentleman standing here next to me, Mr. Marty James! He is also Trinity band’s manager. Ladies and gentlemen, he is also my kind of, sort of, adopted brother who I also trust with my life! We’ve known each other since we were kids! Actually, we still live next door to each other! I know him, and he knows me! No secrets! But he does have a secret to share with you all! Hey, he just recently shared it with me!” At this, Franklin raised his left arm and twirled it around, and the music started. “Ladies and gentlemen, ‘A Marshmallow World’! Mr. Marty James singing this Dean Martin Christmas classic!” Trinity’s band began playing the music, and Marty began singing. By the beginning of the chorus, both Marty and Jason began singing together till the song came to an end. At the end of the song, Jason stated, “Mr. Dean Martin would be proud to hear this song once more! We love this song, and we most definitely hope you all enjoyed listening to it once more!” The song was a hit with the crowd. Both Marty’s and Jason’s voices complemented each other. The next song they would sing together was an old Paul Anka hit called “Papa.” Jason started singing, and Marty followed with the second verse. Both got a standing ovation at the end of the song. By now, Mary Lou had managed to get word to an usher that they needed to talk to Marty in order to talk to Jason. The young male usher managed to get to Marty once he finished singing with Jason. “And you say the little girl has Jason’s hat? Are you sure it’s his hat? I’ve seen a lot of girls, teens, preteens, and young ladies walking around wearing cowboy hats! I’ve seen white hats, black hats, red hats, and brown hats! I don’t know! Maybe the lady just wants to get a to see Jason! I’ll let you know something in a sec! I’ve got a feeling somebody may pulling the wool over your eyes, buddy, but I’ll check! Just wait

right here!” Marty didn’t just want to bring any little girl up on stage or into Jason’s dressing room unless it was the right girl or the right hat. It had to be the same girl from the Dallas concert. But the usher relaying the message never mentioned Dallas or the six-year-old girl or that the girl’s name was AnnaMarie. Marty thought, Something doesn’t feel right. By now, it was time for the band to go into their hit songs. “A few years ago, I read a story about a family that lost a little girl when she was about a year old. All they had after fifty years was an old photograph of the little girl, which hung on a wall. Here’s a song for all of you who have lost loved ones, young and old. ‘If Only.’”

If only, If only you … If only, You could be here too.

I never saw you face to face. I never heard your voice. Never saw your eyes. Never saw you dressed in lace. I never saw your smile To drive your beau so wild. Never, ever saw you walk. Never heard you laugh or talk.

If only, If only you … If only, You were still here.

God took you home Way before I was born. Old memories fade and die

But, pictures never lie.

Yes, God took you home Soon after you were born. A picture for us all. A memory that now hangs on the wall.

If only, If only you … If only, You could be here

In dreams, I see you face to face. I hear the echo of your voice. I see the beauty in your sparkling eyes. I see a baby dressed in lace. I smile and see your baby smile. And for you, I run that mile. I walk to reach where you now walk. I hear a memory from Heaven talk.

If only, If only you … If only, Time took us back to you. Yes, if only, If only you … If only, We all could be with you.

At the end of the song, Jason wanted to all kids, mainly those in the hospitals. He then played a couple of Christmas classics. After singing the two songs, he went straight into “Cinnamon Eyes.”

She stood under a shady elm with sweat on her brow With soapy hands, she bent slightly over the washboard. Six 501’s, 12 socks, and one girlie skirt. Lord knows she knew the stains were more “our” dirt.

Back then, her early years were spent chasing us up and down a summer sun. And hoeing weeds down those endless cotton fields, wasn’t really all that fun. But, coming home and fixing meals meant her day was almost done. Cinnamon eyes and calloused hands, and yes, she was our Mom.

Hair tied back and a 10 year old worn out apron at her waist; Hot July days and frigid winter days of gray came and went; Years went by seeing her at the line where she hung our clothes to dry. Back then, a five and dime, five dollar dress, was her Sunday best.

She was old school, even though she really had no school at all.

And though she barely knew her ABC’s, her religion taught it all. From that Sunday Mass, she believed in the Father, Son, and the Holy Ghost. And above all, the Gift of Life that comes from God above.

For she had lost her first, way, way too young at birth, As for us, a sister we’d never get to know at all. But life went on, as the rest of us came to be born into the family. Living life one day at a time back then, did not come that easily.

But, we’d still talk about the good ole days, when we all lived at home. Recalling countless 5 for 1 buys, and the time we finally got a phone. Blisters on her hands and sunburns were no tans, from any July sun. We heard words of wisdom from a Bible, and those that came from Mom.

Yes, I still picture all those 501’s hanging on the line, and our sister’s skirts. And back then, pockets full of stuff, okay, mainly full of dirt. Then, coming home to those homemade meals, before Mama’s days were done. And, still loving those pretty cinnamon eyes and calloused hands of Mom.

By the end of this set, he ended with a favorite of the crowd, “Holy Is His Name.” At the end of the song, he once again brought back the first singers to sing a couple of songs with them. At the end, all of them shook his hand and hugged him, and all said thank you. Annalicia, Ramon, Paco, and Juan Carlos hugged him, and all whispered something to him. Jason figured this was the perfect time to introduce his band and backup singers. “Ladies and gentlemen, on bass guitar, we have from St. Louis, Missouri, Mr. Mark ‘Jazzman’ Samms! On drums, from Denver, Colorado, we have Mr. Johnny ‘Ringo’ Lamar! On keyboards, from Harlingen, Texas, we have Mr. Bobby Lopez! Folks, these are

my friends! We go all the way back to my high school days back in St. Louis! This is my band, Trinity! Please make them feel at home, Lubbock, Texas!” When the applause finally died down, he began introducing Trinity’s Voices. “Before we go on, I have to introduce the number 1 band in America! These are my best friends! These friends of mine and now yours have the most beautiful voices in the music industry! I know that one of these days, they will each have their own individual solo careers! For some, it may be just a matter of time. I met them all in a karaoke bar back in St. Louis! I am proud to call each one of them my friends! Singing soprano, we have Crystal from the upper panhandle of Texas! She hails from Amarillo! Singing alto from Jackson, Mississippi, we have Rhonda! Singing bass, a heck of a bartender from New Orleans, we have Jamie! And singing tenor, last but not least, from Boston, Massachusetts, we have Louis! And finally, yours truly! I come from a very small town in Missouri! It’s not as famous as another town with a similar name in Kentucky. I was born in Bowling Green, Missouri! My name to you all, Trinity fans and the music industry, is Jason Skarr. To my mom and dad, to my very closest friends, and for the very first time! Thank you all for this beautiful and unforgettable night! My name is … Franklin Jay Scarborough! Let’s go! the ‘Little Drummer Boy’!” At the end of the Christmas classic, he took a quick five-minute break. He was getting ready for the encore. Just as Marty entered the hallway, Suzanne and Mary Lou caught up to him and grabbed him by the arm. “Mr. Marty, we are needing to speak with Mr. Jason Skarr! We have a little girl who wants to see him again! She has a hat she wants to return to Jason! She’s had it ever since the Dallas concert,” said Suzanne. Mary Lou continued, “She wants to return it. She’s here with us. She’s up on the stands with her grandpa.” The more she looked at Marty, the more she believed she’d met him before. “You know, I think I know you. Weren’t you and your friend in Hart, Texas, almost a month ago? I think I’ve had two or three more accidental meetings with you and him without realizing who you guys were. Small world, huh? So what do you say? How can we meet Mr. Jason Skarr before you guys leave Lubbock? My little girl sure wants to see him again!” “Are we talking about the same little girl? And you say she wants to see him again so she can give Jason a hat? Well, first of all, tell me her name. I’ve got to know her name first.”

Suzanne added, “First, guarantee us she’ll get a chance to see him first … in person … on stage … tonight … before the concert comes to an end.” “I’ve got to know her name first, ma’am! I just gotta know her name—” At that, the lights flickered and then went off. “Sorry, I’ve gotta go! Sorry, ma’am!” When the lights went off, Marty bid a quick bye to both Suzanne and Mary Lou, turned, and walked off. Mary Lou hollered at Marty, “I guess AnnaMarie can keep the hat!” From around the corner, Marty practically came running back toward them. But both Mary Lou and Suzanne were also hurrying back inside, trying to get back to their seats. They were now in the middle of a crowd, going back up toward the balcony area. They didn’t want to miss the encore. Marty knew he might’ve just caused Franklin to miss seeing his little friend AnnaMarie, probably for the last time. And he only had himself to blame for not believing their story.

In the meantime, a female usher called out to AnnaMarie, “Are you ready, sweetie? It’s your turn! You already know that, don’t you, AnnaMarie?” “Yes, ma’am.” Suzanne and Mary Lou got to AnnaMarie just as she was leaving with the usher. “Where are you going, sweetie?” “It’s okay, Mommy. She’s taking me to meet Jason. She’s my guardian angel, ? She’s also Jason’s grandma. She’ll take care of me. She always has!” Mary Lou was speechless. She looked at Suzanne. “Mom, did you just hear that? That’s AnnaMarie’s guardian angel? That lady usher is my daughter’s guardian angel?” Suzanne didn’t know what to say. “Maybe we oughta go with them. Follow them, I mean. You know, AnnaMarie has seen that woman several times now, that I know of. And they always seem to recognize each other. Only thing is, the woman always looks just a little bit different and younger … And the woman always knows AnnaMarie’s name. I trust AnnaMarie, except for the fact that she’s only six years old. Why don’t we follow them, just in case? What do you

say? After all, that’s why we’re all here, to give Jason back his hat.” “I say, let’s go before we lose them.” And as soon as Suzanne and Mary Lou got to the end of their aisle, the building went pitch-black. Both, caught by surprise, came to a sudden stop, not knowing which way to go. They were also afraid of missing a step, falling down, and injuring themselves or someone else. “Now what?” asked Mary Lou. “Fine time for all the lights to go out!” answered Suzanne. From a distance, Mary Lou could see a very tiny light going higher and higher up the stairs toward the ceiling. “Wish we’d brought us some flashlights,” she told Suzanne. “Really. Kinda late now.” “I know, Mom. Why don’t you try going back to Dad’s? I’m gonna check something out. If we do get separated, I’ll see you outside the front doors of the coliseum as soon as this concert’s over. Be careful and watch your step. See you and Dad after a while.” “Are you sure? What about AnnaMarie?” “I’ll find AnnaMarie. I’ll be okay! You go back to Dad’s!” “Okay! Please be careful!” “Now don’t be scared, sweetie,” the usher told AnnaMarie. “Scared? Mommy’s probably scared. I trust you! You’re my guardian angel! I’m not scared!” The lady usher continued, “There’s a flying basket up here at the end of the stairs. We’ll ride it down together. What do you say? It’ll be fun! You’re not afraid of heights, are you?” “I’m not sure. I don’t think I am. You are my guardian angel, so I know you’ll protect me. Ahh, you are, aren’t you?”

“Yes, sweetie! I am.”

Marty was back on stage. The applause was getting louder and louder. “Thank you all for this beautiful night here in Lubbock, Texas! Thank you, Mr. Shiloh, for being our emcee for the first segment of this concert. We wanna thank all our legendary guests in helping us make this even a night to ! We also wanna thank all of Trinity’s future recording artists! Hey, please be sure to check out Annalicia’s CD that’s already out front on sale! And how about a huge round of applause for Trinity and Mr. Franklin Jay Scarborough aka Jason Skarr? Once more, here’s Franklin!” “Thank you, folks! I don’t get a chance to sing this song as often as I’d like to. In fact, we haven’t played it in a year or so. I’d like to sing it for you tonight! ‘Craving Salvation’!”

I walk and I talk In the name of the Lord I talk and I walk Following footsteps of the Lord

At the end of the song, Franklin briefly talked to the audience about Trinity’s schedule for next year. “Folks, we’ll be in Nashville on January 1. From there, we will take a little break and then go back to the recording studio and start our next CD. Beginning spring, we’ll be going out of the country and go touring in Europe for about five weeks. You’ll be able to catch us in Las Vega for the first weekend in July. Hope to see you all again soon! Hey, we got a couple more songs we’d like do for you before we end this show. One, two, three!”

When the next song got started, AnnaMarie’s guardian angel told her, “Sweetie,

I’m going to ride this basket with you but not all the way. As we are both riding it down, my time will be coming to an end. So don’t panic or get scared if all of a sudden I disappear. I’m slowly gonna start disappearing here in a minute. I’ll still be here. You just won’t see me. So don’t be afraid, all right?” “You mean, like a ghost?” “A ghost? I guess you could say that. Are you afraid of ghosts?” “I used to have an imaginary friend until last year. Mom said it was like have a friendly ghost that I had imagined that could keep me company while I slept. I still talk to my imaginary friend every now and then. I know she doesn’t exist, but I still talk to her. Course, Mommy doesn’t know that.” “Well, I guess you can kind of consider me like a friendly ghost. So don’t be afraid when you start seeing me slowly disappear once we start getting closer to Franklin, I mean, Jason. I’m gonna give you this crystal marble. I want you to give it to Jason’s mommy, Krystal. Tell her it’s for her rosary. Tell her it’s okay to put it back on the rosary. It’s the rosary that Jason wears around his neck. And tell her I love her very much.” “Can you tell me your name? Is it Krystal too?” “You are very smart, aren’t you? Krystal is also my daughter’s name. Krystal with a K. And my name is Chrystyl too. That’s Chrystyl with a Ch and a Y.” “That means that Franklin, or Jason, is your grandson, just like Mommy and Grandma, right?” “You are a very intelligent little girl, AnnaMarie! I’m sure you and Franklin will be friends forever! You know, he already loves you and cares for you very much. I’m sure he’s gonna love your mommy very much too once he gets to know her a little bit more!” “I like Jason very much too, Chrystyl.” “You know, your mommy is very pretty, very caring, and very smart. I just know they’re going to like each other even more before this night’s over. We’ll both see to that, won’t we?”

And from out of nowhere, Chrystyl placed a cordless mic and earphone set on AnnaMarie. “From the corner of your right eye, a little red light will start blinking in a little bit. When it starts blinking, that means you can hear the music, or you can hear Jason singing or someone talking. And if you say something like talk or sing too, everybody in this huge building will hear you too, even your mommy, your grandma, and Jason! So be careful what you say into the mic. Do you the song you and Jason sang together in Dallas a few weeks ago, ‘Colors of the World’?” “Yes! That was a pretty song! I liked it very much! It was fun singing with Jason!” “Sweetie, would you like to sing it again with Jason so your mommy and grandpa can hear it?” “Yes! I’d like that very much! It’ll be fun to sing it again!” “Then get ready, sweetie! Your mommy needs to get ahold of Marty! I probably need to help her just a little. I may need to leave you for a little bit.”

Mary Lou managed to finally get to the bottom floor. A lady usher came from behind Mary Lou and asked her, “You say you’re looking for Marty, ma’am? Maybe he can help you find your loved one. It does look like you’re looking for someone real important. Marty is this way, ma’am. He’s the band’s manager.” Mary Lou asked, “Didn’t I see you earlier when we came in? And weren’t you the lady who helped us find our seats? And didn’t I see you talking to my daughter? And wasn’t it you walking with my daughter up the stairs just a little bit ago? I thought you were taking care of my daughter! She says you’re her guardian angel! She trusts you! But you’ve got to help me find Marty! Is Marty really the band’s manager? The guy who’s always walking around and hanging out with Jason is the band’s manager? I thought he was just another one of Jason’s friends. He’s got so many! Anyway, I desperately need to talk to him as soon as possible. Before the band’s last song! Please! You’ve gotta help me!” “Yes, I will help you, Mary Lou! Here comes one of the stage helpers. Let me talk to him. Let me make sure he understand how important this message is.” Chrystyl tapped Jimmy on the shoulder and said, “Can you please ask Marty to

tell Jason Skarr to sing ‘Colors of the World’ next? Convince Marty that’s gotta be the very last song of the night. Don’t take no for an answer! Be firm! Hey, there’s Marty right there! Looks like he’s headed for Jason’s dressing room. You run and go catch up to him!” Mary Lou ran and managed to catch up to him. “Are you Marty? I need to talk to you ASAP before Trinity plays their last song. It’s gotta be ‘Colors of the World.’ You’ve gotta get Jason to sing that song. Tell him he has no choice.” “Hey, don’t we know each other? Didn’t we speak a little bit earlier during the break, something about a hat and something about your daughter? I’ll be honest, ma’am. Jason normally decides what songs the band sings during his concerts. The fans call out some of the songs, even I, but in the end, Jason makes those decisions. It’s up to him to make any changes, especially in the middle of a show. I wish I could help you. I’m truly sorry, ma’am.” “AnnaMarie! AnnaMarie Diane! Her name is AnnaMarie Diane! You both were in Hart, Texas, just a few weeks ago, helping Mr. Shiloh, while the whole town was paying tribute to AnnaMarie’s daddy!” “Did you say AnnaMarie? She’s your daughter? You’re her mother?” “I’m Mary Lou! Yes, she’s my beautiful little six-year-old! I’ve gotta get Jason to sing that song!” All excited, Marty asked, “Where’s AnnaMarie? Is she here with you? Is she here in the coliseum, in the stands? Is she in the ladies’ room with someone? Where is she?” “I don’t know. She went with one of your female ushers to go find you. She’s here somewhere, I know! You gotta help me find her so she can finally see Jason!” Marty responded, “I’ve got an idea. Come with me. But we gotta run! Jason’s about to announce his last song of the night. Tell you what, put this mic and earphone on right quick. You’ll be able to hear everything going on. This is my own personal mic. Jason will probably think it’s me talking to him. Be careful what you say. If Roger flips a switch, it can go all over the coliseum. Just tell him to sing ‘Colors of the World’! Now you may have to insist! You’ll know what to say if he says no. But hurry! The mic’s hot! Go!”

Mary Lou hollered into the mic, “‘Colors of the World’!” Marty quickly told Mary Lou, “Jason’s gonna talk to you any second now through the private earphone. Uh-oh! Red light! Red light! We’re a little bit far from the antenna! Hurry! Let’s run! Let’s run toward the front stage!” Both ran down the hallway. “Okay! I see a solid red now. Say it again fast! This time the whole coliseum is going to hear it! Go ahead! Say it out loud! Jason’s giving his last signal!” “‘Colors of the World’!” screamed Mary Lou into the mic. “Who is this? Marty? Marty? Who is this?” “Mary Lou! How about singing ‘Colors of the World’? We all wanna hear you sing it in person!” “Ma’am, that’s a duet! My little co-singer’s not here! It wouldn’t be fair to her if I sung it without her. I’d love to, but—” And the audience started clapping and hollering for the song. They started chanting the name of the song over and over. Jason continued, “It’s a very special song. A beautiful and gorgeous little girl sang it with me in Dallas a few weeks ago, but she’s not here with me tonight.” Mary Lou continued, “A little girl? And what is her name? Up ’til now, I don’t think anybody knows her real name. Can you please tell us and the rest of the world her name?”

Meanwhile, Chrystyl was back with AnnaMarie. “Are you ready, sweetie? , I’ll be with you all the way till we get just above center stage. You won’t see me anymore after that, but Jason will help you out of this basket. I’ll be there too. You just won’t be able to see me. Sweetie, please don’t be scared, okay?” “Okay! I won’t be scared. I’ve gone to the fair before and ridden by myself. I’ll be okay. But I will see you again, won’t I? I don’t want to see you go, Chrystyl.”

“I’ll be with you for many, many years to come, sweetie. We just won’t see each other like we do now, but someday we will. Okay, as we start going down, you start talking to Jason, your mommy, your grandparents, and everybody inside this huge room. And everybody will hear you. You just talk like you’re talking to me now. You’ve got a very beautiful voice, and I’ll be here beside you. So in a little bit, I’ll slowly start disappearing. , I’ll still be here beside you and in your memory. You’ll still be able to hear my voice. Okay, here we go, AnnaMarie.” Jason was about to say, “Well, her name is—” And from out of nowhere, a little girl’s voice was heard all through the coliseum speakers, saying, “Oh, come on, big boy! What, you don’t wanna sing ‘our’ song? What, you forgot the words? You’re not embarrassed, are you? You certainly don’t want to let your fans down, especially not the pretty girls! Rememer Dallas? I do!” “AnnaMarie! Is this a surprise visit? You know, your fans have been wanting to meet you for a couple of months now! You, ahh, wanna make an appearance? We all can’t wait to see you! You know, the whole world can’t wait to meet you…” “Well, according to Mommy, I’m here in the flesh! All three feet tall and maybe ninety or so, pounds of me! I guess the wait is over. Hey, you still got one more song to sing tonight! I’ve heard the last request. Are we singing or not? Like you say, ‘Let’s do it! Hit it!’” “Okay, I hope you the words! Ready, guys? You heard the little lady! Let’s do it! Ladies and gentlemen, ‘Colors of the World’!” All of a sudden, the entire audience pointed at the flying basket making its way toward the stage. The spotlight found her waving at the crowd down below her. She then took a slight bow and waved with one hand and held on to her hat with the other. Suzanne and Greg were already on their feet and trying to make their way down to the stage. At the same time, Krystal and Jim were also trying to make their way back to the stage. Mary Lou and Marty were side by side up on stage to the left of Jason. The music started. As the basket reached the stage, Franklin opened the gate to the basket and took AnnaMarie by one hand while he held onto the basket to keep it from moving. As soon as AnnaMarie stepped

off the basket, he held on to her hand, they both bowed to the crowd, and he hollered into his mic, “Ms. AnnaMarie Diane, folks! She is Trinity’s youngest little star! She is my newest co-singer! Please welcome her! Doesn’t she look gorgeous in her white Stetson? You know, I’ve missed you.” Both hugged each other. Franklin kissed the back of her tiny little hand. At the same time, AnnaMarie wiggled her little index finger, motioning him to come closer to her. As he did, he stooped down, and she kissed him on the cheek. Franklin said, “You know you have fans all over the world, don’t you? And right now, I’m your biggest fan, sweetie.”

“You don’t say? You’ve got plenty of fans yourself! You know I’m keeping this hat. You keep yours, why don’t you. Standing here next to you, my head’s getting bigger by the minute!” And the crowd went into a roar. “I mean, Mommy says I’m growing taller and taller every day! And smarter too!” Again, the crowd went into a roar. “Right! Oh, I knew what you meant! Hey, is your mommy here? I think the last time we met, you were with your grandma, weren’t you?” “Yes! My grandma and grandpa are here too! This time I’m pretty well protected! You got security and I got kinfolk. Oh, and Chrystyl is here too!” “Chrystyl? Who’s Chrystyl? A little friend of yours from school?” “Yes, she is my friend! Oh, she’s not in school anymore. She’s my guardian angel. She said to tell you hi. Oh, and your mommy too! I’m supposed to give your mom something.” “Thank you! To you and Chrystyl too. Someone close to me was named Chrystyl too. Say, hey, how about our song? You ready?” “’Bout as ready as you are, bucko! Let’s do it! It’s almost my bedtime! And it’s almost Christmas! Mama’s waiting, and I wanna be home for Christmas! Hey, I think I’m supposed to tell you Chrystyl is your grandma!” “Okay! One, two, three!” The music started. And Jason began singing without

having to remind AnnaMarie about what to say or when. The words came from her mouth without hesitation, just like they did back in Dallas. In the background, Mary Lou stood next to Marty. Marty stated, “So you’re AnnaMarie’s mother. I would’ve never guessed it! We were so close and yet so far away. So close all these times! Hey, can you prove it?” “I carried her for nine months before she was born! Her dad was killed in Iraq. My name’s Mary Lou McDonald. We never married, but we’d made plans to marry once he came back home. First, he was an MIA till he became a casualty of war. AnnaMarie’s real name is AnnaMarie Diane Spencer. I gave her the last name of her daddy. He was buried in Hart, Texas. And to that, you and Franklin are witnesses because I seeing you both there, and the next day we met again at the ice cream shop, ?” “I you now. But I can’t imagine not ever seeing your daughter in all those times! Was she there all those times?” “She’s always with my best friend’s daughter. They’re about the same age. You and your friend were with Mr. Shiloh, right? Your friend Franklin is Jason, right? I seeing all three of you at KaleidoScoops! My little girl had gone into the little girl’s room. As a matter of fact, I think she needed to pee real quick, so she ran straight to the restroom. What a small world. I’m surprised I never got to see you guys at the IHOP across Tech. That’s where I work the night shift.” “Well, lady, I’ve got a very, very ‘huge’ surprise for you! Compliments of Jason Skarr, myself, and Trinity! You may wanna sit for this! I’ve got a check for you! Mainly, for AnnaMarie, but because of her being only six years old, a royalty check for ‘Colors of the World’! This check is for the song they are both singing now.” Marty filled in the names, AnnaMarie Diane Spencer and Mary Lou McDonald, on the top line. He handed the check to her. “Now don’t freak out! The check’s real! And it’s worth every penny. Make sure you don’t lose it! It’s our gift to you and AnnaMarie!” Mary Lou took it and looked at it. “Ten thousand dollars!” “Read it again. It’s higher!” “Higher? Ahh, a hundred thousand dollars?”

“Higher, Mary Lou! Try a little higher.” “Ahh … ahh …” “Yes! A million dollars! No doubt, there will be more to come! Jason, I mean, Franklin will see to that! I can guarantee that! He is very, very generous, especially when it comes to money. He loves that little girl like a daughter. Before I forget, let me get your address and phone number. I’m going to make sure we don’t lose you guys ever again! Franklin would never forgive me!” “Are you sure? I mean, a million dollars! What am I supposed to do with all this money? And it’s for me and AnnaMarie? Ours? To keep? I, ahh, do need a better used car for us to get around.” “As a matter of fact, I think I just heard AnnaMarie mention a sick blue truck.” “More like old! Should I hug you or just shake your hand? I don’t know what to say. How am I going to explain this to my parents? My friend? To AnnaMarie?” “Well, first things first. You can shake my hand, or you can do both. As for the rest, I’m sure you’ll find a way.” “I don’t know whether to scream for joy or cry. I know I’m very thankful to you and Franklin and the band, and to my precious little girl, and to my parents. But most of all, I’m thankful to God who keeps watching over us. Thank you, Marty, from the bottom of my heart!” “No, don’t thank me. Thank you! I’ve seen Franklin look over here a couple of times. I think he is about ready for you to start walking across center stage once the song starts coming to an end. I think he wants to introduce you to the crowd. I’m sure he’s already figured out who you are. Don’t worry, his parents are over there already too. They’ll be on stage with you and AnnaMarie! It’ll be fun! Just stay relaxed.” “Oh, here comes my parents! Can they us on stage?” “You bet! Let’s all go!” As the song was coming to an end, all five began walking together toward Franklin and AnnaMarie. Franklin finally saw Mary Lou as she was walking across the stage. Once they

were face-to-face, he very eagerly hugged her as he held her hand. He then whispered in her ear, “Small world, Ms. Mary Lou, huh? Thank you for bringing AnnaMarie into all our lives. Thank you for coming into ‘my’ life. I’m sorry for your loss and AnnaMarie’s dad. I wondered why we just kept running into each other all these times. Guess fate was bound to win sooner or later. Anyway, it’s finally nice to meet you and so happy to know you are AnnaMarie’s beautiful mom. Oh, she told me you were beautiful, ma’am.” “Thank you, Franklin. You and the band are very kind, and thank you especially for being so generous. I will never forget your generosity. You’ve just made so many dreams come true for me and my daughter. Thank you once again and that goes for AnnaMarie and my family. We all thank you so very much.” “If it’s all right by you, we’re not quite done yet. AnnaMarie has a very special gift. Millions of fans want to see her. She has fans all over the world by now. I still have lots of unwritten projects, songs, I mean. Some of them revolve around her and her voice. She has super personality, beauty, and lots of charm. On stage, she’s a natural. Course, this also includes you as her mom, her advisor, her manager, and her guardian. That means, traveling.” “I see. I’ll have to think about it. I’ll talk to my parents and see what they say. No promises, but I’ll definitely think about it. As for right now, all I can say is thank you.” “No, ma’am. Thank you.” “Call me Mary Lou.” “Yes, ma’am. That is, Mary Lou.” Both Franklin and AnnaMarie held hands as both bowed to the crowd. Franklin got down on one knee, hugged her, and kissed her on the cheek. After that, AnnaMarie kissed Franklin on his cheek. By now, Mary Lou and her parents were introducing themselves to Franklin’s parents. Franklin knew that his parents were going to have a million questions when this was over. Franklin then stated, “How about all our guests come up on stage so we can all sing our very last song for the night? That also includes our legendary guests.” And one by one, they all started coming up on stage, shaking hands with Franklin and AnnaMarie. Finally, AnnaMarie tugged at Franklin’s arm and said, “I’ve got something I’m supposed to give you. It’s for your mom.”

“You do, sweetie? A surprise from you and your mommy? Why don’t I get her over here, okay?” Franklin grabbed Krystal by the hand and said, “Mom, AnnaMarie has a surprise for you.” Krystal got down on one knee and said, “What is it, sweetie? You have something special to give me?” “Yes! It’s from ‘your’ mommy. She’s also my guardian angel.” “You say it’s from your guardian angel? And she’s also my mom? Are you sure, sweetie?” “Yes! She told me she is Jason’s grandma. And she is also your mom. She gave me something to give to you.” Krystal took a deep breath and said, “And what is it that she gave you for me, sweetie?” “A marble, a clear marble. She said it’s a magic crystal marble.” “You have a marble for me? You sure it’s for me? Maybe it’s for you. Maybe you misunderstood, sweetie. I don’t exactly play with marbles anymore. I’m kind of old for that now.” “It’s not to play with. Your mommy wanted you to have it so you could fix Jason’s rosary. See, she made mine out of one. She wants ‘her’ rosary fixed with this magic marble.” “But my mom’s in heaven. She went to heaven a few years ago.” AnnaMarie insisted, “Well, she’s here right now! But only I can see her. She told me that. Here’s the marble Chrystyl wants you to have.” “Did you say her name is Chrystyl?” “Yes! Chrystyl with a Ch and a Y. She said your name is Krystal with a K. And here’s your crystal marble.” “Is this a trick? Did Franklin tell you to tell me this story about my mom?”

“No! Chrystyl did! She just now told me your real name is Krystal Skye! Yes, Krystal Skye! Ooh, that’s a pretty name!” “Mom is here? You said Mom is talking to you right now? Can she see us? Can she see me? Can she see Franklin and Jim?” “Yes! Your mom says she wants me to place the crystal marble in your hand.” As AnnaMarie placed the marble in the palm of Krystal’s hand, it magically turned into a small diamond that would fit just perfectly in Franklin’s rosary. It was the missing diamond that had been lost for so many years. Krystal’s eyes got watery with tears running down her face. She said, “Oh, Mama. How I’ve missed you all these years. Please let me see you at least one more time. Please let Franklin and Jim see you too. Please, Mama, I beg you. Please, Mommy. Please, AnnaMarie. Please ask her to let us see her at least one last time. Please, AnnaMarie! Please ask her for me.” AnnaMarie turned to the side and looked into the basket. She moved her lips, but no one heard a word. She asked Chrystyl to show herself to them one last time. And in the middle of all the guests on stage, for just a few seconds, a woman in her early forties appeared. She was blowing kisses to Krystal, Franklin, and Jim and finally to AnnaMarie. She was waving good-bye. AnnaMarie pointed toward Chrystyl and shouted, “There’s Chrystyl!” Very quickly, everybody turned around to see Chrystyl blowing kisses at them. “Oh, Mama!” Krystal said, half crying. “I love you, Mama! Thank you! Oh, thank you, Mama! We all love you and miss you so very much! Thank you for bringing AnnaMarie into our lives! Oh, you’re so beautiful! I’ll never ever forget this moment! I love you, Mama!” Chrystyl began to slowly fade away until she finally disappeared. Mary Lou’s eyes were also full of tears. She was hugging AnnaMarie without realizing it. Mary Lou’s parents were also hugging Franklin and Marty. Then AnnaMarie took off her hat and tried handing it back to Franklin like she’d promised her mom. “Thank you, Franklin. I took real good care of your hat. Mommy said I needed to give it back to you when I saw you. I really like wearing it. Mom said it made me look gorgeous!” “I’ll tell you what, sweetie, I’ve got one on my head already. I’ll make you a deal. You keep that one for as long as you like. It’s my very special gift to you

for coming into my life. I’m gonna give your mommy my special phone number so you can call me anytime you wish. You can call me anytime, night or day. But you make sure your mommy knows you’re calling me. And if she ever wants to call and ask me anything, well, she can call me too, okay?” “If Mommy lets me, then I promise. I love you, Franklin.” Franklin reached over and hugged AnnaMarie and whispered in her ear, “I love you too sweetie. He then reached over to grab Mary Lou’s hand and said, “If it’s possible, I would very much like to see you and AnnaMarie tomorrow sometime. That’s if you’re not real busy. The band will be in Nashville on the first. I would also like very much to see you both there as my guests. My treat! Marty can arrange it all for you—flight, motel, meals, whatever! Our treat! Just think about it! If you can’t, maybe on some other occasion.” “Kinda hard to say no. I’ve still got a job at the IHOP. I’ll have to get it okayed so I don’t get fired. We’ll see.” “Hey, Marty has a check for you and AnnaMarie.” “Yes! As a matter of fact, he’s already given it to me. From the bottom of my heart, I wanna thank you, Marty, and the band for the money. A million dollars? Are you sure that’s right? That’s a lot of money! Shouldn’t it be less than that? Maybe ten thousand? Now I guess I’m going to have to open up a bank . I’ve got to set up a trust fund for AnnaMarie as soon as possible. I guess now I can go buy us a better used car or truck to drive, one a little bit more dependable, one that has a working air conditioner, for sure! These Texas summers in West Texas can be pretty dang hot!” “Mary Lou, I owe you a red dress,” said Franklin. “AnnaMarie had said you want a red dress for Christmas. You mind if I visit you down here for Christmas? Would I be imposing on you too much for even asking? I know you don’t know me, but I am honest, and Mom says I’ve always been a gentleman. I don’t plan on changing how I was brought up. As you can see, I’m still a very devout Catholic. So would you mind? That is, you and AnnaMarie?” “What about your parents? What would they think? And your friend Marty? And your band? How about a girlfriend from back home? Kids?” Franklin answered, “No girlfriend, no ex-wife, and no kids. Marty would

probably come with me. Mom and Dad trust me completely. I’m not about to let them down. I’m kinda old fashioned. The band will probably stay home with their families and friends. Anyway, think about it. Call me by Wednesday or Thursday at the latest, okay? I’ll be waiting for your call. Marty can give you my private number. You call anytime.” Marty got on center mic to bid good night to the audience. “Ladies and gentlemen, hope you all had a great time tonight! I know we all did well up here, thanks to you all. Thank you, Lubbock, Texas! Thank you, Texas Tech University, for allowing us to be a little part of the history that walked the halls of this most magnificent coliseum! Whatever you do Lubbock, let’s keep this building alive! We plan on coming back! Thanks to all of you who came from out of town to see this unforgettable music revival! Trinity and Mr. Jason Skarr thank you all from the bottom of our hearts! We ask that you all get home safe, and may God bless you all very much! It’s been great! , we’ll be in Nashville two weeks from tonight! January 1! You all have a good night now! Drive safe going back home! We also thank all of you who came from out of state. Farewell and Godspeed. Good night, Lubbock! Thanks for this most everlasting memory! Till we see each other again! God bless each and every one! So long and thank you!”