Returning to the Piano Bar
. Gary no longer an aviator of the road having removed himself from the band, realizing it’s been over ten years since enacting a solitary performance. But once seated behind the pianobar at the Congress Inn on the Northwest Expressway, the melodious conversation flowed from the keyboard with appreciative acceptance. The musician was thankful for his Penn Apartment rent painting agreement, and had a good working relationship with management. The couple having set their sights on an upstairs balcony endowed, 2-bedroom apartment with a fireplace and street entrance, if and, when it became available. As temporal progression would have it, it became available, the manager agreeing to let the couple make the move. Life at the Penn Apartments improving, Jan responding to a motel front desk clerk position, acquiring some front desk experience working with band member Bob Wallace’s lady companion Vicki, at a motel north of the Oklahoma State Capitol on Lincoln Blvd.
. Paul Ambrose, the cousin of the anomalous Glenn Froman also finding residence at the Penn Apartments, his latest project being to purchase a parcel of rural property and construct a residence. Paul succeeding in his prospective, acquiring land in nearby Cleveland County, the property just south of the small community of Noble, asking Gary if he would be interested in assisting with the project for a token reimbursement for his time and mileage, Gary accepting, supplying his cement mixer from his once residence. The construction of a cement block reside beginning.
. Paul having use his Kerr McGee eighteen wheeler employment as a stepping stone to a trucking company who had turned him down for lacking sufficient road experience, his new employer, the nationally celebrated TransCon, Paul acquiring a Oklahoma City to Los Angeles route. When working for Kerr McGee his deliveries were deadhead, one way deliveries, no return load back, but not so with TransCon, sometimes having to lay over in Los Angles awaiting a return load. With layovers limiting his availability for his building project and, to top it off, discovering his live in girlfriend was involved in extracurricular activity during his long absence. His disparity bringing a halt to both ambitions. Gary somewhat thankful to be relieved of his commitment to Paul, the laying of the blocks wasn’t as difficult as he had anticipated, but the time to commute to Noble and the lifting and pouring of the 94 pound sacks of cement in the mixer was a physical challenge.
. A return to the memories of the past, the pianist accepting a pianobar nightly performance at an old club, the Hi-Lo, with a new name, The Fifties Club. Gary with the Untouchables having played this Classen Boulevard Circle club over ten years ago. What was ironic, the new owners Bob and Julie, a couple from Boston remembered Gary from the old Hi-Lo Club days and him recalling their Bostonian accent. Gary and Jan both having employment success. Jan’s finding a front desk assignment at another Lincoln Boulevard motel which looked to be a steady position. Gary having visited with the two young owner entrepreneurs Art and Don on several occasions while waiting for Jan to finish her shift, the two very much aware of Gary and Jan’s relationship. Gary did have some reservations about her fraternization with guest after discovering a letter written to a visitor from Australia, worded such as for him to believe there was more going on than a platonic relationship, but he and Jan worked thru the event.
. Gary was blindsided, Jan announcing that Art and Don had acquired an additional motel in Albuquerque, and that Art had asked her to join him. Gary at first being naive at her leaving, and at a loss to understand the unfolding events, then the cloud lifted, there was more going on than just a job opportunity, recalling an earlier past event. Having arrived a half hour early to pick her up, waiting, then watching as her and Art suddenly descended from an unoccupied room, not having seen them enter, and when questioned, she shrugged it off, the two were just checking a vacancy. With the news of Albuquerque, Gary confronted her about her and Arts relationship, she answered by gathering her clothes and other items from the apartment, loading them in her car, apparently having made up her mind to end her and Gary’s yearlong relationship. Not wanting a further confrontation, he remained outside the apartment until she had finished, then watched as his new found meaning, her dog Mitzi and the Ford Torino left for Albuquerque.
. With Jan’s sudden departure the increments of despondency prevailed, the bereft of her presence giving misguided delusional thoughts about Gary’s worldly presence. The Fifties Club nightly engagement and his music providing a solace in attributions of despair, the club owners recognizing his despondency, introducing the musician to an unexpected person, Arts previous girlfriend. Gary not interested in dwelling on subject of her and Art’s relationship, but remained in conversation long enough to determine she wasn’t surprised at what had transpired. Gary making a last effort placing a call to Albuquerque, being told that Jan was unavailable, but found Art coming on the line, the conversation was brief, confirming Arts’ interest in Jan but when asked, non-committal as to his intentions. Gary upon hanging up placing a call to a florist sending a dozen roses to Albuquerque.
. The musicians nights at the club were tolerable, a result of meaningful resolve, it was the daytime hours of painting in the solitude atmosphere of a vacant apartment, that he would browbeat himself searching for an answer to whether he was the perpetrator or victim of the turn of events. Gary having finished his responsibility at the Club for the night, owners Bob and Julie, and another couple just having extended the musician an invitation to join them for a bite to eat, when he was told he had a phone call. Gary perplexed, in all his years of playing, never having received a phone call while at work. Answering, it was Jan. She was calling from the 7 11 across the street from the Penn Apartments, unable to get in because she didn’t have a key to the deadbolt. Gary was dumbstruck, “what happened?” Jan replying “We can talk when you get here.”.
Inquisitive Quest 
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