Open Sesame

By: Hank Horne
(© 2018-2019 by the author)

The author retains all rights. No reproductions are allowed without the author's consent. Comments are appreciated at...

HHorne@tickiestories.us

Chapter 34

Several of the men, including the two senators and Mayor Francke, decided to check into The Lodge.  Howie, being the dutiful Senator’s Chief of Staff, joined his dad and the others in conversation at the bar in The Lodge.  I went home and dropped.  Millie asked me about ‘her’ two men, and I told her they were politicking!  She laughed and fully understood. 

I had slept about an hour when Maji awakened me.  I checked the time, jumped in the shower, then dressed so we could head back to The Lodge for dinner.  Cal and Howie had returned to the Palace to rest a bit after doing their thing with the ‘D.C. delegation.’ 

Those of us at the Palace got to The Lodge a little after 7:00 and went into the bar where several of our guests were already gathering.  It was a nice mix of bankers, architects and politicians.  The bankers maintained my story that they were looking after ‘their’ investments and pleased at what we had done with a minimum of expenditure.  The architects explained some of what had transpired when putting their ideas into reality.  Charles-Arthur clarified what was needed for each of the restaurant kitchens, and they had to meet local inspectors’ specifications.  Cal and Howie really could ‘talk their language.’

The salad bar looked great!  Everyone ordered from the menu and Chef Yo was spot on with his food and plating. He trained with some of the chefs in Tokyo who would go on to start the Macho Café.  We only heard compliments during the meal, and most of these people have been around.  Cherries Jubilee was the desert that was a big hit with everyone.  Several of the guests insisted I bring the kitchen staff out for an ovation.  Hassan and I were beaming like crazy!  He grabbed me in a bear hug and laid a closed-mouth kiss on my lips.  It was a great honor to all of us from such an influential group.  Not to be ignored, the waitstaff was almost choreographed in their service.  Hass and I were very happy!  Every one of the politicos commented to us that they were glad they had stayed.

It was about 8:45 when we got into the cars for the five-minute drive over to the Club.  We all got a drink at the bar.  With four bartenders mixing and pouring, it didn’t take long to get everyone served, so the show was only five minutes late starting. 

The show started with “No Business Like Show Business” again.  A third set of dancers/singers was on stage.  Our Mongolian smokin’ hunk was the MC for the night. 

“Good evening, ladies and gentlemen, and welcome to The Crystal Rainbow.  I am Altan and I’ll be your tour guide this evening.  This is a male review, kind of like the infamous Chippendales.  Don’t worry, we’re not going to strip like they do.  We’ve got more singing with our dancing – and more clothing.  Sorry, ladies.  This will be rated PG-13 tonight.  If you expected R or X rating, you can get your money back as you leave.”  Altan picked out Ginger Hopkins and spoke to her, “Honey, let’s talk about this later.  Until then, everyone, enjoy the drinks and the show – on the house!” 

The music started for “Stout Hearted Men” and Altan had the solo.

After the applause died down, the DJ brought up the music for “The Drinking Song,” and the guys started banging their beer mugs on the tables, then David was magnificent with his solo as the Student Prince.

As “Nothing Like A Dame” began, two of the cast came up on either side of Jennine and whispered to her, “Last performance tonight.  Break a leg!”  She replied, “I’m ready.”  Jeff joined the other three with big smiles on their faces. 

When it came time for Halldór to lift her up, Jennine wrapped her arms around his neck, and leaned her head against his shoulder.   Then after he finished singing, she gave him a hot closed-mouth kiss on his lips, and told him, “J'adore quand tu me fais ça avec ces gros bras musclés.” ¹⁷ Halldór turned red in the face, and as he laid her in her fiancés arms, told him, “Jeff, she’s ready for you to carry her over the threshold, so you’d better get it done soon.  I might just come looking for her!”

Jeff faked a terrified look and said, “Yessir, Master Super Hulk.” Then Jeff called out, “Is there anyone here who can perform a marriage?” 

Mayor Francke was standing nearby and answered, “If you have a Georgia marriage license.” 

Governor Perdue added, “If she won’t, I will!”

Jennine and Jeff both turned red at the ready offers and thanked both officials.  Then they escaped to the bar, to the sounds of enjoyable laughter and applause.

Fabio had come up to the brass pole and leaned against it.  The music started for “You’ve Got To Be Taught,” also from “South Pacific,” then David and Altan joined him.

Fabio         You've got to be taught

                    To hate and fear,

                    You've got to be taught

                    From year to year,

                    It's got to be drummed

                    In your dear little ear

                    You've got to be carefully taught.

Trio             You've got to be taught to be afraid

Altan          Of people whose eyes are oddly made,

David          And people whose skin is a diff'rent shade,

Trio             You've got to be carefully taught.

Fabio          You've got to be taught before it's too late,

                    Before you are six or seven or eight,

                    To hate all the people your relatives hate,

                    You've got to be carefully taught!

Trio             You've got to be carefully taught!

I was amazed at the beautiful blend of the voices and the close harmony they produced.  I was choked up at the end of the song, and the applause was deafening. 

The cast encircled the stage from the floor and gathered around the trio for their finale number.  Many of the cast had cans of Coke in their hands as they sang “I’d Like To Teach The World To Sing,” ¹⁸ which Coca-Cola had commissioned to be written as a commercial and then it became a tremendous hit — back in 1971, if I’m not mistaken.

I'd like to build the world a home
And furnish it with love
Grow apple trees and honey bees
And snow-white turtle doves

I'd like to teach the world to sing
In perfect harmony
I'd like to hold it in my arms
And keep it company

It's the real thing
What the world wants today
That's the way it will stay
With the real thing

It's the real thing
Won't you hear what I say?
What the world needs today
Is the real thing

I'd like to see the world for once
All standing hand in hand
And hear them echo through the hills
For peace throughout the land

It's the real thing

I'd like to teach the world to sing
In perfect harmony
A song of peace that echoes on
And never goes away

It's the real thing

I'd like to teach the world to sing
In perfect harmony
I like to hold it in my arm
And keep it company

It's the real thing ¹⁸ 

At the end, those who had the Cokes took a swig of it, and then those who did not have a can grabbed one close to them and took a swig for themselves.  It was a tremendous ending for the show! 

Altan stepped forward and announced: “The cast will take a short break so the rest of you can get refills of whatever you’re having with your Cokes.  We’ll be back in a few.”    {More applause}

Several of the older people wanted to leave then, but the younger city and county representatives stayed for what was next on the program.  So, the drivers took some back to The Lodge, and others up to the Palace.

After a fifteen-minute break, three of the dancers came back on stage and began their solo routines on the three levels of the stage.  One of the younger county commissioners came up to me and asked, “Does the design of the stage have some symbolism which is supposed to be subtle?”

“That’s the design the architect gave us,” I told him.  “The side circles can be raised and lowered for a variety of uses.  Rather than having the runway end straight across or come to a sharp point, he suggested a rounded tip ….”

“…which represents a circumcised cock and balls.  Right?” he queried.

“Is that what you see in it?” I asked.

“You know damn well that’s what it is!” he countered.

“Well, if that’s what you see in it, that must be what it means to you.”

“I’m not saying there’s anything wrong with it, especially for this place.  In fact, I think it’s damned hot!” he replied.  “For women and gays.”  He reached out his hand to shake mine.  “I may have to get a membership.”

“Sign up for it tonight and you’ll get a charter, lifetime membership for free.  You’ll just have to pay for food and drinks – and of course cash for any lap dances you buy,” I told him.

“Show me the way to sign up.”

I took him out to the reception area and set him up for his membership.  We got the cornea identification system, which he found fascinating.  I left him with Halldór and his Security guys to complete the process.  When he came back into the bar, he located me, showed off his rainbow wristband with the infinity symbol for lifetime membership, grabbed me in a hug and gave me a kiss on the cheek.  I told him he could pick up his membership card which is also a charge card for everything at Crystal Rainbow by next weekend.

While he was waiting at the bar for his drink to be made, a couple of the dancers came up to him to welcome him as a member.  They worked him over pretty well because I saw him tucking some cash in their bikinis and rubbing them all over.  He was eating it up and so were the dancers.  They told him to let them know whenever he came into the club.  When his drink was ready, a rum and Coca-Cola, they thanked him by rubbing their tongues in his ears.  I’m surprised he didn’t lose his load right there. 

Or, maybe he did!

Other dancers were talking with the bankers and architects whom they had met on previous nights here.  By midnight, I was ready to turn in.  I went around and spoke to the bankers and thanked them for being here since I might not see them before they leave the next day.  Scotty was with Landon and Ethan and they expressed their pleasure that he had adapted so well to the environs here in Georgia.  I confirmed that he was a tremendous asset in so many ways I couldn’t count them, and we appreciated their recommending him to us.  I gave them both a hug and a kiss before telling them good night.

Maji and I went home – and crashed.

To be continued... 

¹⁷ “I love what you do for me with those big, muscular arms.”

¹⁸ Songwriters: WILLIAM M BACKER, ROGER F. COOK, ROQUEL DAVIS, ROGER GREENAWAY

© Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC

Posted: 02/22/19