Frank Rosewood's Blues

Δημιουργός: siameum, Ανδρέας Πατσαλίδης

Εκτύπωση από: http://www.stixoi.info

-1-

Once upon a time and not so long ago, a legend was brought to this world… I’m sure you’ll all be troubled by the word “Legend”, but I guess you’ll find it out if you continue reading this story. This child, Francis Jonah Payne, was the son of Mary Joan Payne and Richard Rosinsky. What this child didn’t know, was that the world in which he would live was going to put him in such a serious amount of pain.

Francis was born in Saint Patrick’s clinic in a little town called Atheane, about 60 km outside of the city of Easton, which didn’t differ a lot from the modern big cities we live today.
Francis was not about to live a normal life like the other children in his age. He never met his father, because he left them when he found out that Mary Joan was pregnant. But why would somebody leave his wife and unborn child like this? Well, Richard Rosinsky, was an offspring of an aristocratic and famous family and he was already married with two sons by the time he met Mary Joan Payne, who was then working as a waitress at a coffee shop in the city of Easton. Mary Joan was really good looking and Richard would never let a chance like this go to waste. He approached her and started using the tricks, with which nature blessed him. Mary Joan just fell for him without knowing what Richard really was.

Everything went great for this couple, Richard had also arranged a “secret” wedding at a small chapel, to prove Mary Joan that he was the one for her. It was just them and an actor, which Richard hired to be the priest. One night, as Richard and Mary Joan were lying in bed, Mary Joan announced that she was pregnant. It was more than obvious that the child she was expecting was Richard’s but Richard wouldn’t let an incident like this destroy his life. He started hitting Mary Joan really hard and if the neighbors hadn’t come, Richard would have killed her with his own hands. It was the first time, that Mary Joan saw him like this and she just couldn’t explain his behavior. Richard left and the last words he said to her were: “Don’t you ever tell me about this bastard child of yours”.

A couple of weeks after this unfortunate incident, Mary Joan was about to learn, what was wrong about her being pregnant. As she was reading the newspaper she saw a picture of Richard Rosinsky and she read the article, written for Richard Company’s cooperation with the biggest automotive company in the world. But what shocked her the most was a part of the interview, which followed the article about Richard, when the reporter asked Richard: “Mr. Rosinsky, how can somebody be a successful businessman and at the same time a loving husband and a father of two lovely boys?”. Mary Joan couldn’t believe what she had read and she started crying and nothing could possibly ease her pain.


-2-

The days became weeks and the weeks became months and on February 17th, Mary Joan gave birth to her baby, which she called Francis Jonah Payne. She didn’t want him to find his father because that would have hurt him. That’s why she didn’t give him Richard’s surname. Francis and Mary Joan were living in grandpa Jonah’s (Mary Joan’s father) house. Mary Joan has been a loving mother teaching Francis to play the guitar and to sing. Grandpa Jonah, who has been a member of the local band for many years taught Francis how to play harmonica. Francis was not rich but he had two people who cared about him and loved him, but not for too long.
One day Mary Joan was feeling ill and she visited the local doctor, to see what was going on. “I’m afraid I don’t have good news for you”, said the doctor, “It’s been a while that you’ve been suffering from a blood disease, there’s no much time left, I’m sorry”.

Mary Joan didn’t say anything to her father, after all he was old and sick and she didn’t want to trouble him. Mary spent her last month alive, teaching Francis everything she knew. The nearest school was in Easton and she didn’t have money to pay for Francis’s education. As the days passed, Mary Joan’s health was getting worse but even though she knew she was going to die, she spent all she had in order to buy Francis a new guitar for his seventh birthday. But she was not there to see him opening his only birthday present. Mary Joan died on February 15th, two days before Francis’s birthday. Grandpa Jonah found her sitting on a chair in the living room. She looked so calm, she had a beautiful smile upon her face and Francis’s new guitar was on the table next to her. Francis didn’t cry for the loss of his mother. “Your mom is now a star, which makes the sky even brighter”, said grandpa Jonah, while he was giving Francis his birthday present.

Mary Joan was buried in Rosewood Cemetery, next to her mother’s grave.
Grandpa Jonah carved his last words on Mary Joan’s gravestone: “In dear memory of Mary Joan Payne, daughter and loving mother” and Francis added: “Goodbye mom, grandpa and I will see you every night”.


-3-

Grandpa Jonah loved Francis with all his power and he was just praying to remain alive to give his grandson an education, but he could never imagine how much he helped Francis. He had all the books a human mind can imagine; history, mathematics, grammar, poetry and many others, but Francis was only interested in music. “That reminds me of mom”, Francis kept saying, but grandpa Jonah couldn’t just let him uneducated. “If you are a good student you will have plenty of time to play the guitar”, grandpa Jonah was saying. And this had actually worked perfectly. Francis was trying to learn as much as he could in order to have more spare time to play the guitar and sing the songs of the greatest blues masters, such as Roger Martin, S.T. Browne etc.

The years went by and grandpa Jonah became very old and sick and he knew his death was approaching. Francis was 20 years old at the time. One day, grandpa Jonah called Francis in his room, he said he had something serious to tell. “After your mother died, I always wanted to tell you who your father is but I kept hesitating, because your mother didn’t want you to know what a terrible person your father is”, said grandpa Jonah and he continued: “I’m dying my boy and I don’t want you to be alone in this world”. Grandpa Jonah told him that he had already sent a letter to Richard Rosinsky, telling him that Mary Joan was dead and informing him that Mary Joan’s son, his son was about to visit him. Grandpa Jonah had actually begged him to let Francis live at his home because he didn’t have anybody else in this world. It was not easy for Francis to believe what his grandfather was telling him, he was totally shocked and at the same time relieved because he finally found out who his father was. After telling Francis about his father Grandpa Jonah died. Richard was now Francis’s only relative.

Francis buried his grandfather in Rosewood Cemetery, where his mother and grandmother were also buried. Francis couldn’t sleep at that night. He was smoking and drinking but nothing could make him feel better. It was then he wrote his first blues song, a real blues song, which was the only way to describe his sorrow and also the only possible way to bid a farewell to his grandfather. He called this song “Blues for Jonah Payne”.


-4-

Ten days after his grandfather passed away, Francis decided to visit his father in order to meet him. He was scared but anxious. Francis took his grandfather’s old car and drove to the city of Easton. He didn’t know where Richard was living, so he drove to the headquarters of Richard’s company. He almost got lost, the building was so huge and it seemed that he would never be able to find his father’s office in there. He had been walking around for more than an hour when he suddenly found his father’s office on the last floor of this skyscraper. He asked the secretary if he could see Mr. Rosinsky in person. “May I ask who’s visiting him?”, she asked and Francis replied gently: “Tell him that Francis Payne is here”.

Richard’s secretary asked for his permission and he showed the young man into the office of his father. Francis couldn’t believe that he was standing before his father, that he was seeing his father for the first time. Richard was in his mid fifties, but he surely looked much older and depressed. “What am I supposed to tell him now?” thought Francis, who has been trembling. Richard said: “I usually have meetings with business partners, but in this case I don’t think you are one of them Sir, may I ask the reason of your visit?” Suddenly Francis felt comfortable enough to tell him who he was. “My name is Francis Jonah Payne and I’m Mary Joan’s son, your son Sir”. Richard’s face turned white, this was a great shock for him. He was sitting there for a couple of minutes thinking about Mary Joan and what he’s done to her, he was speechless. Twenty years earlier he was strong enough to leave Mary Joan and their unborn child, but now he was so helpless and weak because of the death of his wife Julianne, who has given birth to his first two sons, Gerard and Gordon. “I never thought you would come to see me, not after all these terrible things I’ve done to your mother”, Richard admitted. Francis didn’t know what Richard has done, but at this moment it was the last thing he needed to know. Francis asked Richard if he had received grandpa Jonah’s letter but Richard explained him that he didn’t receive it because it’s always been his policy to only receive letters from business partners of his company, so grandpa Jonah’s letter never came in his office.
“Please Francis, come with me at my house, your house and you can stay there for as long as you wish, this could be a great opportunity to meet my sons, Gerard and Gordon”, said Richard, “I can see that you’re also a musician like they are”, continued Richard, after he saw that Francis was carrying a guitar case with him.

Francis accepted and he drove home with Richard. He hoped that this could be a new start with his life. At least he had a family, so he thought. Richard’s house was actually a small palace full of servants and an uncountable number of rooms. Richard and Francis entered the house and in the living room Richard introduced Francis to his “brothers”, which didn’t seem to like him a lot. During the lunch, they were both staring at him as if he was from another planet and making fun of his appearance. Richard has given Gerard and Gordon whatever they’ve asked for and they both turned into monsters, which have only cared about drugs and “playing” music.

After lunch, Richard showed Francis his bedroom and went back to the headquarters of his company. Francis spent the whole afternoon in his room playing his guitar. His mother and grandpa Jonah were the only good memories he had. Francis fell asleep on his new bed but he woke up at midnight after he heard people shouting in the room right next to his. Gerard and Gordon were having a fight with Richard. They both felt insecure about their share of Richard’s fortune, because they thought that Richard would count Francis in his testimony.
Richard was really disappointed, not only because his own sons were fighting with his about such a stupid issue, but most of all because although he gave everything to them, they didn’t become what he expected them to be.
“You’re going to leave everything to a bastard you’ve just met you crazy old man?”, Gerard and Gordon shouted and Richard replied: “Don’t call him like this, after all he deserves a lot more than you!! I gave everything to you and what I see is two junkies, whose only pleasure is wasting money and take drugs in order to have fun!!”

And then the unexpected happened. Gerard and Gordon stubbed Richard like animals till he was dead. Francis who was the only one who saw the incident run against them and tried to fight them. Unfortunately Gerard and Gordon were much stronger than he was and after they’ve hit him really hard, they locked him in the basement, where nobody could see him or listen to him. Gerard and Gordon took all the money from Richard’s wallet and they called the police. They told that Francis stubbed their father, took his money and ran away. At the same time, Francis was lying on the floor of the dusty and cold basement. After two days of darkness, Gerard and Gordon visited Francis in the basement. “We are about to make you an offer, If you accept, we’ll help you survive but if you say no, then hmm… we’re afraid you won’t have so much time left” said Gerard, who seemed like enjoying the view of Francis being helpless and in pain. They told him that if he wrote them songs to play in the “Palace”, the greatest blues bar in town, they would bring him food, but if he said no, then he would die, slowly and painfully. There was no option for Francis, he accepted the proposition, but he asked them to bring him his guitar to compose the songs with.



-5-

This nightmare went on for several weeks. Francis has been writing songs for his “brothers” in order to have a plate of food, but he never stopped looking for a way out. It was true that this particular room in the basement was a secret room, but what Gerard and Gordon didn’t know was that their father was keeping an escape plan under a box filled with forgotten objects of his childhood. This box, which once helped Richard escape from his routine, helped Francis to leave this cold basement. Francis read the plan carefully, he grabbed his guitar and left without a second thought. But Francis had nowhere to go so he ended up living in the streets and playing the guitar in order to get some money. The winter in the streets of Easton is not something you want to experience, especially if you are homeless. It’s always snowing and the wind can freeze you to death. Francis tried to remain warm by making a blanket of paper boxes, which he found on the street. One day while he was playing the guitar, he heard a man talking to him, a man, which he never met. “You’re playing good for a white boy, but you must be able to feel what you’re playing son”, said a black man dressed in rugs. This man looked like a beggar, but Francis didn’t care about it. “I’ve been there Sir”, replied Francis with a look that explained it all. “The song you just heard, is a song I wrote about my grandpa when he died”, continued Francis. The stranger said: “Well, a nice kid like you shouldn’t be living on the streets, come, let’s go to my place, it’s only a couple of blocks away, it’s nothing special but at least I got booze”.

Even though Francis had never met this man, he felt like knowing him his whole life, so he followed him at his place. When they got there, Francis has thanked the stranger for his kindness to invite him at his place but when they got in a huge surprise was there for him. The place was really nothing special, as the stranger has said, but there were about ten different kinds of guitars, which have been lying there for ages. “What do you do with all these guitars?”, asked Francis and he continued: “I’m sorry for telling you this, but you don’t look like someone who could possibly afford these expensive guitars”. The stranger smiled and answered: “These are my children son”. Then the stranger showed Francis where he could sleep; it was actually an old dusty couch in the so-called “living room” of the apartment. “Food will be served at seven”, said the stranger with a smile, “I’ll prepare something special for you, aged bread and the cheapest beer you can find”. Francis didn’t care a lot about it, he has been starving so the old bread looked like something extraordinary to his eyes.
After they finished eating, the stranger asked Francis to play the guitar a little bit; “which songs do you play boy?”, asked the stranger and Francis answered immediately: “Well, I know a lot of songs Sir, I can play T.C. Rollins, George “Magic” Richie, but my favorite blues singer is Al “The Golden Pick” Malone”. “Let’s hear you then”, said the strange man and then Francis started playing an Al Malone’s song entitled “Road to Orleans”, but while he was singing the stranger started singing with him as well. Francis stopped and looked the stranger as if he had seen a ghost. “That can’t be you”, said Francis and the strange old black man couldn’t stop laughing. “Why not boy? Has anybody said I was dead? The truth is that I cannot play anymore because my hands are not in a good condition”, said Al showing Francis his damaged arms. “You see, I had everything, but my good old girlfriend heroine took them away from me, just like that”. Francis couldn’t believe what Al was telling him; it was really shocking for him to see his favorite singer like this. “People stopped listening to the blues boy, kids nowadays listen different things as I used to play” said Al crying and he continued: ”After a long time without being able to sell my records, I started hanging out with all kinds of people and that has actually destroyed my life”. Al Malone told Francis how his arms were paralyzed by heroine injections and how he started drinking in order to be happy again and Francis told him what he’s also been through. They have been talking for several hours and Francis sang Al the songs he had written and Al couldn’t be less surprised. “How can a twenty year old boy, go through all this pain?”, he wondered and it was then he told Francis that he should find a place to play his songs. He told him he should once perform at the greatest underground blues bar, the “Palace”. “What if the owner refuses, what if anybody recognizes me? I’ve already told you that my “brothers” have said that I killed Richard Rosinsky”, said Francis and Al Malone tried to calm him down: “I’ve never heard someone playing the guitar and singing like you do boy, there’s no way you’re getting a “NO” for an answer; and nobody is going to recognize you because by the time you’re going to perform you will not look the way you look now, trust me”. Francis thought it would be a huge opportunity for him, after all he has been dreaming of becoming a blues singer his whole life. But that was not all he had to do; Francis should rehearse for a while before he tried his luck at the “Palace”. The “Palace” has been the best blues bar in Easton for more than sixty years and some of the greatest blues singers had performed at it. The “Golden Pick” had a great plan, a plan, which could make Francis really famous. It was just a matter of time; Al Malone would arrange Francis to open the concert of one most famous bands in Easton, but neither Francis nor Al knew what was going to happen.



-6-

After three months of aged bread, beer and rehearsals, Francis was finally ready to perform at the “Palace” and he really didn’t look like he looked three months ago. His hair grew much longer and he now had a beard; nobody could recognize him. Al Malone used his fame in order to get Francis to perform on the stage of the “Palace” and Francis’s greatest moment was approaching. He was going to open the gig of the best band in Easton, entitled “GGR Blues Band” but he had never even heard of this band or it’s members. Francis got on the stage and started performing famous blues songs the way the great Al “Golden Pick” Malone taught him. He was born to do that, a living legend was on the stage playing guitar, harmonica and singing. Everybody was stunned; You could hear people saying: “Who’s that man? He plays the blues like nobody else has ever done”. The sound of his guitar strings and the pain being described by his lyrics made every single one cheer for this unknown performer, who was really rocking the “Palace”. Francis didn’t seem to understand what was happening, he kept on singing till he made his break. Al, who was sitting at the backstage was speechless, he couldn’t believe how good Francis had performed. “You got ten minutes son, drink some booze and drive them crazy once again!” The owner had told Al that Francis should extend his gig until twelve o’clock, because the band had not yet arrived. Francis couldn’t wait to be on stage once again but it was then he realized who the members of the “GGR Blues Band” were, as he saw a poster of the band at the back of the stage. Gerard and Gordon, Richard’s sons were the two most important members of the band he was opening for, “GGR” were just the initials of Gerard – Gordon – Rosinsky. Francis the world going upside down, he told Al who was about to perform right after him but Al couldn’t just let him destroy everything and he pursued him to perform till twelve and just leave.

Francis was on the stage once again, but this time he had no power to sing. He was so scared that he even found it difficult to breathe. Al was starting to worry about him, Francis just couldn’t go on with it, not at this night, not without help. And it was then that Al “Golden Pick” Malone decided to get on the stage to help his boy. He took a microphone and after he plugged it on the amplifier he started accompanying Francis, who was then straggling to play the rest of his songs. Al’s plan had worked and Francis had managed to perform till “GGR Blues Band” was about to perform. When he saw them entering the “Palace” he just took his guitar and ran away, but he left something behind, something, which helped Gerard and Gordon realize who the stranger who opened their gig was. Even though Francis has chosen another name for his performance (Frank Rosewood), the name Francis Jonah Payne was written on the inner side of his folder, in which he kept his songs. Francis had changed his name, after a short discussion he had with Al. It was certain that besides his appearance he should also change his name; everybody in Easton would see his name on “Palace’s” sign. Francis used Rosewood as his surname because all his good memories were buried in Rosewood Cemetery in his hometown, Atheane.

-7-

Gerard and Gordon found Francis’s hideout quite easily, because Al had told the owner of the “Palace” that Francis was a kid which he found on the streets and that he was living with him. One day as Francis entered Al’s apartment he found Gerard and Gordon sitting in the living room; they were both holding guns, which pointed his head. “Come in little brother”, said Gerard, who shot the sealing just to scare him and he continued: “You’ve played, you’ve had some fun but you’ve lost. We are running out of songs and you’re the only one, who could do something about it… And you will”. Meanwhile, Al was entering his apartment and he heard the gunshot, he knew that something was wrong. Gordon heard him coming in, he started hitting him with all his powers and he drugged him where Gerard and Francis were. “Well, what’s your answer bastard?”, asked Gerard, who seemed stronger than anytime before, but Francis couldn’t talk, he was just shocked and Gerard continued: “Let me make it easier for you”, said Gerard as he was shooting Al right in the heart. “Do you want to come with us and live or do you want to end up like your new father?”.

As you can understand, the two gunshots could be heard in the whole building and the neighbors had called the police, which came immediately. As the policemen entered the apartment they saw Gerard and Gordon aiming Francis with their guns. “We found him officer!” shouted Gordon, “He is the one who stubbed our father”. The policemen had managed to take their guns and to them to the nearest police department. Francis was desperate, who would believe him? It didn’t mutter much that Gerard and Gordon would be in jail. They’ve killed somebody, who stood by him like a father and he was accused for the murder of his real father, Richard Rosinsky.

But Francis was not alone, not even on a situation like this one. All of Richard Rosinsky’s servants, which have been working on the night of the murder confessed that Gerard and Gordon were the ones who committed the murder and that they had told them that if they didn’t keep their mouths shut they would end up on the streets. The Rosinsky’s advocates weren’t easy opponents, but the judge and the jury were not to be bribed by Gerard and Gordon’s millions. Francis was finally free and able to live his dream and he did. Francis Jonah Payne changed his name to Frank Rosewood and he became one of the greatest blues legends of all time. This was the story of Francis Jonah Payne, or better Frank Rosewood. Rosewood, his surname will always remind him of his loved ones, Mary Joan and grandpa Jonah, which taught him everything and Payne, his former surname will always remind him of the pain, this cruel world has put him through.


06 Ιανουαρίου, 2010
Κολονία

Το πιo πάνω κείμενο αποτελεί εργασία που έπρεπε να παραδώσω για το μάθημα των Αγγλικών στο πανεπιστήμιο στο οποίο φοιτώ. Ήταν η πρώτη φορά που έτυχε να γράψω περισσότερες από 350 λέξεις. Ελπίζω να σας αρέσει.

[I][B]

Δημοσίευση στο stixoi.info: 22-03-2010