Soliquory
THE WORLD ON A STRING
And then, at Valentine Sunday's Sinatra meeting at Baden Powell
House, Rick Apt would finish his prime presentation by reading from
his marvelous essay recently published in Mustazza's digest volume,
telling about Sinatra's ties to Atlantic City, and reminiscing how
it was to see The Voice perform there for the last time in November
1994. How the lost lyrics and vocal struggling only added to
what already was an emotional performance, and how Frank was moved to
tears by the warm response from his audience.
At this point, all of it came back to me in a flashlight.
Dream Away, child...
The citement of Frank's 1993 German tour, the many extra moments of
Sinatra magic, culminating in a most moving performance in front of
the Cologne cathedral, just about 15 miles away from the place where
a young man resembling myself once started to listen to Sinatra
records. Love, Ageless and Evergreen. The soundtrack for my favourite
Sinatra clip, although not captured by any camera: A small man,
white hair, dressed in a black suit, happily whistles along as he
passes a hotel lounge to disappear into the elevator, a few seconds
after a handshake that probably meant nothing to him, but everything
to me.
I'm woken up by applause following Rick's act, to find
myself surrounded by Sinatra friends.
Home at last.