Sorry About the Delay!

Hey Guys,

Sorry to keep you waiting. The health is better now, (man-flu is not, quite, fatal), but i've still got nothing, i'm tired and it's way too busy here. (So, what's new?)

NEway, i received a little gift from Lloyd - so here's something while you're waiting.

"I think there was something left out of the last posting!

"Gary and Lachlan went off for a look around and the others went back to Ma’s for the rest of the morning.

After looking over the village, Gary and Lachlan stopped in the Music Center. Two chaps were working there, a tall dark-haired guy and a shorter blond one, both about the same age as Superboy.

The store was impressive, mostly CDs and DVDs including a large DVD rental area but there were also some music instruments and audio/video equipment. There was a section of sheet music and books on music. What particularly caught Lachlan's eye was a placard on the wall "Studio Available -- Hourly and Daily rates" and below it "Demos Made."

Lachlan asked if there was a piano in the studio and if it would be possible to get a recording of his friend playing the piano. Yes there was and it would be easy to make a recording of his friend playing the piano.

Gary was not too keen on the idea but Lachlan so wanted it, he had been talking for some time that he wanted to have Gary record his playing. So Gary agreed. The studio had a piano and a selection of other instruments including drums and extensive recording equipment. Peter, that was the name of the shorter blond man, turned on the recording equipment and nodded to Gary that he could begin.

Gary started with "Whispering Hope" and then went on to other things including a chopin Nocturne and Rachmaninov Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini. Then, with a grin at Lachlan as big as the piano keyboard, he played the Beatles "Do you Want to Know a Secret" and then rolled into the Beatles "Love Me Do" and "Love You To."

The two of them were grinning and laughing. Peter had to ask, "Are you two a couple?" They acknowledged that they most certainly were with some concern as to how that would be received. No worries, Peter thought it was great and told them the he and Jay were as well.

Gary played some more tunes, just about every genre that you could think of, Scott Joplan's ragtime "The Entertainer" and "Maple leaf Rag," some folk including "Danny Boy" from Ireland, "Minstrel Boy" from Wales, a number of songs from musicals including "Love changes Everything" from Aspects of Love and several tunes from Oliver, and a number of American folk, popular and jazz songs.

Peter said that he had recorded as much as he could get on a CD. He was awestruck with Gary which is something that does not happen to Peter often. He said Gary was the best pianist he had heard since Michael McHale.

"Who is Michael McHale?" Lachlan wanted to know.

Peter explained that he was a pianist in his mid twenties from Belfast, Ireland. He described his version of "Danny Boy" which started out like a traditional Irish folk air and finished up as an American New Orleans Dixieland jazz piece. Peter said that he would have the demo records later that day, how many copies did they want? Gary paid with his bank card.

Gary and Lachlan left to join the others at Ma's thinking what a great person Peter was and hoping the would see more of him and his mate, Jay. They had lunch there, and then Ross and Robert took them for a tiki-tour around the town, meeting even more rellies as they went.

Maybe I have at least brought a smile to your face."

Thanks Lloyd - brilliant!

cheers