To Be Frank

The day began as any other with his alarm going off to the sound of the uplifting tune of Bob Marley's Three Little Birds. He had always found it was the perfect way to open the day on a positive note. It was a song his mother used to hum to him as a child. He rolled over to see his beautiful partner laying with what seemed to be the slightest peaceful grin. How he ever came to this point of having such an amazing woman in his life still baffled him. He gazed over her trying not to disturb her as he crawled out of bed.

The evening prior had turned out to be full of excitement. They had been out on the town and seemed to be lingering somehow through the dream filled sleep she was enjoying. They had found themselves taking in some karaoke and she had encouraged him to get on stage and sing.

She had a way of asking him the tough questions he couldn't avoid like "What is your purpose or passion in life?" She always saw the brightest future for them and would always encourage him to be his greatest self. This is what set her apart from the rest. If it wasn't for her he wouldn't have ever had the courage to take that first step and sing in front of a room full of people. It was only as simple as a karaoke night at a local pub, but it proved to be a pivotal moment in his life. He was never one to see himself in that way. He was always selling himself short of his own skills and talent, yet the response he garnered was remarkably supportive. Was he really that good? He couldn't be, could he?

He had started his night off with some of his favorite pop artists like John Legend and Jason Mraz. Then as the night continued he went to artists like Jack Johnson. These were the artists he felt most comfortable mimicking. It wasn't long before he noticed he was the one who was taking center stage and started soaking in the limelight. The crowd was enjoying every lyric accompanied by every note of music that flowed so effortlessly from his lips. He had never felt so comfortable in front of a group like this in his life. Yet the only one he could focus on was her. He felt as though no one else existed in the room, like they were the only two souls in the place. He poured all he had into serenading her and remembered how his dad used to sing to his mother when he was just little. Then he though about stepping outside of current pop culture. He remembered how his parents listened to artists from their younger days. The people that filled the room were around his age. Not the type of audience that would know of let alone have an appreciation for that era of music yet his instinct was to see how they would react.

He could remember Nature Boy by Nat King Cole. It always had struck a chord with him. When he was younger he felt he was "that boy", that strange enchanted boy. Even though the tune was a little more somber it received a most delightful reaction. What other oldies could he think of? He recalled Dean Martin on his Evening in Roma, much more fun to sing yet not sure of the Italian words he was singing. Were they even words? He let it ride out anyway. The next coming to mind was Louis Armstrong dancing cheek to cheek with Ella in Heaven. He could see that his performance was tugging on her heart strings and that with each word she was falling little further in love with him. Then it struck him, he felt compelled to sing some classic Sinatra. The Way You Look Tonight was most fitting in the moment. As he began to channel his inner crooner he was belting out the words to The Best is Yet to Come, followed by That's Life and finally ending the night with My Way. The crowd had stuck around hanging on his every word and roared with enjoyment.

That night proved to be one of those "moments". A moment in his life that everything came together in harmony. Where his heart and mind were working together instead of their typical war over the body. He was always one to over think and be over analytical of everything. It always seemed to be that either his thoughts were sound and his heart didn't agree, or his heart felt passionately but his mind would get the better of him. He had a habit of halting any action needed to accomplish what most see as dreams or aspirations. This had finally brought to light the epiphany that his passion and purpose in life was to entertain through music of generations past. He was puzzled by how this sound and style had ever disappeared. It made all the music today being overplayed and relentlessly pushed seem bland and lacking substance like a can of soda water that's been left opened and sitting for far too long.

As the day continued along its path he had the melodies playing in the back of his mind. He was reminded of his partner as he softly sang through every note. It seemed to flow from him effortlessly bringing a sense of class and his body flowed ever so smoothly throughout his day. He had never felt his life had the suave charisma that was beaming from his soul with every step he took. He was captivated by the realization that his life had ultimately evolved overnight. She, without even knowing had brought out only the best in him. He found himself in awe of her and the endless support and love she extended to him. She was his muse, inspiration and most importantly his partner. She was his Barbara, and he could only imagine that this is what it must have been like to be Frank.