Cold Pizza

Cold Pizza

She swung open the big, old wooden door in the mid-century, California house she shared with her techie roomies- two guys and one woman. “Welcome. Step in. Nice to see you. I am just kicking back – finishing a creative morning at the computer. Coffee? Water or Wine? She lead him across the saltillo tile to an older wooden chair by the sliding glass. "Hold just a moment- I’d like to play some of my personal tunes for you- Have you ever heard the Native Flute music of the trio Nakai, Eaton, Clipman- ‘Feather, Stone & Light’?” D’Angelo was immediately drawn into her orbit. It happened every time. Magic. Scarry magic. Scarry good magic. She turned to make him comfortable on the couch and he surveyed the petite, shapely legs of Marta. “Have a seat and relax -this tune is one of my favorites and it immediately transports me to another time, somewhere deep in the canyons of my soul. The name is “Prelude to the Storm”. Nice, yeah?"

D’Angelo liked Native flute music and sipped the red as he moved to another seat and relaxed into the worn leather couch and used the opportunity to talk to her about the time he spent on the Rez with his college roommate, Larry, who was both Lakota Sioux and Navajo. When he and Larry had music on the Rez- they would hook up a line to the battery of the car and get some juice- He talked about the special wind in the trees in Northern Arizona, The People, and how the first people would always be more important than the white society could ever know-though they were both very white, and the stars that just wouldn’t quit.

“You love Joni right?” said Marta. “She has been my favorite since high school, man and she is likely the most important musician of the 20th century. I’ll just cue up some of her songs, including “Blue”. Songs are, they ARE like tattoos and she has just known my heart forever. That’s what the humanities are, yeah? More wine?” Dee liked the music which was contemporary but with deep credibility already admired by several generations.

“Marta, I got to admit, I never listened to these words before.”

“Feel like stretching a bit? I first came into contact with Enya in the 90’s one Christmas when I was working Walden Books- I was entranced by the lyric magic and pristine composition of her tracks- but it is only when music ignites magic in the heart, you see and I was deeply in love when I encountered this very song.” The music continued to play as they comfortably moved to the carpet and sat across from one another. They continued doing deep breathing and shared a few poses. Both were West Coast Hot Yoga buffs.

D’Angelo was excited to finally have Marta talk to him about what moved her heart. She was a hard worker and worked independently. Lived independently. She had a nice energetic, modern hairdo, kind of edgy and he was already wishing that she could be “the one. She always looked trim in jeans and shirts- very simple. Her face was sunkissed and bare lips that ever beckoned him to kisses. She only displayed one photo of herself on the sofa table- one on a beach with the unmistakable look of love in her green eyes. She continued, “I remember how my heart was beating every time I would hear “On Your Shore”, that Christmas. I was recently divorced and I had been lonely for a long time. The East Coast can be sort of tough, sort of with a lot of cloudy days and a lot of people who seemed to already know each other and stuck together and moody sometimes- full of history and people are sort of different than here in California- Wow! I am so glad you like it, too. We have a little wine left- shall we pour another glass? Let’s go inside and see what’s in the fridge- maybe you would like dinner and we can cook or maybe just get a pizza and crank out a little salad before we go to meet Patti at the club.”

“Yes,” continued Marta, “I gravitate to the folk favorites. I gravitate to acoustic. But I am going to line up some newer energies- you might like-Isleta Kanneh-Mason. This song is “Redemption Song” and the Album entitled “Carnival of the Animals” well when it played- this spectacular family orchestra, his heart swelled with appreciation and he knew that she had depth unplumed. Then they played their version of the Cohen hymn, “Hallelujah”- well he might be the first man ever to base a marriage proposal on a girl’s playlist.

They both yelled together “Yeah!” Go Youtube- It is amazing- yeah music just keeps coming. The music was somehow warm and affectionate. Very fresh. Marta sat quietly and just looked into his eyes as the music wrote stories they could both dream. Dee genuinely liked the young and talented musicians- no denying the talent. “Yeah, Mee, too! And do you ever listen to Andre Boccelli?” his voice rang out. He liked the famous Opera musician with his son-Matteo- and the obstacles of their lives- everybody has obstacles-“ I mean that man is blind- the appreciation of their hearts to one another just takes me where I wish to live”, stated Dee. “Could you play “Fall on Me”, Marta?” The Pizza is here! More music? Really Great! And the next track she selected was dreamy and picturesque, - “The Engulfed Cathedral” by Debussy played by a deceased Japanese musician Tomita who used early synthesizer to experience Impressionism. And then they started calling out favorites and both settled on another oldie- Bee Gees- great vocalists- men with dreams - “Edge of the Universe”.

And after they had pizza, well, something happened and well, the Bee Gees playlist just kept comin’. The young lovers kissed sweetly and lay side by side and explored options mentally as they turned their attention to one another and gently removed their clothing. After a while, Marta realized that the music was no longer playing and that her mind was still at ease. The sound of sprays into the pool water was quiet and meditative in the background. D’Angelo spoke first and said to her,” Marta this has been very nice. Do we still have energy enough to go to the club?” They both laughed- but Marta stood up and pulled on her jeans and leaned over him to graze his lips with her own. And they remained in their special bubble. She said,” Patti wants us to meet her husband- they are the couple that got married at Tahoe.” Patti was a girl from Tucson who had recently moved to California with a husband, Hassem, who was sort of Middle Easter looking. And he knew it meant a lot to her to make them at home. He was happy to have something nice to do for Marta and maybe they would like this Patti and Hassem.

Marta fumbled for a shirt in her closet that might be a little, well, softer looking as Dee got his keys and straightened the kitchen a bit. Putting the pizza away in the fridge, he thought how nice it could be to have cold pizza for breakfast and what music he might suggest to Marta to include in her playlist. He thought of Pete Seeger- “Oh In The Morning” and believed it would suit her very well.