Phoebe stood up straight as a shepherd scanning his sheep on the horizon. She gave the pianist a nod. She was like a skylark to the clouds. The sweet melody and volume of her voice seem to rise and fade like a wisp of hay in a hurricane. Mr. Pelkey and Mrs. Campbell we’re sitting in the wings.
“Didn’t I tell you, Mr. Pelkey.”
“I never heard anything like that in my life, Isobel.”
The members of the club was sitting so still like they were enjoying the vapors of marijuana.
“Did you know her reaction, Mr. Pelkey, when you gave the word people wanted her to sing?”
“Indeed I did. I figured that she has spunk.”
“You know, Mr. Pelkey, the lady that she is staying with told me to handle her with gloves, whatever she meant by that. Did you see how she rolled that piano round on the floor? She must be strong as an ox.”
When Phoebe finished ‘Danny Boy’, there was a spontaneous applause and immediate action from Phoebe.
“Now we shall try ‘Galway Bay’.”
The pianist struck a chord that she was off. She looked like a stately girl standing erect and in control of the situation.
Mr. Pelkey said to Isobel, “Isn’t that marvelous?”
The applause was thunderous. More and more came out loud and clear.
“Let us try ‘Tipperary’.”
Phoebe made her way over and had a few words with the pianist. He seemed to have a little problem finding the music sheet. Phoebe and him were scanning things over when suddenly he said, “Here it is.”
He struck a chord and Phoebe was like a greyhound after a rabbit. She could put the Irish lilt into it. The members joined in, tapping a floor with their toes in lower unison. Phoebe and the pianist had this move pre-planned that when she had finished her last number he would suddenly switch to the Scotch music and Phoebe would entertain them with a lively step dance.
When she finished ‘Tipperary’, there was a very lively applause. A young man was seen coming up with the aisle with a note in his hand but before he can make it to the platform, Phoebe was already performing her step dance. He turned back to his table. Phoebe finished her dance. There was no end the applause.
The young man made his second attempt and just go there in time as Phoebe was about to give her final bow. Phoebe observed his coming and held back her final bow. She met him at the perimeter of the platform. She had that winning smile as he handed her the note and said, “Please”. Then he returned to his table.
His word, “Please”, caught her sympathetic nerve. The expression on that young man’s face was more of a plea then it was please. Phoebe took the note and thanked him. She took the note over to the pianist. Him and Phoebe both read it.
It read, “Could you possibly sing for my grandparents’ diamond wedding anniversary, “In the Long Long Ago’?” Signed Randall Scott Junior.
The pianist was a very efficient young man and had all his music well indexed. In no time flat, he told Phoebe that he had it. Phoebe took the note over to Mr. Pelkey who is sitting with Isabel in the wings. She handed note to Mr. pokey and said, “What can we do about that?”
Mr. Pelkey said, “I’ll bet that is Mr. and Mrs. Randall Scott.” He looked at Phoebe and asked, “Would you oblige that venerable old couple, Phoebe?”
“I went feel that it was an honor to be asked. I sang that song for my own grandparents, all four of them, last March seventeenth.”
Mr. Pelkey took Phoebe by the hand to the front of the platform. He held onto the note.
“I I have a request from Mr. Randall Scott Junior asking if the singer would sing ‘In the Long Long Ago’ in celebration of ‘my grandparents’ diamond wedding anniversary’. Well, Miss Croiner tells me that she would feel honored to do so as she sang the same song in honor of her own grandparents’ 60th wedding anniversary on St. Patrick’s Day last March.”
Mr. Pelkey shook her hand and retreated. The pianist struck a chord. Phoebe had requested the pianist to play low and sweet. The pianist did a superb job low and sweet. Phoebe sang with all the nostalgia, romance and compassion that she was capable of in the melody of that song. It was like dew drops dripping onto the orchid in a misty dawn broken only by the fuzzy hum of the industrious bumblebee as it carried out its God-given task of pollination. The melody was so touching, Phoebe observed the old gentleman remove his glasses and rub his eyes with his handkerchief.
Some members gave the old couple a standing ovation. At the same time, Phoebe gave them all a graceful bow. Before Phoebe could retreat, this good looking girl came to the platform with a note in her hand. Phoebe got down on her knee to talk to this young lady. She was all apologetic.
“Could you please, please record for my father, who is housebound from shell shock, ‘There is a Silver Lining in the Dark Clouds Shining’?” Signed, Irene Gordon, Hargrave 4379.
The girl told Phoebe, We may never hear another voice like yours again.”
“I’m willing indeed,” Phoebe told the girl, “but I will have to have Mr. Pelkey’s permission.”
Phoebe first showed the note to the pianist then she went over to Mr. Pelkey.”
“What do we do with this, Mr. Pelkey?”
“Gee, Phoebe, it’s hard for me to say. This could get out of hand. I do not wish to impose upon you, Phoebe.”
Phoebe, with a lilt of a laugh, said, “Maybe they feel that they are getting good value for their money, twenty-five cents optional. Do not take me seriously, Mr. Pelkey.”
“Well, honestly, Phoebe, how do you feel about these requests?”
“Mr. Pelkey, you seem to be the authority here. As far as I am concerned I’m not physically or mentally fatigued. I’m willing to co-operate with you to the full. I do wish that Mrs. Campbell would call Mrs. Forster to let her know what we are doing. I know that she will be concerned.”
“Well then, Phoebe, carry on at your own pleasure.”
The pianist has a music already prepared. Mr. Pelkey came forward and announced that this request was for one of our veterans, Mr. Hugh Gordon, and that it is being recorded for him. An usher had the table recorder all set up. He got behind Phoebe with a hand on each of her shoulders to position at her correctly for the recorder. The pianists struck a chord and Phoebe was off to the ‘Silver Lining’.
She was saying it with emotion and pomp. The members just loved it. When she came to the finish, she waited for maybe five seconds after the music has ceased. That she went on impromptu , without music, another old song of love and longing.
“My Little Pearl of the Army, Pearl of My Heart So True’. After the fight was won, one little girl was sighing watching the boys march by, listening to the songs they were singing. The bands were playing a Yankee Doodle and Rule Britannia. There is maybe a boy who would die and be glad of pearl of a girl like you.”
Pearl White was a much loved silent film star of the World War I era known as “Queen of the Serials.” She was noted for doing the majority of her own stunts, most notably in ‘The Perils of Pauline’. Often cast as a plucky onscreen heroine, White’s roles directly contrasted those of the popularized archetypal ingénue.
With a semi military precision, she automatically switched to ‘Madamoiselle from Armentieres’. The whole club were in titters. Phoebe was singly bringing out the soldiers macho. Phoebe was very good at injecting comedy into a song on the mood for the occasion. When she finished ‘Madamoiselle’, she turned and thanked the pianist, came to the perimeter of the stage, made a graceful bow and said. “Thank you.”
The members gave her a standing ovation, requiring it another bow. Phoebe went over to Mrs. Campbell and Mr. Pelkey and said, “Mrs. Campbell, will you take me to Trevor and Joanne’s table?”
Mr. Pelkey said, “Just a jiffy, Phoebe,” and took her hand and headed back to the stage.
Phoebe said, “Mr. Pelky, this is going to be very embarrassing for me.”
“Ladies and gentlemen,” Mr. Pelkey went on, “we have been superbly entertained with this young lady tonight. All was unplanned and unrehearsed, all impromptu. In all my years in connection with this club, I cannot recall one singer that we could compare to this young lady. She is truly one-of-a-kind. I would like to give some credit to Mrs. Isabel Campbell for introducing Miss Phoebe Croiner to us. Previously, mrs. Campbell swore to me that we couldn’t go wrong. How true.”
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