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The Conduit

Dan Nicholas

    As I approached from the dusty parking lot, the run-down, tawdry shanty, disguised as a music venue from its illustrious days of a honky-tonk, came into view. The electricity in the air consumed the crowd as they lined around the shack and spilled into the adjoining parking lot. They paid no heed to the looming thunderstorm in the distance.
    The large man guarding the entrance let me pass for a Jackson, the admission to enter this hallowed ground of vibrating strings and gyrations that confounded the masses. Once inside, recreational smoke hung thick in the air while the smell of stale beer and cheap whiskey clung to the venue like its own ecosystem. My office; an open barstool and a glass of hard tonic, as I deciphered the music beat for hack magazines.
    The once-distant thunderstorm crackled above us as if signaling the packed house to rush to their seats and stage front for the event that was unfolding. I could tell that I was on the outside looking in. Not privy to what everyone else already knew.
    The crowded room suddenly fell quiet when a man in his late thirties; sporting a pompadour, wearing cuffed blue jeans, and a shirt adorned with embroidery, made his way through the crowd and onto the stage. A trio of band members waited for him as the crowd chanted Billy.
    He positioned himself to play, staring out as if....waiting.
    I turned to the gal next to me. “What the hell is he waiting for?” She did not return my gaze, but shushed me into silence. Just as I was about to pose the same question to the man beside me, a thunderclap caused the building to tremble. The lights flickered, drawing murmurs from the crowd, but a loud, “Hello baaaa-beh,” stunned, then electrified the crowd as Billy belted out Chantilly Lace. He transformed himself into the Big Bopper before our eyes.
    My first instinct was to join the raucous crowd, but the journalist asked how was this possible. Is this an impersonation or a cheap trick? If it was the latter, it is pretty good. Shit, I need a drink.
    I retreated to the bar, trying to sort out what I know and what I saw when I spotted a series of old event posters and a picture of a younger Billy with two older men flanking him. As I processed the new pieces of this puzzle, a grizzled old timer sitting near me raised his glass to invite himself over.
    “You a first-timer?” asked the inebriated patron.
    “At the bar?”
    The old man cackled. “No, here at this tonk”
    “Okay, pops. I was never here before.”
    The old man pointed on stage. “It was him.”
    My journalist antenna went up. “What do you mean, it was him?”
    Not paying attention to my question, the old man cackled again. “They were all here.” The old man points to his glass for a refill.
    I refilled his drink, and he greedily gulped it down.
    “American Pie, tragic man....don’t you get it?”
    “Get what? Hold on a sec. Who is this guy, Billy?”
    “Oh, royalty, yes, him and his pappy and his pappy before him, yep.”
    “What do you mean, royalty?”
    The old man cackled. “Royalty knows royalty. Yep, he was here too, ha ha ha, yep.”
    I thought to myself, wait, I’m the entertainment reporter here. This is something I should know.
One week later
    From my bar stool perch, the old photo of Billy and his patriarchs made more sense now. They were the magic between the music and the masses. Billy and his patriarchs knew the music royalty of their time. Nothing had changed- even through tragedy, their music would live on.
    A familiar rumbling rang from the heavens, prompting the advance of the crowd to their rightful viewing area. No longer an outsider, I moved with them, pushing my way to the front as Billy climbed to his spot on the stage.
    My heart was beating fast with anticipation, but this time with a bit of resolve. I had never seen him in person before, but to those that believe, the outcome will be certain.
    I felt the heavens dance above this hallowed structure; the lights flashing to their beat. He was in his trance, taking in the atoms and molecules that engulfed him. I had my opportunity and took it.
    “Wonderful to see you.”
     He looked down at me with a captivating smile, “Thank you, thank you very much.”

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