FLYING GLORY AND THE HOUNDS OF GLORY: Glimpses Behind the Shroud

Glimpses Behind the Shroud

Volume 1: "From the Top"

February 14

Oh Mama.Papa finally believes he has found someone who can replace you in hislife.Esperanza.What does he want with some waitress who can't even discipline her own daughter?Yeah, you heard me right, I get a stepsister in this crummy deal, Juanita.Papa says I will be a good influence on her, but the girl is deaf, Mama.And I don't mean physically.Nothing I say or do sticks.She's trouble, running with the gangs.

I pray to Jesus often.You live only so I may live, and now I get saddled with this excuse for a family.I'd rather be homeless with Papa in the van again, I swear to you!

And when the darkness comes

The chill cuts to your bones

Remember all you have

As you face the world alone (maybe try… As you go it on your own)

Ah, not coming together.A song.I want to write a song, like Papa taught me.It must have been wonderful to have him serenade you.Did you fall in love with his guitar, Mama?Or his voice?

I do not know what he sees in this Esperanza.I know she sees in him the ticket to citizenship.She convinced him to marry in the courthouse, even!At least you and Papa wed under the eye of Jesus Christ.

A handyman and a waitress.At least you, Mama, you had your own flower shop.I wish that we didn't have to sell it to pay the bills after you... ah, I would have loved to work with you, Mama.

December 25

Papa went out of his way to make this Christmas special for Esperanza and Juanita.But he didn't pay much attention to me.I don't think he meant to do that.But he did.

Ah.Esperanza and Juanita did not even want to go the Christmas mass, and Papa did not want them to feel like they were not welcome, so he did not go.I went on my own.Papa was so mad, he said I should have stayed with the family and not snuck out without permission.I told him Christmas mass is the time I feel closest to you, Mama, and I needed to go.He said nothing more.

I told them I was sick tonight and went to bed early.And I am sick.Sick of being the outsider.

April 19

I met a man today.Vince Giantassio.He had been rounded up for truancy in Hollywood with Juanita, Papa and I had to go get her because Esperanza was working double shift.Juanita and Vince had been talking while waiting to get parental pickup, she introduced him as a musician.Oh, and he is good looking too, and very funny.He made me laugh.I do not laugh much.

He asked if I could come meet him at his grandparents restaurant, maybe we could talk music.At first I thought he was kidding, but seemed quite serious.Perhaps all he needs is a friend.I will try.

April 26

I had a very long visit with Vince at the Italian restaurant, closely supervised by his grandparents. Perhaps they feared I would be of bad influence, since I met him at the jail.But all seemed to go well, and he is very bright.

May 7

Vince started to write his first song with me.He is excellent, hears the music in his head and puts it to paper.Then I play it for him on the guitar.

He made up a tune and asked me to write the words for it.Tonight I am going to try.

"It Was Like Magic"

All my life I was lonely

Always ignored, always left alone

One day you came into my life

And fueled my fire bright

CHORUS:

It was like magic

That special day

The way I always wanted

You came my way

We both had just

Turned the bend

And all I ever needed

Was a friend

We had our good times

We had our bad times

But I always want you to know

That I'm happy you came to me

CHORUS

You helped me cope with loneliness

You said the same thing happened to you

When you were a kid

We're different but same in some ways

CHORUS

I thank you with all my life

Even when I'm older, I'll still remember you

I hope you will too

You saved me from being blue

CHORUS

And all I ever needed was a friend

(sigh... this needs work... it's so late.It says so much how I feel about him.I think I love Vince.)

May 13

Juanita finally told us she expects a baby in the Spring.When Papa and Esperanza press her about the father, she will not say.She is so young.Only thirteen.

Because she will not say, I had to ask Vince if he was the father.He was the one that brought us together.This hurt him.He said if he had been with Juanita he would have told me, and never had such interest in her.It also opened up questions about us, and where we might go.Vince said right now all he cares about is making music, not making love, but wants us to be a couple.I hope it is so.

November 8

Juanita's baby boy was born.Miguel Rodriguez, her Papa's last name.Her Papa joined Jesus Christ many years ago.I hope she will have Miguel turn to Papa as an example.I do not want him respecting those boys she runs with.Though, if one of them helped bring Miguel into this world, he should step up and do what is right.Juanita still will not tell us who it is.

January 10

Vince and I went to a local talent show on a date.Mainly we were planning to laugh at bad performances, but someone good was there.A young woman I'd seen before at school, but didn't know that well.Her name's Debra Clay.Another fellow was on the synthesizer, and the sound board guy who worked the whole event's usually part of their posse.They did some silly 80s pop cover, I forget the tune now.But she was great!Blew all the competition away.Vince suggested we should introduce ourselves.If she dealt with pop covers that well, imagine what she could do with our original stuff!Not to mention exposure for us.I wasn't too crazy about that but Vince insisted.

So Vince dragged me over as he approached these folks.They weren't really a band, the introduction had just been "Debra Clay."He suggested letting him join the band in exchange for original songs. The synthesizer guy... John I think his name is... wasn't all that thrilled.He insisted he and Deb were fine.But Debra went crazy over the idea of getting more attention, and I think John gave in because of her.

John pointed out that if we were going to be a band we needed a name. Deb suggested several names that didn't quite work.Like Glory Hounds.Vince said he knew of some other band by that name, they'd probably visited his grandparents' restaurant.Or maybe he'd seen it in a music mag at some point.

"Listen to all those big, attention-getting names! You're really a hound for glory," Vince told Deb jokingly.She responded by leaping enthusiastically and giving him a hug.

"A hound for glory! I love it!" shrieked Deb.And everyone liked it.I'm not nuts about it, but it does have a sound to it.Maybe we can make this work.

April 3

We played a youth center tonight.They really liked the new batch of songs Vince and I worked up, especially "Leaders of a Revolution."It's also the first chance we've had to start selling those CDs John's made with his computers.But I can't stand it.The ladies keep coming to Vince like a magnet, even though he's at the back of the stage!It gets harder to keep his attention.

"Love's Reaching the Limit"

It's so hard to hear

So very hard to bear

Knowin' you are there

You broke my heart

And I'm goin' back to the start

CHORUS:

Love's reaching the limit

(It's almost at the top)

Love's reaching the limit

(It's almost time to stop!)

Love's reaching the limit

It's hard here at square one

Believe me, it's no fun

You broke my heart

Just like a lethal dart

BRIDGE:

It's hard to be back at square one

(but I'll get goin' again!)

I thought you sincere and true

I should know it's not you

You broke my heart

Your passion's flawed at the start

CHORUS

Just thinkin' about you

Knowin' what you say's not true

You broke my heart

But now I'm sure I'm smart

CHORUS

Love's reaching the limit

(and we've got to stop!)

Ah, is that really how I feel?

July 31

Well, I will definitely go into this coming school year changed.Vince and I called it quits.I just can't deal with this feeling non-exclusive.He insists I'm just being moody.

But we write good music together and the band is going great.We're not going to let the Hounds of Glory go, not just yet.I hope for great things next year.

October 4

We won!Totally knocked out the competition in the school talent show.I wish I could say it was Debra's singing, but it was her stage leap.She practically flew.Must have been a trick of the eyes.But it was good.

October 11

Debra told us she really did fly.Granddaughter of a wartime hero, now she's got the power. And wants us to become superheroes on stage.I'm not crazy about the idea.Or renaming the band Flying Glory and the Hounds of Glory.But I know we sound good together.

October 12

Debra's asked me to write a song to go along with this fashion show idea of hers.As long as we're not having to prance down the runway, I'm game.She better not make me wear some rainbow covered nightmare though.Black.Dark.The way I like it.Me in the background and the music up front.

October 26

I knew this was going to go badly.Some insane guy crashed the fashion show.Except for all the damage he did, I would have thought he was just off his nut.No, Mama, this guy really had powers like Deb does.And seemed to be looking for her grandmother.What have we gotten ourselves into?

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Edited and arranged by Shannon Muir.