The Saxophonist

 The Saxophonist 

There was a saxophonist who played around the local folk clubs. He was very ambitious. He dreamed that someday that he would play in Carnegie Hall. He tried everything he could think of to get his name known. He moved around the country playing in different venues. He was always well received but the big break didn't come until one day after he had played "Somewhere Over the Rainbow" a promoter approached him and overed him a spot at the London Palladium. He couldn't believe his luck. Well, he didn't think it was luck after all he had worked damned hard for this success. Isn't there a saying that success is 80% hard work and 20% luck. 

So, his big night came, and his performance was faultless. He ended as usual with his signature piece, "Somewhere Over the Rainbow". The audience went wild and requested an encore which he was delighted to give.

Since the show was televised offers and requests flooded in. He was spoiled for choice. But the upshot was that he was recognised by an American who offered him the opportunity he'd longed for, which he accepted without a second thought. 

He played a few venues to get himself used to new audiences and they him. Then the big one came. "Carnegie Hall." He walked out on stage to rapturous applause. He had decided to begin with his signature piece. He played the first few bars and then stopped. He couldn't remember the next note. He apologised. He explained what enormous pleasure it was to be playing in this venue. It had been his dream for so many years. He began to play again but faltered at the very same spot. He repeated his apology to the now restless audience. He tried again for a third time and failed again. This time the audience had had enough and booed him off the stage.

He left the stage dragging his sax behind him. He had never been so ashamed and disappointed in his whole life. how could he have let himself down like this. He had played that tune hundreds no thousands of times without a fault.

Somehow, he found his way back to the hotel where he was staying. His room was on the 25th floor. He got in the lift and pressed the button dragging the sax behind him too disappointed to put it in the case. The lift stopped, he exited, he opened the door to his room and went straight to the window, opened it and stood on the balcony. He looked down at the human insects below then he leaned over and fell to join them. He hit the pavement hard. As he lay dying the last thing, he heard was the ambulance playing his tune. Someday we'll meet upon a star, la la la la la la ----then he expired.