It was Friday night and he sat on the train thinking about growing old and living alone . It didn't bother him that much anymore . He was used to his own company .
All his working life he had worked as a daily newspaper editor .
He had a good steady job and was as a loyal employee .
He did all the overtime that came along and never complained about the work load . People said, they were impressed with his work ethics .
Although he had some admirers, he never had many friends .
His love of music was the only real friend he had ever had .
His collection of music was quite unique . He had an alphabetical library of almost every music style you could comprehend . He had a song for any occasion and music for any mood . He enjoyed it all alone in a comfortable home in the fastest growing real estate area in the country .
The train pulled in to the station and he got up from his seat and departed from the train . He placed his season ticket into the slot at the turnstiles opened for him and it wasn't long before he found the heart of the city .
Taxi cabs were picking up passengers and the cafes were all full of romantic couples out for the evening . Restaurants and fast food joints were packed with people filling their mouths with exotic food . Outside the cinemas impatient teenagers were queuing up to see the latest sci-fi flick .
He had no plan of where he was going so he just wandered through the streets until he found something that appealed to him . Some ethnic gangs were roaming through town and as yet there was no trouble . He saw the flashing lights outside discotheque and decided he would go check it out .
It was a warm inside and the heavy beat of hip hop music filled the air .
He went to the bar and bought himself a drink then he took a seat at the
back wall of the disco where he watched the girls dance on the floor .
He wished he was dancing with someone but never had the guts to ask .
He was shy and not real confident with girls .
His love of music was the only real friend he had ever had .
Inside Double Disco Scene the music was good and he stayed there for a while . He felt lonely and after an hour or two he left and wandered down through the busy street .
The sound of rock and roll music battered a back beat behind an alleyway on the edge of Valentine Street . He headed off down the alleyway and found the a night spot called Hard Nut Centre . Inside people like to dance and a few even moved towards him . He kind of backed off a little scared .
On stage there was a live band . They were called The Long Stretch .
He made his way over to the stage and stood right in front of the band who were all over six foot tall . Maybe that's why they got the name Long Stretch .
Their long lanky legs seemed strange . It looked as if they were propped up on stilts playing their guitars . He didn't mind how they looked because their music was real cool .
When the band played the latest number one hit Lonely Heart he couldn't control himself and he started jumping up and down in one spot .
When the lead guitarist of the band saw him he reached out his hand and invited him on stage , suddenly then and there his life was going to change .
He got on stage and was handed the microphone . When he started to sing the crowd went wild . He had the coolest voice and it seemed to echo all around the bar . Girls started to scream out and a few even fainted .
He never knew singing in a band could be this cool .The spot lights all focused on him and he was driven on by the band who played on with him .
Another song and another song was played and he sang along . Tears flowed from the audience and applause erupted around the whole room .
By the time he got off stage a long line of girls were waiting to meet him .
He stood there surrounded by pretty girls asking for his autograph .
All of a sudden this purple mist came down all around him .
Suddenly he had been transformed into a superstar .
Hang on a second . There was something different . Something strange .
It was as if he was in another world .
He felt different . Cool and confident and in control . He raised his hands in the air and spotlights hit a door in front of him that suddenly swung open .
A soft voice called out ,
"Come in ."
He walked through the door and found himself on the sidewalk of a very busy road with traffic speeding past . Suddenly the traffic all came to a halt .
Except for a golden sports car that zoomed in and out through the traffic and finally it made its way along the sidewalk to where he stood .
The door of the car opened up and a soft voice said ,
"Get in ."
Astounded and unable to speak he found himself sitting inside what seemed more like a spaceship than a sports car . Beside sat the driver who was surrounded by an illuminated light in the shape of a heart .
The vehicle thundered along in the middle of the a road that seemed to stretch out forever . On both sides of the road fruit trees grew and a strange kind of fruit hung from their branches .
It had to happen, they lifted off the ground and they were airborne ,
Still unable to speak he looked beyond the windscreen at an green coloured sun that hung in a distant horizon splattered with pink clouds . The sky was a blanket of rusty coloured patches with large birds clinging to the edges of it .
The strange craft wafted through the pink clouds and descended down on a runway . It hovered beside a steel trapdoor that opened up . Three creatures with pear shaped heads and large eyes approached . They were dressed in long garments that covered their entire bodies .
The door of the sports car opened and the three creatures got into the car .
The doors automatically closed once they were inside .
"Wow you've got the coolest voice ."
Said the one of them .
Another continued ,
"Yea real cool . Like we were transfixed ."
"Mmm .Neat man . Nice tones ."
The driver also joined in ,
"Great notes . Crisp and clear ."
The door was opened and one of the creatures got out and reached out a long slender finger . The motion of the finger urged him to come .
" This way ."
A soft voice said .
As he got out of the car the others followed and they all walked into a building at the end of the runway . Inside the building a huge juke box machine stood .
Its lights began to flash and then it spoke .
"You have the gift that was lost a long time ago and you are the last of the lonely hearts on earth . "
His voice returned and he said ,
"Excuse me . I don't understand what is going on ."
"A spell was cast on our planet by a wizard many moons ago . Long before the music died . The wizard enchained the music in our hearts .
The spell could only be broken when a man with a lonely heart would sing a song called Lonely Heart in front of a large crowd for free.
"Who are you ?"
He replied .
"We are the music makers and I am the juke box of time . "
Came the reply .
"Why am I chosen to be the one to break the spell ."
He asked .
The juke box answered .
"You do not have the right to question . Just accept it ."
"Then what do I do now ?
He said .
The jukebox illuminated with light and said ,
" You have brought back music to our planet and we want to thank you .
Please tell us how can we repay you dear friend .
"I want to find true love and never be lonely hearted again ."
Came the reply .
Suddenly a doorway opened up in front of him and a soft voice said ,
"Be free.
He walked in through the door and felt arms around him .
A kiss touched his lips and once again he found himself listening to the rock and roll band who played on stage at the Hard Nut Centre .
The most beautiful girl he had ever seen held his hand and he took one look at her and felt his heart fill with what felt like heavens warmth .
The girl smiled at him and said ,
"Because you opened the door I'm in love with you ."
"I can't explain it but I love you too ."
He replied .
She answered ,
"There can never be closed doors between us again . You love holds the key and your love will set us free ."
He looked at her and the words he spoke came straight from his heart .
"Be free ."
They were married and lived a long and a very happy life in a place called Valentines Village .
THE END
By Paul McCann
