Sammy saxaphone

The wretched siren began winding up as Sammy placed the reed to his lips. With a wicked sense of humor he mimicked the warning on his instrument for a few seconds then packed up the instrument and hurried out the door. He noticed the American that had come in yesterday. Sammy had heard from Hilda next door that the businessman was trying to get out of England to go back to New York. Sammy ran to catch up to him and they both followed the locals into the underground.

The overhead lights were dimmed and glazed the tiled walls blue. They joined the townspeople as they shuffled in to wait out the latest bombing. Sammy opened the case and removed his sax. Leaning against the pillar, he began to play Somewhere Over the Rainbow softly. The crowd quieted down as they listened to the haunting song, happy for the distraction.

Outside the bombs rained down on London. Safe underground, the people could only wait until the all clear bell sounded. It rang out just past midnight as the people in the shelter were singing a rousing version of Tipperary.

Sammy walked down the road with the stranded American businessman and gasped to see his rented house collapsed beneath the rubble. Sammy's house right next door stood without a brick missing.

"Oh sweet Jesus, how much more can I take?" The stranded American wailed to the starry sky.

''Come stay with me, we can figure all this out tomorrow.''

Sammy and the American were settled in just as the sun rose above dusty London.

The next morning Sammy was reading the paper and drinking tea when John came in. He pointed to the jazz poster on the wall and laughed.

"That's my club man! All the best jazz cats play here. Hah, all the way to England, that's cool.''

Sammy suddenly realized why he looked so familiar. He was the great American impressario John Stanley. His club was Mecca for every jazz musician in the world. They had spoken a bit about their lives last night, but John had been humble when he mentioned that he had a small club in New York.

The Clef Note Club was famous for live jazz music.

That afternoon, Sammy checked for some small gigs around town, The few fancy clubs that still had live music weren't looking for a sax player.

He busked for a few hours at the High Street then made his way home. They had already begun to clear away the damage next door.

Sammy wondered if John was coming back then noticed the white envelope on the kitchen table.

He opened the envelope and laughed aloud. A ticket for Sammy on the Queen Mary sailing for New York in one week. The envelope also had the Clef Note Club revue with a list of upcoming events. Every musician was pure greatness.

Dear Sammy, I just want to thank you for helping me out the other night. I managed to get two tickets on the Queen Mary and I am sailing out this afternoon. Would love to invite you to visit and play in my club, the money is good and there is a place to stay above the club. Thanks, John Stanley.

Scratched in pencil above those greats he had written in pen... Guest Starring, Sammy Saxaphone, the underground jazz sensation.