Thieves in the Temple: A Prequel to Purple Rain

CH.23 Will It Go in Circles?- Billy Preston

If Kid was honest, he would admit he wanted to get into the choir rehearsals at Metropolitan Cathedral. Not because he liked gospel music because he didn't. He thought it was cliché, repetitive and unoriginal. He did however want to learn to play the Hammond B3 Organ and the best place to learn it was in church.

Morris told him Sunny Day wanted him to play guitar for their church but she never asked him directly. She would drop hints while she was driving them to a gig in the van, "I sure do wish our guitar player at Metro was as good as you, Kid. We could probably pack in another fifty people each Sunday if you were playing."

Kid politely thanked her for the compliment and changed the subject to the last Vikings game or the new songs they were learning in band class at Hoover Junior High School. It was bad enough being under her power in one band, he did not need another.

But now there was no choice. He'd used her rubbers and felt the weight of obligation. Sunny Day was a beautiful, complicated woman. Kid would have had a crush on her like every other friend Morris had but Kid had the privilege of knowing her better. He had felt the thorny sting of this desert rose. He knew she was underhanded and self-centered. At the same time she was charming so it was hard to hate her.

When Kid got to the Metropolitan Cathedral at 11:00 a.m. the choir was already marching down the aisle. Their mustard colored robes bumped their ankles. The men were in the back of the line. Kid walked behind them. "We've come this far by faith," they sang, "Leaning on the Lord..." They all leaned to the right on the word, "leaning."

Kid suddenly became aware his converse basketball shoes were dirty. He was underdressed but did not care. This was a one-time affair. He purposely came late so he would not have to talk to Sunny Day. He sat in the back so she would not approach him. He had rehearsed in his mind how he would make his way to the front at the end of service and politely let her know he had attended. He even decided to pay attention to the sermon a little so he would have proof if she asked him about how he liked the service later. He looked around and tried to predict the right time to stand and the right time to sit.

Then the main event started. The choir director stood with his head cocked back. He stretched his arms out to his sides with his palms down. He shifted his palms up slowly and the choir stood in perfect unison. The director nodded at Morris and the song began with a, "Bam!" It was Walter Hawkins' "Until I Found the Lord." Kid could not help smiling. A woman next to him popped a tambourine loud and hard. He resisted the urge to take it from her and pop it some himself. He found himself standing and clapping with the rest of the congregation.

Kid zeroed in on Morris who was in the zone. Morris was as calm, content and free as he could be. Beating the drums came naturally to him. Morris kicked double-time near the end making large women buck like broncos.

Sunny Day was right. The guitar player was mediocre at best but he got the job done. It was clear these church people did not care at all. They just wanted to dance, and dance they did. The woman in front of Kid stiffened like a baby having a tantrum. She lost her hat on the seat next to Kid and he decided not to touch it. He was not sure if it was the right thing to do. He could not tolerate too much distraction from the Hammond B3 organ that had captured his attention.

Cedric wore a pale yellow suit. He had on a white shirt with a black tie and shiny black patent leather shoes. Being so round a man, he resembled a bumble bee. Those patent leathers glided across the foot pedals and pressed ever so slightly at points then tapped hard at others. His short fat fingers rested long on the bottom lows and fast on the top highs. Excitement rose in Kid's chitterlings. He had to get his hands on that instrument. His plans to say a quick goodbye at the end of service changed instantly.

At the last amen, Kid cut straight to the stage. He walked through the pulpit which was far against church protocol and made the Mother's Board gasp but Kid did not even notice.

Morris was excited to see Kid coming. He always wanted Kid to see him play in church but he could never say it. At every gig there would inevitably be an adult musician in the crowd. They would come after the show and complement Kid on how mean his guitar was, how genius his keyboard playing was and so on and so on. Kid's response was always humble and it made Morris's skin crawl. Morris always looked hard for any mistake Kid made so he could be sure to point it out in the van on the way home. He feared if Kid thought he was too good, he'd leave the Mid City Players. Sunny Day had the same fear. The only place Morris got complements about his playing was in church and he wanted Kid to see it. As hard as he played today, certainly one of the ushers would come up to say something while Kid was in earshot.

"Morris, you were boss. How come you don't play like that for us?" Kid teased.

"I save my best for the Lord."

Church people are satisfied no matter how bad you sound, so he did all of his experimenting on Sunday mornings.

Kid made his way to Cedric to pay the proper respects. Morris followed, looking around for one of his girlfriend groupies to come up and say something about his playing but no one came. Not Grace, not Jill, not Margie and where in the hell is Sonya? More and more polished wood pews emptied as Morris searched for someone, anyone.

Kid and Cedric continued talking and soon they were speaking a language Morris did not understand. Morris gathered his drum sticks slowly. He stood behind them and watched for a few moments. Finally he felt himself fading away and told them good-bye. Kid waved him off without speaking or looking up from the foot pedals Cedric was showing him. As much as he wanted to hate Kid for acting this way, he knew him better than anyone. Kid was only interested in two things; music and pussy. If he kept coming to church, he'd end up getting both.

This instrument was a tiger Kid could not wait to wrangle. It was like riding a roller coaster except he got to drive it. He could feel the sound pulsing through his body like an electric guitar, but not quite the same. He could strum his guitar strings and the sound would carry for days. But this new lady- he had to be precise in his love making. She only made sound as long as he held the keys down and she demanded a continuous flow. He had to plan ahead to make sure there were no breaks. While he was pumping her bottom, her top wanted a glide too. Kid wanted to oblige her every whim. He loved her for sure and could not let her go. This required a hard sacrifice.

To Sunny Day's delight, Kid showed up to choir rehearsal on Saturday morning caring his old girlfriend on his back. But he was really there to court the new big boned girl, the Hammond B3 electric organ. Luckily, Cedric, her old man felt no obligation to her. He just let Kid play her as much and as long as he wanted. "What a dumb ass," Kid thought.