Episode 40

The Mutual Broadcasting System brings you another episode of Life in Hyperion.

Today's episode: "The Melting of the Iceberg", Part 15

Yesterday, all decended on Cathy's Tavern for Polly's first public performance, including Conrad, who was there to meet his sister, this time as a melted human being.  The siblings soon got off on a foot.  Right or wrong is in the air.  Meanwhile, Cy and Elmer set up the space where the performance would take place.
As we begin, the show is about to start...

---------------------------------------------------------------------

Phil then takes a place at the table as Cy and Elmer then walk back inside with the stools and mike stands. With ease, they reach the performance area and put the stuff down.
"There we go." says Cy as he puts the stools down.
"I think I got evewything weady fow the show." says Elmer.
"Then let's tune up." says Cy as he takes a stool.
As Cy, sitted upon his stool, tunes his mandolin, he spots Conrad entering the tavern.
"Excuse me, Elmer, I've got some business to attend to." says Cy as he gets up from the stool.
"Huwwy back, now." says Elmer, tuning up his fiddle.
"Conrad, you finally made it." says Cy as he makes it to the front of the place.
"I guess I've decided to tempt fate." says Conrad.
"You're meeting your sister as a human, not going up on the space shuttle." says Cy.
"Where is she?" asks Conrad.
"Right back here." says Cy, who then guides Conrad through the tavern to Darlene and Joanne's table, "Here you are, Conrad, met the human Darlene."
"I haven't seen you in two days, Darlene." says Conrad, catching Darlene's attention.
"And what a fun-filled two days it has been." says Darlene.
"If you excuse me, I have to return to the performance area, Polly's about to take the stage, so to speak." says Cy, who then departs.
"So, how have you been, Conrad?" asks Darlene.
"Fine, very fine." says Conrad as he takes a seat at the table.
"That's nice, very nice." says Darlene.
"I think I'll go talk to Cy about something." says Joanne, who then gets up from the table.
"So, it's just us two here now, at this table." says Darlene.
"So it would seem." says Conrad.
"So, how's the radio business?" asks Darlene.
"It's going well." says Conrad.
"So I see." says Darlene.
Conrad then falls silence for a minute, as the sounds of the tavern fill the air.
"Conrad, why are you doing this?" asks Darlene.
"Nothing. It's just that I can't stand the thought of my sister turning into an alcoholic." says Conrad.
"Phil brought that subject yesterday and I told him, I have it under control." says Darlene.
"That's what Cy once said about his mother, and even you should know that." says Conrad.
"Cy has regaled me about that and I've learned from them. Slowly, my drinking is starting to go down a bit." says Darlene.
"How long before I get the old Darlene back?" asks Conrad.
"Do you really want the human iceberg back?" asks Darlene.
"If it means my sister stops drinking herself to death." says Conrad.
"Cy was right, you can't see it." says Darlene.
"Don't you run me over with that. Cy tried himself." says Conrad.
"Of all the people I should making friends with, it's you. Maybe you're taking my place as a human iceberg." says Darlene.
"Cy said that, too." says Conrad.
"I'm not surprised. Cy told me that my new personality is that of his mother." says Darlene.
"Is that what kind of person was under the ice?" asks Conrad.
"I think you're starting to see it." says Darlene.
"I think I must be." says Conrad.
"I think we should work on it, see if you'll eventually see it the same way as Cy, Phil, and Joanne." says Darlene.
"I think so." says Conrad.
"I think Polly's about to go on." says Darlene.
"Let me get something." says Cy, who then gets the tape recorder and runs over to the performance area and plugs in a cord into the tape recorder.
Cy then sits down on his stool with his mandolin and Elmer with his fiddle outfitted with its own mike connected to an amp. Before Cy speaks, he turns around and turns on the tape recorder.
"Ladies and gentlemen, Cathy's Tavern is proud to present here today one of the greatest new voices in the land. Please welcome Miss Polly McIntyre." says Cy.
Polly then emerges from the restroom, her hair all let down, and covering her shoulders and dressed in a black vest, white button shirt, and long black skirt, complete with a brown cowboy hat on her head and bare feet. With guitar in hand, she walks her way over to the small performance area, where she takes her stool and tunes her guitar a bit.
"What's with the routine here?" asks Cy.
"It's my performance gear. The type of stuff I've always wanted to wear." says Polly.
"Well, it looks great on you." says Cy.
"Thanks for that, Cy." says Polly.
"Guess what, Polly, I've decided on a name for this backing group of yours." says Cy.
"What would that be?" asks Polly.
"The Trapper Johns." says Cy.
"Let's hope this is your only performance under that name." says Polly.
"Duly noted." says Cy.
Polly then starts strumming the first few chords of "You Ain't Goin Nowhere" to applause from the tavern crowd. Cy and Elmer quickly begin their parts as Polly then starts in on the lyrics.
The noise in the tavern drops down as the people take in the voice coming out of Polly. Cy and Elmer prove to be equal backing as they each take a short solo when the song reaches the bridge.
Eventually, the song comes to an end and the tavern erupts with applause from all the patrons and the staff. Polly smiles as she takes in the people's cheer.
"Thank you very much for that warm welcome." says Polly.
"So, what song are we doing next?" asks Cy.
"We did rehearse a set-list." says Polly.
"How about 'Long Black Veil', for all those mystery-lovers out there?" says Cy.
"Gladly." says Polly, who then launches into a redition of the song, along with Cy and Elmer.

---------------------------------------------------------------------

Next week, this epic of a serial finally comes to a close, and a new serial begins, with a romance that someone would not like to happen and someone who would love to see it happen.  Two sides to a story become hard to bear.

Join us, won't you?
Yours truly, John Maxwell.

A production of WGN Chicago.  All rights reserved.