PART XI WHO AM I?

The woman reached down and grabbed a handful of dirt. Her mind was spinning out a thousand images, but none made sense. Every time a fragment of her memory began to come into focus, it would just dissipated like a ripple in the water.

As she looked toward the bay water, the two lift towers from the Dunbarton bridge were barely visible through the mist. In the opposite directions, small lights glowed in a distance.

Headlights began to get brighter as a car approached in her direction. As the vehicle got closer, the word "TAXI" appeared handwritten on one of the doors. The car pulled up to the confused woman. An older man with an checkered cap rolled down his window.

"Are you Okay?" he hollered out.

"I...", the woman replied, unable to formulate her thoughts.

The man pushed open the passenger door. She slowly approached his car.

"It's okay, honey", the man assured her with a simple smile, "I'll give you a lift back to the strip."

She hesitantly got into his car and looked down. He pulled back his vest reached into a pocket of his flannel shirt to get a cigar.

"What's your name?" he asked, pulling out a lighter to fire up his smoke. She didn't answer.

"They call me Parky Sharky", he continued.

"What is the 'strip'?" the woman asked.

"Wow, you ain't from around here", Parky answered, "I was referrin' to our Whiskey Gulch. It's the best thing that happened to East Palo Alto since Stanford's widow declared her town dry".

Indeed, this was Cindy Taylor. She looked around at her surroundings of trees, telephone poles and new track houses. Parky continued to drive until he reached an overpass crossing and a line of buildings.

"You know", he said, "This overpass was just built last year. They just wanna make this little place into another big city." Cindy didn't answer. "I'm just gonna move to the hills, missy", he answered, "Change means nothin' but trouble."

The cab pulled front of a tavern called, "The Zombie Hut".

"I want you to meat a special lady", he said as he put his arm over her shoulder, walking into the club. As they entered, a woman was sitting at the bar in the empty room smoking a cigarette. Slender with medium brown hair, she stared at the glowing juke box, deep in thought in the empty tavern. Even though the bar was open at this early hour, patrons didn't arrive until late in the afternoon. As she looked up, her face lightened.

"Parky", she yelled in a girlish voice. The two hugged liked they hadn't seen each other in years.

"Why who's this young thing you have with you?" she asked lookin' at Cindy.

"Well, Mom, she never gave me her name", Parkey said, "I found her wondering around by the bridge."

"Is that your mother?" Cindy asked a little bewildered.

"Of course not, my dear", the woman answered as she out her hand on Cindy's face, "Everyone here knows me as 'Mom'".

"I have a small confession to make", Cindy said, "I have no idea who I am!"

Parky and Mom looked at Cindy without a comment. Mom walked over to the juke box, put in a nickel and made a selection. An instrumental version of My Special Angel began to play.

"You are my special angle", Cindy began to sing, squinting her eyes with her innocent smile. Her sweet girlish voice filled the old room like fine wine.

"Are you thinkin' what I'm thinkin', Mom?' Parky asked.

"I'm way ahead of ya, Parky", she answered. "My singer just quite last week."

Mom walked over to Cindy as the ice rattled round her glass. She put the glass on the table and her cigarette in the ash tray. Mom then began to caress Cindy's head as she looked her over.

"I'm gonna make a star out of ya, sweety", she whispered into Cindy's ear.

Night time frenzy

This night was typical on the popular Whisky Gulch strip, rowdy college students and plenty of spirits. Neon lights lit the place up like a carnival. As the cars were going in and out of the clubs that lined Bayshore Highway, music and laughter could be heard far down the street. Parky was standing in front of the one of the clubs leaning against his old taxi, waiting for the next college student who needed a ride back to the dorm.

In the Zombie Hut, the steady sound of merry voices blanketed the joint along with the sound of an occasional pool ball and the faint sound of slot machine activity coming from the back room. The old Wurlitzer vibrated the club's wooden floors with the sound of the Platters. Mom was walking from group to group with her martini glass and cigarette, socializing with the regulars.

As the clock reached Nine o'clock, Mom walked up to a their small stage. A curtain was covering something behind her as she grabbed a microphone.

"Lady's and gentlemen", Moms voice reverberated throughout the hall, "We have a special treat for you tonight".

The curtain raised up to reveal a small band and Cindy Taylor in a Jane Mansfield (BLOND?) hairdo. She wore a long dress and high heel shoes.

"Dee Dee!" Mom hollered out.

Cindy grabbed the microphone and began singing, her voice soothing and innocent. Piano James, an elderly black man that Mom had employed for many years to accompany the club's acts, played the club's piano to her beat. Cindy needed little coaching, as even though she had lost her memory, this talent just kicked in. However, club patrons went about their activity and pretty much ignored her.

Mom walked over to the bar. A bar tender named Dirk she had recently hired from the college was pouring a drink for a customer.

"You're new girl can really sing, Mom", Dirk said.

Mom grabbed his arm and looked at him straight in the eye.

"Tell me what you're really thinkn', Dirk."

"Well", Dirk conceded, "She's blond!

"The blond look is in, Dirk", she countered. "If I don't have a Marilyn Monroe or Doris Day in my joint, nobody will come. America is not ready for a curly-haired brunette."

The following night, the curtain opened once again. But this time, "Dee Dee" rose from the stage with vibrant curly brunette hair, a wig also provided by Mom until she could grow it back. As Cindy began singing a slow melody, the men swooned back and forth over the sound of her sweet voice, as she sang a sweet love song. Several university freshmen were wiping their eyes with Kleenex.

Mom walked over to Dirk and grabbed his cheek.

"What's going on here, magic boy?" Mom asked in amassment.

"I've been trying to tell you, Mom", Dirk cried out, "This girl is a brunette through and through. You were trying to make her something she wasn't!"

During the next several weeks, the Zombie Hut became busier as word about Dee Dee got out. Young men came as far away as Sacramento to see the new Whisky Gulch nightclub attraction.

Mom had a special window poster printed with a picture of Cindy at the microphone and Piano James in the background. She had even the interior redecorated to complement her new talent. New lighting fixtures were installed on the stage. In the corner of the bar, a San Jose Mercury newspaper was spread out. The headlines read: CBS Television convention held in Downtown San Francisco.

At the top floor in the Mark Hopkins Hotel, a white tablecloth stretched across the long table with various plates and dishes. Large windows surrounded the room with a panoramic view of Fisherman's Wharf and the Golden Gate Bridge. The small clatter of dishes could be heard as men with suites and ties positioned themselves around the table. A waiter in a black apron and white shirt walked about the room to ensure everything was perfect. Executives and producers were there to discuss many issues.

"This meeting will come to order", a gray haired man at the end of the table announced, "The other networks are bringing on some demanding challenges for us lately." The room became quiet to quiet down.

"We have a serious matter before us", he continued, "Our competitors are investing in color broadcasting."

"That would cost millions to ramp up every studio", a local television executive commented.

"Excuse me, sir", a man in the back requested, "You may want to send someone down to Palo Alto There's a woman causing alot of waves.

Cindy was beginning to fine tune, her voice sounding ever so sweet - even on the club's cheap amplifier system. Piano James was sharpening his rhythm to Cindy's style.

Mom was in her small office in the back going over the books. Even though the door was closed, the room vibrated from the lively piano and Cindy singing her heart out.

A knock at the door broke her concentration.

"It's open", she said, still looking at the books.

As the door opened, a clean-cut middle aged man with a business suit entered. Mom looked up.

"Are you from the ABC?" she asked a little concerned, "I run a clean joint!"

"Not exactly ABC", he smiled, "But close."

The man walked over to Mom and gave her a business card. She grabbed it and her eyes opened wide.

"David Mantise", Mom read from the card "The CBS Television Network?"

"I'm a representative for the Ed Sullivan Show", he explained, "It appears your little nightclub has been getting alot of attention in the music circles these days.

The Ed Sullivan Variety Show was a very popular variety show and a household name in 1957. Spotlighting mainstream acts as comedy, opera and small skits, show producers were ready to cross the line- Rock'n Roll.

Penny and Mario have a talk

It was a Sunday night. The black and white television was tuned to Candid Camera. Penny sat on the couch in her new Lakewood Village track home as Mario passed the floors.

"There is something you're not telling me, Penny Cest", Mario began.

"Look Mario", Penny said, "I know that you have strong feelings for Cindy- as a person and as a woman - but let's not jump to conclusions."

Mario sat in a small chair across from Penny. Commercial were playing on the TV , as the show ended.

"I saw a little girl today", he explained, as his face turned white, "Her name was Penny Cest"

A cold chill ran down Penny's back, as she recollected the strange feeling in the library- remembering Mario's image from her childhood.

From the small television, the Ed Sullivan Show was in progress, and the popular host was ready to bring on his first guest. Mario and Penny diverted from this difficult subject and focused their attention on the television.

Ed Sullivan, a 56-year-old variety host with a stiff demeanor, eagerly held his microphone.

"We have a really good shoe tonight", Sullivan addressed the audience, "and let me introduce to you America's latest Rock' N Roll sweetheart: Dee Dee and the RocketTones!"

The tinny sound of audience clapter distorted through the RCA Victor TV. Mario shook his head. He had little love for this new Rock'n Roll fad. Penny looked on with curiosity.

On the round screen, a black and white image of Cindy appeared, but with longer, curly dark hair. Three clean-cut young men with crewcuts and college sweaters were behind her, one with a guitar, one with a base violin and one with a drum set. Piano James was in the back with the club's piano. On the front of the drum was a designed logo that read DEE DEE AND THE ROCKETTONES.

As Cindy's singing echoed through the television speakers, Penny and Mario just looked straight with their mouths open. Apparently, the disappearance of Cindy Taylor had just been solved!

NEXT: PART XII Cindy Taylor Becomes a Rock'n Roll Superstar!