Chapter 58

It feels dang good to be dressed up.

I haven't worn a suit in years. As I approach the front door I see a reflection of myself. I have no idea at all where this guy came from but he is lookin' good!

I knock on the door and Lacey's sister answers.

Hi Steve. Wow you guys are going to look great tonight.

Thanks.

She is just finishing up getting ready.

I sit and I talk with her husband, Jaime. Oddly enough I went to school with his older sister. Small world.

Breathless.

She entered the room and I was breathless. She was in an absolutely beautiful dress and looked amazing.

You look fantastic!

You are looking pretty good yourself.

We actually stand and just check each other out and we both come to the conclusion that we clean up very nicely. Not bad for a couple drug addicts.

I decided that it would be awesome to take Lacey to see The Phantom of the Opera. She had never been to a musical and I am a huge fan of any performing arts. We had gone a couple nights before to see Cedric the Entertainer. I got third row tickets for that show and we laughed our butts off. I can't even remember how long it has been since I really went out on a date.

A real date.

A get dressed up and hit the town kinda date.

Of course we have to get pictures taken by Lacey's sister. Lacey's mom really wants to have pictures of us all dressed up. I can imagine it has been a while since they had seen their "little girl".

Heroin addiction can be ugly.

We hit the town like we should. Head on and looking good.

We blend beautifully with the suits and gowns tastefully sipping wine in the foyer. Sipping wine is something I just don't understand. "Wine tasting" to me was just an opportunity for free drinks.

The complexity of this vintage is astonishing! We serve this red at a strict sixty-six degrees to avoid a "hot finish". The evolution and finish of this wine is unsurpassed by any other Pinot in the valley.

Yeah that's great buddy. Tip the bottle and fill me up. Sorry for beating you up in Grade School.

As we walk we get smiles from older ladies. We get quiet hellos and slight head nods of approval. It is nice to be acknowledged in that way. When I had long hair I rarely got those nods.

The Phantom is a beautiful musical with some of my favorite music. I sang a Phantom song at my Sister's wedding so it has a very special place in my heart. As the lights go down...

That organ music!

Dannnn.. dannnt dannnt dannnt dannnt dannnnt daaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!!!

I get shivers when I hear it. I squeeze Lacey's hand just a little bit. Get ready for a ride.

The musical is beautiful. I love the story of the Phantom. Christine is a beautiful singer who auditions for an Opera. She has a beautiful voice and when asked who is her teacher she can only say that she has been given musical lessons by her "Angel of Music". Her Angel is a voice only, someone whom she has never seen. This angel, she claims, was sent by her late father. The voice she hears turns out to be the Phantom, a disfigured musical genius who wants Christine to sing his music.

It is a love story and a story of jealously. Christine falls in love with Raoul, a patron of the opera house and childhood friend of hers. The Phantom is enraged by their love and comes in the form of Red Death to declare war on the couple and demand that his opera, Don Juan Triumphant be performed.

Raoul plans to trap the Phantom at the performance. Christine reluctantly agrees. The night of the show the plot fails and Christine is taken away by the Phantom to his lair at the Lake.

Down in the Phantom's lair, in my favorite moment, Christine confronts the Phantom with the fact that his true disfigurement is that of his soul, not his face.

When Raoul arrives the Phantom traps him and gives Christine the choice: stay with him or Raoul dies.

Christine makes the choice to simply kiss the Phantom.

Overwhelmed by this one act from Christine the Phantom lets them both go.

The mob that followed Raoul to the Phantom's Lair arrives and finds the Phantom alone sitting on his throne. As they close in he brings his cloak around his body and as they tear the cloak away the Phantom has vanished.

Leaving only his mask behind.

We leave the theater speechless. It is an amazing performance and one that I won't soon forget. I drive Lacey back to her house and we just enjoy some more time together. It was a wonderful night.

I drive back home and I can't get the story of the Phantom out of my head. The imagery of his mask. Christine's revelation that it wasn't his face that was deformed but his soul.

The mask was his jealousy and rage.

The Phantom, in my eyes, felt the one kiss from the most important thing in his life. A kiss that said I understand your pain and I don't fear you.

He releases her.

He releases the pain.

He sees the truth.

and most importantly...

he leaves the mask behind.