Broadway Anywhere

Denise approached the wide, rapid river with an apprehension like none she’d ever known. Behind her, the rest of her party watched as she knelt on the bank and raised her palms to the sky. She was glad her back was to them so they could not see the fear on her face as she began

to sing, "Ol' Man River, that Ol' Man River..." The water rushed along, sloshing over rocks, hauling sun-bleached driftwood. Denise hoped the river was loud enough so the others couldn't hear her as she'd forgotten the lyrics & began to improvise. "Ol' Man River keeps on riverin'

Denephew caught wind of what she was singing and completely chastised her for getting the whole song wrong. “Denise, you know that’s not how the song goes!” Denise simply did not care. “Oh, Ol’ Man River, shiver me timber, lah di dah…” Denephew wanted to shove her into the river.

She responds to his irritation by infusing her song with a warbling lilt. “Old maan river-a! We know how old, him were-a! He ado and not do a-did! Ia!” Denephew’s slack-jawed incredulity nearly sunk her in a fit of giggles. “Jesus, you aren’t even trying. It’s no joke, Denise!”

Denise segues into a wavy armed soft shoe, slowly moving into jazz hands. “I get no thrill from-ah Cham-pag-nay!” She sings in bassy tones while she taps. Then she cartwheels off the stage and into the dressing room.

Then she rolled out in the open and kept rolling. She rolled all the way down the road, and that was the last we see of her. The road goes ever on, my friend.