Frankie’s Angels

This was no ordinary night at Constitution Hall.  I had been there before, but this time it was a different feeling and a different atmosphere and I felt like I was partially responsible for the yummy flavor.  The taste in my mouth was the taste of anticipation.  This was the first time Frankie’s Angels would be under one roof, flappin’ and spreading their wings, under the sound of the one and only, Frankie Beverly and Maze. I looked to the right of me and the invisible halos worn by the angels were being adjusted.  It was time to take flight!  I sucked in my bottom lip, and unclenched my hands to receive the blessings I had come to receive.  I needed to soothe my appetite.  It hungered for some happy feelings.  And like an empty stomach, my heart was on empty.   Angels were all around and though this was not a church building, we all expected the same, if not better, spiritual healing.  The pains of life had taken its toll on us and a Maze concert was needed in order that we might experience some joy.  The angels had come from many different places…many different people, many different faces, many different problems, but we had the same common denominator, we were one, all in need of a spiritual healing.   There was one who could satisfy our hunger.

The house lights dimmed as a crystal clear voice pierced the audience: LADIES AND GENTLEMEN ARE YOU READY FOR MAZE, FEATURING FRANKIE BEVERLY?  FRANKIE BEVERLY….FRANKIE BEVERLY….

 And though the room was dark, I could feel the light radiating from the hearts and souls of the people.  The golden time of the day had come and gone and yet it seemed like the sun was still shining.   My heart thumped, my eyes widened and I along with the rest of the angels yelled like this was the first time we had ever seen Frankie Beverly.  Trying to control and contain myself I wanted so much to respect the people behind me, but before I knew it, I was on my feet, caught up in the moment, as Frankie Beverly appeared before us, decked in his all white.  I need not say he was wearing his “cap”.  If Frankie appeared without his cap, it would be like Michael Jackson without his glove or Mickey Mouse without his ears.  There he was; the real true angel of hope.  He was standing before us soon to prove that he was the one who put the s in “soft”, the s in “silky” and the s in sexy”.   He always left the audience mesmerized and tonight would be no exception.  His crisp all white attire was perfect. He stood out from his band members who were wearing black.  The angels were all decked out in their black and white so the color combination on stage and off was helping to bring forth a together spirit.  I bit my lip for the second time, thinking to myself, “This is going to be a good night.”   

The level of excitement became too much for me and I think I lost consciousness for a second.  My ears opened, my mind received, “If I had my way, I’d tell you what I’d do.”  I was in my Maze zone and when my eyes opened, I was not alone.  We were all running away to a place where we could leave all of our problems.   Angel wings started to flap and before you knew it, we were up, up and away into our Maze zone.

 They say that angels were commissioned to aid God’s children and if angels are the administrators of divine beneficence, then here we are.  Bruised and battered by that thing called life, we have managed to survive the pains and to anticipate the joys through the lyrics and the music of Frankie Beverly and Maze. I smiled as I thought to myself, we are Frankie’s Angels.