Mr. Canary
by
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Charley gritted his teeth very hard for a moment, then he said, "Excuse me, Mr. Krong, but I've spent half my life having ear doctors poke around in my ears until I can't stand the thought of having it done again. If you don't mind, sir, is there another way you could help me? I've been told by a hundred ear doctors my ear problem can't be corrected anyway, sir." "I see," Kong said. "You understand, that our medical science is superior to earth medical science, Mr. Melville." "Yes, I know that, sir, but I've been trying for 30 years, all my life, to get my hearing problem corrected so I could sing the way my voice was meant to be sung with, an' nothin's worked. The thought of goin' through lots of medical tests again just makes me sick to my stomach. Sorry, sir. Could you help me in some other way, a faster way? I've waited such a long time, Mr. Krong, my entire life, 30 long years!" For once in his life Charley let some of his anguish show through to the eyes of Krong the Watcher. Krong smiled an unexpected smile of compassionate understanding and sympathy that filled Charley with such gratitude and pleasure that he blinked rapidly several times, stunned to feel tears ready to fill his eyes for the first time since he was a small boy, but he gritted his teeth hard and managed to keep them back, it wouldn't be fitting to cry in front of Krong the Watcher even though he had lots to cry about if anyone did. Krong, very much aware of what Charley was feeling, though it wasn't necessary to read his mind, Charley's face was a screen revealing his inner feelings, waited for a long moment until Charley had regained his composure, then he said, "I believe we Watchers can help you, Mr. Melville, and it shouldn't take more than about a week, but we must insist on a complete medical examination before we help you. Is that agreeable to you?" "It sure is, sir, if that's what it takes. Anyway, what's one more examination? I'm used to 'em by now," and Charley laughed softly, so excited and full of hope now that he could hardly sit still. Was his dream to be fulfilled after all the years of pain and frustration and lost hope? Wow! It sure sounded like it. Unable to restrain himself, he was just too damn anxious, Charley hesitantly asked, "Excuse me, Mr. Krong, but can you tell me how you plan to cure my ear problem? I've waited so long I can't wait to find out how you'll do it." "That is quite all right, Mr. Melville, I understand perfectly. Please call me Krong. We have a device that is similar to the cordless microphone singers hold when they are singing on a stage, however, our devise can be modified in such a way that it will correct you voice and keep it on key when you are singing. It is a rather simple modification and it can be accomplished during the time we are giving you a complete medical examination." Charley found himself on his feet quivering with excitement and expectancy. He exclaimed, "How's that, sir? Like a microphone?" Krong smiled his compassionate smile of sympathy and understanding and said, "I understand your anxiety and your excitement, Mr. Melville, but please restrain yourself as best you can for a little while longer and you will be able to sing on key with the device I spoke of. I would show it to you now, but it has not yet been modified, which will take some time, so let us begin your medical examination, if you are ready to do so." Charley laughed an exultant laugh, 30 years of exultancy and said, "You bet I'm ready, Krong, let's go, sir. I can't wait. I've waited all my life for this an' I'm not goin' to waste a'nother second. Let's go." Krong said, "Go to room 25F 35R, Mr. Melville. I will meet you there. Goodby." Krong's bold, strong face faded from the seephone. Charley laughed an exultant laugh, shook his fists triumphantly in the air, then hurried to room 25F 35R and went in. Krong was waiting with another bold, strong faced Watcher. Krong made the introductions. "This is Quong, Mr. Melville, he is one of our most able doctors. He will examine you. This is Charles Nelson Melville, Quong." Charley greeted Quong in a bubbling-over ecstatic way that he just could not control, his life long dream was about to be fulfilled and he was ready to burst with the joy and the excitement of it, like a great big balloon, BBBOOOOMMMM and scatter himself all over the Watcher's beautiful hospital. It was worth it! Krong and Quong smiled compassionate smiles of understanding as Krong said, "Your medical examination can be completed today, Mr. Melville." "Thanks a lot, sir, I can't tell ya how much I appreciate this, it's the best thing that's ever happened to me. Thank you, thank you very much." "You are welcome, Mr. Melville. Go along with Quong now, and I will meet with you later. Goodby." Murmuring a choked up goodby, Charley followed Quong down a hallway to a hospital then in to a small bare room that had an odd machine in it. It looked kinda like a suit of armor laying on a four-wheeled cart. It was the Watcher Body Analyzer. Quong said, "Please remove your clothes, Mr. Melville, then recline in the body analyzer." "OK, doctor, what is that thing?" "This machine will make an examination of your body, Mr. Melville, in great detail." "Well, I'll be. I've never seen anything like it." Quong did something to the body analyzer which tipped it up on end, then it opened up lengthwise into two halves, a top and a bottom, that a person laid down in, then the top part closed over the person, and the examination began.
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About the Book
Mr. Canary
One day, Charley remembers that the Watchers sometimes helps earth people, so he hurries off to see the Watchers and meets Krong who agrees to help him make a magic microphone which will correct his flawed voice so that he can sing correctly, which it does and Charley goes off and makes it very big in the singing world.
Everything goes well for Charley until he lets his fame and fortune go to his head, which turns him into a real jerk. He loses his friends and the people who work for him do so just for the money, which is very big for Charley because he sings so well.
People notice that Charley never sings except into his special mike, which make them wonder, but no one catches on that he can't sing well without it.
Charley, of course, can't understand why people are so mean to him, he hasn't done anything to anyone. He's like the drunk who won't admit he's a drunk.
Feeling down and blue, Charley goes down to the Huntington Beach pier to get away from it all for awhile, then he meets Linda Doolittle on the pier. Linda was the earth receptionist he talked to in the Space Needle when he went to see Krong months and months ago. He doesn't remember Linda, but she remembers him. She had followed his career from its beginning. Linda tells him who she is and they have a good time remembering when Charley came to the Space Needle. Charley suggests some coffee, mostly for something to do, so they take off and have some coffee and then a slow stroll around town. Afterwards, they take a ride in Charley's new Corvette, ending up at Linda's place a few blocks from the beach. From that accidental meeting, Charley and Linda get together, ending up as lovers. Charley has to get back to his singing career, so he leaves Linda, but comes back later and they go together until Linda finds our what a complete jerk Charley is when he is putting on his show and leaves him.
Some young thugs steal his special mike, which puts Charley out of business, so he hurries to the Watcher and gets another one. The Watchers never allow anyone to do anything to them or steal one of their machines so Starr, a beautiful young Watcher (see my novel Sex Radio) is sent after the special mike, capturing the thugs and getting the mike back. The thugs retaliate and shoot Starr, Charley, and Linda while they are standing on the curb in New York after Charley and Linda sang in Carnagie Hall. Starr is almost killed; Linda is badly hurt; and Charley was shot in the throat damaging his vocal cords. He may never sing again! If you like singing and a great love story you will like Mr. Canary.
About the Author
Robert James Warner was born and raised in Long Beach, California. He went to the local schools. He was drafted in to the Navy on March 9, 1944, during the World War II as soon as he finished his last semester in High School. He was discharged from the Navy on June 16, 1946. Mr. Warner went back to school at Long Beach City College, on the G.I. Bill, taking Mechanical Engineering before he switched to journalism. After about a year and a half at City College, he quit. Mr. Warner had always been interested in writing, but he had huge handicaps to overcome: he couldn't spell (he still can't); and grammar was then and is now a mystery to him. Mr. Warner first began to write when he was about twenty. During the next few years, he wrote some songs, poetry, and short stories, but his output was quite low. From 1947, after Mr. Warner left City College, to 1950, he had a number of different inconsequential jobs--the longest, at Douglas Aircraft in Long Beach where he worked in the blueprint department for eight months until he quit and loafed awhile. In 1950, he enlisted in the Active Naval Reserve as a Weekend Warrior, so that he could learn seamanship and get paid doing it. He has had a life-long love affair with boats (building his own) and fishing. About three months later, the Korean War started and Mr. Warner was called back to active duty in the Navy Aircorp for a year. He was discharged in August 1951, serving on three aircraft carriers, operating off of Korea in the China Sea, bombing and strafing the communists! After Korea, Mr. Warner went back to City College for awhile, then got a job on a freighter as a deckhand. He then made two trips to the Hawaiian Islands, about thirty days round trip, hauling bulk sugar for C&H Sugar in Crocket California on the Sacramento River. Leaving the ship in Crocket, he went to Santa Rosa, California, where he washed dishes in a few restaurants and got a poem published in the local newspaper--a big day in his life. Next, he went to Yosemite and washed some more dishes before going home. Mr. Warner has cleaned chicken dung from under the pens; he owned and operated his own auto wrecking yard; owned his own 2nd Store; was half owner of a Yacht Landing; speculated in Real Estate; and worked at some other odd jobs, going to work for the Long Beach Fire Department in 1953 for the next twenty-six years, retiring in October, 1979. Mr. Warner got married in 1961, had his son in 1963, and got divorced in 1973. In 1974, Mr. Warner and his son, Jeff, drove to Alaska during the summer. On his return, Mr. Warner wrote his first novel. Since 1974, Mr. Warner has written 15 novels, about 125 short stories, 2 Civil War history books, and 2 poetry collections.