Evening star., 1935-04-21


got the idea of "A Very Small Man in Very
Big TOWN."
Victor nodded.
II was all of that" he continued. Lone
some. and blue. and not getting anywhere. l
peddled my stuff to managers and music pub
fishers. with the usual results. Most of the
time l didn't get past the Office boy. Dis
appointed song writer's in the publishers
Offices heard my compositions under protest
as part of dreary routine. Once, thumped
piano for fifteen minutes. and turned round
to find the arbiter Of my fate adding column
of figures. Go on he said You amt dis
turbin' me-"
Victor was standing by his own piano. and
with two fingers he played the first notes of
"A Very Small Man in Very Big Town.
Il wrote that the next day." he resumed,
bit wistfully. 1T is a big town. l didn't know
anybody. ! tried to get acquainted. and
people looked at me suspiciously. My money
was running low too. and couldn't see any
thing ahead but Cedar Rapids, and con-
fession of failure. The last straw dropped on
my back one Friday afternoon. I've never
forgotten that Friday. A great coarse fellow
at one of the publishers had taken shine to
my best song. He'd promised to show it to
the boss. When came back. the boss said:
That's a pretty good tune you and Sol
worked out. Ill give you hundred bucks
each for it,
Il protested that Sol had never heard a
note of the song until l played it for him.
Whot he T1.o,,L had ,O1>
framed up. and a shrimp of a clerk who swore
he'd been in the room while Sol labored with
a few bars Id whistled to him. My manuscript
was gone. of course. and Sol had a new one
of his own. with his name on it.
Il went back to my room, and played the
tune that had been mine two or three times
on my hired piano. Then decided that was
through. l looked out of the window, and
picked on that exit. but wasn't sure that
had the nerve to do it. So went to an Italian
restaurant near Jefferson Market. and began
to tank up''
Pete Bancroft walked across the room. and
slumped into chair in front of Victor's desk.
Victor glanced at him and went on:
I'D had about four brandies, when girl
came over to my table. Got the price of
another she asked.
Il looked her over.
Seems to me you've had about enough
said
"'Yes,' she answered, that's why wanted
one more
'She was pretty well lit. and not the kind
of girl who lights up for the fun of it.
bought her brandy. and she began talking
about herself. She was choir singer out of
job, she said. There was something desperate
and reckless about her, and. to get her away
from the brandy, asked her over to my room.
I think you're kidding me- told her. You
don't look like musician. I've got piano.
Well soon find out
Good Lord. how she could sing and
play. hadn't anything but manuscript music,
which isn't easy for sight reading, but the way
she sang Very Little Man well, l never
knew what was in it before. My courage
began coming back in gobs as heard my stuff
done by real artist And her courage came
back too.
Listen, she said abruptly, sitting at the
piano and looking straight at me. I was going
to kill myself. That's why was drinking all
that brandy. Well, I'm not going to do
it now.
Nor asked. not mentioning my own
intention in that direction. No? Why not?'
Because I've got a job to do first she