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Real Book Jazz wasn’t a group socollection of aather at the coffeehouse to play for tips and the love of music Nearly anyone who had mastered the "real book," that near mythical compilation of standards that all jazz musicians are expected to knoas invited to sit in As a result, the ed froht a Lutheran pastor, a social worker, a part-tih school music teacher, and a bus driver had joined Stacy, a bioche on "Scotch and Soda," the old Kingston Trio tune, and really had it going The xylophone player in particular was outstanding, and I thought, Nina should hear this guy

It was Nina who had discovered Coffee Grounds, who had first brought ly suspect that she preferred the chocolate-covered coffee beans they sold to theear than I had, and she prized consistency Real Book Jazz, for all its virtues, was far from consistent Yet sometimes they played thebehind a feeling of pure joy In that regard the experience wasn’t soyard in the late innings with the game on the line It put a jump in your step and filled your heart with the sense that all things were possible

That’s why Nina valued out-of-the-way joints like this

That’s why I valued theoneto Nina in the past Yet knowing she was out there and available had been reassuring to me; I always knew that I wasn’t alone Now that ere on the outs, suddenly I understood the anguish behind the Cole Porter song Stacy was singing froe--"Love for Sale"

It had been nearly two years since Nina and Iwhat s I had done prior to erald at Northrup, Wynton Marsalis and Itzhak Perl on "Su Othello opposite Christopher Plu to the brink of the Stanley Cup Finals, the Tinning their second World Series Only here’s the thing--when I recalled these moments, and so many others, I nearly always saw Nina She wasn’t there; she couldn’t possibly have been there Most of these events occurred before I knew her, some when I was a still a kid Yet somehow, in my me pull of the mocha

Real Book completely botched "Autumn Leaves"--that’s what happens when you don’t rehearse--did a decent job with "All of Me," and just soared on "The Girl froh that I decided I had had enough

I dropped a twenty in the tip jar, bought a half-pound bag of chocolate-covered coffee beans, and went looking for Nina

The stor all day had finally arrived, but it was co in like a lamb, so I didn’t bother with an u lot and entered Rickie’s The sound of a jazz trio playing in the upstairs dining and perforreeteda splendid job covering the Johnny Mandel tune "Suicide Is Painless" Half the tables in the downstairs lounge were occupied, and the customers see thunderstor to do with it I found Nina Truhler behind the bar Seeing her filled lee that I instinctively worked to hide

She and Jenness were both chatting with a custoht it was Daniel I was relieved when I discovered it wasn’t As I approached, Ninain front of a few unoccupied stools I greeted her there

"McKenzie, nice to see you," she said Fro any one of her regulars

"Hi"

I presented her with the chocolate-covered coffee beans

Nina took the bag from my outstretched hand, opened it and sniffed "French vanilla, my favorite," she said without e me"

"That’s the plan"

Jenness stayed with the custoave nal

"What happened to your face?" Nina asked "Did you get into a fight?"