No Ordinary Love (48 page)

“And the winner for best song goes to . . . Alice Blazevich for ‘Plastic Life’!”

Tony clapped as others around him stood and clapped. “Why are they standing?”

“They’re glad Alice won,” Trina said.

“I am glad Alice won,” Tony said. “She writes many good songs.” Tony stood and clapped.

Trina joined him. “Are you disappointed?” she whispered.

“No.” Tony looked around him in all directions.
Where is Angelo?

Trina squeezed his elbow.

I am the only one still standing and clapping,
Tony thought.
I need more time to find Angelo. I will clap some more.

In moments, others stood and clapped, and the applause became deafening. Tony still did not see Angelo anywhere, so he sat.

Trina rested her head on his shoulder. “That was so nice of you.”

Tony’s eyes darted around the Staples Center during several more musical numbers.

“Are you sure you’re okay?” Trina asked.

“I am okay,” Tony said.

“You wish Angelo and Aika were here,” Trina said.

“Just Angelo,” Tony said.

“Why not Aika?” Trina asked.

“I cannot tell you,” Tony said.

After a commercial, Curtis Piccola, longtime music producer and Chair Emeritus for the Recording Academy board of trustees, stood in front of the podium. “The Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award is given to those who have made inspired contributions of exceptional artistic importance to the field of recorded music. At sixteen, our honoree wrote his first top-forty hit. Over the next twenty-four years, he added sixty—count ’em!—
sixty
more top-forty songs including three that won the Grammy for best song.”

Tony’s eyes continued to scan the crowd.

“Tony,” Trina whispered, “he’s talking about you.”

Tony looked up at the stage. “Why is he talking about me? I did not win.”

Trina kissed his hand. “You’re about to get an award.”

“I did not do anything,” Tony said.

“Just listen,” Trina said.

“Just one month ago,” Piccola said, “this amazingly talented pianist wowed us all with his remarkable genius and skills, and I say, it’s about time. Tonight, it is my privilege and honor to award Tony ‘Art E.’ Santangelo a lifetime achievement award. Tony Santangelo! Come on up!”

“But I have not lived a lifetime yet,” Tony said.

Trina pulled him to his feet as the applause grew louder. “But you’ve done so much in your life, and they want to give you an award.” She stepped out into the aisle as the spotlight found them.

“You will go with me,” Tony said.

“It should only be you,” Trina said.

“I would not be here if you did not love me.” He kissed her cheek and took her hand. “Let us go for a walk.”

As they walked, musicians and singers stuck their hands out into the aisles or gave Tony shoulder hugs. Tony shook as many hands as he could with his free hand.

“Do you know what you’re going to say?” Trina asked.

Tony stopped at the foot of the stairs to the stage. “I have to talk.”

“They expect you to say
something,
” Trina said. “Even if it’s simply a thank you.”

Tony nodded. “I will say something.”

Tony guided Trina up the stairs to the podium as the crowd stood and cheered.

Piccola handed him his award, and Tony placed it on the podium. “Trina would like me to say something.” He smiled at Trina and then at the crowd. “Something.” Tony stepped back from the podium.

Gradually, the audience began to laugh.

Tony held up a finger, and the laughter subsided. He reached into his suit jacket and took out his notepad. He began flipping through it, stopping occasionally, shaking his head, and flipping more pages.

He froze when he saw the receipt for Trina’s ring.

He looked at Trina.

I hope she did not see it.

He put the receipt into his pants pocket.

The crowd laughed.

He put the notepad away and looked up into the orchestra backstage. “I see a piano,” he whispered to Trina. “But it is not my piano.”

“It has the same number of keys,” Trina whispered.

“I can play it.” He took Trina’s hand and led her through the stage set and around light stands and wires to the piano, where a bearded man sat. “I want to play your piano.”

The man stood and shook Tony’s hand. “She’s all yours.”

While a man held a fuzzy boom mike over Tony, Tony turned to Trina, lifted her into the air, and settled her on top of the piano. “Hold on tight, Trina.”

The audience laughed.

“Are you going to play your heart out?” Trina asked.

“No,” Tony said. “I am going to play my soul out.”

Tony Santangelo then shared his soul with the world.

Soulfully, smoothly, and masterfully, Tony blended old soul, gospel, and a healthy helping of the blues into a song that had the audience swaying. Two minutes in, he stood and kicked back the piano bench—

And he saw Angelo and Aika waving at him from the wings.

Tony kissed Trina and ran offstage, snatching the little blue box from Angelo. “Thank you,” he said, and he sprinted back out to the piano, where he froze.

Oh . . . my . . . goodness!
Trina thought.
It’s a Tiffany’s box!

Tony kissed Trina again and ran off the stage. “Angelo, what do I say?”

“Say ‘Trina, will you marry me?’”

“That is all,” Tony said.

“It should be enough,” Aika said. “It worked on me.”

Tony blinked several times. “Angelo said ‘Trina, will you marry me’ to you.”

“No, Tony.” Aika hugged him. “Go ask Trina to marry you! Go!”

Tony ran back to the piano, set the Tiffany’s box next to Trina—

And he resumed playing.

Laughter filled the Staples Center and swelled even more when Trina crossed her arms and shook her head.
He’s teasing me!
she thought.
Give it to me! Give me my ring!
She moved the box into his line of sight.

But Tony tapped the top of the piano with his left while pounding the piano bench behind him with his right.

Then Tony stopped, stared at Trina, and asked, “Trina Woods, will you marry me?”

A hush filled the Staples Center.

“Yes!” Trina shouted.

“Okay,” Tony said.

And he
still
continued to play, running his fingers up and down the keyboard at breakneck speed.

Laugher, amazement, and applause broke out. Trina couldn’t stop shaking her head and smiling.
He asks me, I say yes, he keeps playing, the ring’s right there—what is he doing?

Angelo trotted out to the piano to some applause and put his hands on Tony’s shoulders. “Give Trina the ring,” Angelo whispered.

Tony’s left hand rose off the keyboard while his right hand kept playing. He picked up the box and handed it to Trina.

“Open the box and take out the ring,” Angelo whispered.

Tony stopped playing. He opened the box, took out the ring, and held it in front of Trina’s eyes.

“Put it on her finger,” Angelo whispered.

“Oh,” Tony said. He slid the ring onto her finger.

Trina displayed the ring to the crowd.
This is the most beautiful ring in the world,
she thought.
And it’s my color! I’ve never seen anything like it!
She reached out to hug him.

Tony
again
resumed his song.

Angelo hugged Trina, said, “Welcome to the family,” and shook his head as he left the stage.

Trina watched Tony play and felt his love swelling around her.
Every note he plays is for me. Every sound he makes proves his love for me. I don’t want him to stop! But I have to go to him. He came three thousand miles for me. I can move three feet for him.

Trina slid off the top of the piano and stood next to Tony. She first picked up his right hand.

Tony’s left hand played every bass note below middle C.

She slipped in front of him and picked up his left hand. “You can hug me now.” She reached her arms up and grasped his neck. “If you want to.”

Tony’s hands stayed rigid at his sides. He looked into Trina’s eyes. “I want to. I hold you in my mind all the time.”

“I hold you in my heart,” Trina whispered. “All the time.”

Tony slid his hands from his sides to her hips then moved them to her lower back. “I will hold you forever, Trina.” He pulled her to him, hugged her tightly, and dipped her almost to the piano keys, kissing her for a Grammy Award–show record two minutes and twenty-seven seconds as the crowd went wild.

Tony allowed Trina to come up for some air. “I am sorry I did that on television.”

“I’m not,” Trina said. “Do it again.”

“I may not be able to stop,” Tony said. “I have Asperger’s. It will become a routine.”

“Then don’t
ever
stop. . . .”

Tony Santangelo and Trina Woods, his dark brown woman, received three
more
standing ovations that night at the Grammy Awards.

They were still dipping backstage an hour later. . . .

Press Clippings

February 20

San Francisco Chronicle

T
ONY
M
ARRIES
T
RINA

AP (San Francisco) Tony “Art. E.” Santangelo and Trina Ann Woods were married on February 18 in the opulent Court of Honor at the Legion of Honor in front of Rodin’s
Thinker
, one of the most iconic sculptures ever created, while being serenaded by San Francisco musicians from Journey, Jefferson Starship, and the Grateful Dead . . .

Naini Mitra served as the maid of honor, and Angelo Santangelo, winner of the National Book Award for nonfiction, served as the best man. Matthew and Angela McConnell and Aika Saito ushered the bride down the aisle, and Angel McConnell was the sprinting, dancing flower girl . . .

The couple will honeymoon in Cobble Hill, Brooklyn, New York, USA.

February 27

Brooklyn Daily Eagle

A
UTHOR
S
ANTANGELO
W
EDS
S
AITO

National Book Award winner Angelo Santangelo and Random House editor Aika Saito were united in holy matrimony on February 25 at St. Paul’s in Cobble Hill with the groom’s brother, Tony “Art. E.” Santangelo providing all the music, including an original song for the couple entitled, “You Can Drink My Root Beer Now” . . .

The couple will honeymoon in Rome, Italy, near the Castel Sant’Angelo (The Castle of the Holy Angel) before continuing to Hiraizumi in northern Japan, the bride’s ancestral home.

March 15

Apparel Magazine

B
ANANA
R
EPUBLIC
P
ROFITS
R
ISE

Thanks to a breakout ad campaign starring Tony “Art E.” Santangelo and his bride Trina, Banana Republic profits have risen 5 percent in the last quarter, according to Gap executive Mark Vance.

“Not only do they look good in our clothes,” Vance said, “but they have fun wearing them” . . .

June 17

Billboard
magazine

A
RTY
G
OES
P
LATINUM
;
“S
NOWFLAKE
C
HILD
” G
OES
M
ULTI
-P
LATINUM

Naomi Stringer’s album
Arty,
named in tribute to the man who supplied her with eight currently top-100 songs and a dozen others in the past, has gone Platinum, selling one million copies worldwide in its debut three months ago. “Snowflake Child” has become the number one selling single in the world with over two million sales worldwide.

As of June 15, “Sexy Hate” was No. 3, “Second Chances” was No. 5, “That’s All You Have to Be” was No. 13, “I Only Want You in My Dreams” was No. 24,

“Gettin’ Busy” was No. 48, “That Is Love” was No. 79, and “Colorful Life” was No. 98 on
Billboard
’s Hot 100 . . .

July 5

New York Times

A
RT
E. R
OCKS
C
ENTRAL
P
ARK

Tony Santangelo, aka Art E., rocked the Big Apple in front of a record crowd of an estimated 500,000 fans in Central Park and was seen by an estimated four hundred million television viewers worldwide yesterday, with Trina by his side . . .

He began his five-hour set with “Fog City,” debuted “Love Is the Laughter of Angels,” and ended the night by whispering “Trina” to his lovely bride . . .

During one of the many highlights of the event, Elton John, Billy Joel, and Alicia Keys joined Tony onstage in front of four pianos to play Elton John’s “Bennie and the Jets” and “Honky Cat,” Billy Joel’s “Piano Man” and “It’s Still Rock and Roll to Me,” and Alicia Keys’s “Fallin’” and “No One.” The quartet ended with a soul-stirring, twenty-five-minute rendition of Chicago’s “Hard to Say I’m Sorry” . . .

Proceeds from the sales of
Tony in the Park
CDs and DVDs will benefit Asperger’s research worldwide . . .

July 18

Adweek

H
IRES
R
OOT
B
EER
S
ALES
S
KYROCKET

Thanks to Tony Santangelo’s epic consumption of Hires Root Beer during his performance in Central Park two weeks ago, Hires Root Beer sales have risen 27 percent over this time last year.

“I hope he has many more live concerts in the future,” Dr. Pepper Snapple Group CFO Miles Lawton said. “And I hope it’s extremely
hot
wherever he has them.”

July 29

Billboard
magazine

T
ONY
IN
THE
P
ARK
G
OES
D
IAMOND