The Midnight Train Crossing

"Okay, quiet everybody," she called, "Pearl, Rusty, let's go. I'll count you in."
She sat down at the piano, "One, two, three... " she nodded at Pearl.

"Rusty?" she asked, "Oh Rusty... "

She waited for her cue and then started to sing.

"Du allein gibst mir die Kraft zu leben
Und die Welt ist wunderschoen wenn wir zusammen sind
Nie zuvor war mir so klar
Nur du allein gibst mir die Kraft zu leben
Nimm mich, halt mich, fuehr mich, spuer mich und versteh mich
Denn ich weiss es jetzt genau... "

Pearl took a deep breath, "Ganz genau!"
Again she watched for her cue.

"Hier bin ich, suche dich
Jeder Tag ohne dich ist ohne Hoffnung
Doch mit dir wird's endlich hell in mir
Du bist das Licht in meinem Leben...

She took a breath.

Du allein gibst mir Kraft zu leben
Und die Welt ist wunderschoen wenn wir zusammen sind
Du allein kannst mein leben bewegen

The piano player nodded in approval, then realized Rusty was watching her carefully.
She cued him in, thinking that he needed to work on counting.

He took a deep breath and managed to sound breathless.

"Pearl, ich hab' dich gesucht," he panted, "Ist alles okay?"
"Ich bin okay," Pearl answered tearfully, "Aber meinetwegen hast du verloren."
Rusty shook his head and smiled, "Das stimmt nich. Deinetwegen hab' ich gewonnen."
Pearl looked at him, astonished, "Du hast gewonnen?"
Rusty grinned, "Ich hab gewonnen. Komm!"

The piano player looked meaningfully at them and they joined hands.

"Hier bin ich," Pearl sang.
"Hier bin ich," Rusty echoed.
"Suche dich... " she sang.
"Suche dich," he repeated.

"Look at each other... "

They looked into each other's eyes.

"Jeder Tag ohne dich war ohne Hoffnung
Doch mit dir wird's endlich hell in mir
Du bist das Licht in meinem Leben
Du allein ... "
"Du allein!" Rusty sang.
"... gibst mir die Kraft zu leben
Und die Welt ist wunderschoen wenn wir zusammen sind
"Selbst die nacht ist fuer mich hell," Pearl sang.
"Selbst die nacht ist fuer mich hell," Rusty repeated.
"Nur du allein gibst mir die Kraft zu leben
Nimm mich, halt mich, fuehr mich, spuer mich und versteh mich... "

"More power... "

"Und wir werden's schaffen," they sang, "Wir allein!"

"Good you guys," the piano player said, "You two have awesome harmony."

Pearl grinned teasingly at Rusty.

"You alone," she sang, "Give me power to live
and the world is wonderful if we're together.
Never before was it so clear... "

"Oh come on Pearl, I don't know all the English," he protested.

"Only you alone give me power to live
take me, hold me, lead me, search for me, and understand me."

"Too many syllables," he teased.

"Now I know exactly- exactly!"

"Much prettier in German... "

"Here I am, lookin' for you
Everyday without you is without hope
But with you, everything is clear to me.
You are the light in my life."

"I don't know the English... "

"You alone give me power to live
and the world is wonderful if we're together."

"I'm tellin' you... "

"You alone can move my life."

He sighed and his tone changed.

"Pearl! I was looking for you. Are you okay?"

She winked at him and then sank back into character.

"I'm okay, but it's my fault that you lost."
"That's not right. It's because of you that I won."
"You won?"
"I won, come!"

"Here I am... " she sang.
"Here I am," he repeated.
"Lookin' for you... "
"Lookin' for you."

"Good thing he's just repeating you," the piano player commented.

"Every day without you was without hope
but with you, everything is clear to me
You are the light in my life.
You alone... "
"You alone!" Rusty sang.
"Give me the power to live
and the world is wonderful if we're together."

"Even night is light for me," Pearl sang.
"Even night is light for me!" he echoed.
"Only you alone give me power to live
take me, stop me, lead me, search for me and understand me.
And we'll do it," they sang, "we alone!"