Elton John & Leon Russell - "When Love is Dying"

Katherine and Michael
Lindsay and Kevin
Heather and Stefan
Ben and Sam
Trish and Trish
Jen and Neil are headed out to a birthday to-do for Jen's co-worker. Matthew. Gay Matthew, as Jen calls him. Matthew is having a birthday thing at a karaoke place right downtown. Not a stereotype, it just happens to be true. Jen and Neil exchange a look, Neil trots to a run, he's been parking the car and Jen looks at him like "come on." They go inside and shed their coats, bulky on the backs of small chairs. Order a drink, look at the singer, look at the bartender, look at all the mirrors and tinsel and dark carpets and the loud group in the booth. It seems in this bar, everyone is the loud group in the booth. Everyone except those few vocal snipers that sit alone, sipping a ginger ale, waiting to do their rendition of I Will Always Love You. Squirrelly dudes and older ladies with smoker faces. Smoke- smoke- smoke- smoke- smoker face. Matthew is doing Lady Gaga, and Jen is laughing. She looks at Neil like "this is fun" and he looks back like "good, I'm glad". Jen's co-workers are picking songs, songs like Love Shack, and U Can't Touch This and Achy Breaky Heart. A sniper gets up and does Everything I Do I Do For You. Jen is texting during that performance. Neil checks his phone, for no reason. Matthew gets up again and does Sex Machine. The girls are cheering, and Neil checks his phone again. He nervously swigs his beer, as the song finishes. "Neil!" He doesn't stand up at first, but then everyone stares at him. The music starts, he sings When Love is Dying by Elton John. No one has even heard this song before. Neil has never heard this song before, but he somehow knows how to sing it, and he looks into the small bright lights that shine right in his eyes. Two of the co-workers start making out during the performance. The bartender goes for a cigarette break. Matthew mouths along to the words. Jen grabs her coat and starts to cry.

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