Heart of the Wolf

HIS STORY

THE WOLF’S DEN

     After graduating from Columbia University with a Master’s Degree in Business Administration and journalism, Reggie had opened, at the urging of his many

friends, a dinner-dance club in New York City. “We need a place to hang out in style, man,” was the constant topic whenever he saw one of his cronies.

So he searched for prime real estate in Manhattan and found the perfect spot for his new club. After a half a million dollars’ worth of renovations, the club turned

out to be ultra- modern and trendy. Reggie named the club ‘The Wolf’s Den.’ and he became known far and wide as the Wolf.

     Not surprisingly, since Reggie was a hands-on type of guy, the club flourished. He was always around, making sure everything ran smoothly. He even had an

expensively furnished office where he could sleep in, or take a woman there instead of going to his penthouse.

     Reggie always had a steady flow of groupies every night of the week. After a year, he had five clubs: two in New York City, one in Long Island, and two in New

Jersey.

     Reggie also started a public relations company, called Mantle Public Relations Inc. that helped many people get their businesses started. Then adding to his

family’s already established publishing companies, their newspaper circulations kept increasing. In five years they had markets nationwide and in Europe. He also

began a new magazine, called ’Players Magazine’ an entertainment journal that was a combination of People and Playboy, and just as popular. Occasionally he

would write racy stories for his magazine, as editor-in-chief.

He even occasionally modeled clothing from time to time due to constant demands from designers and other publishers because of his good looks. He did it more

for the exposure more than any pleasure or need for the money it paid him. I sure bought his a lot of dates. He had a different woman every night.

     But strangely, despite his decadent lifestyle, he gave to many charities that focused on saving children, animals, the homeless, and the elderly. It was a

subconscious effort due to Betty. He knew it was something she would do.

      So, Reggie became wealthy and powerful, turning his frustration and anger at losing his one true ladylove into making money.

     One day, Reggie decided it would be great for business to feature live bands at the clubs. He auditioned for the right group for one entire  month before

choosing a band called the Raiders. It consisted of lead singer and front man, Bryon ‘Flash’ McCall, a tall, handsome dark skinned African American man of

twenty-three, who had dread locks and a

muscular build. He played a mean lead guitar and had a stunning singing voice. He also choreographed the group’s killer moves. Next was keyboardist Nathan

Duran, drummer Kareem Bottoms, Carlos Benitez on rhythm guitar, and bassist Sam Vernon. They were a mixed culture group and played excellent together.

What Reggie loved about them was their rapport and ability to play all kinds of music: rock and roll, Pop, R &B, reggae, dance, funk and they even threw in a few

country and western songs. The guys had known each other since grade school and was overwhelmed by their big break.

They were a tremendous hit their debut Saturday and Reggie knew he had a winner. He set up huge screens so people who attended his other clubs could party to

the Raiders’ music. He enjoyed them so much he would be present at their practice sessions. Reggie was there so much that Flash, dared him to play guitar with

them.

    “I love this song, Reggie. I heard you’re not too bad on the axe. Bet you can’t keep up with me.” When Reggie eyes lit up, Flash knew he had him. “Here, Boss,

wanna try?” Flash was smirking as he spoke. These rich boys all want to be a rock star; he had every intention of embarrassing his boss.

     “I haven’t played for a long time Flash. I’d hate to look like a fool up here.” At Flash’s urging, Reggie reluctantly took the magnificent scarlet red Sweetwater

electric guitar he offered: and after tuning it and strumming it a few times, he began to play. He had not played since he graduated from high school. It was a

hesitant sort of touch at first, but after he got comfortable, he unwillingly started thinking of Betty: how she would look at him with such admiration shining in her

eyes while he played for her, or how her beautiful breasts bounced up and down when they danced together at a party or when they studied together in his room.

He went into a trance and began following Flash’s lead on the song, ‘Smooth’ by Carlos Santana and Rob Thomas. By the time Reggie got to the guitar solo done

by Carlos Santana, Flash and the rest of the group had stopped playing and was watching him, transfixed. They were silent after he was finished, too surprised to

move, Then they clapped and stomped their approval, while Flash kowtowed to Reggie, admiring and respecting him as they never had before. His riveting

rendition of the song gave birth to Reggie the Wolf, rock star. They begged him to continue and they all played until it was time for the club to open,

     Reggie gained respect from the band from that moment forward. His passionate playing brought out the best in all of them and they wanted him to accompany

them on stage as much as he could. It was a great idea because when he played with them, the attendance at his clubs exploded. The Raiders enjoyed the

success his presence with their group gave them that they all chipped in and presented him with his own guitar, a beautiful black and red lacquered B C Rich ST

model. Reggie was unable to hide is amazement at the gift. “Thanks guys, I’ll always treasure it,” he gushed, trying to hold back tears. It was a valuable guitar and

he would lock it in his office when not in use.

     The Raiders developed a huge fan base that came to the Wolf’s Den to hear them, hopefully with Reggie on guitar, sing and play beautiful music. It started with

small crouds, but grew as word about Reggie’s sexy style spread all around the party set: they flocked to see him on stage. Everyone who heard Reggie thought

he was fantastic, telling their friends that his playing rivaled Eddie Van Halen, Slash, Ernie Isley and the Rock guru Jimmy Hendrix put together.

     Reggie played as if possessed during every show he did. And he was: he would go into a deep trance and think of Betty, and all his heart went into his music

where he could lay out his love, desire and hate for her, unknown to anyone. He usually wore leather pants and tight silk shirts. Or he wore no shirt at all. When

Reggie finished playing he would be soaked in sweat, which drove the audience wild. He was a remarkable sight with the perspiration dripping off of his six-pack

abs and he drove the audiences wild.

      So now, not only his prowess in the bedroom well known, he was also well known as a musician. What people did not realize was that Reggie was cash rich

and emotionally poor. He was an unhappy man deep inside, but he hid it very well. They all loved and envied him a life he wished he did not have. The life he

longed for was the life Archie Andrews had. A life with Betty Cooper as his wife.