Four stories in 20 minutes!
At the April meeting of Gulf Coast Writers, everyone was talking at once. Amazingly, the result was not chaos. Four teams of writers collaborated to create stories based on lyrics from the American songbook of the 1970s. Members were given just 20 minutes to craft a story based on their song assignment. Take a look at the results, below. Teamwork opportunities will continue in future meetings. We are the new Gulf Coast Writers!
“Copacabana” lyrics
Her name was Lola, she was a showgirl
With yellow feathers in her hair and a dress cut down to there
She would merengue and do the cha-cha
And while she tried to be a star
Tony always tended bar
Across the crowded floor, they worked from eight til four
They were young and they had each other
Who could ask for more?
At the copa (co) Copacabana (Copacabana)
The hottest spot north of Havana (here)
At the copa (co) Copacabana
Music and passion were always the fashion
At the copa they fell in love
Copa, Copacabana
His name was Rico
He wore a diamond
He was escorted to his chair, he saw Lola dancing there
And when she finished, he called her over
But Rico went a bit too far
Tony sailed across the bar
And then the punches flew and chairs were smashed in two
There was blood and a single gun shot
But just who shot who?
At the copa (co) Copacabana (Copacabana)
The hottest spot north of Havana (here)
At the copa (co) Copacabana
Music and passion were always the fashion
At the copa, she lost her love
(Copa, Copacabana)
(Copa, Copacabana)
(Copacabana)
like in Havana
(Copa, banana)
Music and passion were always in fashion
Her name is Lola, she was a showgirl
But that was thirty years ago, when they used to have a show
Now it’s a disco, but not for Lola
Still in dress she used to wear
Faded feathers in her hair
She sits there so refined, and drinks herself half-blind
She lost her youth and she lost her Tony
Now she’s lost her mind
At the copa (co) Copacabana (Copacabana)
The hottest spot north of Havana (here)
At the copa (co) Copacabana
Music and passion were always in fashion
At the copa don’t fall in love
“Copacabana” the story
By Lara Anderson, Robin Slider, Holly Walicek, Margaret Ramus, Sarah Fischer Pointer, Laura Schueneman
Lola sits at the Betty Ford Clinic in Naples staring out the window and reminiscing to her caregiver. She tells him about her love, Tony, the bartender at the Copa. He was a struggling screenwriter during the day. She fell in love with him because of his writing.
The Copa was located in Havana and was the hottest spot at the time.
One night, Rico, who was a billionaire tech start-up wizard who always got what he wanted, came into the Copa and wanted Lola.
Lola explained to the caregiver that she didn’t want Rico, she loved Tony. But Rico pulled her onto his lap. Tony, who was very jealous, was enraged and pulled out a gun. He pulled Lola off Rico. A fight ensued and the gun went off. Tony was killed.
Lola was then coerced into marrying Rico because she had no means to support herself after the Copa shut down following the shooting. Her true love was Tony, and Lola started drinking.
Lola was pregnant with Tony’s child when he was killed. She was a lush when the child was born, so he was taken away. She regrets never knowing her love child.
“Lola,” the caregiver says, “I am your son.”
