THE festival began at 8:00 at night with the unveiling of a huge clock. Marty noticed something very familiar about this clock. It looked like the one that was struck in 1955 by the lightening bolt that sent him back to the future and 1985. It was rumored that the Hill Valley clock in the clock tower was an Italian import, from Florence to be exact.
Son of a bitch! said Marty to himself, Could it be? Could this be the same clock that was struck by lightening?
Then, the prince came up beside the clock tower and proclaimed “I dedicate this clock to the Principality of Florence. May it stand for all time.”
There was a huge applause then the fireworks went off.
Marty stood alongside Simonetta and her husband Marco and said “I wish I brought my camera.”
Marco and Simonetta looked at each other asking “What’s a camera?”
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The evening started with a huge feast including a roast pig with an apple in it’s mouth.
Marty was sitting next to the Vespucci’s saying “This prince really knows how to throw a party. Look at that apple. No painted baseball.”
Simonetta looked at Marty and asked “What’s a baseball?”
Then, the prince made an announcement. “Ladies and gentlemen.” he said, “Friends and well wishers, it is my privilege to announce and introduce the woman I have betrothed myself too, Simonetta Jennifer Vespucci.”
Jennifer? Marty asked himself. Then, he saw a woman get up. It was Jennifer. Jennifer! exclaimed Marty to himself.
Jennifer took a bow to an applause from the throng. People raised their glasses to toast the upcoming nuptial.
The prince, holding her hand, went on to say “By this time next Saturday, she will be my wife.” and he kissed her.
Next Saturday? exclaimed Marty, You mean I’ve got till only next Thursday to get Jennifer back or I’m stranded here for good?
Immediately, he got up and said “Jennifer, you can’t! You mustn’t.” People began to stare at Marty.
++++++
Jennifer overheard Marty and whispered to the prince “What’s he doing here?”
“Simonetta.” said the prince, “This is a public gathering.”
“Well, I don’t want him invited to my wedding.” said Jennifer.
“Do not worry my love.” said the prince, “If he shows up at the church next Saturday, he will be barred.” Then, he noticed Marty approaching the head of the table and said “He’s coming.”
“I’ll handle this.” said Jennifer. Turning to Marty, she said “Get lost, Marty. Take a hint, we’re through.”
“Jennifer.” said Marty, “You can’t do this. If you marry the prince next Saturday, I can’t have you anymore…”
“Good.” said Jennifer, “I’m glad. Serves you right.”
“…and if I can’t have you,” said Jennifer “we’re both stranded here forever.”
“Well you should’ve thought of that when I caught you flirting with Jim Jandick’s wife.”
Marty staggered back at the smell of Jennifer’s breath.
“Jennifer.” he exclaimed, “Have you been drinking?”
“I sure am.” said Jennifer, “With this!” She picked up her glass and splashed Marty with wine.
The crowd cheered at this. And the prince said to the captain of the guard “Escort Dumas back to his seat.” And the captain gave the order to do thus.
Then, the prince announced “And now some music. Ladies and Gentlemen, here is by Julio Louisa Criers della città.”
++++++
Marty was barely back at his place when he heard the announcement about the night’s musicians.
A band appeared on a stage and began to perform. Marty looked at this band of troubadours and they bore the resemblance of Huey Lewis and the News. The instruments they were using were of Renaissance in nature with flutes, lutes and drums make the music the sound of the Renaissance. But the melody was to the tune Hip to be Square.
Looking to the left, he saw Simonetta so sad face and saying “He loved me. Now he’s going to marry someone who looks just like me.”
Marco comforted her saying “You have me.” She put her head on his shoulder and started to cry.
Marty couldn’t bear to look. Simonetta was the prince’s mistress and Botticelli’s model. And now she was only someone’s wife with Jennifer about to become the wife of a prince and a model of an artist.
He tried to keep his mind off both of them and the fact that now he may never see home again unless he did something about it. He tried to listen to the music that this band was playing.
He even commented “This is the kind of music you want to rock too.”
Then, the prince and his bride to be got up and went to a place that had a dance floor and started dancing. It wasn’t your classic run of the mill rock and roll dance of the ‘50’s, ‘60’s, ‘70’s, or ‘80’s. There was no Mash Potato, Watusi or Twist. And there was no Jitterbug either.
It was the kind of dance that was prominent during that era: The dancers were holding each others hand up in the air like a high five while their other hands dangled freely behind them. Then, with their free hands going behind their backs, they looked at each other as they danced in a circle with their feet in a march like step.
Then, more people joined on the dance floor copying what the prince and future princess were doing. And then, they switched partners and kept dancing.
Then, a group of people formed two sideline, one on one side, and the other on the other side and each on one side held hands with one on the other side like a high five to form a Virginia reel.
The prince and Jennifer came down between these groups as the brought their hands down as if trying to stop them only to miss them. Then, another dance couple followed through this reel followed by another.
However, the prince and Jennifer didn’t avoid the last link of hands as they crashed into them causing the reel to collapse. The two landed on the floor and laughed.
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Count Tannenio and his henchmen returned to Florence and went immediately to the festival.
“Do you think that Simonetta will be here at this festival-eh?” asked Moe.
“She’s gotta be here.” said Tannenio, “The entire city of Florence is here. And she’s the prince’s mistress. But soon, she’ll be mine.”
There was a gateman at the entrance to the grounds of the Medici Palace who stopped the four by saying “You’ll have to check your weapons at the gate before you enter.”
“Want to check out our swords?” asked Tannenio, “Here, check it out.”
He pulled out his sword as his to behead the man when a voice said “Just leave your swords with the man.”
Tannenio and his men turned to see who it was.
“Stricklandio.” he said, “The Captain of the Prince’s Guard.”
“I hope you don’t bother Simonetta Vespucci like you did the other day, Tannenio.” said the captain.
Noticing the sword pointed at his back, Tannenio said “Is that how you great all the prince’s guest? By pointing swords behind their backs?”
“I’m like you, Tannenio.” said the captain, “I take any advantage I can.”
However, Tannenio’s questioning turned out the be a signal to his men to draw their swords and attack Stricklandio. The plan backfired however. Stricklandio turned his sword to the swords of the henchmen and single handedly knocked them out of their hands.
“That’s smart, Stricklandio.” said Tannenio, “Very smart.”
“Discipline is my middle name.” said the captain, “Now check your swords.”
Tannenio’s men dismounted their horses, picked up their swords and gave them to the gateman, so did Tannenio.
Then, the gateman said “That too.”
Tannenio extracted his knife and flung it at a piece of wood where the guns were put down saying “After all, we are at a party and we’re suppose to have fun and enjoy yourselves-eh?”
“The only fun I’ll be enjoying is to see you rot in a dungeon cell.” said the captain.
“I was afraid you’ll be saying that.” said Tannenio as his henchmen mounted their horses and enter the gate.
“Enjoy.” said the gateman.
Turning to some of his men in training, he said “Now that’s how you handle it. Never give your opponent an inch and maintain discipline at all times. Remember that, discipline.”
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Marty went for a walk around the premises. He ran into this German man who had bottles of beer. Marty studied one of these bottles .
“Budweiser.” he said, “Far out.”
The German looked at him as if to say What does he mean by that?
Going to the bandstand, Marty asked to Julio “Can you jazz it up a bit?”
Julio looked at Marty as if to ask “What do you mean by ‘jazz’?”
Picking up a guitar he said “Now take that song for instance.” He was strumming along with the song that the band was performing and then he said “This is a blues rhythm in ‘B’, look for the changes and try to keep up.”
He started to jazz it up and sang:
I used to be a renegade, I used to fool around
But I couldn't take the punishment, and had to settle down
Now I'm playing it real straight, and yes I cut my hair
You might think I'm crazy, but I don't even care
Because I can tell what's going on
It's hip to be square
I like my bands in business suits, I watch them on TV
I'm working out most everyday and watching what I eat
They tell me that it's good for me, but I don't even care
I know that it's crazy
I know that it's nowhere
But there is no denying that
It's hip to be square
It's not too hard to figure out, you see it everyday
And those that were the farthest out have gone the other way
You see them on the freeway, It don't look like a lot of fun
But don't you try to fight it; "An idea who's time has come."
Don't tell me that I'm crazy
Don't tell me I'm nowhere
Take it from me
It's hip to be square
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Jennifer turned from her dance partner to see Marty performing along with the musicians and said to herself He just doesn’t want to quit wanting me back! He’s even going as far as tampering with history.
The prince observed her and said “What’s the problem, my dear?”
“That creep.” said Jennifer, “He won’t leave well enough alone.”
She put her head on the prince’s shoulder and started to cry.
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On stage, Marty go Julio to sing along with him and was sounding a lot like Huey Lewis. When the song was finished, he asked Marty “Do you know any other songs?”
“Yeah.” said Marty, “This one’s an oldie. Well, it’s an oldie where I come from.”
He started this next song with “One-two-three-four!” And strummed the mandolin like a guitar singing:
She was just seventeen.
You know what you mean.
And the way she looked
Was way beyond compare.
Well, I’ll never dance with another, Woo!
When I saw her standing there.
Well, she looked at me.
And all I could see.
And before too long,
I fell in love with her.
Well she never dance with another ,
When I saw her standing there.
Well, my heart when boom
When I cross that room,
And I held her hand in my-eee-eee
Well, we dance through the night,
And we held each other tight,
And before to long I fell in love with her.
And I’ll never dance with another, woo!
When I saw her standing there.
And the band kicked it into gear.
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Unable to stand Marty’s presence now, Jennifer went back to the table and poured out some more wine for herself and began to drink it.
The prince followed her to the table and said “You mustn’t be this upset, my dear. He’s just desperate to have you back.”
“Well, he can’t have me back again EVER.” said Jennifer.
She poured out another drink.
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Marty continued with “I Saw Her Standing There” with
Well, my heart when boom
When I cross that room,
And I held her hand in my-eee-eee
Well, we dance through the night,
And we held each other tight,
And before to long I fell in love with her.
And I’ll never dance with another wooo!
When I saw her standing there.
When I saw her standing there.
When I saw her standing there.
When the song finished, he looked around for Jennifer but couldn’t find her.
He also saw the guest just standing there watching as was the band, so he said, putting down the mandolin, “I guess you’re not ready for that. But your descendants will like it someday. I guarantee it.”
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Guest members Lennon, McCartney, Harrison and Starkey, all from England with their spouses watch the young man’s performance on stage and his speech afterwards and one of them said “Yeah. That’ll be the day.”
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Count Tannenio and his men kept their eyes out for Simonetta.
Then, one of them spotted her saying “There she is, fixing herself drink. And the prince is with her.”
“Good.” said Tannenio, “She’s gonna be drunk enough for me.”
And started to approach her.
+++++++
Marty spotted her too. She was with the prince.
“Jennifer.” he said, “Listen to me. Just listen. You can’t stay here. I can’t stay here. We don’t belong…”
Both Jennifer and the prince looked at Marty as she said in a slurred speech “What’sh ith to you, losher?”
“Jennifer.” exclaimed Marty, “You’re drunk.”
“Ha!” said Jennifer as she struggled away from the prince and staggered towards Marty, “And I’m enjoying it. Now get lost.” She picked up another bottle and poured it into her cup and drank it down.
Marty watched in horror. Not only was Jennifer the girl he lost, but now the girl who was destroying herself.