The Magic Strings of Frankie Presto

Paul says that Frankie once auditioned for KISS. Frankie had been an idol of Paul’s when he was little, so he was awestruck when he auditioned. However, the rest of the band decided that Frankie was too old to be in the band. Frankie admits to Paul that he only auditioned for the band because his daughter loves them. 

Frankie’s funeral is about to begin, and Music reveals a secret about the church—it’s the church where Frankie was born, and it’s also where, “nearly four hundred years ago, a man named Pascual Baylón died” (386). On the night Frankie was born, when the church was being raided, Baylón “signaled the church members to flee. By clapping inside his tomb” (387).

Time jumps back to when Frankie and Aurora briefly left their island with their daughter to show her where they’re from. They’re in Spain, and Frankie notes how Spain is improving after the death of the dictator, Franco. Everything looks so different, and Frankie feels strange—he never wanted to come back here, and he’s only here because of the urging of his wife.

They go to Baffa’s old home, and a woman answers the door. She says a man gave her a box to give Frankie.