It's been a long time since I rock 'n' roll (Short Music Story)

My name is Smith, and since I decided I wouldn't play my guitar anymore, I have never been to any kind of rock concert again. I believe it was 10 years ago. Life was much easier than nowadays, and I was happy if I could just keep playing in the afternoon. 

One day, after one gig, I just decided to give away my guitar, to my good and closest friend, and said I wouldn't play anymore. As a matter of fact, I can't even remember why... And now, I'm gonna check how the music has changed ever since.

Well, I couldn't expect the blues to be so alive and sounding so good... It gives me thrills! And there he is, my great friend, who is still playing. But, wait... Isn't that... my old guitar? Yes. There she is.

I never expected that he would ask me to join the band to play the classic blues song Cocaine. I told him “It's been a long time since I rock 'n' roll”, but he just gave me my guitar back. She is still the same. A shiny cherry color, not as heavy as she seemed to be, golden pick ups and with strings asking for a great solo.

And there I was, in front of not so many people, some of them drinking at the bar, some enjoying the song... and I played. And it was like going back in time. 10 years back in time. Life was wonderful again, full of joy, and... life! 

We jammed through the night, and when the gig was over, he who had just put me in trouble told me I should keep my guitar back, because she never sounded as great as she would with my playing, and how amazing it was to listen to the sound my guitar and I did on the stage.

And now, here I am, looking to my guitar while writing the words about a great night that told me we are never too old to rock 'n' roll.

Music

Today, walking through the college halls
In my direction came some guy
He was singing something, but not loudly.
As I couldn't understand what he was doing,
Singing, or thinking aloud, or anything...
I thought: "crazy guy"

And then when he was closer to me
And finally crossed my way
I heard the song he was singing
"Tell me tell me tell me
Please tell me the answer"

While my brain was trying to understand the info he'd just got
I had the feeling "I know that!"
And I did know that.
Then I sang - after that stranger be a long gone:
"You may be a lover but you ain't no dancer!!!"

Well, at that moment, the crazy guy was me!
And the music made me feel alive! Real.
And the funny thing is that, during this week,
I sang this song in my head... A LOT!!!

Wrong way

Hello!
Today I was driving, happy since I accomplished some things.
And I kept driving. Listening to a good blues song.
Then I drove down the street, heading to the parking lot.

On the other side of the road, there came a car, driving on his way,
Just leaving the roundabout. Then...
Well, by his side, another car, leaving the roundabout, too.
But, the car was coming towards me, driving right on the wrong way.
And, well, I didn't notice that until some seconds later...

Man! That was really strange, and if I kept my speed, for sure we would crash.
Two cars, coming through the same roundabout, at the same time.
I just don't know where did the other car come from... That was insane!!!
He apologized with a signal and took the correct lane.

Wow! That was strange. And that was real, because agains all the odds,
Some strange things happens all the time!

Sleep

Ok, that is something very real...

I'll just rest a little on the bed upstairs.
...
Well, that was a good half an hour of sleep.
...
But when the night comes, I'm not sleepy.
What's left? To read a book at 3 a.m.
Waiting that my bed make the calling.
And then, sleeping for 3 hours
In order to face the whole week.

Well, let's get into it!

Gig Clothes

Once again about the rock n' roll life
And how the t-shirts I bought once...
(Okay,  almost 8 years ago)

And by the time I'd said:
"That's definitely what I'll wear on stage"
And the times went by
And the bands went by
And the gigs were 5
And now this very t-shirt
Is what I wear to sleep.

At least, it has one of my heroes on it
"Eddie Van Halen"

And the other, one of the blues heroes
"Stevie Ray Vaughan"

Thanks for these two to make rock n' roll real.
And even though I wasn't to many gigs
My feelings are real: To Keep Rockin'.

PS: Here's a photo!

Rock star

Being a rock star is a dream
My dream, and many other's dream.
And reality calls one more time.

I always thought how would it be
To be a rock star. Playing my guitar
To thousands of people in a great gig.


So, I went to the band's rehearsal.

Ok, everything I need is here with me.
All I need is to put it in the car...
... that is down 4 floors, at the garage.
... It tooks two trips.
... Now let's drive 20 miles.
... Let's set the gear.
... Let's carry some amps.
... Some guitars.
... Some pedals.
... The drums.

yeah, it sounds great!! Let's rock!!!
It is totally worth it!

And when I think about the rock stars that are there,
Right on the top of the world of music,
I know that they still have to carry their gear.
Well, not a ton of gear. But they do carry it.

And yeah, reality calls me when it comes to be a rock star.
Life is not only about gigs and playing my guitar.
I can't forget that I have to carry my gear, too.
And it is worth, indeed.

Bumping

So, I'm driving this road on my way home.
And I think I am a Pro driving my car.
Well, not so fast, I would say.

By my side, two cars collided...
Just a simple bumping, with scratches.

That reminds me it might happen to anyone,
And even if I can drive well,
I can't control someone else's wheel.

So, that's real... A real remind that
We are not lord of what's gonna happen
Or not happen.

Coffe with Milk

After five days only close to coffee plus powder milk,
There's nothing like a truly coffee with milk!!!

The Martial Arts

Two weeks without training at the dojo.
When I'm finally able to attend a class,
I see it clearly, again...

No matter how I think about the Art
In every moment of my days, or
In every movement I'm doing...
Or how the technique is clear on my mind.

In the first moment I hit the mat
And when I have to move smoothly
Towards my enemy, who is a friend - of course,
I notice that my body has once again
Forgotten  everything.

And reality tells me that, to succeed,
I will need more than one class per week.
I need more than the thought, too.
I need the Spirit, the strength,
To do more than I think is enough.

And that's real. The need to keep going!

Rain

For five days without my car, I've been thinking...
What is real?
It is when there's no rain for 3 months, and when your car is at the garage, it rains.
It rains a lot.
And, of course, you don't have your umbrella with you.
So, you wait for the bus. When it's right in front of you. And you wait... and wait... until it finally open the doors.
Well, thinking about it now, it wasn't that bad. But it was real. And yes, I had to wait for its departure time, so I could be safe from the unceasing rain that made it clear: there are times you're just soaked.

Walking slowly

I always have been waking fast...
And when my feet are tired, I see,

I finally walk down the stairs
Step by step in a slow march.
There's finally no need to hurry
Because... you know...
The world won't end tonight.
And there's plenty of time
Just to walk down the stairs
Feeling the comfort of a simple
And sloooow walk.
And that's real.
I feel so real at all
In a slow march.

Ground

I stumbled, and almost fell down.
Than I understand...

How close I was to something I've been told to fear.
How I almost found myself face to face to that dangerous thing.
Yes, it was there. Facing my eyes like it wanted me closer.
So close I would feel its cold heart and energy.
But no, it was just how earth wanted me to be closer.
How I could be one again with mother earth.
The ground was touching me,
Touching my soul.
And I see now
How real it was.

Bump

You're driving. And when you drive, you're untouchable.
Yeah, you are. But what about reality? Where is it?
It is when you turn right, suddenly the bus turn left,
Right into you!
With no previous alert, no blinker, no nothing.
Your war cry is heard. And forgotten.
That's real.

Words

I'm home. And again, I'm thinking...
What is real?

My chair is here, waiting for me and my typing night.
But, where's my laptop?
It's not on the desk,
Of course it isn't.
Found it! Oh, battery is low.
Of course it is.
Where are the cables???
Of course they're not around...
Oh, everything set up, finally!
Wait, where are the words??
Of course, they're gone...

Those words were real,
And just like that, They were gone...

Train

On my way home tonight, I've been thinking...
What is real?
Since my car wasn't... running... Let's take the train.
And on it, I saw so many people, on their very same way home, just like I was.
And it was beautiful... After a tiring day, people would arrive and get themselves filled with energy again.
And I heard the city. The movement around me, how it would keep going, and keep everyone going.
Making sure everyone would be carried away and back again, to wherever they wanted to be.
Yeah, this is real. This is right around me. Right around us.
Right here.

Be Real At All

Don't forget 

to be real

at all