paper and paint

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Last night, after a long meeting at church, I went back to Jimmy’s house to wait for Stephen to finish up band practice. As I approached the house, I slowed to a crawl to scope out my parking options. I found an open space down the street a few houses and made my way back toward the old familiar sound of songs heard hundreds of times before. I noticed the muffled sound of the base drum fell in time with my step and I tried so hard to keep the rhythm. I have never been very good with a beat. Feeling the air through my shirt, I wrapped my sweater around me tighter. The nights have gotten cooler lately. Dry leaves blew across the road with a crackle and I smiled. Almost there.

Knocking once, I let myself in. Jimmy expected me and said hello. The music vibrated through the living room wall, but felt as though it was ten miles away behind layers of drywall and foam padding. He headed out to the backyard to make a phone call and I followed behind him. Just as I suspected, there was a blaze in the fire pit and empty chairs positioned around it, ready for when the guys decided to stop. They should be finished any minute now. I hummed to a familiar tune and sat down close to the warmth. Jimmy headed up the hill to a special place where he could talk in private. His conversation continued and I realize it wasn’t as private as he thought. Something about tough times… advise being given on a struggling relationship. My heart broke for them. The music had stopped now and so I pulled out my iPod to guard myself from unintended ease-dropping. I positioned two of the folding chairs next to each other and laid down by the fire.

The first two songs where oldie but goodies by The Cure. Great band and a great album, but clashed with the solitude I was looking for. I jumped quickly over them and waited for the third. It quietly began, a voice I hadn’t heard in a while but carried with it years of nostalgia for me… The Fire Theft. It was just what I needed. The music soared and so did I. Opening my eyes, I felt the stars begin to shine brighter and skip across the sky. The night became darker around me in this small circle of light and heat. Conversation faded to the background and I traveled to a place where everything was right in the world again.