The Show Must Go On

Flick of the wrist

John took the big box and walked downstairs. He decided he'd put it in his big wardrobe, and placed it behind some big winter coats. At least it would be safe there, and if not sooner he'd find them again when the winter came. He walked out through the door, across the garden and back to the basement. He could almost feel a wave of positivity splashing over him, like you can almost see how a flower goes from dry and dead to full of life, when you give it water for the first time in a way to long time.
John smiled. It was like the flowers were extra colourful and the leafs extra green.
He didn't return to find the cd's, but to search for another thing he hadn't thought about for a long long time.

He opened the creaking door, and inhaled the musty smell. The basement hadn't been cleaned in God knows how many years, and it was incredibly dirty and unorganised with random stuff everywhere. That however, was a task for another day. He made a note in his head to do it with Veronica later. Veronica was his wife since 1975, so he hadn't been lonely all these years. Just slightly (read very) sad and depressed. Not much anymore though. The photo album had brought up so many memories, and instead of feeling sad about it being over, he thought of it with a smile. It was something that he did back then, and now he did something else. Whatever that else was. Thinking about it, he really missed his old pals.

Finally

John had found his target. It was covered with a dusty yellow blanket with red and purple cats. It had been a gift from Freddie actually, the fabric will say. John smiled when he remembered Freddie's excitement about it on Christmas back in 87'.
He removed the blanket and held up what had been hidden under it for all these years. He inspected the thing with a smile.

It was like this it felt to hold it

John remembered it as if it was yesterday. Aaah, it was just like in the olden days. He could almost hear Freddie in the studio shouting something like "that's great Deaks, one more time with a little more depth"
That was the thing with Freddie, he was a damn perfectionist. He'd never do anything considered "small time", nothing but the best was good enough for Fred. He would always finish what he started and make the absolute best out of it.
What John held was his old bass.

There was no time to lose, he carried the bass back to the house where started playing. The bass lines for another one bites the dust, under pressure, you're my best friend and many many more came as easy as pouring water.
The bass guitar felt so natural in his hands and he couldn't believe he had ever not played it.

As he worked through bass line after bass line, he came to realise how he had never really got over Freddie. He had got over the grieving process, but not the 'trying to forget' process. He had figured, that if he forgot about queen, about Freddie, about everything that had to do with music, he could live a happy life.
Ironically the happiest moment of the past 18 years had been today, finding the old memories and playing the bass.

John played for hours and hours. Surprisingly, he remembered everything. All the tricks, all the short cuts, the little things he thought he'd forget about. He hadn't. After all, music is the only thing that never leaves you, that's what they say right?
The bitter and withdrawn bubbled that had surrounded John for all these years, was about to melt, and old Deaky, the Queen member was about to wake up to life again.

So it was a different man, Veronica met when she came home from a day in the city.
— John! Is that your bass, did you fall and hurt your head?
— Of course not, why?
John was beaming. Veronica smiled. He looked like a precious little child on Christmas morning.
— Well, last time you mentioned it you said you'd never ever wanna see it again. When was the last time you touched that bass, must've been ages ago! How come you suddenly picked it up again?
Veronica was confused. John had seemed very off lately. Actually not just lately, but for the past 18 years. It was marvellous seeing him happy again!
John put away the bass and gave his wife a big hug. She hugged him back, but let go, looking at his husband in astonishment.
— What's all this, John? you seem so, changed!
— Not changed love, just back to normal.
— That's great darling, but I still don't understand a thing.
She laughed, clearly happy of the sudden change of her husbands mood.
— I found my photo albums and the bass, I can't understand how I've been so stupid all these years! Tried to forget about it when it's been such a big part of my life.
— That's so amazing to hear John darling! I honestly don't get how you still remember how to play that thing, it's been so long.
— it's easy, just a flick of the wrist here and you press down some strings there and there you have it!

That night, when John and Veronica sat down to watch TV, they came across a channel that showed the full live aid concert. When John saw them running in on stage he smiled.
— That was a hell of a concert, it was!
He laughed. Then it struck him.

If this wasn't a sign, I don't know what it is

He sat in silence for a while, processing a thought.
A thought that had been burning in the back of his mind for a long time. He simply couldn't ignore it anymore. Heck, he was a grown ass man and if he kept on wasting his life like this it'd soon be over. Not that he didn't have extreme-memories overload, but still. Something had to be done.

— You know what Ver? I'm gonna start touring with queen again, their tour starts in 3 weeks, I think I'll make it.