The Perfect Boy

A New Song to Sing

I would have been unaware of his presence if it had not been for him talking. I was so immersed in myself, I was sweating profusely and all my concentration was channeled through the tunes and lyric. It was a sad song I was singing, but with a lot of anger put into it. Could you imagine?

I was startled by his words and stopped what I was doing abruptly. In fact, I dropped the guitar and was surpised by the loud bang it made.

"Please do continue, Aspen"  It sounded like an insect, but I liked it anyway.

"Wh.wh.what are you doing he.he.here? Ho.ho.how did you know I was here? How do you know this place any..ny.nyway?" I thought I said those words all in one second, with stutter of course.

"Andrew let the secret out. You never told me about this place. It's real cool what you have here. I do have your permission, don't I?," he muttered

"Well, you are here whether I give you my permission or not. You are one of a kind, you know.  But your intrusion is a welcomed visit.  Ccomme.  Sit here with me," I was gaining more confidence with my words.  My emotions were raw but I was now more than ready to let him who I was.

Just when I felt more confident, "Just a visit, eh? Is that all my presence here to you?" he retorted.

"Wwwell, off courrse, muuucchh more than that," I bravely came running to him, stood in front of him and scratched my head.  He hugged me to death as always.  I let him.  I melted in his embrace.

There was trepidation in me. I knew he was going to ask me about all this and I wasn't prepared to answer him. He went to get the guitar that I dropped and placed it in my hands.

"Play an original song you wrote and love the most, please?" he spoke softly into my ears.    I didn't tell him I wrote songs.   So how did he know? Beats me.

I didn't want to, but as always, in situation like this, I couldn't resist him, "hmmmmmmm ... mmm" and I stopped completely. His hand landed on my shoulder and patted me. He stroked gently on my skin as I was wearing a tank top. The touch of skin on mine, the tap of those fingers, the soothing silence that ensued seemed to calm the pandemonium in me. And there we sat, as usual, silently.

"Ok.ok.okaayyyy ... I will play you something, but turn off the lights, I didn't want you to see me when I sing" I never sang in front of anyone before.

"huuuhhhhh?"

"Well, I will not start until you do."

"You are a strange fellow, you know that buddy?" he replied and turned off the switch that I pointed to for him.

And there in darkness, I sang my heart out, a ballad.  That is the kind of song I liked.   I guessed he had a soft spot for me or for my voice. Before long I heard him sniffing inbetween the words. I couldn't see him, but I felt the warmth of his mere presence, enveloping me and giving me peace.  Could one actually feel that?  I did!

He was my shelter, I thought to myself, I shouldn't run from him, but towards him.

Nothing much was said that night. We just sat there shoulder to shoulder. I sang him a couple more of my original songs.

You know, I never knew I would be able to write songs other than ballads prior to that. But my mind was dancing away with joyous song when we sat in silence. I completed 2 songs by 4 a.m., long after Osaka had left. It was the first of many songs which had different flavors than ballads  that I was to write from thereon.

And one more thing. That night I cried, but for the first time the tears were not those of sorrow, but of joy, the first of many many many more I was going to shed after that night. Osaka had replaced my sad songs with lively ones; he made me dance for joy in the midst of struggles; he took away my mourning and made me laugh together with him. He truly had his way with me.