The Flame (A Norman Reedus Story)

Chapter 70--Home From the Garden

Chapter 70—Home From the Garden

The lights go down as Aerosmith closes the show with “Mama Kin”.  They come out for an encore of “Dream On” and Norman holds me close against him, both of us swaying to the music.  He nuzzles my neck and softly sings the words in my ear.  This night has been one of the best nights of my life and I’m so happy to share it with him. 

Once the band leaves the stage and the house lights come on, we exit backstage to join everyone.  Mike leads us to a large room serving as the Green Room for tonight.  Slash is already hanging out with his band and so are the members of Cheap Trick.  Several girls are hanging out with the band members and I smile as memories of sitting backstage at Guns n’ Roses shows years ago fill my mind.  This is a lot tamer but still the typical concert “after party” most rock bands partake in.  The booze is flowing freely and the flirting by barely dressed young women trying to get noticed is in full swing.  I take a seat on a folding chair and grab Slash’s acoustic Gibson that he set down so he could grab a beer.  I strum a few cords and Myles smiles at me, “You play too?”  I grin and motion to Slash, “Yeah, I had a great teacher.”  He laughs, “I guess so!  Play something pretty girl.”  I look over at Norman who’s talking to Robin Zander and he’s smiling at me.  I slide my fingers up and down the strings a little, getting a feel for the Gibson.  It’s got a different tone than my Martin, but it’s a nice guitar.  Slash walks back over and grins, “It ain’t your Martin but you’ll like it.  What ya gonna play baby girl?”  I twist my mouth a little as I think about it, “Not sure. Give me a minute.” I start strumming a few cords and Slash smiles as he whispers, “Dust in the Wind.  Good song.”  I start singing the words and soon everyone joins in, singing with me.  Soon the room is filled with voices just jamming out to my impromptu jam session.  This is what I really enjoy about music; playing for friends.   

After that I immediately start playing “Lips of an Angel” making Slash chuckle.  Myles joins me singing along, the two of us having a great time.  I steal glances at Norman who is just watching me with a proud smile on his face.  Somewhere in the middle of the song, the members of Aerosmith file into the room, just watching Myles and I do our thing.  Once the song ends I go to put the Gibson down and Steven Tyler exclaims, “Not so fast girl.  What else you got?”  I give him a sassy look and challenge back, “What do you want to hear?”  He laughs, “Surprise me Jenna.”  I giggle and bite on my bottom lip, thinking of something to play that no one would expect.  I smile and start to strum the strings playing a song that my Mama used to sing all the time.  I muster all the soul my voice has to offer and let the words flow from my heart.

It was the third of June, another sleepy, dusty, delta day
I was out choppin' cotton and my brother was balin' hay
And at dinner time we stopped and walked back to the house to eat
And Mama hollered out the back door, "Y'all remember to wipe your feet"
Then she said, "I got some news this mornin' from Choctaw Ridge
Today Billie Joe McAllister jumped off the Tallahatchie Bridge"

Papa said to Mama as he passed around the black-eyed peas
"Well, Billie Joe never had a lick o' sense, pass the biscuits, please
There's five more acres in the lower forty I've got to plow"
And Mama said it was a shame about Billie Joe anyhow
Seems like nothin' ever comes to no good up on Choctaw Ridge
And now Billie Joe McAllister's jumped off the Tallahatchie Bridge

Brother said he recollected when he and Tom and Billie Joe
Put a frog down my back at the Carroll County picture show
And wasn't I talkin' to him after church last Sunday night
I'll have another piece of apple pie, you know, it don't seem right
I saw him at the sawmill yesterday on Choctaw Ridge
And now you tell me Billie Joe's jumped off the Tallahatchie Bridge