Karaoke. I haven’t done this…ever. Back when I was still human, when The Kill just meant a hostile takeover, back in college, back in high school…I never really had any friends. No, I was too busy for that.
In high school I had my eye on college. In college I had my eye on my career. Once I had my career, I had my sights on owning the place. Then the next place and the next. I never spent much time looking around me where I was at the time. The people around me, the things I was doing. It just didn’t seem as important.
It never occurred to me that when my father taught me to always do my best, to always reach as far as I can, that it might mean being a good friend too.
They all know what I am and they all know what I’ve done and still they drink with me and smile at me. I’m not good at this, but I’m glad I tried. They’re worth it.
And if I ever forget that I only have to look at Penny. “I heard the Rose another time,” she said. “…When I first saw James. His song is the same as the Rose.”
They can probably see the tears and I rub at my eyes to hide them, but it’s out of reflex. They can surely feel how hard that hit me through our shared khef. This ka-tet is so much different than the Top Hat Cats. Lex was my only friend in those days, and I couldn’t have cared less for the rest of them. No I have a real family and I really understand what ka-tet means.
1 comment:
"That song is ME," James had said. Penny froze for an instant as the horror of what it must feel like to be written settled upon her.
Then James wondered if ZZ Top had seen him the way Carrie Sees. Penny wrinkled her nose in distaste - that would be awful! - but she was also relieved... because to think that a song writer had created you was far worse than to think they had merely Seen you...
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