Lady

A chance encounter, a connection, a song

she walked in to the club.
The stage was set up for a rock show. Full drum kit, a stack of fender amps, lights, smoke machines all crammed in between the poles. This early in the night there wasn't a soul in the joint except the bartender, who had her hair tied back, and was taking bottles down and carefully peeling lemons.

None of the amps were on, so where was that guitar coming from? In the corner sat a man on an acoustic guitar, somehow making it produce such a warm resonant sound, it sounded like the ocean. His head was down, eyes closed. Completely lost in the melody that was pouring out of his old weathered guitar.

She had already left her package at the front desk, and had no reason to stay, yet she couldn't pull herself away. The music from this one instrument was heavenly, and she was raptured by the effortless flow and the care in each note.
Just then he glanced up, straight into get eyes, into her soul, and smiled. He hammered a riff at the end of the verse he was finishing. "He hadn't done that last verse" she thought. That was for me. Without turning, she flashed 2 fingers to the bartender, and sat down. He wanted to play for her. She could listen to this.

She wanted more, she wanted to be part of this. She got up and walked towards the lone mic on stage. "But I didn't know this song" she thought. F**k. Why did she have to follow him? Because he was here first? What if she came first later tonight? And she probably would, his hands on that guitar were like a gods, she couldn't wait for them to touch her face, her neck, the small of her back, her thighs, her....Im just going to sing, he can follow me!

Lady,
lady,
lady,
lady....
...love

she arpeggioed down the scale, ending in a quiet crescendo of emotion. Before her breath had started to draw again, he echoed the phrase on his guitar, setting her up perfectly. He listens!!!

Lady,
Why you come around here?
Lady,
You know I can't take no more?



She crooned. He followed like a natural


Lady,
I need my time, I need my space
Lady,
I don't have any room for you


Every phrase, he didn't fill the space, he completed it, setting her up for the next line.
Lets see if he can do this. She sang another verse as she felt her soul start to invent a chorus.

She saw the bartender pouring scotch on three rocks glasses. This bartender knew her stuff too. Whisky strong, on ice was the perfect drink. No sugar, no carbonation. The first sip was strong and went straight to your head. Then as it sat, the ice would melt, diluting the strength, but pulling out the flavors and aromas locked behind that strong wall. As your mind quickly relaxed, those subtle, complex flavors were even that much more enjoyable. A proper glass of whisky could last a long time, and as you finished the last watery drops, your search and longing for flavor and meaning would be rewarded with another wall to break down. Was this whisky or life? Why are all the best delicacies hidden behind walls.

Lady love
I hear you want you
but I can't have you
Lady love
I need you
so you need to leave me

Trip-a-let, trip-a-let, trip-a-let,
Bum da bum

She never knew the bartender played drums. Especially like that, so soft and subtle, she'd never seem someone play that soft. The beat was different than the steady rhythm of the guitar, but it fit perfectly. but now she was thinking about her hands, a drummers hands, a bartenders hands, so careful, so strong, and that natural intuitive rhythm. The kind of hands that knew just when to be firm, when to be soft. Now the drummer caught her eye. She had such those bright energetic blue eyes. The kind that doesn’t even try to hide passion. F**k. She caught her breath. It was definitely one of those nights. Missed her cue to fill another verse. All her cover was blown now. The drummer girl laughed. Couldn't hide that either…threw some fills in as if it was supposed to be there, and let her try again. Her mind had gone off track, one track really, but no words for another verse, so she belted out the chorus again

Lady love
I hear you want you
but I can't have you
Lady love
I need you
so you need to leave me

As she finished she nodded to the guitar man: take it home.

Damn she wanted to take someone home right about now..