I love music. Anyone who knows me knows music is a huge part of my life. I don’t play any instruments – unless you count playing the flute in high school band, and I don’t sing exceptionally well – except in the car, then I sound just like Norah Jones, Rhianna, and a host of other amazing singers. My iPod has everything on it from Luciano Pavarotti and Snatam Kaur to Nine Inch Nails and Charm City Devils. For the last few months I’ve been fan-girling pretty hard over a certain country singer. He had a cross-over hit that I heard and loved, so I YouTubed it to watch the video. After it was over another song automatically started. It was the same singer playing one of his songs acoustically. He’s very easy to look at and the video had such an intimate feeling – just him and his guitar. I watched him play, captivated by the way he sang and how his fingers moved on the strings and neck, and I was pretty sure he was singing just to me. That song and the feelings behind the lyrics touched me and inspired this week’s post. It’s a song about being lonely, and not wanting to be – if only for one night. Something we can all relate to.
This song was originally written by him, but later recorded by Kenny Chesney and released in 2012. I’ve listened to that version (which is great), and the version my mystery singer recorded on an acoustic album (which is also great), but my absolute-all-time-hands-down-favorite version is the acoustic YouTube version that found me. Here’s my story taken from watching him and listening to him play this song. I’ve re-titled it to make it a little more of a challenge, but see if you can guess the artist and song by the end of the story.
***
Climbing the Walls
Melissa Gale
“God I hate late night TV.” Sam mutters as he clicks off the only source of light in the room. He fusses with the sheet as the old farmhouse sighs and shifts around him. It’s been in the family for generations and only recently became “his” after his parents passed away last year.
Lying in his bed he listens to the clock ticking from the next room. He can almost feel the weight of the pendulum in his great-grandfather’s clock as it goes back… and forth… Exhaling loudly he reaches over to grab the TV remote and asks, “What else are you going to do?” and clicks it back on. Falling back on his bed he stares at the ceiling and watches the blades of the fan on their annoyingly calm orbit.
And they’re making a left turn… And they’re making another left turn.. Sam never really did understand the fascination with NASCAR – much to the disappointment of many of his friends.
“Wrong question.” He says snapping his fingers. “It’s not what are you going to do, but who are you going to do.” Sam sits up on the edge of the bed, picks up his phone and searches through his contacts, scrolling through the names and thumbnail pictures until he gets to… her.
“I shouldn’t do it. I told you I wouldn’t call.” He says to the picture of her blowing a kiss. “You said we were through.” He loved that picture of her, but hated her damn ring tone. For the 3 years they were together every time someone called he knew he’d be listening to Big & Rich’s “Save a Horse, Ride a Cowboy.” She always insisted on following it up with a “whoop whoop” and a little “raising the roof.” God he hated that song, but what he wouldn’t give to have her and her damn ring tone right now.
“She may have said we’re through, but she’s a terrible liar.” He says to himself and taps his head with the phone. “And since when did ‘what you should do’ become a factor?” Sam lies back down looking to the fan for a solution.
“We’re bad for each other, that’s for sure, but we’re no good for anyone else.” Sam laughs. Memories of that night out in the field run through his head. Just the two of them in the back of his pickup with the moon and million stars. He explored her whole body that night – she was so warm, so willing. Oh God, the way their bodies moved together…
Groaning Sam looks at the phone screen and talks to his reflection. “Look. You said you wouldn’t call her. You don’t care, remember?”
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“What if I just asked you to come over? Would that be alright?” Sam asked her picture. “Let’s not fix each other. It doesn’t have to be a forever thing, just come over and warm my bed for the night.” Making the decision Sam touches the picture of her kissing lips with his thumb and her number lights up the top of his phone.
Putting the phone to his ear he stands up and walks across the room. His feet make a soft padding noise as he makes his way down the stairs towards the living room, already thinking about sinking into his dad’s old recliner. Skimming his fingertips along the handrail, generations of varnish and kids sliding down it has left it pleasantly smooth, he wonders if she’ll answer.
It’s late. He thinks as he listens for the connection on the phone. Maybe she’ll be pissed.
Then he hears something. Wait. What was that? Did I really just hear that? Sam changes course and heads towards the front door.
He hears the phone ring on the other end of the line and then Big & Rich start singing just outside his door. Peering through the window he sees her answer her phone as her voice caresses his ear. “Sam? Is that you?”
***
Well? Can you guess it? Good luck, and “May the fourth be with you.” (Yeah, that’s right, today’s is May the 4th and I couldn’t resist!)
If you can’t guess, or even if you can, here’s the link to the video that inspired the story. Check it out and let me know what you think about the song and my little snippet of story.
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