Strum

Just the sound of that word is elegant enough to remind you of some things.

It is surprising though that you can’t use that word otherwise. You need to strum a string instrument. It is like this, you either drink the water in the glass or you don’t. There is nothing like trying. You either strum or you don’t

And with guitar you can’t help but adjust the body of it on one of your thighs, grip the guitar, move your left hand gently over the frets and sparing bridge your right hand settles near the sound hole and even before you know, you’ve strummed the guitar.

I remember, someone tried to teach me how to play guitar and I also remember someone telling me, if it isn’t in your blood, it just isn’t.

Having seen the cool dudes strum a six string at Barista and have the girl they wanted, I’ve wanted to learn the guitar for various reasons. To impress someone, or to make a point to someone, to prove someone wrong, for being able to play the song someone once played for me or even for the plain kick of knowing how to play at least one instrument. There are so many, I can’t count.

Of all the reasons one that never left me was to be able to communicate my self, to express without any words, to seal smile, depression, anger, hate, pain and love..seal all of them in chords and play it, say it, express it.

I am still stupid enough to think that someday, I’ll put my own rhymes to a tune. I’ll play well enough that I’ll not have to utter a word. Some day, I’ll watch people playing invisible guitar from the stage, some day I’ll learn how to make mere piece of wood n metal strings an extended part of your body, someday I’ll know…

But until then it isn’t like picking up the glass and drinking water. It is a distant dream, perhaps too good to come true, perhaps am just a coward to go after something for the simple fear of failing or feeling like a dog, you know, a dog won’t know what to do if it actually caught the car it was chasing, maybe much better you enjoyed the chase.

Ahhh dam it, what the hell, none in this café has a spare guitar on them.

“Dude, cm’on can’t you get me one? Just for now…”

Neo