Tuesday, December 04, 2007

Your First Kicks




If music soothes the savage beasts, then Patrick is the man that epitomizes this. A seasoned veteran in the local industry, 30 years of sheer hard work and gritting determination brought him to where he is today. 14 albums and countless Live performances later, it was only apt for Patrick to gracefully stray from the red carpet for the next generation of talented maestros.

The media shocked into a frenzy at Patrick's sudden retirement however still believed that Patrick has some more years left in him. "No. I'm done people. My time is up. I'm going back to being a husband and a father. My family needs me more than the music industry", was Patrick's usual reply, with a glint of hope in his jet black eyes.

Patrick welcomed the abundance of time wholeheartedly, helping his wife out with her daily chores, playing with his 2 young sons, and finally putting together the finishing touches to his humble abode. Still very much a man passionate about music, Patrick made sure he had a room dedicated to his first love.

The music room housed an almost complete set of his band's equipment for the occasional weekend jam with the guys. His record selling albums hung proudly, leaving little empty spaces on those off white walls for anything else.

Both Jacob and John relished the weekends when their favourite uncles and father jammed the afternoon away. Retirement didn't shave them off their edge. Polished diamonds they are, that's almost impossible to fade.

It was on one such afternoon when the band was having their usual smoke breaks when Jacob, the elder son lingered a little longer in the music room unnoticed. Left alone, Jacob silently closed the doors behind him and sat on his father's drum stool. Imagining himself to be his father, Jacob picked up the drum sticks and began pounding on those drum skins imitating his rock star father.

"No boy..That's not how its done", Patrick startled his eldest son. "Come let me show you how", Patrick obligingly motioned to his son to give way so that he could show him the proper way. Patrick sat on his stool,then carried and placed his son on his lap. Holding Jacob's dainty hands, Patrick guided his son through his first drum lesson.

Patrick was never one to enforce music onto his children. Music was like love they say, that couldn't be forced onto someone. It has to come from within, only then will it sooth the savage beasts.

Before the veterans began their second jam session for the day, Patrick announced, "Hey guys, I got something to show you". With a devilish grin sprawled across his face, Jacob did a drum roll for the rest to see. A perfect drum roll. "Wow Patrick, I didn't know this young man can play man. You've been hiding and training him secretly is it?", his band members quizzed him. "This boy is a natural man. I think he's gonna be better than the father!", they joked further.

Well, 20 years on, Jacob did indeed surpass his father musically. The old joke turned out to be a prophecy after all. Jacob never failed to smile sheepishly whenever he had to relay his story about his first drum roll. Jacob got the best to train him, and it was only time that prevented him from becoming the next rock star in the family.

Exhausted from his first world tour, Jacob longed to go home to his pregnant wife and the rest of his family. 3 more gigs and the band's done for the year Jacob thought to himself, counting down the days before he can embrace his wife whom he has been missing for almost forever now.

The tour ended in a grand finale, and alas, it was time to head home. Though physically and emotionally drained, the colour seemed to crawl back onto Jacob's face as the thought of home crept upon him.

Somehow surviving the media onslaught that greeted the homegrown heroes at the airport, Jacob managed to make it back in one piece. His wife stood by the grand doorway, with a priceless smile on her face. The same smile that made Jacob fall in love with her all those years ago. It was nice sometimes to know that some things never change.

"Oh man Naomi, it's so huge!!", Jacob exclaimed at his wife's bulging tummy, while caressing it in circular motions. "Almost 8 months my dear", Naomi managed to say between sobs of joy. "You've been gone for so long", she lamented as both of them entered the house hand in hand.

That night, Jacob placed his head on his wife's tummy, trying to hear the unborn's heartbeat. All those months of touring had made Jacob miss home so much and for once, Jacob felt a complete sense of peacefulness within him, trying to listen to those faint heartbeats. Jacob remained there for hours, filling Naomi with every detail of his successful tour.

Then Jacob felt it! Those soft thuds hitting him on the side of his head. "Is that his heartbeat!?", Jacob eagerly questioned his wife. "No you silly..that's not his heartbeat. It's your son kicking. I think he wants to punish you for neglecting us", Naomi playfully added. "Serious?", Jacob asked in utter bewilderment.

Jacob sat up, gasping in awe at whatever he felt those seconds ago. Then he placed his palms onto Naomi's stomach. He felt those kicks again, and it made him feel like he was in a spa therapy or something. It was weird Jacob thought to himself. All this while, he swore that the best feeling on earth was when he was on the stage, deafened by the roaring hordes that came watch his band play. This was definitely much more liberating.

"You know what dear....I think our son is gonna be a drummer. Yup...most definitely!", Jacob confirmed to himself. "Just like his Dad", Naomi chuckled.