Thursday, March 14, 2013

Nobody in Particular

It seems like most our relationship happens onstage. Except when we happen to be traveling, or waiting to get on a car, bus, train or boat.  Then it seems like most of our relationship is happening there; and most of our lives are happening while waiting for the "real" stuff to happen. Onstage we have a certain kind of electric chemistry.  I seem to make him laugh a lot.  (I live his smile; sometimes the only thing I want to do in life is to make him smile).  And don't get me wrong, when I say "relationship", I mean "FRIENDSHIP".  He is engaged and 30 years older than me!  And besides, I have enough of my own problems.  I honestly LIKE him too much to have him get involved with someone as crazy as me.  As soon as we sleep together, the whole thing would be over.  Because I'd have to leave.  (Because that's what I do..... But, sorry,  I really don't want to talk about it now)

I want to talk about how we sing together.  Onstage and off, we are looking at each other all the time.  Looking for cues and signals, reactions and direction.  He trusts my instincts and I trust his judgment.  He lets me get pretty playful when we rehearse and we sing all sorts of songs we'd never imagine doing in front of real people.  He wants this whole thing to be fun.  He's not driven to be "perfect" or successful (thank goodness, because neither of us are either or those things).  He's been there before and the residual fame still clings to him like a bad smell (his words, not mine).

There are other members of the band, too.  We have a drummer and a base player.  Well, a few of each, in case someone can't make a gig.   A few times, it's just been the two of us (but his fiancee doesn't like the idea of that.  I don't blame her, but there's only so much I can do to reassure her about how innocent our relationship is)

I try to show up everytime, and if HE gets sick, there is NO show.  I try to make myself invaluable, I don't actually play anything, but I sing and try to look cute.  HE's the focus, it's his name on the marquee, although he wants to change it permanently to include both of us.

He'd introduce himself as HIMSELF "formerly of that band known as THAT BAND".  My heart still flutters everytime I hear the actual name.  And then he turned to me one night, and it just popped out.  "And I am MY NAME, of  . . . Nobody in Particular".

And the name kinda stuck.

So that's us, or at least-who he is when he's with me.  Nobody in Particular.

we always laugh when we see it written in chalk on the board outside the venue.  Especially when we hear someone else making a joke about it.

"Who'd come to see 'Nobody in Particular'?"

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