The Day We Forgot The Guitarist

I Write Sins Not Voicemail Messages

I Write Sins Not Voicemail Messages

My name is Ray Toro, and this is my deepest, darkest secret: sometimes I just want to give Gerard Arthur Way a nice whack on the head with my guitar.

It probably wouldn't do much good, since all that would do is damage Gerard's brain, and trust me, he needs all of the brain cells that he can get.

However, the lead singer of My Chemical Romance can be extraordinarily irritating sometimes, and that's why it was so awesome when I actually got my chance to whack Gerard on the head once. It was a few years ago, and it all started in a truck stop in the middle of nowhere. I was wandering around the place, wondering where exactly my bandmates had run off to. I had been looking for at least an hour, and they were nowhere to be found. I wasn't terribly concerned though. They had to be around here somewhere. Maybe Frank had found a puppy to pet, or maybe Gerard was at Starbucks (despite the fact that there were no puppies or Starbucks in sight). They wouldn't leave me behind, right?

Of course, I was completely ignoring the fact that they had already left me behind sixty eight times before, not that I was counting or anything. They usually realized their error very quickly though. I would call one of them and they'd turn around to come get me. My bandmates WERE only liars, but they were the best.

I just really didn't want this to be the sixty-ninth time that I had been left behind.

I made one last lap around the truck stop before taking out my phone and dialing Mikey's number. It immediately went to voicemail. Darn it - I had forgotten that Mikey's phone had died on the way here. I tried to call Frank, but he didn't pick up.

I gave up and began contemplating whether my bandmates were growing up or just going down as I stormed into the convenience store, which was the last place I'd seen Frank, Gerard, and Mikey. It was desolate, with kelly green paint chipping off the walls and, discarded bottle of beer laid on the floor next to my feet. A liquor store or two was supposed to keep the gas tank full, but it was starting to look emptier and emptier as I searched.

They were still nowhere to be found. I bought an ice cream sandwich to help myself calm down while I waited for my bandmates. Again, I knew they just had to be around here somewhere.

I took out my phone again and dialed Gerard's number. There were a few other people in the store, and it was a little bit loud, so I ended up putting the phone on speaker, completely forgetting that Gerard had the world's sappiest voicemail. "Hello, you've reached Gerard Way," I heard Gerard say. "I can't come to the phone right now, so please leave a..."

"Hey Gerard, what are you doing?" Frank asked.

"I'm making a new voicemail," Gerard explained.

"Oh okay," Frank said. "Can I say something for it?"

"You already did," Gerard responded.

Frank laughed and then said, "Can I say something else?"

"Go ahead," Gerard said.

Frank immediately started singing.

Where, where will you stand

When all the lights go out

Across these city streets?

Where were you when

All of the embers fell?

I still remember them

Covered in ash

Covered in glass