As Dave and I pull up to 606 I have knots in my stomach. Today just feels weird and good. Electric... I crawl out of Dave's Ford Falcon and bee line it straight to the control room and take a seat near Pat. He seems less than thrilled but we kiss each other on the cheek. I pop up... "I need a guitar!" I exclaim and sprint toward to instrument storage room. "There he is!" I think and grab Kurt's Martin off of the road case. I rush back to the control room and have a seat. I take out the Martin and begin to play. Pat starts.
"Whoa! You're good..." I smile.
"Not that good." I say shyly and continue playing. He grins.
"Yeah, you are..." He says staring. I'm not paying attention. I continue playing the new song.
Around 2 pm everyone finally takes a break to eat and whatnot. As everyone exits the control room I stay and so does Pat.
"Have you ever played an electric guitar?" Pat questions. I look up and smile. His face seems serious. Especially for Pat...
"No. Never really had any reason to have one and never even knew anyone who had one until now, of course." I laugh. "Why? You want to give me yours because I will gladly take it..." I trail off continuing to play.
"Here." He says. My head shoots up and I look at him like he's crazy. "Play." He says flatly urging me to take it. It was a beautiful, black Gibson SG. My favorite. This one was clearly custom just for Pat. Actually, I always wanted a vintage 1969 SG just like Pete Townshend's and I BEGGED my father for it but he refused. He loved me but he knew I was a flake. It was the early 90's and me and my friends were more interested in going to shows, smoking weed and stealing booze from our parents' liquor cabinets than practicing our instruments. I take the guitar. It's heavy...
"Uh, alright... Why?" I smile inquisitively.
"Just play. Play the new song." He takes a drag off of his cigarette. I start then stop quickly.
"Oh my god! It's so loud!" I laugh not used to that sound coming from me. THEM yes, ME no. I compose myself and begin again. I did it. I played the whole song from start to finish. Just the rhythm part, of course. I'm no fucking Shiflett, that's for sure...
"You could do what I do, couldn't you?" He asks staring at me wistfully, taking another drag off of his smoke. My eyes bug out.
"N-NO! No, I couldn't do what you do!" I exclaim. I couldn't tell if he thought I was trying to horn my way in which I wasn't by any means.
"Yeah, you could... Play me something else. Do you know anything old? Oh! Play "Monkey Wrench!" That one's sort of tricky fast and that guitar is tuned for that one." He says smiling at me. I stare at him completely confused and start to play it as best I could. That one was fun. I liked that feeling. It was loud and in your face and I kinda' felt high...
"Wow! That was fucking GREAT!" He exclaims clapping his hands. "What the fuck is happening here?" I think to myself and put his guitar on the stand. I can hear Dave coming down the hall. That boy is loud...
"Pat, why would you play fucking "Monkey Wrench" during a recording session..." He says in confused/disgusted tone and takes a bite out of his apple searching for something around the board.
"I didn't. That was Abby." He says with a smirk looking up at me. Dave looks at me shocked and smiles.
"That was you?!" He says edging toward me slowly stopping to put his hands on my hips.
"Uhhhh, yep." I say shyly. His face lights up.
"That was fucking GREAT! I swear to God I thought you were Pat!" Dave exclaimed hugging me tightly. He looks over at Pat who has a sad, sort of serious look on his face.
