Project Backwards; Chapter Fifteen

Chapter 15:

     Steve swam out of the fog and wondered where he’d ended up; when he’d ended up. The first thing he heard was an ungodly noise coming from the next room. It sounded like an amplified catfight. He exited the room he was in, and walked down the hall to the room from which the electric guitar sounded like it was coming. Just as he reached the door, an angry man stormed by him and pounded on the door,

     “Jim, enough with that electrified s**t, can’t you take up the flute or something a lot quieter? I would like to keep my fillings!”

     Steve thought that guitar sound was familiar; this must be Jimmi Hendrix!

     Jimmi Hendrix flung open the door, and said with a sour face, “Oh Dad!”

     “Oh nothing, Jim; you know, you’re never going to get a real job dressed like a some sort of a deranged popsicle. Straighten up and fly right!”

     “Dad, this will be my job!”

     “What, making torture noises on that god-awful thing?” he said derisively, pointing to the guitar. “Little did I know when I gave you that old ukulele, that it would lead to this s**t!”

     Then, Jimmy noticed Steve. “Hello there, Steve; I’m sorry about all the noise; I know you were trying to sleep, but I’ve got a show tonight, and I’m trying to finish my new song; ‘Hey You; I Can’t Quite Remember Your Name’”

     “Might I suggest a title change, maybe something like ‘Hey Joe’ would work better.”

     “Hey Steve, shut up!”

     “Sorry, just an idea!”

     “Yeah, a piss-pore one!”

     Steve turned to Al Hendrix and said, “Hello Al; nice to see you.”

 

     “Yeah, good afternoon, there; now Jim, hold it down I’m going to call Gloria and set up a date; do you think you can do that? Maybe pull you head out of that purple haze, electric s**t fog you’re lost in!”

     Jimmi gave his Dad a look, and slammed the door, which he immediately opened again and pulled Steve inside, before slamming it once again.

     “My Dad, uhg! He just can’t accept that playing the electric guitar is all I want to do. He thinks I should work 9 to 5, and be miserable, just like him and all his friends. I know I had to move back in after my military service, but come on there Dad, give me a break! ”

     “Well, Jimmi, you’ve got to stick with what you want to do.”

     “Steve, you’re such a good friend. I remember my very first day at Garfield High School. I so much wanted to meet a guy I could be friends with, and lo and behold, there you were. And even after I got kicked out, you stuck by me.”

     “Jimmi, I can just tell there’s something great in you.”

     That night, Steve was sitting in an old, rundown dump of a hall, watching Jimmi Hendrix up on stage.

     “This is a new one, entitled “Hey You; I Can’t Quite Remember Your Name,” A one, and a two...”

      The band launched into the song. Suddenly, there must have been some sort of an electric short, because Jimmy dropped his guitar, and it burst into flames. The watching crowd, thinking it was planned, went crazy.

     Jimmy switched to his back up guitar, and about halfway through the set, Jimmy’s guitar pick went sailing out into the crowd. Jimmy had forgotten to keep a spare handy, and in desperation, used his teeth to play. The crowd ate it up! The band finished the show, receiving wild applause. Jimmy looked at Steve, and gave him the thumbs up.

     “You know, I think I’ll make that flaming guitar bit, and the playing guitar with my teeth, regular parts of the show. The fans seemed to like them; but maybe I’ll switch to lighter fluid. Burning up my guitar at every show would get awfully expensive, and I hate to say you were right, Steve, but I think I’ll shorten the title of that one song to “Hey Joe.” Seems less awkward to say, And, no more playing with other people. That Little Richard is an okay dude, but I want to run things my way.”

      Steve was stoked, imagine, being present when Jimmi Hendrix came up with his trademark stage show; him!

     Later, at Jimmi’s house, Al started in on Jimmi once again. “Another show? When are you going to come to your senses, boy?”

     “Dad!” replied Jimmi.

     Steve didn’t want to be there for the next round of fighting between Jimmi and Al, so he shouted, “Get me out of here!” He heard,

     “Sorry!” from Al, and Jimmi gave him a ‘What’s ya going to do?’ look, then everything went dark.

Reviews

[char]

'Scuse me while I hit this guy! Al Hendrix is an a*s. Now, Jimmi Hendrix. One of the best guitarists ever. But in all honesty, I put my money down on Jimmy Page. Kashmir is one hypnotic piece to listen to. It's like the guitar is going in circles!

[Michael Stevens]

Yes, Al had issues; Jimmy Page was/is excellent!