best friend jennie since i was two
and i like to play the piano.
we also like to play the flute.
but that’s another situation.
so yes, piano.
i quit taking lessons in ninth grade to focus on baton twirling. and whatnots.
but she kept learning. and listening and playing.
and learning and writing and learning some more.
and once we turned sixteen,
we would drive around tallahassee.
and sneak into places that had a good piano.
anywhere.
churches or schools or auditoriums.
and she would play new songs. that she wrote.
and i would listen. and be proud. and impressed.
and it has always been this escape for us.
this special place where we can be in the same room,
but be hanging out in completely different places.
and we don’t have to talk. to eachother.
it’s this place. where we don’t have to acknowledge
ourselves.
but we know we both are needed.
she sings with her eyes closed. and
i close my eyes. and brainstorm anything.
and this is special. you see, i don’t think that
just anyone can be taught how to write music.
i think you can teach basics. like chords and melodies.
and how to use minor fifths. and maybe major sevenths.
but you can’t teach how to sing your soul.
i don’t know. i like to journal, too.
but there is no way
i could put my journal to music.
and make it be beautiful. it’s not within me.
i can sing my words inside my head. but
i can’t make them flow together for you to hear.
but best friend jennie since i was two.
she can.
and last week in tallahassee,
we snuck into a piano room at school at midnight.
just like we did. for the past ten years. and she played
her new stuff. that i can’t hear while i live in newyorkcity.
and while she lives in nashville. and i just really miss this.
because somedays,
i want to sneak into a piano room. and listen to her play.
because on those days,
after she’s played all of her new hashing(s) of potential songs. and
after i feel all inspired. and my words are spinning. while i’m listening.
she asks me to play.
to play what i remember about piano. anything i remember.
she knows how therapeutic those keys are to me.
even if i did quit learning them in ninth grade.
she knows that what i remember,
will forever be therapeutic to the inside singings of my soul.
yes, it’s the same five song rotation. but i don’t think i can ever forget them.
check our latest session.
because these long distance days,
i have to record some songs at the end.
for the sometime(s), when i need a good piano night in the city.
so i can just loop our time together. on repeat. and listen
with my eyes closed.
check it,
and forgive the tiny room acoustics.
they’re not so easy on the audio.
Thanks for the Jen music, it is always theraputic for me as well.