Status: Contest Entry, Complete
The Only Way I've Got to Reach Her
Musical Accompaniment
It was crazy…I managed to find a tape-deck and a recorder at a local pawn shop kind of place while staying on the road for the road trip. We were staying in Nashville overnight before leaving tomorrow to get on the way to St. Louis; so it wasn’t really a total shock to find music equipment around. Even something this outdated was easy to find. I was perched on my bed after another game and looked down at the little device. I didn’t want to bother Paul, so I had already plugged in my ipod headphones to the jack on the side and was anxiously playing with my mixed tape.
“Just suck it up and do that already!” Paul yelled, I looked up at him. “I’m sick of watching you play with that thing!” He shouted exasperatedly, biting his lip. “Plus, you need to tell me how good the music taste of this chick is.” He grinned. I blinked, biting my lip as I slid the tape into the deck and closed the case. I touched the play key, hearing it hum to life and start to set the tape. I licked my lips, hearing the tape start to play. I laid back, laying my hands on my chest and twiddling my fingers and just enjoyed the series of songs.
It started with music I didn’t know…turns out I didn't know any of it. I scrambled for the little playlist written on the back of her letter, trying to put titles and bands to songs. I was making a mental note as to what bands I liked most and what bands I was interested in buying CDs from of playing for my friends to hear more of. Whatever keyed her into having some good music taste for me, I was very impressed, she got my kind of style dead on, and she was good on the music. The tape ran for about 30 to 45 minutes, with each song going for about 4 minutes each…nothing too long or arduous to go through. I bit my lip and sitting up, grabbing my pad of paper and starting to write back.
Cassie
You got my kind of style dead on with the music taste. I’m definitely going to check out some of those bands you sent me. I really like the Armchair Cynics song…Sharks. That’s going to be a great song to work out to and get pumped for a game.
None of my music can be put on a tape…how did you do that? The mixed tape concept is really cool and really nostalgic. I love the principal. If I knew how to get my MP3’s on a tape, I’d so send you back one. But instead, I want to send you something back. I’m going to give you a CD with some of my favorite music. I hope you like it!
Thank you so much for your letter. I know this took me a long time to respond to. I get a lot of fan mail and I didn’t want to write back until I heard your mixed tape. I didn’t have a tape deck until this morning where I could find one at a pawn shop. I’m in Nashville right now after playing a game. I didn’t get a shutout…but we did win, so those two points are always good news. We’re going to be leaving for St. Louis in the morning to make the drive and we’re playing tomorrow night. After this win we’re all really confident. St. Louis has been having some problems so we think that we can overcome them. Patty might even be able to play and give me a break. I don’t care if I get a break, but it would be nice for Patty to get some fun in.
But again, thank you. Now, thanks to you, I have this cool new tape deck. Maybe I’ll be able to get some tapes and make some cool mixed tapes, or figure out how to make my Ipod go to tapes and make tapes for gifts for people or something…that would be really nice.
I hope you have a good time! Maybe you can come to a game and give me another tape outside the parking lot. It’d be a welcome sight!
Take Care,
Ryan Miller”
I smiled as I turned the letter over and wrote out a playlist that I wanted to send her in the CD. I smiled at the idea of making something special for her…so I grabbed my laptop and started making it in iTunes.
“Mixed tape any good?” Paul asked. I was shocked he was still awake…usually we went to bed early on travelling nights. Just because we had to get up so early the next morning. I nodded and smiled at him.
“Yeah…it was excellent” I grinned. “I was really impressed with how well she captured my taste.”
“You like everything Mills….It’s not that hard.” He laughed. “And now you have a tape deck thing you’ll never use ever again.” He laughed. I smirked, shaking my head
“I have a cool tape deck thing that I might use again…”
“So what are you doing now?”
“Making a CD for her to send back.”
“You’re fucking pathetic, Miller” He groaned, rolling over. “Don’t be up too late or I’m dragging you out of bed in your boxers!” He threatened. I laughed, rolling my eyes as I worked on my playlist.
I worked for about an hour, before saving the playlist on my computer and putting it to bed. I rolled over to see a deeply snoring Paul and smiled, feeling very happy with what I’d accomplished. I’d grab a CD tomorrow morning and burn it to her and mail it out to the next hotel in Missouri.
***
I had been writing to Cassie for about a month, back and forth. Eventually I just had her writing to a private PO Box because I enjoyed her letters so much. We’d stopped with the CD’s and Mixed tapes, and if we wanted each other to just know about music we just gave information on where you could find it (usually there was something on YouTube to see). I had broadened my music horizons surely, and by the sounds of it, she had as well. It was a great way to meet someone…and get to know them. I was getting excited for every letter…I felt a little like a kid.
I was back home, reading letters, playing games and doing what I usually did. She told me she actually was able to come to a game, and I couldn’t contain my excitement. It wasn’t like I wanted to meet her, or fell n love with her through the letters…but I did grow a fondness to her, and I was interested in the idea of seeing her outside. She’d never once asked me for a free ticket or a club booth…something a bit endearing as it let me know that she wasn’t really out to get anything from me, she just wanted to talk to me and write letters.
I anticipated seeing her, I could have gotten her in to meet me after practice, but she didn’t ask for it. She seemed pretty modest in her behavior. I told her I promised to stop after my game…and she could be like all the other fans and battle to try and see me. I warned her that I couldn’t guarantee that we could talk, but that she could meet me at SoHo, a local club, after if she wanted to meet up and talk. She was fine with just getting a signature. She didn’t seem like she was all that into the idea of meeting or connecting with me. Maybe I was in too deep, getting connected with her. Although she’d been my long distance friend, I wanted to get to know her.
I had excited for the meeting, until that night ended. She’d picked to come to an Ottawa Senator’s game, hoping for the best, that we’d win and it’d be a happy time. She didn’t anticipate a loss, and when I was boiling with anger about the loss, the last thing I really wanted to do was deal with fans and people shoving pictures, pucks, and hats in my face. I was feeling a little down, like I’d let my team down…I’d all but forgotten about Cassie.
But I stopped, I didn’t get out of my car, but I signed things, just a small amount, some of the fans took it personally when I didn’t stop. And there was a little boy wearing my jersey that I felt I owed it to. I pulled up, rolling down the window of my BMW and watched the people flood to the door. They jammed their autograph wanting things in my face and I tried to keep up with the onslaught. I just really wanted to get home at this point…
“Ryan?” I blinked, giving a little boy his silver sharpie and looking up. “Uh…I’m…” She was a woman of about 21. She blushed a fiery red and shoved a CD case in my face. “Here!” She said anxiously. I looked at the CD, blinking. I looked at her again and she was slowly backing away as the crowds of fans enveloped around her.
“Cassie?” I whispered, but she was already disappearing. Fading away as swarms of people took her place. I bit my lip, frowning and tossing the CD onto the seat beside me. I looked up at some of the fans, feeling even a little resentment in that they’d taken her away from me…I couldn’t even thank her. God…she wasn’t…just normally beautiful…but putting a name…a face to the girl who I’d been writing letters to…knowing how she acted, who she was…that made her seem so much more beautiful.
“Can you sign this for me, Ryan?” A woman said, shoving her Jersey into my window and holding it up in front of me. I bit my lip and signed it.
“Last one for tonight guys.” I dismissed. They never listened; people filed in after her and tried to get my attention. I had to roll up my window and have the old guy who ran security wave them away from my car. I pulled out of the drive and took a right. I could see Cassie, wearing a baggy Sabres jersey, walking to the train stop. I honked my horn, slowing down and rolling down my passenger window. “CASSIE!” I yelled. She looked over at me, walking to the edge of the sidewalk.
“What are you doing?” She asked, blinking at me. I smiled.
“Let’s go grab dinner.” I smiled. She gnawed her lip nervously, before smiling, slipping into the car.
“Need a distraction from the loss?”
“I just want a…musical accompaniment”
“Just suck it up and do that already!” Paul yelled, I looked up at him. “I’m sick of watching you play with that thing!” He shouted exasperatedly, biting his lip. “Plus, you need to tell me how good the music taste of this chick is.” He grinned. I blinked, biting my lip as I slid the tape into the deck and closed the case. I touched the play key, hearing it hum to life and start to set the tape. I licked my lips, hearing the tape start to play. I laid back, laying my hands on my chest and twiddling my fingers and just enjoyed the series of songs.
It started with music I didn’t know…turns out I didn't know any of it. I scrambled for the little playlist written on the back of her letter, trying to put titles and bands to songs. I was making a mental note as to what bands I liked most and what bands I was interested in buying CDs from of playing for my friends to hear more of. Whatever keyed her into having some good music taste for me, I was very impressed, she got my kind of style dead on, and she was good on the music. The tape ran for about 30 to 45 minutes, with each song going for about 4 minutes each…nothing too long or arduous to go through. I bit my lip and sitting up, grabbing my pad of paper and starting to write back.
Cassie
You got my kind of style dead on with the music taste. I’m definitely going to check out some of those bands you sent me. I really like the Armchair Cynics song…Sharks. That’s going to be a great song to work out to and get pumped for a game.
None of my music can be put on a tape…how did you do that? The mixed tape concept is really cool and really nostalgic. I love the principal. If I knew how to get my MP3’s on a tape, I’d so send you back one. But instead, I want to send you something back. I’m going to give you a CD with some of my favorite music. I hope you like it!
Thank you so much for your letter. I know this took me a long time to respond to. I get a lot of fan mail and I didn’t want to write back until I heard your mixed tape. I didn’t have a tape deck until this morning where I could find one at a pawn shop. I’m in Nashville right now after playing a game. I didn’t get a shutout…but we did win, so those two points are always good news. We’re going to be leaving for St. Louis in the morning to make the drive and we’re playing tomorrow night. After this win we’re all really confident. St. Louis has been having some problems so we think that we can overcome them. Patty might even be able to play and give me a break. I don’t care if I get a break, but it would be nice for Patty to get some fun in.
But again, thank you. Now, thanks to you, I have this cool new tape deck. Maybe I’ll be able to get some tapes and make some cool mixed tapes, or figure out how to make my Ipod go to tapes and make tapes for gifts for people or something…that would be really nice.
I hope you have a good time! Maybe you can come to a game and give me another tape outside the parking lot. It’d be a welcome sight!
Take Care,
Ryan Miller”
I smiled as I turned the letter over and wrote out a playlist that I wanted to send her in the CD. I smiled at the idea of making something special for her…so I grabbed my laptop and started making it in iTunes.
“Mixed tape any good?” Paul asked. I was shocked he was still awake…usually we went to bed early on travelling nights. Just because we had to get up so early the next morning. I nodded and smiled at him.
“Yeah…it was excellent” I grinned. “I was really impressed with how well she captured my taste.”
“You like everything Mills….It’s not that hard.” He laughed. “And now you have a tape deck thing you’ll never use ever again.” He laughed. I smirked, shaking my head
“I have a cool tape deck thing that I might use again…”
“So what are you doing now?”
“Making a CD for her to send back.”
“You’re fucking pathetic, Miller” He groaned, rolling over. “Don’t be up too late or I’m dragging you out of bed in your boxers!” He threatened. I laughed, rolling my eyes as I worked on my playlist.
I worked for about an hour, before saving the playlist on my computer and putting it to bed. I rolled over to see a deeply snoring Paul and smiled, feeling very happy with what I’d accomplished. I’d grab a CD tomorrow morning and burn it to her and mail it out to the next hotel in Missouri.
***
I had been writing to Cassie for about a month, back and forth. Eventually I just had her writing to a private PO Box because I enjoyed her letters so much. We’d stopped with the CD’s and Mixed tapes, and if we wanted each other to just know about music we just gave information on where you could find it (usually there was something on YouTube to see). I had broadened my music horizons surely, and by the sounds of it, she had as well. It was a great way to meet someone…and get to know them. I was getting excited for every letter…I felt a little like a kid.
I was back home, reading letters, playing games and doing what I usually did. She told me she actually was able to come to a game, and I couldn’t contain my excitement. It wasn’t like I wanted to meet her, or fell n love with her through the letters…but I did grow a fondness to her, and I was interested in the idea of seeing her outside. She’d never once asked me for a free ticket or a club booth…something a bit endearing as it let me know that she wasn’t really out to get anything from me, she just wanted to talk to me and write letters.
I anticipated seeing her, I could have gotten her in to meet me after practice, but she didn’t ask for it. She seemed pretty modest in her behavior. I told her I promised to stop after my game…and she could be like all the other fans and battle to try and see me. I warned her that I couldn’t guarantee that we could talk, but that she could meet me at SoHo, a local club, after if she wanted to meet up and talk. She was fine with just getting a signature. She didn’t seem like she was all that into the idea of meeting or connecting with me. Maybe I was in too deep, getting connected with her. Although she’d been my long distance friend, I wanted to get to know her.
I had excited for the meeting, until that night ended. She’d picked to come to an Ottawa Senator’s game, hoping for the best, that we’d win and it’d be a happy time. She didn’t anticipate a loss, and when I was boiling with anger about the loss, the last thing I really wanted to do was deal with fans and people shoving pictures, pucks, and hats in my face. I was feeling a little down, like I’d let my team down…I’d all but forgotten about Cassie.
But I stopped, I didn’t get out of my car, but I signed things, just a small amount, some of the fans took it personally when I didn’t stop. And there was a little boy wearing my jersey that I felt I owed it to. I pulled up, rolling down the window of my BMW and watched the people flood to the door. They jammed their autograph wanting things in my face and I tried to keep up with the onslaught. I just really wanted to get home at this point…
“Ryan?” I blinked, giving a little boy his silver sharpie and looking up. “Uh…I’m…” She was a woman of about 21. She blushed a fiery red and shoved a CD case in my face. “Here!” She said anxiously. I looked at the CD, blinking. I looked at her again and she was slowly backing away as the crowds of fans enveloped around her.
“Cassie?” I whispered, but she was already disappearing. Fading away as swarms of people took her place. I bit my lip, frowning and tossing the CD onto the seat beside me. I looked up at some of the fans, feeling even a little resentment in that they’d taken her away from me…I couldn’t even thank her. God…she wasn’t…just normally beautiful…but putting a name…a face to the girl who I’d been writing letters to…knowing how she acted, who she was…that made her seem so much more beautiful.
“Can you sign this for me, Ryan?” A woman said, shoving her Jersey into my window and holding it up in front of me. I bit my lip and signed it.
“Last one for tonight guys.” I dismissed. They never listened; people filed in after her and tried to get my attention. I had to roll up my window and have the old guy who ran security wave them away from my car. I pulled out of the drive and took a right. I could see Cassie, wearing a baggy Sabres jersey, walking to the train stop. I honked my horn, slowing down and rolling down my passenger window. “CASSIE!” I yelled. She looked over at me, walking to the edge of the sidewalk.
“What are you doing?” She asked, blinking at me. I smiled.
“Let’s go grab dinner.” I smiled. She gnawed her lip nervously, before smiling, slipping into the car.
“Need a distraction from the loss?”
“I just want a…musical accompaniment”