Etudes & Arpegios: A Love Story

It was a warm night and I felt the sweat trickle between my breasts. It was about a half a mile walk and I needed to clear my head. I softly hummed the melody to Swing Life Awayby Rise Against.

I passed a tenor sax player on the street, leaning casually against the wall, the lights of the boulevard playing on his saxophone making it twinkle. I stopped to listen. It was a slow blues piece that was possibly the most beautiful thing I've ever heard. I played the sax in High School and wanted to go to college for music but never had enough money to. I was still saving up to buy myself a beautiful Selmer. I used a school horn in High School.

I threw a 20 in his case and stood back. He looked down and smiled at me as he finished the song. No one stopped. They all just went on as if their pathetic lives were more important. Here this older gentlemen was trying to get enough money to feed himself, while his beautiful music would probably go unnoticed in this world.

"So you like blues?" he drawled out in a southern slur. "Very Much." I replied. "You're very good, amazing actually," I said.

"It's not just me," he said placing his hand over his heart "It's in here and you just have to pull it out." He sat on the ground taking off his ligature and wiping off his reed.

"Thank you for your generous offer," he said sliding his sax in its place and closing the clasps.

"No problem."

"I don't mean to pry," he began "but you look as if the weight of the world is on your shoulders?"

"You have no idea," I said sliding down so I was sitting next him on the concrete.

"I'm Jim," he said holding out his hand. "Violet." I replied.

"So tell me about this issue."

"Well have you ever thought you loved someone so much you would do anything for them? I did and I put up with some nasty shit for him too, but I don't really want to get into that. But tonight I ended it with him and I know it was the right thing, but it feels so horrible. And now I have no place to live or a job. He wouldn't let me get a job. So the money I've been saving for college and my sax is the only thing I have left. But I REFUSE to dabble into those funds."

"You play sax?" he asked his eyebrow raised.

"I did in high school and I've wanted to go to college for music, but didn't have enough money. That's what he promised. That his "business" would go smoothly and he'd put me through college as long as I did what he asked. But now that dream is over. I haven't played in over 3 years and I need to be top notch to get into schools like that." A tear slid down my cheek. I had thought about my dream before and the weigt of it on my chst almost smothers me, so I try not to think about it.

"Well I must get home to my grand-baby," he said standing up. "I want you to meet me in this spot tomorrow at 12:00 young lady. Not a second later and we will turn your life around." I stood stunned. I didn't understand what he was talking about.

He turned and walked off leaving me puzzled as he walked away, his black sax case swung over his shoulder.