London Harmony: Roctoberfest Read Online Free PDF Page A

wind.
    I whipped my head to the left when someone joined into our jam on the keyboard.  There was a young man, maybe nineteen smiling at us all and adding to it.  By the midpoint of the song, there were six instruments and twelve people singing.
    We'd all stop singing at the power notes that James executed so very well.  He had projection and just radiated a joy of music that was so very refreshing.
    Then all too soon it was over and we all applauded James.  When the musicians all stowed their instruments, he went back to just rocking with a slack look on his face as he stared at nothing at all.  I said, “You did great James.  You have a brilliant voice.”  I did catch the slightest quirk of a smile from him before it faded.
    I chanced a glance over at the guitarist as she unslung the guitar.  I pocketed my sticks and stood and walked over to her.  I bit my lower lip not knowing how to strike up a conversation.  I felt useless.  That was about the extent of my social skills.
    She looked up without really looking and just muttered, “Get a good look.”
    I blinked.  “Umm... sorry?  What?”
    She made eye contact this time she looked mad and... ashamed?  “Gawk at the gimp.”
    I blinked. “Oh.  No.  I was just curious how to play with one hand, that was pretty cool.  Is there a method or are you self-taught?”  I noted the right sleeve of the tee was pinned to her side, it didn't seem she had any stump or anything.
    She squinted at me for a very long time.  Well maybe it was only a second, it just felt like time was stretching on.  I really wanted to know and I didn't give a platypus in a sauna how many arms she had.  Finally, she looked away from me with a shy smile as she reached for the guitar again and slung it over her shoulder.  She said softly, “It is actually called 'Finger Style', and it was developed for amputees or people who didn't have full use of one hand.”  She strummed a few bars.
    She looked up at me, probing me with her chocolate brown eyes.  I nodded and asked, “So how do you both finger a chord and strum?” I was watching her fingers intently so I didn't blush at her scrutiny of me.
    She scrunched up her face a bit and said, “Well it isn't really as simple as that. Here watch.”  She started the intro to ‘4Ever’ by the Veronicas.  I watched her hand closer and she started exaggerating her finger movements.
    It seemed that she would pick with any free finger she had just below her other fingers that were expressing a chord.  In some cases, it would be the same finger in a slashing, pressing move.  I realized I was grinning like a bloody git when she caught my eyes and smiled then looked at her own hand.
    I said, “That's brill.  I could play and drum with the other hand if I learned that.  How long did it take to learn?”
    She paused and looked away then said, “A second lifetime.”  There was a haunted tone to it.  She shook her head then tilted it and really looked at me as she played.  “Mei.  Mei Hammond.”
    I smiled at her. “Kacy Green.”
    She smirked. “You're different Kacy.”  I cocked an eyebrow.  Was that a good or bad thing?  She shook her head and looked away toward James, who was humming again.  She clarified. “You're the first person I've met that wants to know about my music rather than my arm.”
    I looked at her arm then said slyly, “It looks okay to me.”  She snorted and I grinned that I was able to make her do that.
    She said, “Don't be dense woman.  My other arm.”
    I looked at her in mock confusion and leaned in and whispered behind my hand over dramatically.  “You don't have an other arm.”
    She bumped shoulders with me with a huge smile on her face as she played.  “I know I've only just met you, but I think I'll label you as a smartass Kacy, I hope that's okay.”
    I gave her a cheesy grin, I liked her.  “Better than some labels people have applied to me.  I'll take it and wear it like a badge