I Didn’t Remember, But I Used To Be A Bass Player!?!

Right after my weekly empowering meeting with the members of my management family, I had the immense joy of picking a guitar and actually being able to play a little after more than a year. It might seem weird to you, but for me, it’s quite a step. Due to my altered post-surgery cognitive and coordination conditions, playing guitar – much like taking forever to find a proper word when I’m writing or getting the right vocal note I want to sing without having to go through a full scale up or down to do so – looked like an enciphered puzzle to my still confused and recovering brain activities. Therefore, I decided to slowly re-engage myself in a positive re-educative motion by simply feeling the sounds within my body and mind and by letting go of my present limitations. I can enjoy this highly frustrating and often discouraging process by finding comfort in embracing the moment rather than freaking out about the inabilities related to my new, and hopefully temporary, condition.

For the occasion, Jeff and Ben took it upon themselves to set up a guitar at my “station”, with a tiny tiny baby amp. It was quite hilarious for me to see that, especially as the last time I checked, my guitar amps were a Hiwatt Custom 50 Combo and an Orange Rockerverb 50 MKIII Combo, not that red MEGA VL 10 🙂

Me: “Guys, what is that thing?!?”

Ben: “It’s your amp brother.”

Me: “Hahahaha… Seriously?”

Ben: “I’m really serious. You don’t remember?”

Me: …

Ben: “Yes, yes, it is. You are sponsored by Mega. It must be those freaking micro-brain embolisms. We are with you brother. We know it’s not easy for you, especially when it comes to forgetting your favorite brands like Mega.”

Me: “And the bass, what is it for? You’re going to tell me I’m the band’s bassist as well?”

Ben: “Thank God, you haven’t forgotten everything. Yes, you are the bass player. Your hero is the bassist Neil Peart from Sonic Jam.”

Me: “Hahaha, funny. I’m not that crazy! :)”

Ben: “I’m with you brother. Never hesitate to come to me if you need to talk. You’ve truly been through major trauma and I know you are not yourself just yet.”

Me: “Of course, of course. And I play that bass, right? But it looks pretty cheap. It’s a “Tracer”!”

Ben: “No brother, look behind the bass head. It’s a Fender-Tracer- USA Custom Shop.”

Me: “True… WRITTEN with a PEN, in 2 different colors!!! Hahaha!”


Ben: “Ah brother, those brain embolisms did way more damage than we would like to believe. You’ve got so much to catch up on. I’m here.”


Me: “True, but I remember you still owe me a few dollars, right?”


Ben: “I gave it all back to you right before your surgery, in case you would die. I didn’t want to see you go knowing I owed you money. I’ve got too much respect and love for you.”


Me: “Really? Of course…”


Ben: “See, you remember now. So touching.”


Alex: “Hahaha! I didn’t remember you were driving me crazy, though.”


Ben: “Ah, everyone: ALEX IS HEALED! Ok, take your bass and go have fun! :)”

Everyone laughed, obviously, but it was moving for me to witness how happy they were to see me showing the necessary resilience to build myself back to what I used to be or to become the best version of what could be my new self. So I guess I’ll find out soon enough. I’ll be the most amazing bass player out there to make sure my people from Mega and Tracer are proud of me! 🙂 I don’t think Fender, Eastwood, Hiwatt, and Orange will be too happy to read that… But hey, I’m trusting my best friends Jeff and Ben, right? 😉
Note:
I found Leonard like that this morning. He looked as if he was on a major Saint Patrick’s Day hangover! Poor little boy. Maybe I should tell him that those were non-alcoholic Guinness cookies! Don’t call the “Li’l hangover pup protection services”, it’s a joke. But he was indeed looking like that this morning when I showed up at my office. I’m suspicious that Miss Isabel could have something to do with that. I might be a bit slower cognitively, but when I see you going out of my office while laughing at 7 am, I could do 1+1 = “Hey, good morning Miss Isabel! How are you?” Wait, who was I talking about again?