Suzie’s House 406 : The Connection Between Old and Young

Walter loved to walk down State Street. Especially on days with such clear blue skies. Of course, plenty of other people liked to come here on a nice day, too. That was half the fun. He could simply shuffle along; looking like the old man he was and enjoying the sights.

There was something going on down at Peace Park. Walter headed that way. His hips hurt a bit, so he didn’t move very quickly. Along the way he passed what felt like a million college students wearing everything from the kind of black horn rim glasses the unpopular kids in high school favored to pant with a so many studs and buckles they clanked.

This is what life was about for him now. Seeing the young folk made him feel like he was still a part of the world, and not just some vegetable in a bed. Moving around stretched his muscles and kept him mobile. Wandering around made him feel as free as a bird.

There was some weird kind of band playing in Peace Park. He often saw college students and bums there. He’d never seen a band with a lead singer in a mask and what looked to Walter like junior high kids in the background. Playing drums on an old bucket he’d seen before, but not by a girl. In fact, there was just one boy on a keyboard. The rest were girls.

Walter stopped to listen. It was hard to hear, so he moved closer, but still he could barely make out the words. The masked girl’s voice – soft and melodic – drew him in step by step until he was in front of everyone else who stopped to listen.

“Hauntingly familiar.
Everything around me is
almost what it should be.”

He wasn’t sure if he heard the words correctly, or just imagined them the way he wanted them to be. They spoke to him as if she’d written the words for him. He moved a step closer.

“Is this the same world I was born into?
Everything looks half a turn around.

Grandpa says the world changed overnight.
He used to know what to do
but now there are so many buttons to push.”

The song pierced him right in the fleshy part of his heart. It was clean hit. How could these kids understand so much when they looked so young? He took two more steps, and came up right in front of the singer, close enough that they could touch if either lifted an arm.

The singer faltered and cringed.

“Oh. I’m sorry,” Walter muttered. “Sorry.” He backed up a step or two.

The masked singer started up again, but Walter still hadn’t collected himself when the song ended. He felt like he’d missed all the important parts. But he’d already made a fool of himself in front of all these people. They probably thought he was a nut job.

Maybe they were right. Just because he didn’t mean any harm didn’t mean he was harmless.

He wanted to explain himself. He wanted to know all the words to the song and to hear it again, but the kids were packing up as if their lives depended on it. He wandered off toward the capital building end of State Street, but then changed his mind.

He was just an old man. He really, really wanted to know more about the song. The only way he could learn was by asking the kids about it. He did an about face and marched back to Peace Park. The kids spotted him and did an about face, too.

He didn’t care. He chased them toward campus.

“Is he still back there?” The girl in the mask asked.

The boy glanced behind them right at Walter.

“Yeah. He’s still there.”

“Maybe we shouldn’t have sang Drew’s song in a place like this,” the one with the guitar case on her back said.

“Wait!” Walter shuffled a little faster as the band turned to confront him. “Did you say Drew?”

“Yeah. What of it?” The boy stepped forward like he’d protect his harem.

“Drew Banks? No that couldn’t be. I just wanted to ask you kids about that song. It’s a really good song. Did you write it?”

“Yeah.” The girl with the guitar pushed forward. “It was a group effort based on some things Drew Banks said.”

“I knew it! That man really understands.” Walter pulled out the cell phone that a man named Drew had given him. He didn’t know if it might be the same Drew or a completely different one. It didn’t matter. He knew what to do now. “Thanks! Thank you so much.”

He pressed the speed dial thing for Drew as he turned away. The man picked up on the second ring.

“Hi. Drew? This is Walter. Come get me.” Walter glanced up and down State Street, already planning where he would hide.

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