• The big night
    The anticipated event
    approaches
    The crowd
    restless
    but then
    a swell
    The band emerges
    The excitement like static
    almost tangible
    And it builds
    bigger
    bigger

    The performer
    nervous, but careful not to show it
    sound check
    1…2…3…
    Joking around
    loosening the mood,
    and, he hopes,
    himself
    Same old, same old
    Except.
    Except today is a different story
    his mom
    his #1 fan
    the one who insisted on guitar lessons
    and nagged constantly for him to practice
    the reason he was standing there today
    dead
    car accident
    she didn’t suffer, they said
    right, okay
    it was a drunk driver, they said
    he got away, a hit and run
    no one else saw it, they said
    so no hopes of justice
    and so
    here he was
    a week later
    the tour postponed for a time,
    but now back on schedule
    because the show must go on, right?
    his mind still in a fog,
    a dream
    then reality hits him
    Showtime.

    The crowd becomes eager
    as he steps out
    they reach out
    trying to connect
    as the opening chord
    long and loud
    reverberates from
    huge amps
    the time has come,
    and yet…

    He knows how he looks
    Depressed
    But the smile won’t come
    Last show, he promises himself
    knowing it’s a lie
    He starts
    his music, all songs he wrote
    a rare thing these days
    Thank God all of his music has an edge
    because he doesn’t think
    that a happy song
    would even be
    possible
    he covers Yesterday
    his mom’s favorite song
    and he feels them
    a musician’s worst nightmare on stage
    tears
    hot, bitter, and most of all
    sad
    pressing
    threatening to spill
    a lump
    he forces down
    and then he gets to the line;

    Why she had to go, I don’t know, she wouldn’t say

    and a tear
    one lonely tear
    spills
    and sets off a flood

    The singer starts, but something,
    something
    is wrong
    The songs are all
    angry
    edgy
    sad
    he’s trying to keep his stage presence
    But then, he sings an old song,
    Yesterday
    He starts crying
    then sobbing silently
    unable to go on

    The flood doesn’t stop,
    try as he might
    He can’t stop
    but is too sad
    to feel mortified
    the music stops
    and the crowd buzzes in
    confusion
    wondering what happened
    and then
    it happens
    one person
    and then another
    and another
    starts singing
    and slowly,
    slowly but surely,
    the music
    comes
    back
    He looks out
    amazed
    mystified
    as the flood stops
    and the song continues
    and comes to a close

    Oh, I believe in Yesterday