drummer boy

Sid said goodbye after a job after the Teen Fair battle of the bands. It came as a surprise, though things were beginning to molt away a bit by then. I’d decided to head to college. Harry, too, though he’d only spend a week away from home, then return, never to try, again. Kevin was headed to a prep school in New England. Why, no one was sure, except maybe to escape his family. Sid – he was re-enlisting.

“Got to go, drummer boy.”

He was smiling, but I saw the tears in his eyes.

“Got a mama-san, over there, and a baby, I think.”

“Over there” was Vietnam. It was the first I’d heard of a family.

“You got the gift, my man. You ever want to play in Motown, for real, my boys’ll take care of you.”

I hugged him; he hugged me back. Then, he waved to us all and was gone. We never heard from him, again.