A Music Getaway

"Come," she wrote me in a text. "You'll have fun." Mary was always trying me to get to play, it had been many years since I had picked up my drum sticks.

Of course, I had heard so much about this crazy house in Cambridge, the house where all these musicians and creative types would get together and party and play music.

What the heck would I even wear? I looked through my drab wardrobe and realized that I didn't have a pair of decent jeans. I decided to wear my least shredded pair that I owned. I heard that at this party, that no one cared what one wore.

I picked my red shirt just to be festive and grabbed my sticks and left my tiny apartment that was big enough for just me.

I got to the house a little early, but I figured I could at least help out if I didn't bring anything with me. The house was white with a blue door and festive lights were outside.

Mary greeted me at the door as soon as I rang the doorbell. "You came!" I was quickly grabbed in for a huge hug and it felt warm and wonderful. "You can put your coat in my room if you want, that way you know it's safe there."

I gave Mary my torn up woolen gray jacket and handed it to her. I knew she was right. I didn't want any more incidents to happen to my only winter jacket.

"I don't know anyone here but you, Mary." I was nervous for some reason.

"That's all right, you'll meet everyone soon enough. They will love you! You are a legend! I'm so honored that you came. When mom texted me that you were in town and looking for some company, I couldn't wait for you to be part of this. I think you will be pleasantly surprised."

I saw loads of wine bottles lined up on a table mixed with some beers of all brands and one gigantic boxed wine. There was some folks in the kitchen already milling about.

"You look like you could use a glass of wine," a kind older gentleman grabbed a glass and looked at me with kind eyes, "would you prefer red or white?"

"I'd better have white, otherwise my doc would not be happy." I tried cracking a joke.

"Ha! You're funny! I'm Roger. I've been living here at the house for years now. What's your name?"

"I'm Viola. I used to play many years ago, but I don't even know if people know who I am. Mary happens to be my great niece, and she invited me to your house. I hope you don't mind."

"Wait, are you Viola Davis? Are you kidding me right now? Wow, you are one of my favorites of all time! I loved watching you on TV back in the day." Roger seemed pleasantly surprised and I was equally surprised he had actually heard of me. He handed me the glass of white wine and more people started coming in to the kitchen.

"Guys, you are not going to believe this, but we seriously have a legend here in the house! We are going to have a blast tonight! I'm so looking to playing with you later. You are going to play right? We have a drum set in the basement, come on, you're gonna love it!"

Roger grabbed my tiny wrist and almost dragged me down the stairs, his long white hair was struggling to come out of the hair band. I tried hard not to spill any of the wine from my plastic glass.

I couldn't find Mary anywhere, so I guess I was on my own. I took a sip of the white wine in my glass to calm my nerves.

There was string lights lit up in a dark room and the drum set itself had a bunch of lights on it as well. There was festive stuff everywhere.

Mary finally managed to come downstairs, "Aunt Viola, you okay? I know Roger can be a bit excited sometimes, but he means well."

"Oh, honey, we're having a grand time. don't you worry about little ole me. I'll be fine. This set is incredible! I haven't seen this kind of kit since I was a young gal."

"Mary, you never told me you had a famous Aunt!" Roger's voice was hushed and awed.

"She almost didn't come. I had to practically push her to get out of her tiny apartment to be here." Mary started giggling over having a few sips of beer.

"Who's this, then?" Another guy came down the stairs then, and he looked familiar to me, but I couldn't place him. His British accent was thick and he wore a huge beret on his head. His dark eyes reminded me of someone I once knew but a very long time ago.

"I ain't seen you in years love, you remember me? I think I saw you last in 72 when I was just a wee lad."

"Cecil? Is that you? I remember you came up to the drum set, what you were twenty?" I couldn't believe it was this same kid that was friendly and could make me laugh like crazy. All of a sudden, I forgot that I hadn't been out of my apartment in years, hadn't seen many people, mostly became a hermit.

"Yeah, love, that's me. I can't believe you're here of all places. Been too long. You gonna play some drums for us, I for one will be looking forward to this night!"

"Yeah, me too." I looked over at Mary who winked her eyes over to me as I took another sip of my white wine.

Next thing I knew, I was sitting at the drum kit and I played like I was on a big stage like I was back in New York, breathing in the music and keeping the beat and then would play one little riff and the crowd would go wild.

This was going to be the best party ever.