Roadtrip

Matt’s POV
We had all been send to different jobs when we got here. These retirement homes were always understaffed and they could use all the help they could get. They had asked me to visit some of the people living here, talking to them, making sure they had everything they need. The lady that instructed me told me that most of the people here had little family visiting them and all they often needed was a little talk, someone that showed some attention to their story.

I had already visited mrs. Lannister, who told me I reminded her of her grandson, who she hadn’t seen in 15 years, but she did got postcards from him, first from college and then from all over the world. Every time she looked at me, she got tears in her eyes and I just couldn’t understand why her grandson could travel all over the world, but never visit his own grandmother. When I left her room, she squeezed my hand tightly for a moment and I kissed her cheek, telling her I would have loved her as my grandmother, she seemed to appreciate it.

After that I knocked on mr. Wilson’s door. It took a while before he opened and I almost use the master key that was given to me, to check if he was okay, when I heard some shuffle behind the door and a cracking voice “please hold, I’m coming”. I waited patiently for a small and bend down man to open the door, making me feel like a giant.
“Come in boy, I was expecting you, mrs. Lannister just called me that a nice young man was checking up on us”
I laughed lightly “News travels fast here, doesn’t it”
“It indeed does son, it indeed does. Let me make you some coffee, please sit down”
“Let me do it mr. Wilson”
He held his cane with one hand and held the other one up to me.
“I might be old, but I’m not dead yet, I can do some things for myself”

I sat down in the chair he appointed me to and waited for him to serve me my coffee with shaking hands.
“What is your name, son?”
“Matt, sir” even though his posture was bend, his hands were shaking and his voice was cracking, mr. Wilson’s eyes were alive, they had fire in them.
“Did you serve?”
“No, I didn’t, but I have endless respect for the men and women that do or did” I replied, a little ashamed I had to answer that question negatively. I didn’t know why I had so much trouble giving this man my answer.
“It’s no problem, boy, there are enough men and women fighting our wars, in the past, the future and as we speak. I’m 85 now and around your age when I had to go into world war 2, I lost more friends than I can even imagine, it was the worst time of my life, but we had no choice”
His answer made me silent, what could I even answer to that? This man had so much wisdom in him, and I was just coming to this world, thinking everything went my way.

I looked over to the man, to his friendly face, the face that had already been through so much during his life.
“Mr. Wilson, are you willing to tell me your story? I would love to hear it.” I said to him quietly.
“I will tell you my story, but not my war story, I will tell you my love story” I smiled. “Don’t worry boy, it has the war too. I know you young men are only into action these days” he winked.

“I met Ella a few months before I was send to Europe. She was the sister of a friend and I had crush on her since I met her. After a few weeks, she finally agreed to go on a date with me. I took her to the movie theatre, bought her popcorn and raisenettes and we enjoyed a wonderful evening. When I took her home, she rewarded me with a kiss on my cheek. I was in seventh heaven.”

I looked over to the man, he had closed his eyes and seemed to enjoy the memory.

“We went on a couple of dates, but I knew I wanted to marry her from the first kiss on my cheek. So on our three month anniversary, I asked her to marry me. As our engagement present, we received the letter.”

The old man sighed, it clearly hurt him to tell this story, I was in doubt if I should have ever asked for it.

“There was a war going on and I had to report for duty the next day. Ella cried all afternoon and I could only think of one thing to comfort her. I called a minister and that night he married us. Just our brothers and sisters, our parents and that was it. I promised her a big wedding when I came back, but she told me this was all she needed, knowing that she belonged with me.

The next day I left for the base and only 3 days later, I set food on European soil, fighting a war I never had wanted to be a part of. It was rough, Ella’s letters kept me sane in this world of crazy, every letter from her was ended with “Come home to me soon” and I ended mine with “As soon as I can”. And I believed it, but more men were dying. I never really questioned why, all I could think of was staying alive so I could get home to my love. She had my heart with her, it was time the rest of me would follow too.

Let me show you some of her letters”

The old man got up, and got a box out of the closet, handing it to me. It felt so intimate looking at them that I only briefly opened the box and just held it in my hands, waiting for the man to continue.

“The war ended and I could finally go home and there she was, at the airport, my Ella, waiting for me. I had seen a lot of terrible things, I got hurt myself, but none of it was important, I made it back home to her and that was all that counted.”
I smiled at the man “That’s a beautiful story mr. Wilson”

“Ella stayed with me for almost 40 years. She died in her sleep, very peacefully, holding my hand, like we did every night. I think I never loved anyone as much as I loved her. That’s what you should live for, son, love, nothing more, nothing less, love is the only thing that is important.”

“I will go look for that mr. Wilson, I promise and when I find it, I will let you know”

“Please do, you are a nice kid. Now, please hand me my blanket, it’s time for my nap. I wish you all the best of luck, I hope you have a long and happy life ahead of you”

I gave mr. Wilson his blanket and before I left the room I heard him snore. I closed the door behind me with a smile on my face, that story was amazing and I needed to put it to music one way or another. Tatters of lyrics went through my head and I was humming a tune I thought was fitting, this could turn out to another new song for the album.

Jimmy’s POV
This day had been fun but also made me think a lot. I heard stories from these men and women that made me think about life, about how good my life turned out to be.
How blessed I have been to be born now and get to choose my way exactly how I wanted it.
That I could spend my days with my best friends and that my job was also my passion, these men didn’t have a choice. They were born in a time when they were forced to leave their loved ones behind, they lost friends… they lost family, some of them lost everything.

“Thank you very much for your help today, I already heard from our residents that they had a good time with you.” Mr. Dawson handed Matt our payment for the day and I saw Matt was a little absent.
“I don’t want to take that money…” Matt looked at all of us standing around him.
“But we wanted to reward you for your work, and we want to be part of the charity event.” Mr. Dawson replied.
“I know… but it doesn’t seem right. I think these people here deserve so much more than just a couple of hours from our time.”
“I have to agree. We can’t take that money.” Izzie stood next to Matt and they nodded at each other.
“But… we… I mean, it’s not money we take from someone, we are here to support the event.” Mr. Dawson replied and looked helpless at us.
“Yes, and we really appreciate it, but I don’t think it’s right. You should keep the money and invest it into something new for these people here.” Matt was about to turn.
“Wait, maybe we could make a deal?” Mr. Dawson stopped Matt and we just looked at the back and forth between them.
“What deal?” Matt asked.
“What if we just plan another day that you come here? You will take the money for the charity race and when everything is done and you are not under any pressure with your schedule you will come back. I think a lot of our inhibiters would be glad to see you again. What do you think?” Mr. Dawson looked at Matt and I saw Matt glancing at every one of us.
“Sounds like a good deal to me.” I nodded and Matt shook the hand of Mr. Dawson.
“Alright, with this decision I can live.” Matt nodded approvingly and we moved back to our car.

I heard Matt hum a melody and it caught my attention immediately. Brian sat behind the steering wheel and Izzie sat next to him.
I sat next to Matt to ask him what was on his mind. I knew my best friend long enough to recognize when he had an idea.
We were writing songs together for nearly 10 years, so when an idea struck him he always was this absent.
He pulled out a small notepad and scribbled something down, I knew it.
“What’s going on in that head of yours?” I asked him.
“I had this unbelievable conversation with Mr. Wilson and he told me the story about his love and war time, I… I need to write this down, Jimmy. I have a melody in my head, I need to get it out.”
“I’m in… I might have an idea or two. I talked to this group of men and wow, it’s just mindboggling that they have gone through all this, while we live a life so different from them, right?”
Matt nodded still writing words and wrote lines down but I couldn’t read them yet.
I couldn’t wait to get back to the hotel and sit together with Matt over his ideas and to throw in my part. I knew this would get us somewhere.
If Matt was already so fixed on something this was it, a new song would be coming out of it.
“Hottie?” I turned to Mia, her head way laying on my shoulder.
“Hmm?” She looked up to me and I kissed her lips softly. “I will bring you to bed and-” I saw a smile building on her lips.
“I like that thought, is there more?” She replied with a smirk.
“Sorry, no. I mean I would bring you to bed and then I have some work to do with my boy Matt. I think… we will write a new song tonight. So don’t wait for me, alright?” I looked at her and she pouted a little but then snuggled closer.
“Fine, that’s what it is to take as the girlfriend of a famous Rockstar, huh?” She asked with a smile.
“Yeah, I will make it up to you, I promise.” I held her close and thought about my ideas, I just had to let them out of my head.

Notes

Ah songwriting, something they haveen´t done in a while.... what will it be, what will it be ;-)

Would you all be sweet and leave some nice comments? <3