In Search Of Dreams

Episode 6

Hey, Gareth, I’m just gonna borrow this snare
for a couple hours, alright?” Aaron comes
striding into Gareth’s, talking a mile a minute.

“What’s shakin’, Irish?”

“Aaron,” Marcus says, looking up from where he
is plinking around on the piano, playing with
some ideas.

“Just bring it back still workin’,” Gareth drawls
lazily from behind the bar.

“Thanks, man.”

“What do you need the drum for?” Marcus asks,
watching as Aaron attaches a strap to it so he
can hang it around his neck.

“Funeral,” he says, as if that explains
everything.

“Funeral? You need a drum for a funeral?”

“The cat that died was originally from New
Orleans. Wanted a jazz funeral.”

“Okay… Aaron, I’m not from this country, you’re
going to have to elaborate,” Marcus says.

“We follow the casket to the cemetery, playing
music as we go. Slow stuff, dig? Then after, we
play more upbeat things, to ‘cut the body loose.’

It’s a celebration, man.”

“That is brilliant,” Marcus declares. “I love it.”

“Right on,” Aaron says, noncommittally.

“Aaron?” Marcus asks after a moment.

“Yeah?”

“Can I come? I mean, would it be rude?”

“You can’t march with a piano, man!”

“Well, give me a… a tambourine, then. I’d really
like to come. If it won’t be disrespectful, I
mean.”

“Sure, I guess,” Aaron shrugs, passing a
tambourine to Marcus. “You okay being the only
white boy?”

“Aaron,” Marcus sighs, “I’m always the only one
of my kind wherever I go. Except at home, with
me mum. If it bothered me, I’d never go
anywhere.”

“Alright, then. Gareth, catch you later, man.”

“Have fun,” Gareth calls.

“Fun?” Marcus asks.

“Oh, we have fun,” Aaron says, shoving Marcus
out the door. “He’s goin’ to be with the Lord,
what’s not to celebrate?”