The courage to be men. 
passed the cloth over the strings, the neck and body, as always after a performance. Un'accortezza that he felt more like a gesture of respect to his instrument as a duty.
Then, in a solitary cigarette out in the club completed the ritual. A cigarette
damn that closes a live: you're slow as she always ends too soon.
Just as he reflected on this thing came up a little boy, will have had less than twenty years. He introduced
kindly asking if it was disturbing. He smiled from its forty-four years and welcomed him kindly.
- No, but what noise? Tell me ... -
The boy just wanted to congratulate the musicians and thank him for having passed a pleasant evening. He smiled embarrassed and not without pointing out that the merits of the band was complete, not just his.
Matthew, so he called the young man nodded and kept us to specify that the compliments were particularly because he played the same instrument.
The man stopped for a fraction of time and studied the boy. Over the years he had learned to recognize the musicians as they arise, but the boys are beyond any analysis, the strength of their dreams is so strong that explodes from his eyes and makes them all the same.
- And so you play bass ... is there any song in particular that you liked? -
Matthew could hardly hold back his embarrassment, he had recognized one in the repertoire and was afraid to make a bad impression. However, it was sincere, because if it were lying open, the figure would have been much worse.
- Solo "The Kitchen" is the song of Pastorius ... have not listened to much jazz. -
The other smiled paternally.
- Chicken ... the song is called "The Chicken", meaning kitchen cooking, but do not worry it is easy to make mistakes. And do not worry if you do not listen to jazz, and when they're ready broaden your mind and listen to everything that is done well, for the moment content to follow your instincts ... by the way, you know why the song is titled Pastorius "Chicken"? -
Parliament passed three or four cigarettes. He had never loved talking about music, since it sounds, and well, there is no reason to talk about it. So he thought. In fact it was good at drawing alternative routes that brought the boy to be discovered, to talk about himself and life. Sure, the music in the background, but simply an excuse to travel with the mind. He understood very little of Matthew. His discomfort was alive and scratch. That body fat a malapena riusciva a trattenerlo e la paura passava tutta attraverso quella postura lievemente ricurva, gli occhi spesso a terra e le mani in tasca. Ma Matteo aveva anche uno sguardo tremendamente intelligente, parlava bene ed argomentava senza sputare sentenze immotivate; cosa tipica, il sentenziare con presunzione, di chi crede di essere migliore degli altri.
Il quasi quarantacinquenne aspettava quella domanda come si aspetta un verdetto e quella arrivò puntuale e precisa:
- Io vorrei continuare a studiare musica dopo le superiori, ma ho paura. Se dovessi diventare un morto di fame? I miei si aspettano che vada all’università e forse potrei non avere il loro sostegno, specie economico, se mi dedicassi solo alla musica. Secondo she should do? -
Only eighteen could ask a question so brutal. The man put his hand on his shoulder and was silent for several seconds, eternal. What to say? What lessons can? How can you address the risk of a life in a direction maybe wrong? Who was he to do? Sure, it was simply expressing a personal opinion, but it was not. The boy asked for help and when you're willing to ask the first stranger you're gonna get a shot, maybe you can give him a straight.
He tried the solution and pondered the question carefully:
-Sai, Matthew, I think the problem is not the music, the university ... no, you you are afraid. Are you afraid of your parents, you're afraid of being judged by others and this blocks you, does not make you choose. I will not tell you what to do, because I can not. What I say is do not be afraid to choose. When you think you're convinced, do it, choose. And do not think that life ends there, maybe a wrong choice. You are young and I assure you a second chance everyone has one, do not be afraid to make mistakes. -
The conversation lasted a few minutes more, greetings, thanks, nothing more.
Matthew walked away, looked up in the air, toward the dark sky, the moon, the stars.
The man lit a cigarette.
looked at his car eighty thousand euro parked in front of the restaurant. A whim, a desire, perhaps a symbol.
He thought when he finished high school. He studied electric bass for three years and had become good, a lot. So good to have to choose between a study of crazy music, eight, nine hours a day, or the university.
The error you find him behind his back in a dark corridor, as a murderess.
He turned, looked into his eyes and smiled with contempt.
Then came the other to say hello, the next afternoon was to carry out open heart surgery, a life depended on his hands and had to be ready.
