Marathon Man

This one goes out to my bro's in Who's Ready for the Cave?.

Last Monday, I played my mandolin in front of one of my music classes. It went okay. I strummed out "She'll Be Comin' Round the Mountain" and then just grooved for a little while. I was under the impression that there were to be other performances that day, but as it turned out the performances were today instead. So, at the end of last week's class, I agreed that this week I would play some songs on the guitar for everyone (but not Bon Jovi, not really my style).
I don't have my guitar in Taiwan, so I had to borrow one from a girl in class. I haven't really had many chances to play a guitar in the four months that I've been here, which is all right, I mean, I have my mandolin and I've picked up the ErHu fairly quickly, but there's something about the guitar (acoustic or electric) that makes everyone want to pay attention even if you aren't Eric Clapton or Jimi Hendrix.
Anyway, so they give me this guitar, it's nice, it has all it's strings, and then I had a little time to practice. The teacher assumed I had something prepared to play, which was sort of true, you know as an Eagle Scout I'm always prepared. I went into the little practice room next to the classroom and sat down on a bench with this girl's guitar.
I strummed out some chords and then started playing the only songs I really know, and it took me back. This little practice room had suddenly become my Dallastown High School's auditorium, where Who's Ready for the Cave? took Second Place only two men strong. I found myself in that little coffee shop, where our show was cancelled, but we played anyway and made $8.50 (our first paid gig). I was at the JCC mumbling in a microphone and pretending I was fronting an all girl band from a future where Chinese was the international language of choice. I was in the Blue and White Cafe fiddlin' around to the tune of "She'll Be Comin' Round the Mountain" and watching the ho down of a lifetime.
I played "Marathon Man","New Year's Song" and "We're All Singing the Same Song". I should say "we" played those songs today, up in front of a class of fifteen year-old, Taiwanese students that still made me nervous. Sam, Vince, Eric, if you felt something today at around 2:35 in the afternoon, just know that it was part of you jamming with me over here.
I know somebody got a video.