A memorable event with V

A memorable event happened today. After 8 years I met my cousin and his son V. They had come home for lunch and I was surprised to see V with his "Jim Morrison" type hair cut. He had turned 13 couple of months back.

While casually conversing with my cousin, he said "V is an avid guitar player" and predictably my false pride virtuoso guitarist instincts just couldn't control its ego and made me say "I am too..." and dang! I guess those were probably the last words which came out of my gut for rest of the day.

V, who was totally disinterested with our conversion up until that point -- suddenly turned towards me and asked "Anna, you play guitar? wow! is the guitar upstairs?" and even before I could say "yes" I saw him jumping up the stairs running towards my sacred guitar monastery. I quickly followed him thinking that I should stop this mad cow from screwing up my rig.

When I entered my room I saw V awing at my GT8 guitar processor(damn it! she always steals my show!) and later he held my guitar and gave it a weird look and said "my guitar looks exactly the same, except that its an actual Fender." Those words hurt me so bad as telling someone that the food they'd been eating for the last 6 years was actually pig's shit!

I couldn't digest this comment coming out from him. I somehow wanted to redeem the lost esteem for my J&D guitar which unfortunately happens to be a fender rip-off guitar(come on! she's ain't pig's shit, is she?) and so I provocatively said "hey V, plug in the guitar" and mentally prepared myself for an ultimate guitar showdown. Considering my recent success with sweep-picking, I had already started to think of myself as Paul Gilbert's anna! :P

V said "Anna, you play first." I thought my skills might be too complicated for him to comprehend and so I said "V, you go first" and gave him a cunning smile. He closed his eyes and started singing. Initially his singing wasn't audible. My audacity made me look like Anu Malik in Indian Idol and filled me with more prejudice. But, as his voice grew louder and as he bent the guitar string... shockingly I could hear an amazing soulful extemporaneously played original tune. I literally couldn't believe my eyes and ears. I was awestruck watching him sing and play lead simultaneously, and that too with closed eyes. He played as if Jimi Hendrix's blood was flowing in his veins. It was eargasmic!

Just the thought that next was my turn to play, made me sh*t in my pants. My fingers were trembling out of fear and complex. When he passed the guitar back to me and asked me to play something, I decided to defend myself with "tornado of souls" which I consider as my ultimate weapon, but unfortunately, when I started playing it, it sounded more like "tornado from my A** hole!" because, honestly, I felt week playing a cover as a response to an original extempore! I stopped playing the crap any further and gasped for a moment and then said "V, my fingers are not warmed up and so I can't play" (i can't believe I gave such a dumb clichéd reason! I almost felt like a kindergarten kid giving reasons for scoring an F in class!)

It was embarrassing, but nevertheless it was definitely an educating and inspiring experience. It was some sort of reality check for me.

Now that my "Maan and Maryadaa" had already been taken for a ride, I had no option but to let go of it completely and accept the defeat. Later, I sat with V and probed him with questions, as I was curious to know what is it that he has that I don't. And through an undirected Socratic approach I discovered yet again that the problem was with my "commitment" level.

I think, this is a problem not just with me but with each one of us. We may have the passion, drive and skill but we often miss out on this one critical factor which is crucial to bring some meaningful result.

The reason why I found this event with V so important in my life, is because, watching such level of commitment in a 13 year old adolescent boy, made me reassure that I too can have it. Perhaps, I just have to work a little harder .

Trivia:
-V has recorded 2 albums(7 songs in each album) and is currently working on the third.
-V has a broken tooth after he tried to play solo with it! (Just like Jimi hendrix in voodoo child song)
-In an upcoming show he plans to play for 3 long hours (30 songs).
-V has guitar gears worth 1.5 Lakh rupees.