Rudy to Randy

Rudy to Randy
by Joe C.

Often after shows
he and I would return to the
eight wheeled rust covered wagon
to avoid the barbaric like parties
that would keep us from repose.

In robes we sat while he
plucked his black V shaped guitar
with yellow polka dots that lounged on its body.
I would follow with a
low whisper from my bass.

His snuff colored medium length hair
would sway back and forth like an ocean’s wave
at each pluck of a string
while a smile that would never fall from his face
kept us in harmonic unison.

Hours later after our axes rested
a door would open and the bright
Florida sun would shoot through my eyes
waking me up while the sound of my guitar
buddy’s shy mellow voice called my name.

He invited me to go riding on a plane
to see the countryside but it was early
and I was not fully awake.
I told him go ahead
and I fell back into an unconscious mind.

Later that day as I tuned my strings
with the radio playing the familiar sounds
of hard rock and roll,
the song was interrupted only to hear
the disc jockey say

25 year old Randy Rhoads, Lead guitar player
for Ozzy Osbourne, along with two others
were killed in a plane crash today.

In an instant the melody went flat
and the sound of white filled the air.
a joyride turned into sorrow left me
with a fallen smile
and a final memory.