Missin’ Linkin

Once upon a time, there was a young girl who loved a band. Many people remarked, “Oh how could you love a band that only knows how to scream, not sing? And their words merely reflect clichéd teenage angst, nothing more?” They could not believe that this girl, all prim and proper, could listen to such “noise” and appreciate rowdiness that went against how she looked and behaved. Despite this, she continued to open her ears to this band of musicians and tucked it inside a tiny space in her heart.

Years passed and news of the band’s arrival spread across the land. The girl’s heart was filled with joy, great joy, indeed! She found ways (ridiculous ways even) to meet them, but luck was not on her side. “Never mind,” she thought, so she just bought tickets even though they were made of gold.

On the 15th day of the 6th month of the year 2004, a dream came true. The day that the girl had never imagined would arrive, finally did, and it sent her heart a-flutter. Many like her went to join the band’s arrival, to have a night of music and revelry. And even though there were chaos and mess, sweat and bruises, she only saw beauty and happiness. The music flowed and she embraced it and let it control her senses. It was a night she’d never forget.

But seasons changed, and some things faded.  As time passed by, she floated away gently.   She still allowed the band’s music to reach her, but the hold of her heart on it softly loosened as she discovered new sonic landscapes.  Then one day, 96 moons into the future, she heard news about the band again. Warmth revisited and made her curious. Hearing and reading about the musicians made her yearn to see them again, to see how they were, to experience the music that once moved her. Little did she know that the year that would follow, her desire would be fulfilled, albeit not completely.

Now it became certain that the band would be visiting. At first, the girl was unaffected, at least not as much as before. But as the days crawled toward the band’s arrival, she got more eager to see them again. A tiny spark rekindled. But this spark would not have a future, for there were just too many things that hindered her, things that were beyond her control. So on that day when the band trumpeted its presence, on the night that the stars and earth collided, all she could do was slump on the floor and utter with an overcast heart, “I can’t believe I’m missin’ Linkin!”