Rock Dreams is now almost a year old. I wanted to share something with you: a little scene with Tom Born. Not part of the novel, more like a glimpse from the sidelines. A moment that could have happened.
Winter. Zurich. An evening when the city slows down.
A winter evening with Tom
It was snowing as Tom walked down the Quaibrücke. Not heavily, but enough to muffle the sounds around him. He glanced up briefly, where snowflakes swirled under the streetlight. One landed on his nose. He had to smile. The interview that afternoon had been exhausting, and the sound check was prepared for tomorrow. The evening was his.
Passers-by hurried past him, scarves pulled up, bags in hand. The shop windows glowed warmly, Christmas lights everywhere. Somewhere there was the smell of roasted almonds. The city was bustling, despite the pre-Christmas period. Tom pulled his scarf up higher. It was cold. But it was the first snow this year.
His thoughts wandered back to the interview: too many questions, too many words. Why wasn’t the music enough sometimes?
He reached into his coat pocket. His cell phone on the left. On the right, the earbuds he almost always carried with him. His thoughts wandered home, where he would be in the forest right now. The silence would have been good. The muffled crunch under his shoes. Just the snow.
But not today, this was Zurich. Tom put the headphones in his ears. Scrolled through the playlist. Not the stage music. Not the rehearsal stuff. Something…
He stopped at one song. Piano, warm. Clear.
Play.
The first notes came. He closed his eyes for a moment. The voices around him faded. His breathing slowed. The tension in his shoulders eased.
Then his cell phone vibrated.
A quick glance. A message.
Elara: Where are you?
Tom had to smile, a small, crooked smile. Warmth crept up his neck.
He put his phone back in his pocket. The music continued to play. Snow gathered on his shoulders. The lights reflected off the wet asphalt. People pushed past him, but he was somewhere else now.
At that moment, it felt good.
The phone vibrated again. An emoji. A small, golden star.
Elara: Tom?
Tom pulled out his right earbud. Typed.
Be right there.
Then he continued his way. Snow on his shoulders, music in his ears. The city around him, but no longer so close. She was waiting for him.
Thank you for accompanying Rock Dreams for almost a year. I wish you a warm, peaceful Advent season.
Feel free to write to me in the comments:
Which character would you like to experience in such a quiet moment?
— Michael