Let the moon shine by Kirsty Gill

22 February 2022  { Romance }


Let the moon shine

 

It was nearly midnight. They were still talking on the phone. Neither wanted to say good-bye first. Each of them was peering out of their hotel window and gazing up at the full moon. It was a comfort to know that, although they were miles apart, they were both seeing the same silver orb at the same time. It made the world seem smaller and them feel closer. It was almost as if they weren’t separated by quite so many miles. It had become a nightly ritual. They looked at the moon and chatted together every night. Tonight was special. It was the Wolf Moon – the first full moon of the new year.

 

Why was it called the Wolf Moon? Of course, he’d Googled it before he mentioned it to her. Wolves were known to howl at the moon but at this time of the year it was reckoned that they were particularly hungry so howled louder than usual – so the search engine suggested. A fairly plausible explanation. No matter – there was always something special about a full moon whatever time of year it shone. It had been a full moon on the night that they’d met. Steve didn’t know much about the way the solar system worked but he’d read recently something, which Bob Marley is supposed to have said, that had struck him as rather beautiful:-

 

“Even the sun is humble sometimes and lets the moon shine.”

 

Steve was a roadie. He worked with musicians and bands. They weren’t always the most humble of people – lead singers in particular. Of course, they had to have charisma, as well as a decent voice, to be able to perform centre stage and capture the attention of the audience. Image was almost as important as the music nowadays. Steve could remember before MTV, before Top of the Pops even, when pop videos were not compulsory, indeed a rarity. He hadn’t always been a roadie. He’d been a sound engineer back in the day. He’d been in demand. He’d worked in a well-known and highly rated studio. His name had appeared on the credits on the cover of many a vinyl and compact disc. But that was back in the dark ages (according to his son). Not just his son. Most people nowadays. He’d got tired of the egos. He’d moved on.

 

Working as a roadie was hard, physical work but it kept him fit. He helped set up the gear for the soundchecks but the actual sound balance was left to others. It wasn’t his responsibility any more. He got none of the flack. He preferred it that way. He got to travel with the bands and once all the heavy lifting work was done he got some time off to himself. He was able to actually see a bit of whichever part of the world they happened to be playing in. The bands and their entourage could rarely do the same. They never had much time. They were either performing or sleeping. He’d loved his job – until recently – until he met her.

 

She’d turned his world upside down. He wasn’t expecting to meet anyone new at this stage in his life. He was in his mid- fifties, for heaven’s sake. He’d been married twice. Once would’ve been enough. The second certainly shouldn’t have happened. It was very much on the rebound. He was still supporting four children financially, though he rarely got to see any of them. Trish was a backing singer. She, too, made it possible for others to shine. She also toured.

 

Trish had a great voice but no desire to perform centre stage. She didn’t want to become a star. She’d seen what happened to those who did – cameras everywhere, constant pressure, no privacy. No wonder so many of them became addicts to substances, legal or illegal. She didn’t blame them really but it was no life for her. She’d dated one or two minor stars briefly. That was no life either. One of the things she liked best about being with Steve was the anonymity and she loved his complete lack of ego.

 

Of course things weren’t perfect – when were they ever? Finding time to be together was the main problem. They were rarely in the same part of the country. The relationship shouldn’t have worked. But somehow it did. And the moon played its part – quite a big part as it happened. They’d met on Ozzy Osbourne’s Bark at the Moon tour – the last and only time they’d worked at the same gig. And tonight the bright, full moon had never looked more spectacular – and was appropriately named the Wolf Moon as Steve had explained. The first full moon in January. She would always remember it’s name.


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