9 Music Heals the Soul

Tuesday had arrived, and I could not wait to meet the stranger Michelle told me about yesterday. But after experiencing a few nightmares this past week, I felt the need to relieve some stress out of my body.

Just before Charissa went to work, she had left a handwritten note on the table for me to read carefully. She wrote:

Dear Christine,

I left you a few pancakes and bacon for breakfast. Hope you enjoy them. And don't forget to clean the house and work on some laundry today. Take care.

Sincerely yours, Charissa

After some breakfast and a few errands, I finally found time to chill and unwind in the living room. At first, I tried watching some television, but there was no good programs to choose from. At that moment, a 30-year-old vinyl player and a few LPs on the cabinet generated my attention.

My dear mother Charissa was an avid new wave fan. She undoubtedly had a valuable collection of Spandau Ballet, Culture Club, INXS and Tears for Fears records. There was also a Mr. Mister 'Welcome to the Real World' LP, graciously given to her as a gift from one of her esteemed colleagues.

I carefully carried the vinyl player and the Mr. Mister record to the table to check if they are still in good working condition. As it turned out, the appliance played just fine and the LP sounded as beautiful as before.

One song that brought my attention was 'Broken Wings', in particular its very tearful chorus.

Take these broken wings

And learn to fly again

And learn to live so free

When we hear the voices sing

The book of love will open up

And let us in

I sang to 'Broken Wings' and felt my singing voice was as vibrant as ever. It also helped that Cathy taught me some vocal lessons in the summer, although becoming a prolific recording artist was not my forte.

Charissa's other records were also played, much to my delight. But these days, digital streaming is popular and more accessible in my time. Nevertheless, it was fun to dust off that old vinyl record and play an LP or two every once in a while.

While Charissa was a self-confessed new wave fan, I leaned more into sentimental ballads because of my troublesome experiences as a kid. One example was when Cathy played 'Don't Cry Out Loud' during her visit to the room, a sentimental song which brought tears to my eyes.

On this particular day, however, no tears were shed. Instead, I gladly listened to some of the songs on my mobile phone.

There were the classics like 'Careless Whisper' by George Michael and 'Hello' by Lionel Richie. I also dabbled into modern-day hits which include 'We're Never Ever Getting Back Together' by Taylor Swift and 'Thinking Out Loud' by Ed Sheeran.

I always thought of these songs as mental therapy for all the pressures and demands of life, particularly during school days. When bad days happen, music became my source of relaxation and healing.

Later that afternoon, I dropped by a newly opened music store to look at some fresh vinyl records. The store was located a stone's throw from the condominium so walking there was much more convenient.

While I do love to listen on my digital devices, the experience of tuning in to Charissa's vinyl player remains as gratifying as ever. When played on a turntable, an LP sounded more natural than its digital counterparts. That said, I got curious with all the newly released vinyl records that were on sale.

"Do you have any new albums for sale, sir?"

The store owner answered, "We do have a couple of new ones, mostly classics. I have some Fleetwood Mac, The Cure, and even Hall and Oates for you."

"Fleetwood Mac?" I said to the store owner. "There is the 'Rumours' album in my unit and I love listening to 'Dreams'.

"But Fleetwood Mac is more than just the 'Rumours' album," he responded. "We also have the 'Mirage' and 'Tango in the Night' LPs inside the store. You can sample them here at the turntable for free."

I listened to portions of the 'Mirage' and 'Tango in the Night' albums and it turned out to be both beautiful. The record store owner even implied that 'Little Lies' and 'Hold Me' were the two best songs to listen to on a bad day.

I did have another question in mind, though. "How about The Cure and Hall and Oates? Are they good too?"

He replied, "They also sound great, particularly the 'Disintegration' and 'Voices' albums. If your day is miserable, then check out 'Lovesong' and 'You Lost That Lovin' Feeling'. They fit your mood pretty well."

After careful sampling and consideration, I decided to buy The Cure's 'Disintegration' record. To me, it felt like an album most teens would want to listen to on a moody day.

But I never intended becoming a goth like Robert Smith. Nevertheless, the gloomy sound of their album attracted my attention, especially the slow ones such as 'Lovesong'.

That night I played the album to Charissa who had just returned from work. She reacted by saying "Very dark but impressive. I like this album. How much did you pay for it?"

"Around P 1500," my response to the owner.

Charissa followed up by saying "It's too expensive, but then again I used to buy some of the records myself. Thus, I'll forgive you for spending so much."

"But to be honest, our turntable is too old and a bit worn out," she added. "We must replace it soon. What do you say?"

I answered, "Why not? It may be expensive, but we really need an upgrade."

For the rest of the night Charissa and I enjoyed a hearty dinner while listening to some of the other LPs in our unit. It was a very joyful time for both me and Charissa as we relived the days of our youth.

The next morning, I received a text message from Michelle. Looking into my smartphone, I wondered what news Michelle would bring today.