This story is neither quirky or dark, my usual themes, but you know what they say: “departure from the norm is the spice of life.”
Here are a collection of other stories around this picture.
Copyright Roger Cohen
It probably would have failed anyway. Who would want to hear a double bass duo anyway? Quadruple Bass, we called ourselves.
I claimed Grandpa’s old pride-n-joy. My brother had to save up three years for his instrument. Practice breaks were filled with lofty plans of concerts, tours, autographs. He talked; I listened, smiling.
His sickness killed all that. My last performance was when I lugged both behemoths up to his third-floor hospital room and tried to play both simultaneously to make him smile.
They just sit there now, but sometimes I think I can hear them hum to each other.
The Green-Walled Tower 
January 11th, 2013 at 3:01 am
Oh David, everyone is coming up with such brilliance this week… I really like this.
January 11th, 2013 at 4:49 pm
Thank you so much. This group does come up with a lot of wonderful stories.
January 11th, 2013 at 3:21 am
This was a very touching story. I loved the quirky, shared dream, the enthusiasm of the brother, the part about him trying to play both at the same time, the whole thing! Kind of want to cry, thinking of what it is to lose a sibling/best friend.
January 11th, 2013 at 4:49 pm
Yeah, I don’t want to imagine what it would be like.
January 11th, 2013 at 3:29 am
You really bring the two characters (and their basses) to life! I don’t know whether to laugh or cry at the image of the narrator trying to play both at the same time.
January 11th, 2013 at 4:06 am
Hi David,
Great story of brotherly love and adventure and I really liked the title. Ron
January 11th, 2013 at 6:58 am
Wow, we ended up with similar endings! So if I say I really liked this, is it like patting myself on the back? 🙂 No matter; I liked it.
janet
January 11th, 2013 at 4:10 pm
you can pat us both on the back. 🙂
January 11th, 2013 at 8:11 am
Such a moving story. Enjoyed reading.
January 11th, 2013 at 4:09 pm
Thank you. 🙂
January 11th, 2013 at 9:13 am
Dear David,
I was touched to the depths at the image of the brother hefting the instruments up the steps. Applause!
Shalom,
Rochelle
January 11th, 2013 at 4:09 pm
Thanks, Rochelle. It is great to have people that we can go to those lengths for.
January 11th, 2013 at 10:35 am
in was moved by your story… of pure brotherly love.thank you
January 11th, 2013 at 11:12 am
Loved that, David… It was still a little quirky – most wouldn’t lug two large instruments about in the hope of making someone smile… Just a little bit different..! Seems it’s in your genes… Comes out whether intentional or not..! 😉
January 11th, 2013 at 4:08 pm
True. We can only be ourselves. 🙂 Thanks for the comment.
January 11th, 2013 at 12:38 pm
I think I hear them too.
January 11th, 2013 at 2:48 pm
David,
Coming from a big family who would do anything for each other I have to say I know these guys…A touching story of brotherly love. Well told and not a bit quirky for me…I would lug the fattest man on earth to my brothers death bed if that is what he wanted. Well done.
Tom
January 11th, 2013 at 2:51 pm
lovely..and also liked the ending of them humming to each other
January 11th, 2013 at 4:02 pm
yes, some residual energy still vibrating about in them, I like to think. 🙂
January 11th, 2013 at 4:13 pm
Such a very good story, nicely paced and with a moving ending.
January 11th, 2013 at 4:20 pm
you can say so much!
January 11th, 2013 at 4:22 pm
btw whatever happened to those long, long stories you wrote earlier?
January 11th, 2013 at 7:08 pm
I took a break for them for a bit, but I’m planning on posting another installment of the Aftermath series next week, and another one of the Klista stories a bit after that.
January 11th, 2013 at 4:36 pm
You were right, not dark or quirky. I think an uplifting ending. I was going to say sad at first… a good brother.
January 11th, 2013 at 4:48 pm
Oh, I especially love the ending, thinking of them humming to each other. Brothers are there for each other after all. Moving story.
January 11th, 2013 at 8:24 pm
David, I am thinking this is very creative. A lifetime told in a hundred word piece…I am awed!
January 11th, 2013 at 8:27 pm
Thanks Charles. It is a challenge, as you know, to get a full story across in so few words. There has to be a lot that is implied.
January 11th, 2013 at 11:05 pm
Ah, a lovely moving story. I love the thought of the two instruments still humming.
January 11th, 2013 at 11:11 pm
This story is so very sad. Very.
And so very well written. Very.
January 11th, 2013 at 11:56 pm
Thanks, Abraham. I appreciate it.
January 12th, 2013 at 6:47 pm
What a good story and well written too. The movement from plans to death was sympathetically done 🙂
January 12th, 2013 at 8:44 pm
Thank you, Linda. I’m glad you liked it.
January 12th, 2013 at 11:13 pm
Awww….that was beautiful
January 12th, 2013 at 11:26 pm
Thank you~
January 12th, 2013 at 11:44 pm
🙂
January 12th, 2013 at 11:15 pm
Wow, I can see a whole film script in this short story. Like a dark comedy. Well done.
January 12th, 2013 at 11:26 pm
Thanks. I wonder if anyone has written a screenplay from a blog post before. I like the idea.
January 13th, 2013 at 2:37 am
David, I really like your visual fiction stuff……it’s really cool….keep working that gift!!……..:)
January 13th, 2013 at 9:48 am
Thank you, Kim. I’m glad you like it.
January 13th, 2013 at 4:06 pm
Absolutely beautiful. The brotherly bond, so touching. I can picture those two basses humming in homage to the brother lost.
January 14th, 2013 at 2:00 am
one of the best this week. a poignant piece, heartwrenching in 100 words.
January 14th, 2013 at 8:29 am
Thank you. I’m really glad you liked it. 🙂
January 14th, 2013 at 8:54 pm
Dear David,
these two double basses have conjured up a lot of death and dying stories. Yours was well done. The picture seems to speak to a part of our brain in tune with loss.
Aloha,
Doug
January 14th, 2013 at 8:59 pm
Yeah, I know what you mean. I might be them just sitting by themselves, when musical instruments are something that only have use when they are used by people. Thanks for the comment.
January 15th, 2013 at 12:35 pm
wonderfully well done.