Songs at a Hostel

This morning, I sat down at the worn upright piano in the hostel common room and began playing. After playing once through a medley of a Pirates of the Caribbean theme, Scarborough Fair and Greensleeves, I glanced behind me to see two middle-aged gentlemen watching eagerly. My plan to find someone to talk to had worked.

Stephen and Daniel were their names. Stephen wore a polo shirt and shorts, his face lined but his hair not yet graying. Daniel kept his sweat pants rolled halfway up his calves, walking barefoot, and had a grizzly white beard trailing down from his chin. I convinced Stephen to bring down his guitar, and when he had tuned his Martin to the woefully off-key piano, he played “Summertime” by Gershwin. He had a nice country voice without any annoying twang. We played “Amazing Grace” together, and Mary joined in, as well as Daniel. Mary’s voice was beautiful. Daniel’s voice was not (it reminded me of Louis Armstrong if Louis Armstrong couldn’t sing), but he was enthusiastic. We sang through some folky songs, some bluesy songs, some James Taylor, some Gershwin. Sunlight poured through the windows as bewildered Europeans walked in and out of the common room, some smiling at us, some picking up their plates and leaving to avoid the caterwauling.

Daniel and Stephen were disappointed to hear that we were leaving the hostel this morning. I do wish we could have stayed for two or three nights, but my current budget doesn’t allow that, even though it’s only $19 a night. Not having money does have its downsides. Still, I was glad to spend the morning with some fellow travelers, singing songs and sharing the gift that has no boundaries: music.

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