Chapter 6

Next Monday Richie found himself in group therapy again, sitting in a circle, listening to everyone’s stories.

This week his schedule was changed. Group therapy was now daily. In the afternoon he had individual therapy until 3pm. He thought that wasn’t too bad. And best of all, Tina had told him he’d get 15 minutes to phone on Wednesday. 15 minutes wasn’t much but it was something, finally. He hadn’t talked to anyone familiar in 5 days.

He planned on calling Ava and Jon. He wanted to hear his princess’ voice and needed to know how the tour was going.



Tuesday afternoon, he got his guitar from his room and went to sit outside on one of the sun beds on the terrace. The weather was nice enough and he hadn’t played guitar in a while, Saturday’s game did not count according him.

He reclined in one of the sun beds and pulled his guitar on top of him. He strummed a few chords. The terrace wasn’t very busy, a few people at the table but at the sun beds he was the only one. Richie reached his fingers around the neck of the guitar again, placing them on the strings, pressing down between the frets and continued to play.

“Practicing for Saturday?” Richie heard from behind him. He put down his guitar and looked up to see who it was. During group therapy he had found out the guy that played Livin’ On a Prayer on Saturday was named Jerry. Of course it was Jerry.

“I don’t need to practice.” Richie said confident, he knew his songs, he wasn’t lying. “Play Living On a Prayer then.” Jerry said and Richie was sure he heard a g in Livin’.

Richie sat up straight in his seat and put his guitar across his lap again. He placed his fingers and strummed down, the acoustic version of the song.

Jerry sat in the chair next to him and watched Richie play.

Richie finished the song and looked up at Jerry. “Good enough?” He asked. Jerry shook no, “It didn’t sound right.” Richie sighed. “It’s the acoustic version, it’s an acoustic guitar.” “Sure.” Jerry said, thinking he was just making excuses.

Richie sighed again and pulled his guitar on his lap for the second time, this time playing the more famous opening of the song.

Again he looked up at Jerry and waited to see what he said. He knew how to play the songs, he had written them and got annoyed when people said he did it wrong.

“That was good.” Jerry said excited. “Can you play any more songs?” Richie chuckled. “Probably just about whatever you like.”

They spent almost an hour of Jerry asking for songs and Richie played them. He was actually having fun. While playing his guitar he always had fun.

“When did you start guitar lessons?” Jerry asked when Richie finished another song. “Never took any. Self taught myself when I was 13.” He explained to Jerry with a shrug. “Wow, that’s amazing. I’ve always wanted to learn but never had the time to.” “Well then,” Richie said, handing his guitar to Jerry, “do you have time now?”

Jerry smiled and took the guitar from him. Richie quickly explained the parts of the guitar then showed him how to play the chords A, C, D and E minor.

After a little while Jerry got a hang of it. “Can I play a song now?” He asked excited, ready to make some real music instead of standalone chords. “Yeah.” Richie looked around him. “Need some paper to write it down.” He shrugged and got up and went to see Tina at the front desk. It would be so much easier if he had his iPhone.

She gave him a few pieces of paper along with a pencil.

Richie dropped down on the sun bed, placed the paper on his knee and started writing chords and lyrics. He gave the piece of paper to Jerry who laughed when he saw the title, then quickly scanned the lyrics. “It’s missing the end.” He noticed. “You don’t know B, G or F yet, so you’ll have to stick to half of it.” Richie pointed out.

Jerry nodded and started the song with E minor. Richie tapped his foot to the sound, softly singing the lyrics to keep a rhythm so Jerry would keep the pace of the song.

Jerry stopped and grunted after a chord buzzed. Richie stopped singing, “Press harder on the strings and try again.”

A few tries and Jerry finally got the song right to the end. “How’s that for a first guitar lesson, learn Livin’ On a Prayer.” Richie said. “Pretty cool.” Jerry said and handed the guitar back to Richie. “I should really find time after I leave.” “I can teach you some until you leave.” Richie said, at least it would keep him busy too; he still hadn’t seen Sarah and needed something to keep him busy if he couldn’t see her.

After Jerry left, Richie picked up his guitar and went back to the front desk to give the extra pieces of paper and pencil back to Tina. “Playing guitar?” She asked when she took the papers from him and noticed his guitar in his other hand. “Yeah,” Richie smiled, “I’m having a show Saturday night. You should come.”


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Chapter 5

The next morning Richie got up a bit earlier and got ready for therapy. He wasn’t looking forward to it, but he was staying positive.

Sarah hadn’t showed up in the living room anymore and he hoped to see her during breakfast. He showered quickly and decided to not play his guitar this morning like he had for the last 2 days. He got dressed and went downstairs to the kitchen.

The kitchen was pretty full, almost all the seats were taken. He looked around to see Sarah but she wasn’t there. Fred waved him over and Richie went to sit with him.

After breakfast he followed Fred to the group therapy. They spent the whole morning talking and doing exercises about human contact. Richie still thought it was weird but went along with it, no use in being a depressing person. After they started he didn’t notice Sarah in the room either. She must be skipping again. Richie wondered where she’d gone; maybe she was sitting by the pond again or having breakfast on her own now.



After lunch he didn’t have anywhere to be and decided to go for a walk to see the rest of the grounds. He walked out the same way he and Sarah had left yesterday. Instead of going the direction of the pond he went the other way.

He found a gorgeous patio, with benches and tables with chairs; it seemed a nice place to relax at. A perfect lounge area but he was more in the mood for a walk so he continued his walk.

He was surprised how quiet it was around here, even though the city wasn’t that far away but it was very peaceful here. There was nobody around; at least he didn’t see anybody. When he walked past the bench at the pond he had hoped Sarah would be sitting there but she wasn’t, he felt disappointed. Even though it took a little while to get comfortable yesterday while talking he liked talking to her.

Although he had hoped Sarah would be there, he decided to sit in the quietness a little while longer before going inside again.



“It’s Saturday night.” Fred said. Richie still didn’t understand what he meant. Fred had been excited during dinner and kept announcing it was Saturday night. “So?” He finally asked. “Saturday night’s we do something fun. Since we don’t get to go out they got all those video games.” He explained to Richie. “Which games?” He hoped they didn’t have those singing or guitar games. He had tried those and was bad at them.

“Loads. Last week we played bowling, I think that’s the wii sports game. There’s also guitar hero and singstar.” Fred told him, when Richie laughed, Fred looked at him questioningly. “I prefer actual singing and guitar.” Richie explained to him.

“We can’t play wii sports again.” Fred smiled, he was probably the only one that knew Richie played in a band. “So it’ll be guitar or singing.”

While they were talking more people had entered the room and heard them. “Fred, I explained you this last week.” Carl said, attaching wires from the game systems to the tv. “You attach them all together so two can sing, two play guitars and if the ladies want to dance, you use these.” He showed the two controllers.

“That will work great.” Fred said, slapping Richie’s shoulder as he walked over to the tv and picked up one of the plastic guitars. Richie laughed when Fred handed him the other guitar. “A Playstation original.” He said like it was a guitar brand, which made Richie laugh again. Maybe playing some video games wouldn’t be that bad after all.

“Oh I know, I’ve played this one before, not as good as a Gibson but I guess it will have to do.” Richie sighed and took the guitar from him.

Other people joined them, watching them from the couches or standing nearby so they could take over for the next song.



Before he knew it, he was having a great time, even though the plastic guitar was annoying at first after a few times it got easier and he started scoring points. Until they made him sing…

Only a game, he thought as he took the microphone and the song started. At least it wasn’t one of his songs. He didn’t want to mess up his own songs.

After singing one song Richie handed over the mike to the next person and sat down to watch. Most of the residents were in the living room. There were only 20 people in the centre and most were joining game night, the others must be doing something else.

He noticed Sarah wasn’t there. He hadn’t seen her all day and started wondering where she was. The group was having a great time, why wouldn’t she join the fun?



When someone started singing Livin’ on a Prayer, he just had to laugh. Not because it was bad, at least not horrible but the video of the song behind the lyrics on the screen.

“What’s so funny?” The one that was singing asked him when the song was over. Richie tried to stop laughing but then he saw the screen again and laughed again. “You think you can do better?”

That question caught Richie’s attention. “I’m sure I can, but not on these fake things.” The rest of them looked at him like they didn't understand what he was saying. “A real guitar, you know?” Everyone’s faces lit up when they understood.

“Ok next Saturday then. Did you bring a guitar with you?” The singer asked. Richie nodded his answer. Of course he had brought a guitar, he always took a guitar along.

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