Opposites Attract

We were so different, Sam and I. I am shy and difficult to get to know. He was friend to everyone. He even had cats that would stroll into his house for regular visits.
While Sam was playing professionally by the time he was 15, I didn't even start to play guitar until I was 30.
"I can duplicate anyone's style, KD," Sam would say with a wry smile, "except for yours."
I can frustrate many musicians with my ways, like inadvertantly playing in strange tunings, like freezing up and not being able to tune on stage even with a tuner, like crying before shows. Sam would say, "Just try to lose me!" while we jammed. It made me unafraid to play from my heart. He tuned my guitar, just leaning over and tweaking it midtune if he had to. He gave me peptalks before shows. "This is what we love to do!" he'd say. "Remember?"
And after a few deep breaths, I would remember.