Every year, by this time of the year, I carve in my head another stick that goes right next to the one I carved the previous year, that marks all the Christmases I’ve spent away from my family. Every 25th of December, I call my family and talk to every one of them (about 14 people total). All of them ask me pretty much the same, hoping to get a different reply every time I call. Yes, this journey has taken more than expected, and with it I have given up the opportunity to spend time with them during those so-important-family celebrations, like Christmas and New Year’s Eve. Every year, it also takes some time for me to recognize whom I am talking to, as we all grow older and their voices sound different, and somehow distant.

This time, my cousin Marcos answered the phone. The last time I spoke to him on the phone was on Christmas last year. And just like that, in the usual ritual, the phone was passed on from person to person until I reached the last one. The last I spoke to this year was his brother Gabriel. Marcos, Gabriel, and one of my other cousins, Alejandro, have a band called Hooligans. They play mostly covers from Brit Rock bands such as The Verve, Oasis, Kasabian, The Charlatans, etc. Back in the year 2004, during my last trip to Argentina, they were still trying to get willing people that would dedicate their time to practice together. Now, 4 years down the road, they have worked a small group of followers, and earn some money with every other gig they do.

The first thing I told Gabriel was “I woke up this morning thinking of you.” This phrase sounded a little strange until I added, “because my boyfriend gave me a Fender for Christmas, and the first thing I thought was that I was getting into Hooligan territory; I’ve never played an electric guitar in my life.” After a good laugh, he reassured me that playing an electric guitar was way much easier that tickling an acoustic one. He then told me that he could help me pick an amp, according to the way I wanted my guitar to sound. We continued the conversation agreeing on how relaxing playing the guitar can be.

“So, you are going back to the old times, huh?” Going back to my old times, with a twist. My cousins still remember the times when I used to follow Turf, an upcoming band from a wealthy neighborhood that never made it to the big leagues despite the sponsorship from Levi’s, and Charly Garcia’s patronage. “Turfera” they used to call me, and they still do. I could hear Marcos yelling “dale Turfera, no te hagas la boluda” in the background while I was talking to Alejandro. The thing is that when I was 15, and getting into strings and rock bands, Gabriel -whom I consider an amazing natural guitar player- was about 9, and not a bit interested in playing guitar. Somehow I feel I transfered part of that passion to him by talking about it in our get togethers, like Christmas. By the time Gabriel hit 14, he rocked it. I like to think I’m a bit responsible for having my cousin become a rocker.

So, I got a guitar for Christmas. Not any guitar, but a Fender; a beautifully crafted Squier Strat 20th Anniversary Edition that makes my first. I have to be honest, that as soon as I got it out of the box I felt, how to say?, intimidated. I’ve never played one of their kinds before, and I hardly remember ever holding one. It looks so pristine and shiny, that makes me feel a failure already, and a loser for having waited so long to go back to the stringed instrument. I’m still a little confused?…. I finally own a guitar!!

The challenge is out there, and now I’m so excited that I can’t wait to get an amp!! Thanks, E for having given me the most thoughtful gift ever.

PS: I kinda feel like a rocker now, instead of a hippie scout singing Kumbaya. Now, that’s some pizzazzzzzzzz……