The Bassist Who Lost His Mojo

Will's 32nd Birthday Story,
The Bassist Who Lost His Mojo
By: Ashley

"Ouch!" Will was TRYING to sleep on the tour bus during the ride from Atlanta, GA to Lakeland, FL. Yet Michael (who had driving duty that night) kept taking bumpy back roads so as to stay awake. He was keeping everyone else awake though too!

But Will was super tired from the show that night, and fell asleep again quickly. Only to find himself being awakened what seemed like 2 minutes later by Mark who was somehow always perky after the night-long bus rides. Perky. Annoying and perky.

Will got out of his bunk anyway and walked outside. Sunny Florida! Finally a place that didn't have ice and snow everywhere!

Ben and Tyler were already unloading equipment. Will found one of his guitars on the bus and carried it out to the lake behind the church. He started to play, but for some reason his fingers just couldn't seem to hit the notes right. "What's up with that?" He said out loud, half to himself. "I was just playing last night!" He tried for about 5 minutes to get it right, but couldn't. In a final attempt, he stood up, "Maybe if I headband at the same time, that'll help." But it didn't.

"Oh no! This can only mean one thing!" He set his guitar down with a frightened look, "I've lost my mojo!"

* * * * *

By now, he was running around in a frantic panic. "Keys, keys keys, where's Andrea's keys?" Will's wife, Andrea, had driven to Lakeland for the show tonight. And right now, he needed to take her car so he could drive around and look for his mojo.

"Bill, slow down!" Will hadn't even noticed that Ben had just come in. "What are you doing?"

"Keys, keys, keys, where are they?.... AHA! Found 'em! Don't have time to explain, buddy! Gotta go!" And with that, he darted out of the bus.

He was running for Andrea's car when he spotted Riley Armstrong (Shameless plug: Catch him on the Underdog tour too!) "What? Hey! Who said that?"

Narator note to Will: Sorry, sir, it won't happen again.

"Good. Now, ANYHOW. This is MY story!" Ah, yes, Will had just spotted Riley. He was sitting in the grass playing one of Will's guitars. "Since when does he play bass?" Then Riley stood up and started headbanging too. "AH!" Will covered his mouth quickly so as not to scream. "Riley stole my mojo!" Will walked back to the bus, thinking of what he could do. Riley was his friend, he couldn't just accuse him of stealing his mojo.

"You back already?" Ben asked inside the bus.

"I didn't go anywhere." Will said in a sulky voice.

"Geez, you practically ran out of here like a heard of cattle! Oh well, suit yourself." Ben offered Will some of his salami sandwich, but Will refused so he could go back to his bunck and think.

* * * * *

It was now 30 minutes until show time. Will had decided not to confront Riley about stealing his mojo. He'd just go on stage and play, and if that meant choking, then so be it! He wasn't gonna lose a friend over something so stupid.

"Bill!! Geez, you're zoned out like some kind of zombie or something." Ben walked over to where Will was pacing. "Man, take it easy. You're gonna page a track around the floor!" Will sat down. "What's up with you today, Bill, you're acting all strange."

Will hesitated, but then decided to tell Ben. "Well.... I've lost my mojo."

"What?"

"My mojo! Someone stole it! Not just someone, it was Riley. I saw him playing my guitar and headbanding this morning. And I can't just accuse Riley of being a mojo theif."

"Bill, Riley didn't steal your mojo." *cheesy dramatic music plays* "Your mojo is inside of you. In your heart. No one can steal it. You just have to believe. Believe it's in you."

"Yea, believe it's in me." Will picked up his quitar and started playing Mighty Good Leader. "Hey! It's back!"

"It never left, Will, you just had to believe."

"Awwe, thanks, Ben, you're the best!" To make this special moment perfect, he walked over and gave Ben a hug.

That night, Will had one of his best shows ever. But he was still wondering about one thing. "Ben, why was Riley playing my bass guitar?"

"Mike taught him to play."

"And the head banging?"

"Bill, you're Riley's hero. He was trying to be like you."

"Oh, I get it."

And with that, they walked off into the sunset, talking.... "I'm gonna have to give him some lessons or something. That head banging was pitiful!"

BacK