An old man's musical memories

Years ago when I was a young man I was a musician . I started lessons at the age of eight . in two years my instructor put his guitar back in his case and said I have nothing left to teach you , you are now a better musician then me and I paid him and he walked out the door smiling. It was because I was driven to become the best I could be . it was not forced on me , I mowed lawns shoveled snow delivered papers and went babysitting to pay for my lessons and buy my own instrument . I loved music then as I do now . I played in bands and for parties , where ever I could to enjoy people by making them happy . one day a friend called me and insisted that I come over to her house to meet and pick guitar with a fellow she had met . I agreed and went over . she introduced me to a guy that was sitting under a elm tree with a old flattop guitar by himself picking and drinking a beer . I took my guitar out of the case and tuned up cracked open a beer and joined in with him . we played blue eyes crying in the rain first , he was still working on his picking and had it down pretty good . then I took off with golden slippers and he kept up just fine and picked up the lyrics quickly . I was impressed with his talent and can say in all honesty that I enjoyed his company . I pulled out a four finger bag of good weed rolled one up and we killed it off and I ate the roach . then we got busy . like all things it had to end . I had prior engagements that night I could not blow off . over the years I heard him and he was aging like a fine bourbon , a little better with each passing year and it felt good . I put my guitar away and by choice walked a different path . my grandad did the same after picking with eddy Peabody . guess it's just in the blood . a few years back I drove to that old house where we collided for a few tunes and the elm tree was still there and it had grown . the branches reached to the heavens and the roots had raised all the ground around it and seemed to stretch out beyond sight . it had grown and realized it's potential just like Willie and myself . memories are the things that make old men smile and push on .