Practice and Fear: Palo Alto, California, 1968

David was a proud pauper with very little interest or need aside from his guitar, a backup pack of strings, cigarette money, and apparently, you. Ken and Bruce fed him and while you didn't know how he afforded cigarettes, you suspect his mom still slipped him an allowance. He insisted he couldn't go to work; it was imperative he keep working on his music and he was absolutely diligent. He had notebooks filled with songs he'd written and his string-calloused fingers were bloody by the end of most days. When his notebook was full, he'd scribble words and chords in pencil on any paper he could find lying around, including anywhere around the title and staffs of your sheet music. He was getting his songs ready to take to Hollywood; he tells you he has a contact. You aren't happy about it, but agree to be the working one and become a Long Distance Telephone Operator. 

Once you committed to David, he seemed very afraid you'd change your mind and began demanding that you only spend time with him. You are David's Girl now, and according to his requirement, you no longer went into the main house to cook or heaven forbid (your mom's phrase), visit with the fellas, who are also your friends. This is the first time you see David intimidating; making his body big with his posture, a skill you couldn't really take in for years, though you knew it was frightening. He didn't want you spending time with Ken and Bruce. He didn't want you spending time with the people you cared about and who cared about you from school. So you agreed, you promised him. And why, at this exact time, did you decide to follow your parents lead, your worlds way? To be told what to do by the man in your life and willingly comply. You do not know why. Practice maybe, practice and fear.