Strings and voices

"Mr Buckman I'll pay the rent by the end of the month. I know sir but I don't have it now, please understand me...Hello?" He hung up on me. I was explaining to this man that I hadn't been paid yet but he wouldn't listen. There was so much going on in my head. I remembered a friend of mine owed me some money. He bought my laptop and hadn't paid fully. I dialed his number but he didn't answer the call. This was the 5th time it had happened.  Now I had to think of a way to go to his house. Maybe tomorrow during lunch break? No, I had to finish a report for my boss before 2pm. I had to look for another way out. Just then I heard it..... music. Everything seemed to disappear. All I could see was the beautiful voice over the perfect cordination of strings.

I turned around and saw the source. There was a girl sitting on a stool with a guitar. She was singing a very familiar song, No woman no cry, by Bob Marley. She sang it like the song was written for her. My mouth was literally open. I way clearly staring and I wasn't alone. A crowd started to gather around her. Slowly her little basket got filled with money. Wow, she was cute too. She kept her head down the whole time. I guess she was a bit shy. People clapped for her right after each song and dropped money for her. Then she started singing my favourite song, Come home, by One Republic. I was frozen with amazement. She hit every note perfectly, it felt like I was watching a music video. "..Come home, come home..." She sang.

The words of the song she was singing made more sense to me than ever. This little girl just warmed my heart. All of a sudden it was so clear. I realized what was missing all these months. I was home sick. I took out a 20 dollar note and put it into her basket. It was getting late. If I stood there much longer I would miss my bus. I walked away slowly and took out my phone to call my mother. "Hello, mum. I'm coming home. I can't take it anymore here. I'll buy a plane ticket as soon as I get paid at the end of the month." I said. "Oh Philip, we were so worried. How much would you need? Don't worry about it. We will pay for that, just come home." My mother said in the most motherly voice ever. I smiled broadly when I heard my sisters jubilating in the background. I turned around and looked at the girl singing. Thanks to the music, I was going home.