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"There is something sexy about men and musical instruments."
My girl friend said that some 20 years ago. And we were like thirteen something years old wearing a white-and-blue uniform.
This girl and I were at our school festival and she was staring at 5 seniors who were doing their band perfomance on the stage.

My friend discovered sexy and mEn at the age of 13. I found out about sexy and mAn about 10 years later when I watched Val Kilmer in The Saint. Please noted that I met Papap earlier before watching Val Kilmer...

I separated from my girl friend a year or more later, but her words have stayed with me ever since. Not because she was right, but because she was deadly right.
Whenever there is a band performance, girls scream out loud and go nuts for the band players. Mind you, the players are not always (hardly ever always) handsome. Yet, girls don't seem to mind. It looks like a musical instrument could suddenly increase the level of sexiness to whoever (read: men) touches it. That girl friend I was talking about eventually went out with the drummer because she thought he looked cute when he held the sticks. (I'm wondering if chopsticks have the same effect...)
The sad part is I still cannot see the truth of my friend's wisdom. So, in this world of girls-loving-band players, I am blind. If a man is a band player and he is not sexy (or Val Kilmer, or Keanu Reeves look-alike), then hitting a drum or strumming a guitar won't make him suddenly become sexy on my eyes. The fact that I think Sting is sexy is purely because he was born sexy. I bet he was sexy too when he was still a teacher (which makes him even sound sexier).

Papap, I think, knows this phenomenon -I mean me being not affected by men holding musical instruments. That's why he never tried to win me by a guitar, which is the only musical instrument he can play a little. But, I know once upon a time he had won some admiration from some girls only by holding a guitar (he didn't necessarily need to play it, trust me).

A week ago, Papap went home with a CD of Indonesian Top 40 songs. He played the songs over and over again in his discman and watched the music channel. I almost got a mental breakdown when one day he tried to make me listen to the songs. When I couldn't handle it again I screamed.
Papap laughed. He just loved it when he saw me cracking.
"I'm practicing Top 40 songs."
"It's been awhile since I keep track on the Top 40."
"And there is this band at the office..."
"And I am in."
He stopped and watched my face. I know that Papap could (some 15-20 years ago) played a guitar, but I also know that he doesn't sing. I don't have to tell you how terrible his voice is so you just have to trust me. Papap trusts me on this too.
"You mean you are applying to be in the band?"
"No, I am in the band. I am the lead vocalist."
"You what?!"
Papap belly-laughed.
"Why would they do that?"
"Because there is nobody else."
"And I have to keep practicing the songs."
"Why? To make your voice sound nicer?"
"No. To make me remember the songs. Sometimes when the band plays a song, I have no idea which song they are playing."
At this point I had to laugh.
"So..." Papap eyed me. "Can I have a guitar for my birthday present?"
Papap has never asked for or wished for a birthday present ever. When he mentioned the guitar, I knew it was serious.
"Well, sure, but why?"
"May be I can sing and play the guitar too."
Suddenly the voice of my 20-something-years-ago girl friend rang in my ears.
"You know who is the sexiest, De'? The lead vocalist who plays instrument."

Happy Birthday, Papap! I'll buy you the guitar but you have to drop the singing. One cannot have everything in this world, people say.