don't be late now, don't you die

So you walk the stage, come to the mic, close you eyes while the drummer hits the sticks and although only four times, each one deafens your consciousness. The song's started, you don't know the words yet, but they'll come. You'll rock for the few who think you're worth the dime, worth the time. And you've never felt so unprepared in your life that you clench your teeth to keep down the bile. You can't be weak now, you can't give up now, and it's got nothing to do with you and everything to do with not letting them down. They're all watching, you can't let them down. If you screw it up, make it a fantastic screw-up. If the words don't come, sing the most incredible inaudible song that nobody can remember not understanding.

I don't know what I'm doing. But Heck, suck it up and play it by ear. Try to predict and prepare as much as possible, but don't be a selfish, lazy twig. They need you now. They need you now.

They need me now.

I need them now. (one, two, three, four)