The Lawyers, The Doctors and The Groupie

" Hello po doktora," the ladies at the lobby greet me and DEP, as we enter the corporate center at Roces, in QC. Now that's a first, but who could blame them? We were crashing a private party hosted by Unilab, apparently for doctors. I am kaladkarin these days and after my meeting with Warner Brothers at the Top of the Citi, decided to forego my badminton and accompany my lawyer/singer friend jam with a band.

Why not? DEP used to be our choir president, and pre-law, was part of UPSA. She has perfect pitch and when she posted that blog about jamming with an opposing counsel one rainy night, which turned out quite well, I wanted to listen to see her sing with a live band. The band's called Paradigm Shift, and their regular gig is in Fairview, singing amongst friends and select get togethers. All men in their 40s to 50s, their repertoire is of a bygone era and include songs that our fathers sing- titles by America, Crazy love, Sometime, Blowin in the wind, Don't Think Twice,It's Alright, The Lady Wants to Know,Dreams by fleetwood mac,written by stevie nicks,Tatooed on my Mind, and a sprinkling of contemporary songs (With or Without you, Crazy For You, Especially for You, Smooth, Nightbird),OPM (Next in Line,Harana, Wherever You Will Go), and even a dose of reggae, (which sorely reminded me of somebody).

The gig pays like nothing, and while I sat at the table enjoying a free dinner and San Mig Light, I noticed how these men must love music. Mon, the rat pack's leader is the lawyer by day and band leader by night; he owns the equipment and pays the 6 guys a measly fee because a small fee divided by 7 is nothing, sometimes he himself pays the guys (for probably indulging his band fantasy). But I get it. The other guys are school bus drivers, or musicians who have other gigs, artists who aren't good enough to have record labels, but they are still out there doing what their heart tells, yearns for them to do.

"What's the point of doing something if you can't be so good at it?," we asked, but we can be so judgemental sometimes! Indeed, as I sing along, bobbing my head to the music, I noticed the band play with their hearts on their sleeves, I see the point to this. They are doing something they love, and nothing else matters. At that particular moment, they are in the zone, capturing the essence of probably their existence, when making music is just like breathing: you do it not because you want to, but you need to. How could you not?

I recall that when we entered the lobby and registered, denying that we were doctors, the receptionist told her peers that DEP is not a doctor, but a lawyer, supposedly clarifying things up from the confused look of the ushers and usherettes. But they were even more confused when we said we're with the band. A lawyer in a doctor's affair, and singing? It didn't matter, and we didn't even bother to ask what the group was doing-selling medicine to doctors, tollpackers of
muconase,nutricap,amino vita softgel capsules or med reps entertaining their doctor-clients.

Sometimes it's better not to ask questions, to and just enjoy the moment.