Episode 24

The Mutual Broadcasting System brings you another episode of Life in Hyperion.

Today's episode, "The Streets of This Town", Part 12

Yesterday, Cy took mercy on the jailed Thomas and decided not just to bail him out but to allow him to live with Cy himself.  Thomas soon joined Cy on a tour of his new home.  The first stop was the mantle, where we saw the urn that contains the ashes of Cy's late mother, the actress Debralee Scott.  As we begin today, Cy and Thomas continue their tour...

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"Let me show you the place where you'll be living." says Cy as he takes back the urn and puts in back on the mantle.
Cy and Thomas then move away from the mantle and into a small hallway. Cy then leads Thomas into a room just off the hallway.
"This room here is my study, as I call it. A place to think." says Cy.
Thomas admires the things inside the study. Among them are a acoustic guitar, sitting on its stand.
"You play guitar?" asks Thomas.
"As well as I can, and I can see you're one, too." says Cy, pointing to the guitar case.
"Just acoustic." says Thomas as he puts down the guitar case.
"You mind giving me a sample?" asks Cy.
"I don't mind." says Thomas, who then opens the guitar case and takes out a beat-up old six-string, with unclipped strings coming from the tuning pegs.
"What shall you play?" asks Cy as Thomas takes a seat on an old wooden chair.
"A little 12-bar blues." says Thomas as he pulls a slide from his pocket.
"That's always a good choice." says Cy.
Thomas then picks a few set-up notes as he tunes the guitar. He then starts playing a instrumental in 12-bar blues. As Thomas plays, Cy starts to tip his foot to the rhythm. When Thomas finishes the number, Cy claps his hands.
"Great, isn't it?" asks Thomas.
"You managed to outdo me a bit. How long have you been playing?" says Cy.
"Since I was 12. A friend, the last one I had before you, gave me this guitar since he felt I needed a legal hobby. When I went to prison, I had a lot of time to practice and I got really good." says Thomas.
"I can see that." says Cy.
"I see the guitar over there." says Thomas.
"That's my Martin D-28. I call her Rosalie, after one of my mother's characters." says Cy.
"That's interesting." says Thomas.
"She also got me this." says Cy as he walks over to a carrying case.
He grabs the carrying case and walks it over to where Thomas is. Cy then puts down the carrying case and opens it up. Upon opening, Thomas sees a mandolin inside.
"What is that?" asks Thomas.
"This is a mandolin. I named this one after my mother since she always loved hearing it." says Cy.
"How did you get interested in that?" asks Thomas.
"My mother had a small love for bluegrass and I decided about a dozen years ago to put together a bluegrass band with me, Conrad, and a couple of friends." says Cy.
"You must have sounded good." says Thomas.
"Well, after a while we became a more traditional rock band, but we were good as a bluegrass combo, especially with Conrad on the banjo." says Cy.
"I wish I had your life." says Thomas.
"Let us not dwell on the past and let us remember the present. Wanna have a jam session?" says Cy.
"I've always wanted to do that." says Thomas.
"Then let us do." says Cy, who then starts playing the first chords of "Hickory Wind" as Thomas manages to join in.
"That was great." says Thomas after the song finishes.
"I know it was. Say, how would you like to share my study?" says Cy.
"Me?" asks Thomas.
"Sure. You can come in here and play guitar all you want." says Cy.
"That would be great." says Thomas.
"You now have a place to think." says Cy.
"Thanks." says Thomas, who then gets up and puts the guitar back in its case, with the same going for the mandolin.
"Let me show you to your bed." says Cy, who then walks out of the room and down the rest of the hallway with Thomas to the bedroom.
"Here you are." says Cy as he and Thomas enter the room.
"This is nice." says Thomas as he takes in the room.
"I know it is." says Cy.
"Where will you sleep?" asks Thomas.
"Where I always do, on my easy chair." says Cy.
"So, I get a whole room?" asks Thomas.
"All yours." says Cy.
"Thanks a lot." says Thomas as he walks over to the bed.

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Tomorrow, Cy receives a visit from Joanne, who offers a way for Cy to mend a broken friendship that didn't get started as we conclude our second serial of the series.

Join us, won't you?
Yours truly, John Maxwell.

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