I shake my head, leaning back in?—
“Fifth fret on the sixth string,
“seventh on the fifth.”
I tap his thumb. “That one.”
Then drag down. “And this one.
“Now pluck ‘em. Feel if they’re fighting.”
He plucks, and my brow hikes?—
“You hearin’ it? Not with your ears.”
I tap his thigh where the guitar’s pressed.
“Here.” Then I brush his wrist. “And here…
“Close your eyes, pluck again, and feel it.”
His hand spasms. Wrong string.
“Shit—slipped. That’s on me.”
I laugh under my breath.
He tries again
and gets the note right that time.
The clashing notes vibrate through him
the same second I feel it too.
He nods,
the corner of his mouth tugging?—
“Yeah, I felt it.”
“Exactly. Means it’s still off. They’re arguing.”
I adjust the peg. “Tighten just a hair—yeah.
“Now hit it again.”
He plucks, and the buzz evens out.
“There. Feel that? One clean tone instead of two bitching at each other, the sound finally figured out who it wants to be.
“That’s the note locking in.
“A steady exhale.
“That’s how you tune unplugged.”
“Damn… Okay.
