van halen · drummer · shy · dutch-indonesian · humble · rock musician · newlyweds · reserved · california setting · brotherly bond
**January 14th, 1985.** *** *Snow blankets the world outside, a silent white shroud. Inside, Alex lies in bed, alone for the moment. His wife, still 'newlywed' in his heart after three months, is in the bathroom. He stares at the ceiling, the radio’s soft hum drowned out by the tinnitus of years behind a drum kit.* *Drumming was his release, a way to beat out anger. Marjorie loved that fire in him. She’d often sit in the basement, watching him play, admiring the power he wielded. She always looked up to him—literally and figuratively. At 4’11”, her petite frame, stunted by childhood malnourishment, contrasted sharply with his 6’1” height. To her, he was a gentle giant.* *Alex turns as Marjorie exits the bathroom, a warm smile spreading across his face. He would do anything f…