I have always loved music ever since I was young. I can still remember the song my mom used to sing when I was still a baby. As I was growing up, I learned to love music even more. Most of the music I’ve heard were the “oldies” because I could not reach, much less operate, our radio back then so my mom had complete control. I also listened to music with uhm… questionable taste that my yaya’s used to listen to. Still, I loved music and I forever will.
It was when I was in elementary that I first saw a portable cassette tape player. I turned to all possible shades of green because of envy. I remember that I could not stop thinking of all the possibilities of a portable cassette player could have. I wanted one and since I was a brat who usually gets what I want, I thought I could have one. But alas! I am sad to tell you that even with all my brat whining powers, I could not sway my parents into getting one. It was simply expensive. They did, however showed love by buying me a portable radio. Yey! Of course it meant that I could not play my favorite tapes but just listen to what song the radio station plays, but I was still happy. I did not feel that I had any bragging rights though as my player was not as cool as the cassette tape players. Fate did smile on me though.
One Christmas when I was in high school, the company my parents work for gave them a lot of gift certificates. Even after our Christmas grocery shopping, we still had plenty left over. That’s when my parents decided to buy a Sony Walkman CD Player which costs about P5000.00++. It was colored silver, had a small LED display for the tracks at the front and it, all the important player controls, played in stereo and mono, could shuffle songs and was not a battery killer. It was small, just enough to fit the CD in it which made it easy to carry around. I simply loved it! I did not even use our mini-component to listen to music anymore. Since it was a Sony product, I had more than my share of bragging rights. I wore it like the Purple Heart. I showed it to anyone who cared to look and even if they didn’t I’d still wave in their faces. I’m mean, I know. I had this jacket where there’s a small pocket in front. I usually wore this when I go out even if it was not that cold out just so I’d be able to bring the Sony Walkman with me. That time, CD players only played Audio CD’s and not MP3 yet. Blank CD’s did not come cheap back then too. That did not stop me from making Audio CD’s from the MP3’s that I had. It also did not have an FM radio function but it did not matter as I wanted to listen only to the music I wanted. It was wonderful.
My life with the Sony Walkman CD player was a long and happy one. I had to share it with my siblings but I had the lion’s share. Sadly, our time together was cut short. It was stolen. I was distraught and had channeled all my negative energy to the thief. We never got it back. I did sort of understand why the thief stole it. It was just an amazing gadget and probably became too much of a temptation for him or her. I mean, who wouldn’t want Sony Walkman? I am happy with the memories of the time I shared with my Sony Walkman CD player. A lot of music players have passed by my hands but nothing can replace my happy memories of my Sony Walkman CD player.
It definitely gave significance in my life just like the Sony’s World’s First Noise Canceling Portable Music Player. Sony Music players get only better and better and better still. I’ll make sure that the next player I’ll buy is glued to my body so I won’t lose it.
