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"Do you have music on Erid?" I asked Rocky. "Like, that you listen to for enjoyment."
"You mean talking, question?" Rocky was swaying back and forth inside his tunnel, two of his hands working on... something. He really was always working on something even now on our way to his planet. "You said I sound like music when I talk."
"Well..." I paused for a moment. "Humans make sounds... sort of like yours. With instruments that are especially designed for that purpose. These instruments can make a variety of sounds at various frequencies. Then all the sounds are put together at certain times to make what we call a rhythm."
"New word," said Rocky. "Explain."
"Like this." I tapped out four simple beats on the desk, spacing them evenly. "But that's just one basic rhythm. You can do something fancier, like... this." I tapped out Jingle Bells. Why do humans always go for Jingle Bells first, regardless of the time of year? It seems oddly specific.
"Understand. Yes, we have this kind of music," said Rocky. "Much more complicated."
"Well, I mean, yeah," I pointed out. "I'm just tapping with my finger. On Earth, there are whole bands or even orchestras with hundreds of types of instruments to create music."
"Yes, we have also. Not really for fun. More for ceremony." Rocky shifts a bit to pick up another tool. "Many, many instruments, very complicated to play. Many types of sounds. Special role for some Eridians."
"Oh," I said. "I mean, we have people who do that too. They're professionals. But humans don't need an instrument to make music. Anyone can sing. Well, I mean... not everyone can carry a tune, but."
"I do not understand this phrase."
"Right. Well... some people are good singers and some people are... not so good."
"You can sing, question?"
"What? No. No, no no." He's not going to make me sing, is he? I suddenly regret bringing up the topic.
"But you just said 'anyone can sing'. Is this incorrect, question?"
"No, I mean... I mean I can sing, but I'm not good at it." In fact, I am very bad at it.
"Sing!" said Rocky suddenly. He bounced up and down a few times. "Sing sing sing!"
"Why??"
"Science. Want to hear how humans sing."
"You're not really using science as an excuse, now, are you," I asked. "You just want to hear my terrible voice."
"Sing sing sing," Rocky said again. "Want to hear."
Ugh. I knew I shouldn't have brought it up. What was I even supposed to sing? Jingle Bells? I'd already been thinking of it. Would Rocky make me explain what snow and a horse and a sleigh were? I really didn't have the energy for that. Especially not the horse part.
So I decided to go for the other Human Staple.
"Do you celebrate the day that you were born? Like every year?" I ask.
"The day the eggs hatch, yes," said Rocky.
"Okay. This song is about that. Almost every human knows it." I cleared my throat and began to sing, a little wobbly... "Happy birthday to you. Happy birthday to you. Happy birthday to... Rocky, happy birthday to you." God that was horrible. I'd failed to start on a low note like I'd once read you were supposed to, and my voice was a squeaky mess at the end.
Rocky was quiet.
"Well?" I pressed.
"That was the whole song, question?"
"Yes."
"Understand. Ours last several hours. Human songs are strange."
"What? You were expecting me to sing for several hours?" Visions of having to sing a whole album before Rocky would be satisfied danced across my mind. What album would I sing? Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders From Mars? It somehow seemed appropriate for the situation. Ryland Grace and the Spider from Erid. "I'm not going to sing for hours," I said. "Anyway, how bad was it? Be honest."
"It was very cute," Rocky said.
"Cute?"
"Like baby Eridian. Newly hatched and trying to talk."
"Ha ha, very funny," I said.
"You are using sarcasm. But I am being truthful. Human song is cute. Reminds me of home."
I decided to take that as a compliment.
"Maybe I am using a little sarcasm," Rocky said then.
Bastard.