My New Friend. Yesterday I got a new friend. It's 83 years old, it's a little worn and I know that from the outside it might look dull but when it sings it has the sweetest voice and the strongest, truest notes. It plays like it knows the songs better than I do, and when I hold it, I feel like it's a part of me that I've just been waiting for. Now it's sitting safely in it's case and all I want to do is take it out and play, but it's late, and no one appreciates being woken up by a crazy girl with a mandolin.