Читать книгу PRACTICE IS KEY! - Gaby DeGroat - Страница 3

My mom knows I’m a gifted pianist. I play the piano for her all the time, but she thinks I still need piano lessons. Mom keeps telling me I need structure, discipline, and a daily practice schedule. We argue about practicing a lot. My mother decided she wants me to audition for the Keys Music School. I already go to school, and I don’t like it, but Mom doesn’t care. She wants me in Keys School on a full scholarship! As a single working mom, she says we can’t afford the school’s tuition.

I play the piano in churches and concerts already because Mom makes me. Everyone tells me how cute I am and what an amazing, gifted pianist I am. They can’t believe I’ve never even had a lesson. I taught myself how to play the piano and how to read music. I can’t tell you how I did it; I just did. I’ve won trophies and medals, and I even have money from playing the piano, so I think, “Why do I even need dumb piano lessons anyway?”

Against all my protests, behind my back, my mom fills out a Keys School audition application for me. She anxiously checks her mail every day for weeks, wondering if she remembered to mail it. After several months, Mom opens her mailbox, expecting the same empty results. Today though, she is pleasantly surprised. Stuffed inside her narrow box is a large gold envelope. Her heart is racing now! My mom looks at the envelope, admiring it, overwhelmed with excitement. She thinks it looks like a Grammy or Emmy envelope. Now, she finally, opens her large, golden envelope.

Dear Mrs. Williams,

Thank you for your audition request to Keys School for your daughter, Jada Williams. We appreciate your support and interest. After careful review, we are happy to invite Miss Jada Williams to audition on May 15th at 2:00 p.m. Please have her prepare one memorized piece for her audition performance. Punctuality is required, since we have auditions scheduled the entire day. Practice diligently, good luck, and we look forward to meeting and hearing her soon.

Sincerely,

Dr. Phillip Barnes

My mom waits in the lobby hoping to share this exciting news with some neighbors. Unfortunately, no one shows up, so she rushes up the flight of steps and enters our apartment. She’s clutching her golden ticket close to her heart. My mom, who never yells, is yelling for me now.

“It’s me, Jada, hurry up, come here!” she bellows. The urgency in her voice worries me.

“Are you okay?” I yell back. Just my luck. I bang my toe hard on the bed while flying out of my room to check on my mom. “Damn,” I whisper, holding my throbbing foot in pain. “What happened, Mom?” I ask her, confused. She seems fine, but she has crazy eyes as she shoves the letter in my face.

“Hurry up, read it, Jada,” she says like an anxious little kid. I see the acceptance, and now I’m heated! My injured toe is swelling up and throbbing, and my mom’s applied to Keys School behind my back? “This is a dream come true for us, right, Jada?” she asks, sounding thrilled.

“It’s a dream come true for you, Mom. It’s not my dream, you know I hate school, and you know why, Mom,” I tell her. That place is horrible. The teachers are mean, we have too many kids in our classes, and it’s dirty. “You know the kids at my school try to bully me, because of size. They say I’m cray-cray, but they’re just jealous. Most of my classmates make fun of my clothes, but I don’t care. When I’m a concert pianist, they’ll still be jealous bullies.”

“Well, Keys School will be different, Jada, if you do your best and focus on practicing your piano,” she tells me, and “anyway,” it’s all set up. You have an audition date, and you’re going to audition for Keys School, Jada.”

I’m about to argue again when she grabs me and gives me her mama bear hug.

“I knew you’d get in, Jada!” she says, sounding proud. “Wait here, I got you a surprise for this very minute!” Now, she rushes in and out of her bedroom, and hands me a small, gift-wrapped box. I love gifts, so I rip off the wrapping and open it. Inside are the most beautiful, sparkly crystal earrings I’ve ever seen, and I love them!

“Thank you, Mommy,” I squeal, quickly putting them on. Next, I put on my purple princess cape and tiara. Mom tells me I look beautiful. I agree. Now I am over our Keys School arguments. I don’t want to upset my mom anymore. I give up. I’ll audition for Keys School, and I know I will get in on a full scholarship. I play a piece for my mom, and we have some delicious rocky road ice cream. It’s a sweet ending to our rocky, yet exciting day.