Beech Tree News Network

Now that our granddaughter, Sabria, and her mom have moved out of our house, it’s a real treat when she comes to visit.  Garey and I have learned that it’s no use planning anything, because she is going to latch on to some idea that comes to her mind, and we will all be going along for the ride.
    Last Wednesday, after dinner, the three of us sat down in the living room, and I got out four books I’d picked out of my kids’ old books to read to Sabria.  This has become sort of the order of business after dinner when she visits.  I will read a book then Garey reads a book then it’s back to me and so on.  I got just a little way into the Dr. Seuss book, I Can Read With My Eyes Shut, when Sabria discovered the trombone on the adjoining page.
    “What’s that?” she asked.
    “A trombone,” I said, “It’s a musical instrument.”
    “Is it real?” she asked.
    “Yes,” I said, “Papa played one in his high school band.”
    “Papa, she said, “You really played a trombone!”
    “Yes,” he said, “And I’ve still got it.”
    That’s all it took for her to jump down from her spot on the arm of the sofa and race over to his recliner.  “Come on, let’s go get it,” she said, “I want to play.”
    Luckily, Garey had gotten it into working order when he was in that Womanless Wonder beauty pageant last spring.  He took it from its case and blew a few notes so he could show Sabria the technique.  She caught on quickly, and in just a few moments, she was even using the slide. 
She handed the instrument back to her grandfather and said, “Now, I’m going to sing the “National Anthem” and I want you to play it.
Garey turned 68 in July, which means he hasn’t played the “National Anthem” on the trombone in 50 years, but Sabria never takes no for an answer, so Garey forged ahead, while she stood at attention and sang at the top of her voice. 
Somewhere around “the rocket’s red glare,” Sabria stopped singing.  She stared blankly at her grandfather then pronounced, “That sounds horrible!”
“Well, I haven’t played that song in 50 years,” Garey said, “It’s going to take a little while to get back in practice.”
“Here’s what we’re going to do,” she said, “I’m going to play the piano and you can follow me.”
She sat her little self on the bench then said, “Gee, you can clap.  That will be your instrument.” (Sabria doesn’t yet know that I play guitar.  She is a bit heavy handed for so fragile an instrument.)
    There’s something you need to know, before I continue:  Sabria doesn’t know how to play the piano…but that’s never stopped her before, so the three of us plowed ahead.  Sabria pounded out the notes on the ivory keys as she belted out the words to the “National Anthem.”  Garey improved somewhat over his first go at the song, nailing a remarkable 25% of the notes this time around, while I clapped out the rhythm. 
    When we finished our rendition, Sabria turned to us and said, “That was wonderful!”  Which proves what I have always suspected: music is in the ear of the beholder.