|
FEEL THE MUSIC
By Rebecca Besser
Getting out of the car, I clung to Mommy’s hand. There were lots of people around. They bumped into me, and tried to get between us. But, Mommy didn’t let them, she gave them a dirty look, and said something. I couldn’t see her lips, but it probably wasn’t anything nice.
She tugged me over to the side of the hall, away from the crowd rushing through the entrance.
“Are you sure you want to do this?” She signed.
I could see the worry in her eyes.
“Yes,” I signed. “I want to feel the music.”
She frowned. I knew she didn’t understand. How could she?
I grinned at her and took her hand, pulling her back into the stream of bodies moving down the hall.
The shiny-twinkle of the women’s dresses and the dark suits that the men wore, looked like a flower garden swaying in the breeze.
I was almost jumping with excitement when we reached the door to the giant room with lots and lots of seats that Mommy called an auditorium. We have one at school, but it is not nearly as pretty as this one.
Mommy looked down at me and smiled. I knew she was trying to reassure me.
We were shown to our seats by a man that greeted us at the door, and looked at our tickets. We were really far back, but we had an aisle seat. Mommy let me sit there so I could lean out of my seat, and see the stage better.
“When will they start?” I signed excitedly.
“Soon,” she signed and said at the same time. “I think in fifteen minutes or so, sweetheart.”
“Ok,” I signed back.
Looking around, I watched the people laugh, and talk to each other. Once in awhile, I could read their lips, catching a bit of a conversation.
I sometimes wonder what laughs sound like. I know what they look like, I had seen many people laugh. It makes them look happy, and their eyes twinkle. I have even felt a laugh. I put my hands on Mommy’s throat when she laughs. Her neck vibrates in a happy dance, deep inside. That is the same way it feels when I laugh.
Pretty soon, most of the seats were full of people. The lights went out, and everyone looked at the stage. Bright lights came on, lighting up all the chairs waiting for musicians.
They began walking out onto the stage, carrying their instruments. They were shiny, the light glinted off of them. People all around started bringing their hands together in what Mommy said was a clap. Their clapping made my seat vibrate.
Finally, all the musicians were seated in their chairs, except for a couple I saw in the back. They played drums, and big instruments.
Mommy explained instruments to me before we came. They were supposed to make sound, by vibrating, or by wind being pushed through them.
I held my breath as they started to play. Each group of instruments, moved the same way at exactly the same time. It was like a beautiful dance.
I glanced at Mommy and grinned.
She smiled back, looking a lot more relaxed.
“I have to go to the bathroom,” I signed.
“Ok,” she signed back. “Let’s go.”
“No,” I signed, shaking my head. “I can go by myself.”
“Are you sure?” She replied. “Do you know the way?”
I nodded yes.
She hesitated, then nodded.
“Hurry back,” she signed.
I left my seat, and went back to the door we entered through. The man was still there, and he opened the door for me.
I stood outside the door for a moment, looking around. Then I spotted it, a sign that directed the musicians to the stage. I headed in the direction it pointed.
No one was around. They must all have been in the auditorium.
After walking down a couple halls, I found a door that said, ‘Stage.’
I slowly opened it and peeked inside. No people were present here, either. Stepping through, I closed the door behind me. I could feel intense vibrations coming through the wooden floor boards. I was getting closer.
There was a huge red curtain, ahead, to the left. I walked slowly over to it. There, right in front of me, just past the curtain, were the musicians. They were moving fast. Their dance was even more beautiful up close. I stood there, watching them. My hands itched, I rubbed them against the skirt of my dress. I wanted to touch the instruments. I wanted to feel them vibrate in my hands.
Before I realized what my feet had in mind, I walked out onto the stage. No one noticed me at first, so I kept going. I walked over to the drum and pressed my hands on the sides.
The drummer saw me, he must have said something to the conductor, because everyone stopped and looked at me.
Suddenly, they all turned to look out at the crowd of people. My Mommy was rushing down the aisle, saying something. I couldn’t read her lips, she was talking too fast, and was too far away.
The conductor said something to her, and she stopped. She looked really confused. Then she nodded, and turned to go back to her seat, pausing ever few steps to look back at me.
The conductor walked over to me. I backed up a few steps, then I saw the smile on his face. He bent down and took my hand. Leading me gently, he gave my hand to an elderly woman who had appeared from behind the curtain. He said something to her, and she looked down at me and gave him a brief nod.
He went back to his place on stage, and the musicians started playing again.
The women lead me out onto the stage, taking me over to a man playing a violin. She took my free hand and placed it gently on the shiny wood of the stringed instrument.
I could feel the music that it made. The rise and fall, the fast and slow vibrations.
I grinned up at the woman, and she smiled.
She took me around to many different musicians, laying my hand on each instrument. Each one felt different. They all felt magical.
By the time I had felt most of the instruments, the concert was over. I turned to look out at the crowd of people. They were all standing, and doing that clapping thing again. Most of them were crying. I don’t know why. I couldn’t stop smiling.
The woman took me to the stage door, where Mommy was waiting for me. I could tell she had been crying.
“Are you ok, Mommy?” I signed.
“Yes, Amy,” she signed back. “I’m wonderful. Did you have fun?”
“Yes,” I signed, with a huge grin. “It was a wonderful adventure, to feel the music.”
|
