Able rushed into the practice room, filled with chairs to accommodate the many students that were usually there, but today there was only one person in those seats, Mr. Sanor, a shrewd old piano teacher who must have taught at this university for eons. "You're late, Ms. Quell." He was obviously displeased.
"I'm sorry, Mr. Sanor." Her face was flushed "The bus I had to take from my dorm broke down a few minutes after I got onto it so I had to run."
"Oh, excuses, excuses! When I say 6:00 o'clock I don't mean 6:03 and," looking at his wrist watch, "Forty-two seconds. This is my time I am giving to you. I am more the willing to help my students, but I am a very punctual person, so expect you to be as well!"
"Well I'm not used to having to run from one end of the campus to the next, Mr. Sanor." She said it through gritted teeth.
"Well, maybe you should take up running then, Ms. Quell, I hear it's excellent for working off all the beer and pizza you college student seem to love so much."
"I will have to look into it for future unexpected bus breakdowns."
"I should hope so. Now let us begin, better late than never I suppose. Do you have your sheet music with you, or have you forgotten it, like your sense of time?"
Able reached into the tote bag she had set down next to the grand piano and pulled out a folder. She then, from the folder, pulled out a stack of papers. Rearranging them in the right order she sat down on the bench.
"May I begin playing on my count, Mr. Sanor?"
"No child, we are treating this as a practice recital so you will do everything you do at the recital. What is the first thing you do, hmm?"
"We enter from offstage and bow to the audience, while telling them the piece we are going to play."
"Yes very good." There was a pause "Well, what are you waiting for, get up and do just that!" Able stood up, already annoyed, and walked a ways away from the piano. She came back in front of the piano and bowed to the empty audience, almost empty that is. Mr. Sanor simulated the applause that the audience would give, although he looked bored doing it.
"Hello," Able began "My name is Able Quell and tonight I will be playing you a medley I have created. The songs within it should be on your leaflets, and an approximate time stamp of when the piece changes songs has also been included. Thank you." Able took her seat at the bench and fiddled with the sheet music she had left there. She adjusted the bench slightly and then looked to Mr. Sanor.
"Don't look at me, look at the music. No one will tell you to start during the recital, you have to decide how long to wait yourself. So begin on your mark."
"Whatever," Able whispered it under her breath.
"Do not mock me, Ms. Quell. I am simply instructing you in the proper fashion of this recital." Able rolled her eyes and looked back to the music. She placed her fingers delicately on the keys and on the count of three under her breath, she began to play. The song itself started out as a playful tune, but slowly worked its way into a minor key. Able had picked this piece because she felt she could put emotion into it, unlike most of the pieces she had played in the past. She may not have written it herself, but she had spent a fair amount of time arranging the songs within it so that they all flowed together. She closed her eyes somewhere in the melody and put all of herself into her fingers. It began to feel as if she wasn't even touching the keys, just willing them to make the music. Without realizing her whole body moved as she played, her entire being pulled out by the song. When she finished her fingers stood still, but here whole body was shivering. Her breath came in small gasps and she slowly opened her eyes. She looked up and saw something that no student had ever seen in Mr. Sanor's entire career, a single tear on his cheek.
"Are ---"
"Don't talk, Ms. Quell. In the recital you need to simply stand up, take a bow and leave." He tried his best to not let his voice waver.
"Oh... of course," Able said. She slowly stood up from the bench and bowed. She collected her belongings and walked out of the practice room. Mr. Sanor stayed behind.
Able stood in the wings of the theatre, taking short gasping breaths. She was quite anxious to perform. This was her first recital and the pressure she felt was enormous. As she stood there someone unexpected came up behind her, Mr. Sanor.
"How are you feeling Ms. Quell?" He still somehow retained his grouchiness.
"I am doing just fine." She wasn't convincing.
Mr. Sanor place a hand on her shoulder and said "Ms. Quell, in all my years of teaching at this god forsaken university and of all the miserable wretches who I've had the 'honor' of instructing, none of them was I more excited about hearing perform, as I am you." He gave her a wry smile that lasted only an instant.
"Thank you, Mr. Sanor."
"You had better thank me; I am the one who taught you most of what you know. You are here because of me." The moment had passed. "Now get out there and do what I taught you to do." He gave her a small push and she walked out onto the stage. She walked directly in front of the piano and looked out to the audience.
"Tonight I will be playing..." she paused and thought for a moment "Medley de Sanor." She sat down at the piano. She felt her heart beat in her fingertips as she placed them on the keys. There were nervous tremors all up and down her body as she counted to three under her breath once more and her whole body went still. She began playing the song and once again the room was filled up with the emotions she played. Out of the corner of her eye she could just see the audience reacting to each subtle shift in the piece. She decided the audience didn't matter and she closed her eyes. She felt the keys beneath her fingers and deftly moved them as she had practiced. This was not something straight out of a book, this was her piece, one she would always remember and be able to play. Without realizing it her dress began to slip at the shoulder and her hair, which had been in a bun fell loosely around her face. She sat there and played the piano and when she was done there was a cold sweat on her brow. She took a breath when she realized she had forgotten to breathe throughout most of the song. She lifted her dress back up into her shoulder. When she stood up the whole crowd remained silent, until in the very back row someone, who looked vaguely shrewd stood up and clapped. The entire audience soon was jolted awake and before she knew it Able stood before a standing ovation. She bowed, multiple times, and then walked off the stage. She waited there until Mr. Sanor came back.
"That was marvelous, Ms. Quell; you captured the attention of the whole theatre."
"Well like you said, I couldn't have done it without you." Able smiled at Mr. Sanor.
"I suppose I am somewhat responsible for your ability, however there is still much to learn. For instance I saw you not pedaling quite on cue Ms. Quell. And your finger speed could be improved as well."
Able just smiled at him "Whatever you say, Mr. Sanor."
"Yes indeed whatever I say. I will expect you in class in Monday at exactly 10:00 sharp, Ms. Quell."
"Wait, class starts at 9:45 though."
"Well I figure this success, albeit small, deserves a good celebration, one I'm sure that will involve pizza and beer." He began to walk away.
"Mr. Sanor," she called. He looked back "Thank you."
"Don't go thinking your special Ms. Quell. This is a onetime only offer to praise your success." Able was about to say something else but it didn't seem to matter anymore. She watched Mr. Sanor walk out the exit backstage, while standing there listing to some other young pianist play his piece. Able decided that even though she probably would go out with her friends tonight and celebrate, she would still be on time for Mr. Sanor's class on Monday morning at 9:45 sharp, even if she had to run.
