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Subject: +*+*+*+ Stephen's Secure Blog #186 "Impromptu" +*+*+*+
Date: Fri, 14 Jun 2013 18:44:44 -0400
From: " +Grant. " <+Grant@grant.grant>
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Stephen's Secure Blog #186
These stories about Stephen began was when he was 10 years old, and
moving to a new part of the country to attend a special school for
gifted students, in the 1950's. This was from a time before computers
would fit on a desk, and when people communicated with friends in other
countries by actual letters sent through the postal service. He wrote
225 of them to a friend. He stopped writing to his penpal, but found he
still wanted to record his life, in case he lost his memory again, and
wrote 30 entries in his first logbook. Then he wrote to an artificial
intelligence called Geenee, in the master computer in his school for
gifted students, which he started attending in 2016. Now it's after
2018, and he's continuing to save his memories in a secure blog.
All characters are fictitious, even if some of them might have names
that belong to some actual people, or act like people we know.
The stories may not be posted in chronological order.
Stephen is 16 in this story, in the Summer after year 6 of his special
school.
Stephen's Secure Blog #186 "Impromptu"
START Page
After our refreshment, I announced, "Those who would like to use the
facilities, and don't know where they are, ask Hawk. After that, please
er, inhabit the music room. Tomba and I will join you there, shortly.
For those of you who are tall, well, we'll join you there, too." Some
laughter, and they all left, but Tomba. I said to him, "Things didn't
go quite as you had planned. He surprised you. Right hand, my left
foot!" He grinned, and said, "True." I said "He obviously wanted to
call me a Phothisat. That is Thai for Bodhisattva." He nodded, and
said, "Is he correct?" I said "Before I stood up from that chair, I
was, according to some meanings of the word. After that, well, take
your pick of the meanings." He said "I suspected it, and not just from
the size and quality of your aura. I told him you would most definitely
NOT want to be called that, and I thought we had an agreement about it,
but he snuck in an allusion to it at the end."
I grinned and said, "He couldn't resist oneupmanship in his own
Temple." He grinned back, and said, "So it seems." I said "I do have a
place waiting for me on the other side, and I have chosen to remain a
while to do some good. And that's with their approval. Therefore,
whether I like the religious connotation or not, I really am a
Bodhisattva. I embody love, and some other lesser things. I have a big,
perhaps my most difficult, task ahead of me, here on Earth. Tibet." He
dripped tears, and said, "I didn't want to interfere with you, even by
asking, but I am very glad you have accepted that task." I said "I
could do it myself, but that would cause a disaster. I have to convince
the Chinese to do some really hard work they REALLY don't want to do,
politically, socially, and materially, to make that happen. You see,
they despise the Tibetans, and are deliberately trying to eradicate
them as a people, their faith, and their country. It might be
impossible to change that, but I will try. So, when my visit with
Srinoy is over, and then my visit with the Navajo is over, and as my
other duties permit, I will work on that."
He said "Thank you. For me, and for all Buddhists. I might have
something of a surprise to tell you. Have you looked at yourself
recently?" I made a 4th mirror and looked, and said, "Wow!" He laughed,
and said, "You finally got your wish, and tanned." I said in wonder,
"But I didn't ask for white hair and eyebrows. Even eyelashes!" He said
"Just be grateful you don't have horns and a tail, you randy goat." I
laughed, and hugged and kissed him. Then I stood and took off the
robes, and we went to join the others in the music room.
There was a trio playing; Rose, Srinoy, and Hawk. Mendelssohn D Minor
No.1, Op. 49. We all applauded when they finished. I motioned Srinoy to
me, and said, "After a rest, would you like to play Grieg's piano
concerto, first movement, for us?" He said "Oh wow! I love that. I
would really like to play it here. Can I do all of it?" I said "Do you
think you are up to it? That's almost 20 minutes of solid playing." He
said "Sure. I can use the 4th for extra energy if I need it." I said,
"Alright. Chad will record. Should I announce it?" He grinned and
nodded energetically. I said to all, "After something I'll play, when I
figure out what that is, Srinoy is going to play for us, the Grieg
Piano concerto, all three movements. It will be recorded. I will
conduct a real orchestra that I will play in my head, using memories of
the characteristics of the best real instruments, and project it into
the room, and conduct the performance in person. If any of you have
needs which would take you elsewhere, please don't worry about that.
I'm sure we will do it again some time." Nobody moved.
I said "Now I have to decide what to play." Srinoy said, "Can I make
a suggestion?" I said "Sure, if you don't mind if I ignore it." He
"Haven't I already had enough exercise today?" He said "No." I said
"Oh, alright. Just for that, though, I'm not going to tell you I think
it's a good choice." He said "Fine. And I'm not going to thank you." We
exchanged grins and bows. Rose gave me the violin, and I said, "Thank
you for warming it with your love." Hawk said "Aww." I said "You wish!"
He laughed. Srinoy almost grinned his face in half. I checked the tune,
and then played. After a long while, I was finished, and they
applauded. I bowed. Chad was about to say how good I was, and I
signaled no. He didn't. Then Srinoy said, "Then I'll say it! He played
that better than anybody else ever did." I shook my head in mock
despair. I said "Have you heard all playings of it?" He said "Er, no. I
don't care. I still think so. Anybody here disagree?" Silence. He said
"See?" I said "How does one see silence?" He said "Please put down the
instrument." I did, and he rushed me, and tickled me all over. I
laughed and said, "Alright! Going to play, or what?" He walked back to
the piano, and then turned around and pointed a finger at me and said,
"Now you behave!" We all laughed.
I said "Edvard Grieg wrote this piano concerto, his only concerto,
when he was 24, while away from his homeland, Norway, in Denmark. He
wrote to his own level of playing ability, which was greater than most
professional pianists at that time. It's a challenge to play, but
pianists and audiences love it for all its qualities. In fact, it's
second only to Tchaikovsky's piano concerto number 1 in popularity, of
ALL concertos performed and listened to. I think. Anyway, Srinoy, are
you ready?" He nodded. I had the baton poised, and I started the
timpani, and he entered with the piano at just the right moment. We
played straight through to the end of the last movement. There was
silence, and then loud applause. Srinoy stood and bowed, and I bowed,
too. Then Chad said "I have not heard that better." I grinned and said,
"Until next time." He said "Right. But your own performance, well, I
don't know how to judge it." Hawk said, "That's normal for the
impossible." Some laughter. Chad said "I can't disagree with that.
Stephen, if all the instruments were here, could you have actually
played them remotely, like you did my organ?" I said "Wetting the reads
rather experiment with that idea where it might not hurt our ears.
played some Irish tunes. After that, I said, "Well, that worked. But, I
think this is all for tonight. It's been a strange day. For me, one of
the strangest in this life. Thank you all for being you. I love you." I
gave them my love. My guests said their farewells, with a lot of
hugging and kissing, and ported out. Srinoy, his parents, and Rose and
Hawk remained.
I said to Srinoy and his parents, "So, ready for a real meal? Srinoy,
you don't have to answer that, because we know it will always be yes."
We smiled at him while he laughed. I said "Anywhere on Earth, or here,
or at home. Somebody choose, before we starve." His father said, "The
Siam? With Rose and Hawk." I said plaintively, "Can I come too?" He
said very seriously, "With due consideration, yes." I bowed, while we
both grinned. I said "We are really getting to know their rest rooms."
They laughed. We ported to them, and met right outside them, to some
strange looks, which we couldn't help grinning about. We had a great
meal. We talked mostly about music, while at the rest of the tables,
they mostly talked about my love broadcast. When we were finishing, a
man came to our table and said, "Please excuse me. I am the General
Manager of this hotel. Some of my staff tell me some of you are
musicians." They looked at me, and I said, "Yes, they are correct, and
good listeners, too." He looked embarrassed. He said "We are scheduled
to have a formal dance party in the ballroom, featuring the music of
Strauss." I said "I love the entire Strauss family." Srinoy said, "Me,
too." I said "That's not fair. You love all music and composers." He
said "Don't you?" I said " Well, yes. That's what I get for arguing
with a prodigy." He laughed.
His mother said, "Wouldn't you be classified as that, too, along with
Rose and Hawk?" I said "If we allowed it, yes." I said to the manager,
"What's the problem?" He said "Some of our orchestra members can't be
here. Some kind of traffic problems and other mishaps." I said "Oops!
Please be more specific." He said "The pianist, the second violin, and
the first violin, who is the conductor. Their instruments are here,
from a previous performance, but the performers are not." I said "Which
ballroom?" He said, "Room 2." I said "When is the music to start, and
when is the performance over?" He said "In half an hour, and to last to
2 in the morning, with one break." I said "Is it possible to rehearse?"
He said "Until ten minutes before the start, yes." I said to our table,
"I feel a responsibility." They all nodded. I said "We will do it. Give
us five minutes of privacy, and then return. You will wish to introduce
us to the other musicians, and verify that we can do the work, before
letting it happen." He said "I see you know the business. I will be
back." He left.
I said "We are four. Three are needed." Rose said, "A separate
conductor could be used." I said "I think we shouldn't change what they
are used to, which is watching the bow of the first violin, just like
in the original Strauss dance bands." She nodded. Hawk said "We could
switch out." I said "First, we have to ask Srinoy's parents." They
looked at him. He said, crying, "I shouldn't play. I'm so young, it
would draw too much notice, and I live in the city, and could be
recognized." I said "That's what I expected you to say, just like a
responsible MAN should. I'm proud of you." Rose and Hawk said "Yes!"
Hawk was closer, and hugged him. His parents approved of me, and their
son. We were ready for when the manager came back. I said "I am
Stephen. I'll be the First Violinist and Conductor. Rose will be the
Second. Hawk will be on the piano. We know the music. We just have to
see about the arrangements. What if they refuse to play with us to an
acceptable standard?" He looked really upset at that, and said, "I
don't know. I just hope this succeeds, or I could lose my job." I said
"Whatever happens, you will have music to dance to. We will see to
that. We ask just for one thing. No publicity. No record of our names.
Is that understood?" He was about to ask why, when he caught my stern
look, and then said, "Understood." We got up and went to the ballroom.
On the way, I told him, "We are not professionals, so we can't accept
payment. Don't even try to give us any money. If you have to, give it
to charity, but be sure the absent musicians still have all their pay,
being not responsible for their absence." He nodded.
On the stage, the musicians were all set up, and just waiting. I said
to them, "Some of your people can't be here. I will be the First Violin
and Conductor for tonight. Rose will be Second. Hawk will play the
piano. Do you all prefer Thai, or English, or any other language?" They
were very surprised I spoke Thai, and said that was what they
preferred. I said "Very well. I see you have music. Is it arranged in
order of the playing list?" It was. Good. I said "Reed wet?" He nodded.
I said "Please tune your instruments." The clarinetist aided in that.
Rose and I tuned our instruments. Hawk played each key in rapid
succession, and I tuned his piano. I said "Let's get to know each
other. Rose." She played a short selection. Then Hawk did. Then I. Then
they knew were virtuosos, and had great respect for us.
I grinned at them, and said, "Through misfortune, we have an
opportunity to show we can surpass ourselves. Are you willing to give
it all you have, to see if we can?" They grinned back, and agreed. I
said "First selection now, for practice. Ready?" When they were, I
nodded, and we played. It was ragged at first, while they were getting
used to my movements in conducting, but by the end, we were doing very
well. I bowed to them and then turned to the manager, and said, "These
musicians are true accomplished professionals. It was not easy at all
for them to accommodate to so many new people at once. Be assured that
your guests will have very good music to dance to." He looked to the
musicians, and they all agreed, which made the manager VERY happy. I
turned back to the orchestra and said, "This may sound a little
strange, but I have just memorized all the arrangements. So have Rose
and Hawk. I would like us to play the first few bars of each selection,
so we can know how to begin smoothly. Please stab me with your eyes
when you are ready for the second on the list." They did, and we
played. We did that for all the selections, and were halfway into the
second time around, when guests started to arrive.
The manager said "The band leader usually gives the introduction and
other announcements." I said "Tell me what he says, and when, as fast
as you can. We don't have much time." He did that, stumbling a few
times. I asked the musicians if they had anything to add to that, and
except for a few minor corrections, they didn't. I said "Then we are
ready. One thing. Please don't hold any of us responsible for the
quality of your guests' dancing." The musicians laughed, and the
manager smiled nervously, and nodded. He went to greet the guests. I
said "Hawk. Moonlight, low." He did, and played it as background music.
The tables around the dance floor were filling up. I successfully
resisted the temptation to play the Orange Blossom Special. Rose, Hawk,
Srinoy, and I, were in light contact. Srinoy laughed, and explained to
his parents, who smiled. Then Hawk played Autumn Leaves. After that, I
said "Rose, pick a sonata." She did, and it was appropriate. She caught
my nod of thanks and approval. After that, I played an extremely
difficult one, but at a low volume. The musicians appreciated my
ability, and almost drowned me in their unconsciously projected
respect. Some of the guests noticed it, too. I wiggled my eyebrows at
those people, who nodded.
Then it was time. I called for attention, and gave the usual opening
speech. I called for attention from the band, and we started. It went
very well. Professional at first, and then better than that, to truly
inspired at the end of the first set. I thanked the guests for their
applause, and announced the break. Then all the musicians came and
congratulated the new members, and we all hugged each other. Then I
said, "I think I'm supposed to tell you all to take care of your
personal needs, and be back here in time to play, or suffer some bad
consequences. Am I right?" They laughed, and did use the bathroom and
things. I wanted to keep playing, myself, but I didn't want to
interfere with the usual way things were done. So I just sat there.
Then I couldn't stand it, and started playing Tradition, from Fiddler
on the Roof, at very low volume. Rose and Hawk, and Srinoy, grinned at
me. Then I played some romantic selections from Scheherazade, with a
LOT of expression. I was looking at Rose while I played it. When I was
done, she came to me, and we hugged and kissed. Then there was some
loud applause. Even from the returning musicians. We looked
embarrassed, which drew some laughter. Then we started the second set,
and did that extremely well. At the end, we received thunderous
applause. And demands for more. The manager shrugged his shoulders at
us. I said to the band, the part of the Blue Danube I wanted, and when
they were ready, I raised my bow, and the room became quiet. Then we
played the quiet, lilting part, and then let it die away. I turned to
to the guests and said, "Thank you for your appreciation. Now we have
to rest from a good night's work. Thank you very much." That was it.
As soon as we could, we all went to the rest rooms, and ported to our
usual home destinations. We didn't even give the manager a chance to
thank us. In bed with Srinoy, I said, "This has been a VERY big day!"
He giggled, which felt great, with his hand on my nuts, as mine were on
his. He said "Yes it was, and I'm happy for you. I had a lot of fun. I
love you." Then we couldn't talk, because of the kissing.
END Page
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Grant
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