Audience of One

I’ve attacked my weekend task list with gusto*. Having successfully hijacked Nathan’s blog, I began violin practice.

Let’s just say that my violin isn’t the most exquisite of instruments. Nathan got it for $60 from oo.com.au and when I took to the highly esteemed violin teacher at school he suggested that I throw it out and get another one. Not wanting to waste a real bargain, I thought I’d get some practise under my belt before upgrading. I also know that a beginner violinist sounds a lot like cat claws on a tin roof or nails on a chalkboard so, coupled with a poor quality instrument, I don’t have a good combination going on. This in mind, all of my practise so far has been done while Nathan is at work, either on a Monday or if I got home earlier than he.  So far, I’ve been a quite considerate learner, or, so I thought.

Shortly after I began playing this morning I heard a knock at the door. I quickly realised that all of my windows and doors were open (I usually shut them so nobody can hear me) so I thought it must be one of the neighbours coming to plead with me to stop. However, much to my surprise, it was a man from the unit diagonal from us who had come over tell me that my playing sounded “just wonderful” and that I should “keep up the great work”. My first ever compliment.

Quite chuffed with myself I returned to my playing, moving on from ‘Hot Cross Buns’ and ‘Ode to Joy’ to ‘Jingle Bells’.  It’s then that I realise that, due to my ‘kindness’, I haven’t given Nathan much of a chance to hear me play. Never mind, I shall make up for lost time when he returns. Lucky boy. 

*I tried to use this word on a child’s report card once. It got rejected. I was very disappointed.