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Stories from the Verse
Con Version
Chapter 11: Brown 285
Table of Contents
Previous chapter: Takano 87
Returning to the living room, Derek noticed Vashti lovingly fondling her new toys. “Play something for me,” he said.
“Oh, I couldn’t.”
“Sure you could. I already think you’re better on the ney than I am on the trumpet. I’d like to hear it.”
Acquiescing, she picked one of the longer instruments and played a very pretty very somber dark melody. He listened, enthralled, for several minutes until she finished.
“That was beautiful,” he said. “Play something else.”
“No, it’s your turn,” she said.
Somewhat embarrassed, he said, “I’m not sure I know anything else.”
“Well, try. You taught those songs to--the ‘Iorg, back at that party. I don’t remember his name.”
“Nor I, but I guess I could try.” Mentally looking for something that featured a trumpet melody, he remembered a short piece called “Also Sprach Zarathustra”, or something like that, which was slow enough to be simple for someone who hasn’t played in a while. Key of C, he thought, and began. He had forgotten, though, that it reaches a full two octaves from the opening bottom note to the final climax, and despite the wonderful instrument he felt the strain of trying to hit and hold that final top note.
Vashti applauded; Derek blushed. “Your turn,” he said.
“Oh, no--I think we should find something we can play together.”
He thought, and he thought of something. He didn’t know it all, but he knew the part they called the Trio, at the end of “Stars and Stripes Forever”. “O.K.,” he suggested, “listen to this, and then I’m going to explain something.” He played the melody (he couldn’t help thinking of the words about web-footed friends, but they helped him get through it). She listened.
“O.K.,” he said. “Here’s the tricky part. While I’m playing that, there’s a part played by what we called a piccolo, something like your ney. I don’t know it all, but I know parts of it. It goes something like this,” and so saying he attempted to sing the flute descant from the song.
As he finished, she stared at him for a moment before speaking. “But,” she said, “that doesn’t sound anything like what you just played.”
“No, and that’s the beauty of it. There’s also a trombone part that doesn’t sound anything like what I played, but the three parts fit together, and that’s why it’s called a trio. So what you need to do is while I’m playing the trumpet part, you create this lacy interweaving around my notes to give the impression of chords and such. Don’t worry if it doesn’t sound perfect; we’ll get better. Ready.”
He wasn’t sure whether that look meant yes, but it didn’t mean no. She tried a few pipes until she found one she apparently thought was right, and then nodded for him to start. He began to play; she was right behind him. She had a knack for this, he thought. He still wasn’t sure how they use this to fight the devil, but it’s pretty clear that with a bit of practice they would be able to play together.
Whatever else that would be, he thought it would be fun.
There is a behind-the-writings look at the thoughts, influences, and ideas of this chapter, along with eleven other sequential chapters of this novel, in mark Joseph "young" web log entry #498: Characters Restart. Given a moment, this link should take you directly to the section relevant to this chapter. It may contain spoilers of upcoming chapters.
As to the old stories that have long been here:
