ASeven-DollarDream
佚名/Anonymous
Wanted:Violin.Can』tpaymuch.Call
WhydidInoticethat?Iwondered,sinceIrarelylookattheclassif?iedads.Ilaidthepaperonmylapandclosedmyeyes,rememberingwhathadhappenedduringtheGreatDepression,whenmyfamilystruggledtomakealivingonourfarm.I,too,hadwantedaviolin,butwedidn』thavethemoney
Whenmyoldertwinsistersbeganshowinganinterestinmusic,HarrietAnnelearnedtoplayGrandma』suprightpiano,whileSuzanneturnedtoDaddy』sviolin,simpletunessoonbecamelovelymelodiesasthetwinsplayedmoreandmore.Caughtupintherhythmofthemusic,mybabybrotherdancedaroundwhiledaddyhummedandmotherwhistled.Ijustlistened.
Whenmyarmsgrewlongenough,ItriedtoplaySuzanne』sviolin,Ilovedthemellowsoundofthef?irmbowdrawnacrossthestrings.Oh,howIwantedone!ButIknewitwasoutofthequestion.
Oneeveningasthetwinsplayedintheschoolorchestra,Iclosedmyeyestighttocapturethepicturef?irmlyinmymind.Someday,I』llsitupthere,Ivowedsilently.
Itwasnotagoodyear.Atharvestthecropsdidnotbringasmuchaswehadhoped,Icouldn』twaitanylongertoask,「Daddy,mayIhaveaviolinofmyown?」
「Can』tyouuseSuzanne』s?」
「I』dliketobeintheorchestra,too,andwecan』tbothusethesameviolinatthesametime.」
Daddy』sfacelookedsad.Thatnight,andmanyfollowingnights,IheardhimremindGodinourfamilydevotions,「andLord,MaryLouwantsherownviolin.」
Oneeveningweallsataroundthetable.ThetwinsandIstudied.Mothersewed,anddaddywrotealettertohisfriend,GeorgeF?inkle,inColumbus.Mr.F?inkle,daddysaid,wasaf?ineviolinist.
Ashewrote,daddyreadpartsofhisletteroutloudtomother.WeekslaterIdiscoveredhe』dwrittenonelinehedidn』treadaloud:「Wouldyouwatchforaviolinformythirddaughter?Ican』tpaymuch,butsheenjoysmusic,andwe』dlikehertohaveherowninstrument.」
WhendaddyreceivedaletterfromColumbusafewweekslater,heannounced,「We』llbedrivingtoColumbustospendthenightwithAuntAliceassoonasIcanf?indsomeonetocareforthelivestock.」
Atlastthedayarrived,andwedrovetoAuntAlice』s.Afterwearrived,Ilistenedwhiledaddymadeaphonecall.Hehungupandasked,「MaryLou,doyouwanttogowithmetovisitMr.F?inkle?」
「Sure,」Ianswered.
Hedroveintoaresidentialareaandstoppedinthedrivewayofaf?ine,oldhouse.Wewalkedupthestepsandrangthedoorchime.Atallman,olderthandaddy,openedthedoor.「Comein!」Heanddaddyheartilyshookhands,bothtalkingatonce.
「MaryLou,I』vebeenhearingthingsaboutyou.Yourdaddyhasarrangedabigsurpriseforyou!」Mr.F?inkleusheredusintotheparlor.Hepickedupacase,openedit,liftedoutaviolinandstartedtoplay.Themelodysurgedandspokelikewaterfalls.Oh,toplaylikehim,Ithought.
F?inishingthenumber,heturnedtodaddy.「Carl,Ifounditinapawnshopforsevendollars.It』sagoodviolin.MaryLoushouldbeabletomakebeautifulmusicwithit.」Thenhehandedtheviolintome.
Inoticedthetearsindaddy』seyesasIf?inallycomprehended.Itwasmine!Istrokedtheviolingently.Thewoodwasagoldenbrownthatseemedtowarminthelight.「It』sbeautiful,」Isaid,barelybreathing.
WhenwearrivedbackatAuntAlice』s,alleyesturnedasweentered.Isawdaddywinkatmother,andthenIrealizedeveryonehadknownbutme.Iknewdaddy』sprayer,andmine,hadbeenanswered.
ThedayIcarriedmyviolintoschoolformyf?irstlessonnoonecouldimaginetheburstingfeelinginmyheart.OverthemonthsIpracticeddaily,feelingthewarmwoodf?itundermychinlikeanextensionofmyself.
WhenIwasreadytojointheschoolorchestra,Itrembledwithexcitement.Isatinthethirdrowofviolinsandworemywhiteorchestrajacketlikearoyalrobe.
Myheartbeatwildlyatmyf?irstpublicperformance,aschooloperetta.Theauditorium,f?illedtocapacityandtheaudiencebuzzedwhilewesoftlytunedourinstruments.Thenthespotlightcenteredonus,andahushfellaswestartedtoplay.Ifeltsureeveryoneintheaudiencewaswatchingme.Daddyandmothersmiledproudlyattheirlittlegirlwhoheldhercherishedviolinforthewholeworldtoadmire.
Theyearsseemedtorunmoreswiftlythen.Andbythetimemysistersgraduated,Ifoundmyselfinthef?irst-violinchair.
Twoyearslater,Igraduated.Ipackedmycherishedviolininitscaseandsteppedintothegrown-upworld.Nurse』straining,marriage,workinginthehospital,rearingfourdaughtersf?illedmyyears.
Moreyearspassed.Myviolinmadeeverymovewithus,andIunpacked—brief?lyrememberinghowmuchIstillloveditandpromisingmyselftoplayitsoon.
Noneofmychildrencaredabouttheviolin.Later,onebyone,theymarriedandlefthome