Ebony Tickles the Ivories

Some of you may think the Grammies is the ultimate night of musical talent.  And you would be right.  But certainly right on its heels is the 2nd annual piano recital of Eli the Squirrel.  We thought, since she uses the vacuum cleaner handle as a microphone stand and sings long ballads at her reflection in the french doors, that CERTAINLY she had a penchant for music.  Evidently, she does if it does not involve daily practice. 

Nonetheless, Eli has been enrolled in painful piano lessons for a little over a year now.  You would think after my harrowing seven years with Mrs. Van Middendorp (whom we called Mrs. Van MiddenDORK behind her back) would have scarred me badly enough to avoid putting my daughter through the same agony.  Seriously, the only reason I managed seven years of piano lessons as a kid was A) my mom forced all 8 of her children through the same agony and B) Mrs. Van MiddenDORK had a television...something my childhood woefully lacked. 

Never mind that the television was one of those old console models that made a CHUNK CHUNK sound ever time you changed it between its three and a half channels (depending on the positioning of rabbit ears and the use of tin foil at random moments).  We kids all suffered through piano lessons just so we could have the unequaled pleasure of watching "Laura Ingalls Wilder" or "The Cosby Show".  If you were unlucky in the lesson lineup, you wound up watching Peter Jennings on the news or "Jeopardy" (although I am FILLED with useless knowledge, thanks to that show!). 

Mrs. Van MiddenDORK didn't know about the LO KNO PLAY method, so we learned old school.  Starting with "The Middle C Twins" and ending, if you are my sister Mary, with the "Hungarian Dance" for six months straight before you finally gave up and quit.  There were no stickers or prizes...only a pyramid shaped metronome that she could wind up and set the pendulum ticking out the tempo for the song you mysteriously forgot to practice until exactly five minutes before you were supposed to leave for lessons. 

So, in juxtaposition, cut to Eli, and her 15-year-old piano teacher.  Eli gets prizes every week, she just had a "Piano Party" tonight, and she is already learning duets with me.  She does stick out at recital time, though, as her counterparts are all vanilla white, and from very conservative A/C families.  I didn't notice until Eli sat down to play her tune (with her braids sticking every direction and an armful of Silly Bands) that she had put several temporary tattoos all over herself.  Lovely!

We'll suffer through a few years more until she fulfills the prerequisite to play the instrument she's REALLY dying to play...the drums. 

Without further ado, I present Eli the Squirrel - the Ebony Tickling the Ivories (and other politically incorrect ethnic statements).  [Facebook followers will need to click on "view original post" to see the video.]