Chapter 25

March is an odd month in terms of weather. It can’t make up its mind if it wants to be winter or spring. Some days it would be warm enough to go without a coat, and the next day a heavy winter coat might not be enough to stay warm. This particular day it had been warm, but as the sun started to set, the temperature dropped. The result was a thin misty fog that settled around the area.

Danny was seated on the bleachers playing his flute. The particular piece he was playing was a new age piece that he had learned just by listening to a recording and reproducing it on the flute. While the full new age song had been good background music, the flute portion of it was kind of eerie sounding. Danny had liked it, and found playing it helped focus his thoughts.

A lot of things came easily to Danny. There were few things that pushed him out of his comfort zone, but one of those was standing in front of large audiences. The school play was going to start in two hours. His stomach was a little tight just thinking about it, but it was too late to back out now.

Danny had finished playing the song on his flute when someone settled on the seat next to him. He turned to see who it was.

“Hello, Danny.”

“Hi, Coach Titterman,” Danny said. “How are you doing?”

“I could be doing better. Our basketball team came in fifth out of eight.”

“I know. I was sorry to hear that,” Danny said.

“I heard you playing the flute and I thought I’d take a minute or two to talk with you.”

“Anytime,” Danny said. “I really have to thank you for what you did for me. I owe you a lot.”

Staring off into the fog, Coach Titterman said, “I was furious when I found out that you were stuck sitting through high school classes when you were taking classes in college. It seemed to me like everyone here had forgotten the whole purpose of school. We’re supposed to educate people and not check off attendance boxes. When I learned that a few of your teachers were working outside the system, I felt a whole lot better. I was mad at the ones who weren’t helping you.”

“I have to admit that everyone for the most part has been very supportive,” Danny said.

“You’ve really learned a lot this semester. I heard you playing the flute. Considering that you knew nothing about it, you’ve gotten quite good. You play a pretty mean flute. My favorite band was Jethro Tull. Now Anderson could really play a flute. If you’ve never heard his flute solo, I suggest you take the time to find a copy of it. It was amazing.”

“I’ve heard it. He does play quite well,” Danny said. “I’m nowhere near that good, yet.”

“I guess you’ll be taking Val to the Spring Dance.”

“Yes.”

“You’ve really become a good dancer, too. You’ve also motivated a couple of people to take dancing lessons.”

“I know some of other people learning to dance. The girls seem quite pleased about it.”

“Artistically, you’ve really developed. I understand that one of your photographs won third in a national photography contest.”

“That kind of took me by surprise. The first place where Mrs. Herd submitted it, rejected it because it was taken with a cell phone. If you’d like some advice, never make that woman angry. She does have a temper,” Danny said.

Coach Titterman chuckled and then turned serious again, “I saw the video asking for investment in your 3D house printer. I’ve got to say that the idea is really brilliant. Your sale’s pitch was incredible. I was willing to put money into it.”

“Thanks,” Danny said.

“Tonight, you’re playing an important role in the school play.”

“My stomach is full of butterflies on that,” Danny said.

“You’ll do well.”

“I appreciate your faith in me.”

“What happened with the debate class?”

“Mrs. Shapiro canceled it after the first debate. I clobbered them in it.”

Coach Titterman looked over at Danny and said, “I’ve been talking to your teachers. We’ve all come to an agreement that we don’t have much more to teach you.”

“Oh,” Danny said. “What’s that mean?”

“It means we’re kind of stuck on what to do with you. We know you have to remain enrolled in school for legal reasons, but we don’t want you sitting around bored all day. I guess you could sit in the library and work on your college homework.”

“To be quite honest, I could use the time,” Danny said. “It seems like the sophomore material is a lot harder than the freshman material.”

Coach Titterman asked, “Is there anything you’d like to do that we can help you with?”

Danny said, “When it was suggested that I take art, dance, drama, and music, I have to say that I was not all that enthused. Those were subjects that I’d never considered studying. I can honestly say that I’ve enjoyed every one of them. It’s been the best school experiences of my life.

“What else can I study here? I’ve got no idea. The fact is, that I can’t think of any subject that I’d like to try.”

“I’m sorry to hear that,” Coach Titterman said quietly. “Would you be okay with spending most of your day in the library?”

“I don’t mind staying in the library. I like Mrs. Holmsteader. She challenges me in ways that I never expect.”

“She’s an interesting woman,” Coach Titterman said.

“She’s smart.”

“You probably need to work on getting in the right frame of mind for your performance tonight.”

“I do.”

Rising from the bleacher, Coach Titterman said, “I guess the appropriate phrase is, ‘Break a leg.’”

“Thanks.”

Danny watched Coach Titterman disappear into the fog. He lifted the flute to his lips and started playing Bouree by Jethro Tull. He could only play the first thirty-five seconds of it. After that, it got a way too complex for his current skill.

On finishing what he could, he called out into the fog, “That’s all I know.”

“It was perfect,” was the reply muffled by fog.

Danny stood in the line and took a bow along with the other actors and actresses of the play. The applause seemed deafening from where he stood. It wasn’t really that loud or that enthusiastic. It was a high school play after all. The other people in the play were feeling exceptionally high. The curtain came down and everyone went off in different directions, some searching for family, others for friends, and still others to get out of costume.

He stayed where he was. Months of work had just come to an end and Danny didn’t know what to make of it. Tomorrow there would not be a rehearsal. It was over.

“You seem a little down,” Mrs. Shapiro said.

“It’s over.”

Mrs. Shapiro said, “Yes. Endings are sad, particularly for people like you. You put all of your energy into something, and then it is done. What are you to do now? You stand there wondering and nothing comes to mind.”

“Exactly,” Danny said.

“You look at all of the others who were in the play and see how happy they are. They are off spreading the news of their most recent success to all who will listen. They are basking in the praise of others. All of them, except you.”

“That’s right,” Danny said.

Mrs. Shapiro said, “That’s what sets you apart. You don’t think of your past successes or even your current ones. It is always about the one to come; the one you are working on now.”

“I guess.”

“I could see it on your face after you said your last line. It was like, now what?”

“That’s exactly what I thought.”

“Your girlfriend is out there waiting for you to show up so that she can kiss you and reward you for having done so well. She’s going to tell you that you were the best one on the stage. She’s expecting you to be happy and thrilled about the play.”

“You’re probably right.”

“I’m sure your father is out there as well. He’s going to pat you on the back and proudly said, ‘Good job, Son.’”

“That’s exactly what he’ll do.”

Mrs. Shapiro said, “Now is the hard part for those like you. You have to go out there and be happy. You have to act proud of what you’ve done. It is the only way that others feel that they can share in your triumph. You don’t want to steal that away from them.”

“You’re right,” Danny said.

“Of course I am. I’m Mrs. Shapiro.”

Danny laughed and said, “Yes. I should know better than to question you.”

“Coach Titterman told me he talked to you.”

“He did. He seemed a little sad.”

“Well, he became a teacher because he wanted to help some kid grow to his full potential. You gave him that.”

“Oh,” Danny said.

“Like you at your moment of success, he is standing there wondering, ‘What now?’”

“I can understand how he feels,” Danny said.

“I know you can,” she said. “Is there anything you want to learn?”

Danny said, “There is one thing.”

“What?”

“I’d like to learn how to fast dance. I don’t need to be good, just not embarrassing myself.”

She laughed. “Of course. Come by my room and we’ll get to work on it.”

“Thanks,” Danny said.

“Go change your clothes and face your adoring fans,” she said.

“Did you say snoring or adoring? I couldn’t quite tell,” Danny said with a grin.

“Get out of here!”

Danny went behind the stage to change out of his costume. The others were back there laughing and joking; generally having a very good time. He plastered a smile on his face and started congratulating others on how well they did. There was nothing fake in his congratulations. He honestly felt pleased for them. It was only when it came to himself that it felt flat.

After changing clothes, he went out to where the seats were arranged. Val came running and threw her arms around him. She kissed him and said, “You were magnificent.”