The Piano Recital

This past weekend we attended my son's first piano recital. It was really quite delightful. The children were all precious and the music both varied and well-played. And there were Coke-floats at the end. (Mmm. Coke and ice cream - genius.)

I will share with you my top amusement from the event.

During the recital, after playing their selections, each child was to stand from the bench, turn around to face the audience, and bow. From the outset, we could easily see that this was the most painful part of entire recital for most of the kids.

Forget playing Nocturne in E Flat Major - that was a cinch! But now I have to ... to ... [gulp]... bow! ... while everybody is ... [gulp] ... looking at me ... and applauding. I feel nauseous.

I'm sure it didn't help that as the adults all noticed this, the applause was also peppered with amused chuckles meant to convey 'Aw, isn't that cute!' With nearly every child, the dreaded bow went something like this: expression of dismay/embarrassment on the face, eyes cast downward boring a hole into the floor, cursory little bow, and a speedy retreat.

And then there is my son.

If you know my son, then you know he is nothing if not a performer. A boy who relishes the spotlight, to be sure.

After finishing his (rousing) rendition of the theme from Star Wars, he stood and turned to face the applauding audience, his face one big smile, his eyes lifted to the room, and bowed, clearly basking in the warm glow of the accolades. With all the flourish he gave his bow, you would think he had been wearing a fine tuxedo instead of the t-shirt, athletic pants and sandals he actually had on.

Yep. That's my boy.