He was consumed by thoughts of mastering the jew’s harp and performing for audiences, especially his female classmates. He was waylaid though by illegal activities he’d engaged in, and found himself in a pickle and handcuffs with his parents, local law enforcement, and juvenile court.
At the age of 15 the young man was a ne’er-do-well drug abuser, break-in artist, and chronic motorcycle thief. His probation officer had encouraged him to find more positive pursuits, and warned him against continuing down the wanton path he was on.
“But why the jew’s harp?” the PO asked. The young lawbreaker responded, “The expressive possibilities are boundless, and the instrument fits in my jeans pocket.” He produced the harp and performed a little tune, which impressed the officer. ”I’ll approve, so long as you apply yourself diligently and show contrition for your unlawful actions this past year.” His thoughts were that his client was clearly mad. But he had a job to do for the county.
The youthful offender laughed and felt validated. They agreed to a schedule whereby once a week they would drive around town talking and charting a strategy for his redemption, so his felonies would be forgiven when he turned 18.
The high school he attended was having a variety show, so the fledgling player signed up to perform an act. At their weekly driving session the PO agreed to attend the performance, and expressed hopes that their meetings had not been in vain. The budding maestro responded, ” I won’t let you down boss. I’m reformed!”
By the time of the variety show he had perfected a tune titled “Travelin Music”, a rather curious and upbeat number in the key of D he was sure would display his prowess on the instrument. He was nervous and scared to be up on a stage, but his focus was to impressing his PO and the cute girls in the audience.
The performance was just as scary as he’d imagined it would be, but he played the tune beautifully. He saw his PO in the audience smiling and swaying in rhythm as the jew’s harp seemed to sing with a spirit of it’s own. Sweat soaked his shirt and almost blinded him as it coursed down his face. The spotlights threw heat and glare, so by the end of his performance he was delirious and felt a fugue state unlike any he’d experienced before.
The audience roared approval and gave him a standing ovation. He slipped the instrument into his pocket and found his way backstage, where other performers greeted him with high fives and praise. Pretty classmates who had previously shunned him smiled and whispered mysteriously in his ears, one even tickling his earlobe with her tongue. He’d found his calling! His future was charted, new vistas revealed, and good fortune beckons became his mantra.
At the next scheduled probation meeting, his officer said to him, “I’ve recommended that your probation be terminated early. That jew’s harp routine was impressive! You’ve shown me that you’ve turned a new leaf and found a calling to help keep you out of trouble. What do you think about that?”
” I won’t let you down. I appreciate what you’ve done for me. Thank you boss!” the beaming jew’s harp player said, then pulled from his pocket his instrument and started playing a tune.
CP Butchvarov
2023
Copyright © 2023 by CP Butchvarov