The Thing is to Try

Adella is out for regionals tomorrow. She and her clarinet have been glued to each other for the past month. After each practice session, there was a clarinet-shaped spit mark on the thigh of her jeans and a sore spot on her thumb that said, "Hard work!"

From November 9, 2012

The music was all over the floor as she made her way through the etudes and a few other odds and ends.

From November 9, 2012

Clyde was a faithful friend, though I do think sometimes the music is hard on his puppy ears. Sometimes he left the practice session to see if anybody was having a snack upstairs and to check on his toy basket, but he always made his way back to his girl and did what he could, which was to be there.

From November 9, 2012

He kept a watchful eye over the all-powerful cell phone,

From November 9, 2012

but he couldn't answer it, so Della did. Everyone needs a break.

From November 9, 2012

Della's got a friend coming with us for moral support tomorrow. It's cool. She knows the thing is to try. She's got talent, and she feels the music, but the thing is to try. She's got guts, and I admire her for her courage and her effort.