He had no music in him, never had.
In fourth grade, before the Christmas pageant, a desperate teacher ordered him to lip-sync “The Little Drummer Boy.” Decades later, a grown man, it still made him sad.
“You can’t dance,” a woman told him over the booming bass at a grad school party. “It makes me wonder what else you can’t do.” A nasty sly smile. A mean drunk, he thought. He wanted her anyway.
He wanted to sing “Drummer Boy.” He wanted to dance. He wanted the music to lift him up and waft him away, but it never did.
I wrote this story for the 100 Word Challenge: “Music” at Thin Spiral Notebook.
Perhaps he should learn to play an instrument, or how to hum.
(Good to have you back writing with the Challenge.)
What a bittersweet and sad story. Amazing in just 100 words.
Thank you. I’ve always liked the “bittersweet.” I’m also surprised at how much writers can say, or imply, even in very few words.
My solution is to sing anyway, even if badly. I feel like I have music in me, but it has trouble getting out.
I sound amazing singing in my car. 🙂