When I Was 8: My Piano

by Linda Thieman, author, Katie & Kimble

Hi!  My name is Linda Thieman (pronounced TEE-mun).  I write the Katie & Kimble stories.

I wanted to share with you my favorite story from when I was 8 years old.  This is a true story.  It happened to me!

 

When I was 8, my family got a piano.  I wanted to play the piano so much.  So I started taking lessons.

One song in my piano book was called “The Old Oaken Bucket.”  I played this song a lot.  In fact, I played it so much that I learned it by heart.

Then I got really bored.  So I took one note in the song and changed it.  It was a real clinker!  And I played that note wrong through the whole song.

Oh!  It sounded terrible!  But I played it so much, that I could play the terrible song by heart, too.

My dad thought this was very funny.  He had a good sense of humor.  So he made a plan.

His sister (my aunt) and her husband were coming for a visit.  So Dad said to me, “Play the bad song, and I’ll stand next to you and look proud.”  I agreed.  I thought it sounded like a funny idea!

So, my aunt and uncle sat on the couch in the living room.  I sat at the piano.  And my dad stood next to me and looked very proud.  Then I played the terrible song with the wrong notes.

My dad acted like he didn’t notice it was terrible.  But my aunt and uncle had funny looks on their faces.  Oh, they thought it was bad!

When my dad saw their faces, he burst out laughing!  Then they burst out laughing, too.  And I had to join in, of course!  So then Dad said to me, “Play it the right way now.”  So I was a bit nervous at that point.  I was hoping I didn’t make a REAL mistake!

But all went well.  I played it well – no mistakes!  My aunt and uncle were very happy with our little show.

So, now I’m all grown up.  But the spirit of that 8-year-old girl lives on in me.  And I also have my Dad’s sense of humor.  I think that’s why the Katie & Kimble stories are so funny!

Copyright © 2007-2012 by Linda Thieman