Page 74 of Strings

“I’d love one.”

Sebastian leads me from room to room, showing me where he has a desk, where the recreation room is, and lastly, the cafeteria. The kids are enjoying their cookies while an older African American woman with white hair pours juice in paper cups.

“Ms. Joe, this is Talia. Talia, Ms. Joe. Talia works with me at the Symphony. Ms. Joe is as important to this place as the walls themselves. She keeps everything running smoothly.”

She swats a hand at him. “Oh stop. Pleasure, Ms. Talia.”

“Nice to meet you too.”

“Mr. Nov, who dis?” A little girl pulls on his shirt as she points at me.

“This is Ms. Pearson. She works with me.”

Her eyes light up like fireflies in the night sky. “At the Sym? What do you play? I play the cello.”

“Oh, I’m not cool like that. I don’t know how to play anything.”

“It’s okay. I didn’t know how to play either. Mr. Nov will show you. He’s a good teacher.”

“Mr. Nov?” I question, nudging him.

“No one could say my name. One of the kids called me Nov instead of Corronov and it stuck. I like being someone different here. It’s almost like I have two names and I’m leading a double life. Around here I get to be someone else. That probably sounds dumb. Does that make any sense?”

“More than you know.”

He smiles. “We have one more run-through before we’re done for the day.” Sebastian glances around the room and focuses on a young boy staring out the window. “Can you give me a few minutes? I’ll be right back.”

I nod as Sebastian walks up to the boy, places his hand on his back, and sits down next to him. He listens intently to whatever the boy is saying. I don’t notice Ms. Joe move next to me until she speaks.

“He’s something, isn’t he?”

“Who? Sebastian?”

She smiles.

“Yes. Yes, he is. Who is that boy he’s talking to?”

“His name is Prince Meyer. He’s one of our older students.”

“Is everything alright?”

She steps away from the kids and I follow her. “Prince has a rough family life. His father was recently incarcerated and his mom is working three jobs to try to afford their rent. Prince is on his own most of the time. He used to come here hungry.”

“Used to?”

She nods as she gazes at Sebastian “Don’t tell him I told you, but I know what he’s doing.”

“What do you mean?”

“Look around this room at these kids. Do you notice anything about them?”

I look at each child twice and can’t figure out what she’s talking about. “I don’t see anything. They all look like kids to me.”

“Look at their feet.”

I gaze down at their shoes and notice they’re all wearing the same brand of tennis shoes but in different colors.

I stare back at Ms. Joe. She points to her eyes. “I see everything. Chester over there came in here one day in a ratty old coat and left in a brand new one. If you ask him, he’ll deny it up and down. But I know what he’s doing. He’s a good man, that one. Not enough people on this Earth like him.”