The Annual Final Concert
Tuesday, May 15, 2007
Puck went in for his one month appointment that morning.
“I’m guessing he weighs eleven pounds,” Collette told OLeif before they were called back to the room.
OLeif was glad that he had not bet against her. Puck weighed in at eleven pounds and half an ounce.
In extra news of the day, OLeif had been informed by Wallace at work that the disappearance of the honey bees could finally be blamed on cell phone tower frequencies. Who knew? Collette would like to see the brains of the world solve that dilemma. Of course, as OLeif pointed out, no one would consider the easiest option – getting rid of cell phones completely. Because as Einstein insisted, if the honey bee disappeared, humanity would disappear. Now the bumper stickers would read – “Save the Honey Bee; Save the World”.
Pounding thunderstorms hit the neighborhood that afternoon to Collette’s delight. Puck, as usual, snoozed through every crash of thunder.
And it was time for another choir concert, the last one of the year before the graduates moved on to bigger and more adult things. And at the end of Bluebell’s 12th year of directing the choirs, as tradition had it, all the graduates would be recognized at the end of the concert. Among them would be Evrain Orange, Joe, Jims Mormon, Magnus, and Wallace.
In the end, 25 graduates walked on stage, the largest crowd to ever grace the end of a choir concert.
“This is the third Orange to graduate from my choir,” Bluebell said proudly to the audience, pointing at Evrain. “And Joe is the third Snicketts. We go way back.”
They all seemed to have the usual college plans. However this time is seemed that every single student had plans specifically to attend college for four years, whether it be at Full Sail, the community college and transferring, Bringham Young, or in veterinary science. More of an ambitious crowd, it seemed.
Afterward, the large crowd of choir alumni mingled with the graduates and current choir members, buzzing around in groups between old friends. Then they scattered to their various places of treats for the night: Red Robin, Chevys, Dairy Queen, etc. Carrie was able to visit with old pals including Louis Tecumseh, Paige Popp, Beads Argonaut, and Kathleen George. There was also Peach Fuzz, Clover Elzblackel, and Stacie Tops – more pals from the old choir years – but they did not seem to be present.
And Puck, dressed rather dashingly in a blue sweater vest and pants given to him by Stephanie Buttercup, complete with little blue and white shoes, slept through half of the concert and stared wide-eyed in wonder at the ceiling of many lights reflected in his blue eyes for the rest of the concert. The swing band seemed to keep him awake the longest, also due to OLeif’s tapping out the beat with Puck’s arms. Collette figured that Puck would grow up loving music as much as his dad.
Grandma Combs had also come, as she did to every concert. And most of the Englishs were present, including Eve, who was accompanied by Othniel’s sister, Marigold.
And once Puck had had his fill of a very long and musical evening, it was time to hit the road. OLeif treated them to ice cream on the way home.