At the Meet the Teacher night at the start of the school year, Audio’s teacher said that she hoped that parents would visit the classroom.  She said that parents could just hang out in the room or read to the kids if they liked.  Then she excitedly said that one mother is a musician and she said that she would like to bring her guitar into the classroom and perform for the kids.  We knew which mother it would be.  She’s the mother of a girl who has been in Dee Dee’s classrooms since preschool and a boy who is Audio’s age.  She likes to whip out her guitar and play at any occasion.  So, when the teacher mentioned the mother’s musical offer, I responded with, “I’ll bring my guitar in the day after she does!” as a joke, for the most part. 

It didn’t take long to decide that I did, indeed, think that it would be fun to put on a little show for the little kids.  As the Thanksgiving break approached, I talked with Audio about how she felt about me visiting her class and bringing a guitar to play for her classmates.  Audio thought that it would be fine for me to do that, so I emailed the teacher and asked if she would like me to come sing some songs for her students.  She said that it sounded like a good idea and asked if I’d like to come in the following Friday. 

I had a week to come up with a set list and prepare for my first “show” in years.  I also had a sinus infection that made my face feel like it was on fire.  By the Thursday night before my big performance, I had seven songs worked out.  I had some jokes to tell about the songs and a sing-along bit, and I played my set for my wife and the girls.  There were five original songs and two covers of songs by Dylan and Oasis.  After playing through the songs, my wife asked, “Do you plan to play all of those songs?”  I said that I had, and then quickly cut three songs from the list.   

I regularly see and chat with the mother who offered to play for the kindergartners.  Early in the week, I asked her if she had discussed playing for the kids with their teacher.  She said that she hadn’t and asked if I was going to.  I told her that I was visiting the class that Friday.  On Thursday morning, Audio’s teacher caught me at the school door, saying “goodbye” to Audio.  She asked if it was OK if both kindergarten classes would move into one classroom for my presentation.  I told her that it would be fine.  Then, the teacher looked over my shoulder and said to the musical mother, who happened to be standing behind me, “And, you’re coming in on Monday morning.  Is it OK if all the kids are together when you play for them?”  The mother asked how many children there would be and the teacher told her that it would be about fifty kids.  Then, we all danced with the students who were racing into the building before we went our separate ways. 

I learned from Audio on Thursday afternoon that her teacher had gone home, sick and said that she wouldn’t be in the next day.  I wondered if postponing wouldn’t be the best option, given the status of my sinuses.  The right side of my head felt like someone had been using my face as a dart board, and my right nostril was creating a steady flow of yellow, custardy mucus.  But, around dinnertime, I got an email from the teacher confirming my concert.   

On Friday morning I loaded up on pseudoephedrine and I walked the girls over to the school with their mom.  Then I went back home, grabbed my guitar and walked back to the school alone.  Acoustic guitars are pretty lightweight.  But cases for acoustic guitars are rather heavy.  I decided early on during my short walk that if I were to do this again, I’d drive the few blocks to the school.  I signed in at the office and headed in the direction of the kindergarten classrooms. 

The substitute teacher for the day was the school principal.  She was reading a book to the kids.  I let her know that I was there, and then went to the hallway to prepare while the other kindergarten teacher brought her students into the room.  I know a lot of the kids, so I said “hi” to those I knew by name and smiled and said “good morning” to those whose names I don’t know.  Once the kids were all in and settled, I returned to the classroom and made my way over to the carpet, where the opening act was wrapping up her reading. 

I made sure to set my phone to mute, started the digital recording app on my phone, and introduced myself to my audience.  Once I started playing, the time flew by, as it does when performing.  The kids were all well behaved, for the most part.  They had questions and things they wanted to tell me.  One girl let me know that her dad had two beards.  Then, a boy let me know that his did also had two beards.  One boy let me know that he had a drawing to give me.  I blew through my four songs.  I focused on playing slowly so that the kids could understand all the words.  And I thought that I had played at a pretty good pace.  But the digital recording proved otherwise.  A clear sign of an amateur. 

The five- and six-year-olds laughed at the appropriate times, and at inappropriate times.  Most of them seemed to be tuned into what I was doing.  The principal needed to sit next to the boy with the bi-bearded dad to keep him calm.  Audio sat still, and showed very little emotion while I was there.  I figured she was concerned about how my being there was going to affect her standing with her classmates.  If I really blew it, she’d be the laughingstock of her grade.  And, being in kindergarten, it would make for a real lousy twelve more years of school if I couldn’t pull off a passing performance.  I didn’t draw any attention to her, other than introducing myself as her dad and by saying “Adios, Audio!” when I left.   

It seemed like it was over as soon as it started.  I gathered up my gear and headed out.  While I was putting my guitar in its case and putting on my coat, half the kids walked past me, back to their classroom.  Most of them had something nice to say.  The boy who said he had a picture for me ran and got it.  It was an Alebrije that I know that all the students were assigned to draw for Art class.  But it was thoughtful of him to give it to me, all the same.  When Audio got home from school, she didn’t have much to say about my little concert.  But she did ask if I could sit next to her at dinner.