Slowly, I unlatch the case. Sitting in two parts is my shiny silver piccolo. It gleams in the sunlight. Tiny round silver keys line the surface. Each key, when pressed alone or with others, makes a different sound as I blow over the mouthpiece.
“It’s silver!” Princess says.
“And beautiful!” Holly exclaims.
“Well, it’s not made of real silver, but it’s shiny enough for me to pretend,” I say proudly.
I slip the two pieces together, place my fingers on the keys, purse my lips, and blow softly. A lovely, lilting melody comes out. I play a little song I learned a few months ago.
“Awesome!” Jasmine says. Her voice is warming up.
I keep on playing. Some of the other kids wander over to where we are.
Tandy, Travis, and Rusty look really surprised.
“What is that thing?” Travis asks. “It looks like a silver Popsicle!”
I ignore him and continue to play. I play trills and running notes. It sounds like rippling water.
I glance up and realize about twenty kids are around me, listening quietly and smiling. I finish the song, then stop. Then they clap and clap and clap. They cheer.
I can’t believe it. They like my music!
I guess it’s not a secret anymore.
Rehearsals are fun, but they are harder work than any of us thought. When school gets out, we have a snack and some juice, then head for the auditorium. Sometimes we practice the songs, and other times we go over the dances. Over and over and over. Mr. Wood says we have to practice many times so the show will be perfect.
Mr. Wood begins each rehearsal with all of us sitting on the stage in a circle. He says the same thing every day. “As you know, boys and girls, our show is called Kids to the Rescue. We want to demonstrate through music the importance of saving our planet, and the power kids have to make a difference. I believe in each and every one of you, and I’m proud we’re working together on this project. Now, let’s get busy!”
It’s a good way to start. He makes us feel like we can do anything. We clap and cheer. Then I pull my clipboard out of my Sassy Sack and tell everyone what the schedule is for the day.
“Josephina, you and Jasmine go to the back row and practice your duet about the oceans.”
“Gotcha.”
Mr. Wood has rented several mini iPods and iPod players for our rehearsals, so each group can practice separately. For safekeeping, I keep the little iPods in my sack as well. I toss the blue one to Jasmine as she and Josephina head to the back.
I check them off with a blue marker — blue for the ocean song.
“Sassy!” Josephina says urgently as she turns around and hurries to me. “A button came off my blouse — right in front!” She holds her blouse together.
“Relax, Josie,” I say. I reach down into my sack and pull out a miniature sewing kit that my mom brought home from a hotel stay. “I even have blue thread to match your shirt. Run to the restroom and whip on the button.”
“I can’t sew!” she replies desperately.
“I’m not so good at sewing myself,” I tell her. “Here, take a couple of safety pins instead.”
“That’ll work. Thanks, Sassy!” She hurries to the bathroom to fix her blouse.
I check my clipboard. “Travis, you and Rusty and Charles work on the dance for your trio. Make sure the music and the moves flow smoothly this time, okay?” I pull the small brown iPod out of my sack and give it to Travis.
“You got any Scotch tape in that bag of yours?” Travis asks. He holds a sheet of paper with the lyrics to their song. “We’re gonna tape up the words on the wall so our hands are free to do our moves. We’re tight!”
“Sure, Travis.” I reach down into my sack and pull out a roll of tape.
The three boys give me a thumbs-up as they head out to the hallway, where they will practice a really funny song and dance called “Carbon Footprint.” They get to stomp in army boots to the beat of lots of tom-toms. A perfect choice for them.
“I’ve got an idea,” I tell them. “How about if you wear sunglasses while you do your number? It would send a message about the power of the sun. Plus, you’d look cool!”
“Great idea, Sassy,” Travis says as I give them each a pair of shades from my sack. I send them off as I check their names on my list with a brown marker — brown for the earth.
Kevin, Abdul, and Ricky are performing a song about polar bears losing their habitat in the Arctic. It’s called “Who Melted My Ice?”
“I’m going to order helium balloons for your song,” I tell them. “I saw some at the party store last week. They’re made of that shiny Mylar stuff, and they come shaped like squares!”
“Cool!” Abdul says. “Balloons that look like ice cubes!”
I give them a red iPod and check them off with my red marker — red meaning danger warnings for the bears.
“Holly, are you ready to practice your ballet solo?” I ask her.
She nods as she puts on her dance slippers. “I wish I could do the dance on pointe,” she says wistfully, “but my teacher says I’m still too young for toe shoes.”
I scrunch up my face. “I bet those shoes hurt your feet,” I tell her. “Your dance is really pretty, and you can move easier in your slippers, right?”
“You’re right, Sassy,” she says. “I’m glad Mr. Wood made you stage manager. You know just what to say!”
I’m amazed. I’ve never been in charge of anything, but this seems easy to me. I like telling other people what to do for a change!
Holly uses the big music player on the stage as she practices. I check her off on my sheet — green for the dance about the rain forest.
Mr. Wood runs from group to group, making suggestions, making improvements, and giving words of encouragement. “Lovely!” he calls out to Holly, who moves like a leaf in the wind.
“That’s going to look awesome when we do it in costume,” he says to Jasmine and Josephina. “Super!”
I try not to care how they will look in those shimmery dresses. I give them both a smile of encouragement anyway.
After twenty minutes or so, Mr. Wood calls the entire choir to the stage to practice the group songs. They will be wearing the awesome purple costumes for the performance.
I sit in the front row with my clipboard and strawberry-scented marker. I check all the kids off my list. I keep telling myself that it doesn’t matter that I’m not up there with them.
Mr. Wood announces, “Tomorrow’s rehearsal will be a little different, folks. We’re going to try it with some of the props and costumes.”
Jasmine looks really excited. So do Holly and Carmelita.
“Sassy, I’ll really need your help tomorrow. I know you have a list of what everyone needs for each number, so I’ll be depending on you to make everything run smoothly.”
“Sure thing,” I tell him with a smile. But inside I’m not so happy.
“So,” Mr. Wood says as he takes a deep breath, “let’s make today’s run-through really great!”
Everybody seems to be excited as they take their places.
One of the songs the entire choir sings is called “Let’s Go Green.” It’s all about recycling and global warming and stuff. Mr. Wood wrote the song himself and it’s really good. It’s a funny song, but it gets the point across.
Mr. Wood told us he has an organic garden in his yard, he never uses plastic bottles, and he heats his house with solar panels. I admire that.
There’s also a trio made up of Basima, Iris, and Misty. They are singing a song called “Pull the Plug.” Their voices blend just perfectly. Iris is a soprano, Basima is an alto, and Misty’s voice fits right in the middle. Their props are extension cords — purple ones. I wonder where Mr. Wood found them.
“I have an idea,” I tell the three girls. I reach down into my sack and pull out a dozen lavender-and-violet-colored metallic bangle bracelets. “Try these. The bracelets will rattle on your arms and make a nice sound as you sing.”
&n
bsp; “You’ve got everything in that sack, Sassy,” Iris says, awestruck.
“I like to be prepared,” I say simply. I check them off with a purple marker.
The next song sung by the entire choir is just plain hot. It’s called “Purple Passion for Icy Blue Waters.” It’s all about saving the earth and making a difference. It sounds a little like a rock version of “America the Beautiful,” and it makes me want to save the planet right away. I guess that’s the point.
Even though it’s a group song, Travis and Princess each get a solo. Travis sings a verse about the land, and Princess sings a really pretty melody about the sea. The whole choir sings the chorus, and even the audience can join in.
For the very last number, the entire choir is also singing a popular song called “What a Wonderful World.” A video will show images of green fields and rainbows and lovely sunsets. While the choir hums, Carmelita sings her solo. It’s so pretty that people in the audience will need a tissue to wipe their eyes.
It will be a bang-up finale.
Just as Mr. Wood raises his baton to start the “Purple Passion” song, he notices Princess is not onstage.
“She had to go to the bathroom,” I tell him.
“Again?” he asks.
I think she runs in there every fifteen minutes.
Holly told me that Princess likes to comb her hair and make sure it’s just right, so when she hurries back onto the risers, I say, “Your hair looks really nice, Princess.” She smiles and sings her solo perfectly.
Gee, I’m good at this.
Mr. Wood comes to school the next day wearing a navy blue T-shirt with a giant picture of the earth on the front. The words SAVE ME are printed in a bold red under the photo of the planet.
“I guess he means save the earth, not save him,” Travis whispers as Mr. Wood bounds into the music room.
Rusty laughs so hard he almost falls out of his chair.
“It’s so not fair that teachers get to wear whatever they want, but we have to wear these boring blue-and-white uniforms!” I whisper back.
“Tell me about it!” Holly adds.
“It is a nice shirt,” Jasmine says.
“Let’s get our voices warmed up,” Mr. Wood says after he marks attendance. “Take your places on the risers, please.”
I don’t even bother to go up and pretend to sing anymore. I get my clipboard out of my Sassy Sack, get the iPods from the storage room, toss those into my bag, and go over my list for rehearsal after school.
The voices of the choir begin to sing loud and clear, “From the golden valleys of the earth to the purple sunsets on the beach, we sing of Mother Earth and all her glory….”
But even louder noises interrupt us.
SCREEEE! SCREEEE!
THUMPA-THUMPA-THUMPA-BAM!
“What was that?” Travis yells.
Mr. Wood gives the class the signal to stop singing. “The construction people,” he replies with a sigh. “How are we to conduct rehearsal with all that racket?”
SCREEEE! SCREEEE!
THUMPA-THUMPA-THUMPA-BAM!
“Not very well,” Travis says, speaking for all of us.
Silence returns for a moment. Mr. Wood lifts his arms to signal the choir to begin.
“From the golden valleys of the earth to the purple sunsets on the beach, we sing of Mother Earth and all her glory….”
THUMPA-THUMPA-THUMPA-BAM!
SCREEEE! SCREEEE!
“I’m getting a headache!” I complain.
Holly sits in the first row of seats next to me, waiting until she is called up for her dance solo.
“Do you have some hand sanitizer?” she whispers. “Everything is so dirty around here with all this building and stuff. I like to stay fresh.”
I give her an understanding smile, pull out a peppermint-scented sanitizer spray from my sack, and hand it to her. “You’re right,” I say. “Dirt is everywhere!”
I glance outside. Even the classroom windows are glazed with grime. This place is a mess. I squirt a little sanitizer on my own hands before I toss it back into my sack.
“Let’s try it again, my young singers,” Mr. Wood says. He raises his baton, and the group starts to sing once more.
“From the golden valleys of the earth to the purple sunsets on the beach, we sing of Mother Earth and all her glory….”
THUMPA-THUMPA-THUMPA-BAM!
THUMPA-THUMPA-THUMPA-BAM!
THUMPA-THUMPA-THUMPA-BAM!
If he wasn’t bald, I think Mr. Wood might have ripped out his hair. He stomps toward the classroom door. His face is red with anger.
Travis and Rusty, standing on the first row of risers, crack up. “I want Mr. Wood on my team,” Travis yells out.
“Yeah, he’s tough when it comes to looking out for us,” Rusty agrees.
Before Mr. Wood reaches the door, it is flung open and one of the construction workers strides in. He’s a big man — much taller than Mr. Wood and way more muscular. He’s wearing a T-shirt with the sleeves cut off, so his thick arms make him look really powerful. He is so tall that Mr. Wood has to look up at him.
“They look like two cowboys ready to have a shoot-out,” Holly says.
“Yeah, but only the worker guy has a weapon!” I reply. “Look at that cool utility belt around his waist.”
Filled with hammers and screwdrivers and wrenches, his leather belt hangs low around his jeans. He wears thick brown boots covered with dirt.
Mr. Wood demands loudly, “Are you aware this is a school? We are trying to conduct classes!”
The man replies with a deep, powerful bass voice, “I’m sorry, sir, but the board of education is rushing us to get this job finished. I know it’s a pain.”
“Can’t you just wait until school gets out before you start the loud banging and thumping? We’re trying to sing in here!”
“Several other teachers have complained as well,” the worker explains. “I just came in to tell you we should be done with this side of the building in three days.”
“Well, that’s good news,” Mr. Wood says, calming down a little.
“My name is Bike,” the worker explains, offering his huge, glove-covered hand to Mr. Wood.
“I’m Randall Wood, the music teacher,” Mr. Wood says as he shakes Bike’s hand.
“Yeah, I could hear the choir even out in the hall. The kids are really good. I wish I could sing like that.”
“You’ll have to come to our show,” Mr. Wood says proudly.
“I might just do that,” Bike says as he turns to leave. “I like your shirt, man,” he tells Mr. Wood. “I’m all for saving the planet.”
Mr. Wood looks both pleased and relieved. After Bike leaves, we manage to get through all of the songs without any more interruptions.
When the bell signals the end of class, Mr. Wood announces, “Grab a snack and let’s head for the auditorium. We’ll start rehearsal in fifteen minutes.”
I grab my Sassy Sack and my clipboard and take a juice box from my sack. As I sip, I check my list.
Shades for Travis, Rusty, and Charles. Check.
Sparkly vests for all the boys. Check.
The girls are not going to wear their dresses yet. Good.
Video player for the “Wonderful World” song. Already in the auditorium. Check.
Green Easter basket grass for Holly’s rain forest dance. Check.
I’ll need lots more stuff for future rehearsals, but this is plenty for now. I grab as much as I can carry and plop it down in the front of the auditorium. Then I go back and get the rest.
“Are we ready, Sassy?” Mr. Wood asks. I can’t believe a teacher is asking me if we can start!
“Yes, we are,” I reply.
“Boys, go and get your vests from Sassy,” Mr. Wood says.
They tromp over to me and I hand them each a shiny vest.
“How come the boys get to wear their vests and we can’t practice in our dresses?” Jasmine asks.
“Because they can slip the
vests over their shirts,” Mr. Wood replies. “Don’t worry — we will have a full dress rehearsal before the show, and you can all make sure the dresses fit perfectly.”
Jasmine seems satisfied with this, and I hand her the blue hula hoops, which are supposed to show the movement of the oceans and the tides.
We can hear the workers in the distance, but the auditorium walls are pretty thick. So the screeching and thumping are not so bad.
Everyone has their props, and we are ready to begin.
“Let’s see if we can get through the first song without interruptions,” Mr. Wood exclaims.
The choir sounds great. Travis is remembering the words. Princess has not run out to the bathroom. Rusty almost falls off a riser, but everyone keeps on singing. Even I’m impressed with how good they sound.
Holly does her dance perfectly. I make a note on my clipboard to tell the lighting guy to make the background green for her piece.
Travis and Rusty and Charles put the mike down near their boots so the stomping is even louder. Everybody cracks up as they dance and sing. It’s hard for everyone to sing the words right because they keep laughing at the three boys. That’s going to be one of the best parts of the show.
When we get to “What a Wonderful World,” I walk to the middle row and click on the video player. I make a note on my clipboard, Have Tony, the guy running the lights, play the video. I can’t do everything.
The background changes colors with the pictures of all the beautiful parts of the world. The kids sing about trees and roses. As I stand by the video player, I’m carried away by how great they sound and how well the pictures match the words.
It’s almost time for Carmelita’s solo. I point to her to give her the cue, but she’s ready. She takes a deep breath and starts singing about skies and clouds.
Suddenly, Wee-waw, wee-waw, wee-waw! The piercing sound of the fire alarm breaks the lovely mood. Carmelita stops singing and looks around in confusion.
“What’s going on?” she asks.
“A fire drill after school?” Travis yells. “Now I’ve seen everything!”
But Mr. Wood does not take time to act confused. He leaps into action. “Off the stage!” he cries. “Hurry!”