Issue 15
Risk
Elaine Drennon Little
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What So Proudly We Hailed
The principal was mad. He stood outside her classroom door and proceeded to
explain how mad.
Her 55-member chorus class was seated three feet away.
"I was shocked and embarrassed," he said, "at the atrocious, near-blasphemous interpretation of our National Anthem at Friday's football game."
"I cannot imagine where you came upon such an idea as to use screaming, ear-piercing guitar NOISE. Your rendition was a desecration! I've apologized all weekend to board members, parents, and members of the community about this atrocity. THIS WILL NOT HAPPEN AGAIN. Any further such shenanigans could cost you your job."
Being the wimp that she was, her only comeback was, "Yes, sir."
Loud? She thought back. Sure, it was supposed to be. A 17-year-old guitarist had wowed a sell-out crowd with touches of Jimi Hendrix's "Star Spangled Banner" at the opening season game. His piercing screams through classic stacked Marshall amps were as tremendous as the new-and-improved a cappella vocals of the high school chorus. The stands went wild, but in a GOOD way.
So I took a risk, she thought. Was it worth it?
Remembering the once-in-a-lifetime look on the kid's face, she merely smiled.
~Elaine Drennon Little
Elaine Drennon Little is a writer and a high school chorus teacher in north
Georgia. Recent work is online at afterDinner and Dead Mule. Email.
© 2004 by Elaine Drennon Little. All Rights Reserved.
© Copyright 2004 by Cayuse Press. All Rights Reserved.