I held onto the railing as the ship coursed through the Atlantic Ocean. "What do you see now Uncle John?" "There's land far in the distance," he said, "We'll be in Paris before dark." My heart leapt with excitement. Paris! I was really almost there! "Are you sure you don't want to come in Carolyn dear? It's quite cold. You might get sick." "I'll be fine," I said smiling. Dear Aunt Kathryn. She was so kind, yet sometimes, so overprotective. Yes, I was blind, but certainly not the fragile child she sometimes treated me as. Extending my cane, I began to walk around the deck, savoring the feeling of the cold air on my face. I squinted against the bright sun.
An hour or so later, we docked in France. The feeling of land under my feet after half a month at sea was strange. "I feel sort of dizzy," I said. "Oh, you just need to get your land legs back," Uncle John said, putting a hand on my shoulder to support me. We walked for a while, and then boarded a carriage for Paris.
The journey seemed endless. I wanted so badly to get there! After what seemed like days, the carriage stopped. We gathered our bags, and headed for a hotel. I tried my best to use my cane along the sidewalks, letting Uncle John and Aunt Kathryn help me across the unfamiliar streets. I heard more than one amazed onlooker exclaim in a low voice, "That girl is blind, and she's walking around like she knows where she's going!" I smiled to myself. I had to expect that from some people. Some thought that because of my disability, I couldn't live as full a life as anyone else. I never considered myself disabled. I just had to do things differently.
After we'd been walking for a while, Uncle John said, "Carolyn, we're at the Opera house. It's beautiful, with elaborate designs and marble statues. Wait, stop for a minute. Let me see what this sign says...They're holding auditions for chorus members through tomorrow evening." I knew in an instant that I wanted to audition although I didn't ask then. I wanted to wait until we were settled in.
We checked into the hotel and were shown to our adjoining rooms. After unpacking and washing up, we went to dinner at one of the cafes that lined the streets. I had never tasted such wonderful food in my life. The wine was also excellent. It was late by the time we went back to the hotel, and we were all very tired. "I want to audition at the Opera tomorrow," I said as we arrived at our rooms, "I know I have a chance of getting in." "Yes," Aunt Kathryn said, "but dear, there are complications. Surely you realize that." "What complications?" I asked, "I've been studying voice for five years, and had some talent before I even began formal training."
"For one thing, we don't live in France. If you got in, you would have to move here. I realize you're very independent, but Carolyn, we couldn't just leave you here."
"Why not? I'm 18, and perfectly capable of living on my own."
"Yes, but how would you learn your way around this huge city?"
"The same way I learned my way around San Francisco."
"But here you won't have an instructor from the Blind School to show you."
"I'll help her," Uncle john said, "I think it would be wonderful for her." "I don't know," Aunt Kathryn, said, "I'd be so worried." "I know," I said, "but you'll worry about me no matter where I live. So please, give me this opportunity."
"Well,...all right, we'll go tomorrow."
"Thank you!" I said hugging them both.
I awoke the next morning, feeling slightly nervous, but very excited. After warming up my voice, we headed for the opera house. "I think it would look better if you go in on your own," Uncle John said, "good luck Carolyn." "Don't be nervous," Aunt Kathryn said, "you can do this." I walked through the door, and headed towards the voices that I heard. "May I help you?" A man asked. "Yes please," I said in fluent French, "I am here to audition." I sensed the hesitation in his voice. "All...right. If you'll take my arm, I'll leas you to the auditorium." Once there, I sat in a seat, and waited for my turn. My nervousness grew as I heard other people auditioning. I had never heard such glorious voices before! Was I really as good as any of them? I prayed feverishly, asking God to grant me the strength to use my gift, and not faint. "It's your turn now," the man who had led me in said. I got up, and was led onstage. "What is your name?" He asked. "Carolyn Ingraham." "Age?" "Eighteen." "Experience?" "I've sung in church, state and national choirs." "Any solo experience?" "Yes. I've sung many arias and classical religious pieces." "You realize," he said, "that performing in an opera would be an enormous challenge." "I know," I said, "but I am up for the challenge." "Well, in that case, what will you be singing?" "Bell song," I replied, holding out my music. He took it. My heart was pounding, and I was shaking violently. I concentrated on standing up straight, and tried to relax. The accompanist began to play. I took a deep breath, and began to sing. My voice filled the room. After awhile, I relaxed fully, and sang with all my heart. There was a long and loud chorus of applause when I finished. "That was very well done," the man said. After that, he had me walk around the stage without my cane. I tried to keep my movements from looking jerky and unnatural. "Well done," he said, "there will be a list on the door tomorrow." I was shown out by a man named Richard. As we walked through a long corridor, I had the odd sensation that someone was following us. "How did it go?" Aunt Kathryn asked when I got outside. "I think it went very well," I replied. We spent the rest of the day walking around Paris. My Aunt and Uncle described all of the magnificent sites to me in great detail. That night, I dreamed of performing at the Opera.
An hour or so later, we docked in France. The feeling of land under my feet after half a month at sea was strange. "I feel sort of dizzy," I said. "Oh, you just need to get your land legs back," Uncle John said, putting a hand on my shoulder to support me. We walked for a while, and then boarded a carriage for Paris.
The journey seemed endless. I wanted so badly to get there! After what seemed like days, the carriage stopped. We gathered our bags, and headed for a hotel. I tried my best to use my cane along the sidewalks, letting Uncle John and Aunt Kathryn help me across the unfamiliar streets. I heard more than one amazed onlooker exclaim in a low voice, "That girl is blind, and she's walking around like she knows where she's going!" I smiled to myself. I had to expect that from some people. Some thought that because of my disability, I couldn't live as full a life as anyone else. I never considered myself disabled. I just had to do things differently.
After we'd been walking for a while, Uncle John said, "Carolyn, we're at the Opera house. It's beautiful, with elaborate designs and marble statues. Wait, stop for a minute. Let me see what this sign says...They're holding auditions for chorus members through tomorrow evening." I knew in an instant that I wanted to audition although I didn't ask then. I wanted to wait until we were settled in.
We checked into the hotel and were shown to our adjoining rooms. After unpacking and washing up, we went to dinner at one of the cafes that lined the streets. I had never tasted such wonderful food in my life. The wine was also excellent. It was late by the time we went back to the hotel, and we were all very tired. "I want to audition at the Opera tomorrow," I said as we arrived at our rooms, "I know I have a chance of getting in." "Yes," Aunt Kathryn said, "but dear, there are complications. Surely you realize that." "What complications?" I asked, "I've been studying voice for five years, and had some talent before I even began formal training."
"For one thing, we don't live in France. If you got in, you would have to move here. I realize you're very independent, but Carolyn, we couldn't just leave you here."
"Why not? I'm 18, and perfectly capable of living on my own."
"Yes, but how would you learn your way around this huge city?"
"The same way I learned my way around San Francisco."
"But here you won't have an instructor from the Blind School to show you."
"I'll help her," Uncle john said, "I think it would be wonderful for her." "I don't know," Aunt Kathryn, said, "I'd be so worried." "I know," I said, "but you'll worry about me no matter where I live. So please, give me this opportunity."
"Well,...all right, we'll go tomorrow."
"Thank you!" I said hugging them both.
I awoke the next morning, feeling slightly nervous, but very excited. After warming up my voice, we headed for the opera house. "I think it would look better if you go in on your own," Uncle John said, "good luck Carolyn." "Don't be nervous," Aunt Kathryn said, "you can do this." I walked through the door, and headed towards the voices that I heard. "May I help you?" A man asked. "Yes please," I said in fluent French, "I am here to audition." I sensed the hesitation in his voice. "All...right. If you'll take my arm, I'll leas you to the auditorium." Once there, I sat in a seat, and waited for my turn. My nervousness grew as I heard other people auditioning. I had never heard such glorious voices before! Was I really as good as any of them? I prayed feverishly, asking God to grant me the strength to use my gift, and not faint. "It's your turn now," the man who had led me in said. I got up, and was led onstage. "What is your name?" He asked. "Carolyn Ingraham." "Age?" "Eighteen." "Experience?" "I've sung in church, state and national choirs." "Any solo experience?" "Yes. I've sung many arias and classical religious pieces." "You realize," he said, "that performing in an opera would be an enormous challenge." "I know," I said, "but I am up for the challenge." "Well, in that case, what will you be singing?" "Bell song," I replied, holding out my music. He took it. My heart was pounding, and I was shaking violently. I concentrated on standing up straight, and tried to relax. The accompanist began to play. I took a deep breath, and began to sing. My voice filled the room. After awhile, I relaxed fully, and sang with all my heart. There was a long and loud chorus of applause when I finished. "That was very well done," the man said. After that, he had me walk around the stage without my cane. I tried to keep my movements from looking jerky and unnatural. "Well done," he said, "there will be a list on the door tomorrow." I was shown out by a man named Richard. As we walked through a long corridor, I had the odd sensation that someone was following us. "How did it go?" Aunt Kathryn asked when I got outside. "I think it went very well," I replied. We spent the rest of the day walking around Paris. My Aunt and Uncle described all of the magnificent sites to me in great detail. That night, I dreamed of performing at the Opera.