Part 11

I CAN HEAR MUSIC

On Saturday, come the weekend, Edward was up bright and early, taking the bus to Dr. Ravenscroft's Home again, ready for his first lesson. Millvina greeted him at the door. Walking in, the Home's aroma was one of coffee. "I just brewed it, feel free to have a cup on the house!", she said fondly.
"Thank you."

He decided to drink some of the coffee, and had mixed feelings about it. It seemed to make him more energetic and focused, but its taste was rather bitter. Millvina subsequently explained to him how to use cream and sugar or stevia to modify the taste.

Down a long hallway, turning right, and down another long hallway she led him, to a music room with a grand piano. There, Dr. Ravenscroft stood in front of a collection of desks, chairs and sofas, some of which were occupied by boarders.

"Good morning to you, Mr. Edward!" he called to him, and bowed.
Edward bowed back, instinctually. "Good morning!"
"Did you have a good week?"
"Yes I did. I couldn't wait to come back here."
"Oh, that's wonderful to hear! I'm about to give a lecture on music. Feel free to sit anywhere you like, I told the boarders you'd probably be back soon."

Edward located Grant, seated in a very comfortable-looking recliner, and sat next to him.
"Grant, it's me, Edward! Hello."
"Hi Edward! I knew it was you. I recognized the smell."
"You did? What do I smell like?"
"Cooking oil."

From what Edward knew of the blind, their lack of sight often forced them to develop their surviving senses further than most people. Still, he was surprised. The clothes he was wearing had been laundered the previous week and Edward couldn't even smell any oil on himself.

There was a tapping sound. Edward and Grant turned their heads from one another to face Dr. Ravenscroft, who was about to begin speaking.

"Hello hello, all residents and friends. I'd like to talk to you today about music. Music is everywhere in our world, and there are few places you can go without hearing at least a bit of it…music is one of the main 'expressive' techniques of mankind. The things that are inside us…our happiness, our sorrow and anger, our gratitude…victories…fears…they all find easy expression with sound."

Listen to my music
And hear what it can do
There's something here as strong as life
I know that it will reach you.
-Rush

He sat at his piano.

"How is music able to do this? How can it have such power? There are so many ways…it would be exhaustive to list even part of them. But one of the main ways is through its key signature."

Edward thought about the music he'd heard throughout his life. The inventor had played music around Edward. Composers from centuries ago. Palestrina, Bach, Chopin…and more recently, opera and showtunes. There was the music he'd heard in the suburbs, and the music that played in facilities around L.A. But at the moment, the only musical devices he had in his home were a number of music boxes. Maybe, he thought, if he plunged into music, he'd be more complete?

Dr. Ravenscroft played about 30 seconds of a tune on the piano, while everyone listened.

"What I've just played is in C Major. C Major is considered something of a 'default' key signature. You'll notice that it's made up of only the white notes on the piano."

He cleared his throat before continuing.

"Many of the musical masters of centuries past believed, very strongly, that the key signature for a piece of music must be considered carefully. That you cannot simply replace a song's key with a different one without altering the song's true meaning."

He re-played the tune from earlier, this time in F# Major, and Edward noticed the images and emotions it invoked didn't seem the same as the first time.

"C Major, for example, often has a very pure, innocent, childlike sound to it." Dr. Ravenscroft improvised a lengthier C Major composition to illustrate this. It was quite mellifluous and Edward tried, very softly, to hum it to himself.

"Then, there are keys like E Major. E Major is more exuberant and aggressive. Sometimes when I play music in this key, I swear I can feel the temperature rising!". There were some laughs in the audience.
He made his point by performing the Finale from the William Tell Overture, a famous E Major song.

"Contrasting with both of these keys is B-Flat Major. This key is superb for wistful, yearning pieces. And just as E Major has a curiously 'hot' sound to it, B-Flat Major seems icy and 'Christmas-like', for lack of a better word."

Edward simply fell in love with the B-Flat Major tune. It was easily his favorite so far. As it played, his mind wandered, far from the music room, to happy memories of last Christmas…the ice angel he made, Kim twirling under the falling snow…for just a moment, in the midst of woe and hardship, they had been happy together. They were now happy again. For how long, though? What tribulations would the future bring? Whatever they may be, he had to grow in his ability to anticipate and endure them. Happiness would ebb and flow like the tides.

Dr. Ravenscroft was speaking again, and Edward snapped himself out of the digression. "However, something important to emphasize: there is some flexibility in the musical keys. It's helpful to think of them as having a 'default' mood or a 'tendency' that can still be modified or overridden if the song's composer wants to. Take E-Flat Minor, for example."

He played a foreboding scale.

"Doesn't it sound diabolical and frightening? Well, believe it or not, this key can still hold some very optimistic-sounding music within it."

He played several ascending chords in E-Flat Minor, over and over again. Swinging and springy. The audience bobbed their heads. Edward looked over at Grant, who was really getting into the song, snapping his fingers.

The lesson lasted about 45 minutes and when it was over, Edward felt like he had walked away a little wiser, a little more in-tune with the ways of life, without sacrificing any of his individuality. He was wondering if he should take up singing as a new hobby. Though he was less attached to the concept of having normal hands than he'd been before the dark night of the soul he'd experienced Christmas Eve, he was also considering playing an instrument once he had them. Or if the hands couldn't be made, finding an instrument that could be played hands-free.

As Edward got up from his seat, he approached Dr. Ravenscroft to speak with him.
"Thank you, Dr. Ravenscroft, that was very informative."
"You're welcome. By the way, I've been mulling over what you asked, regarding the snow. …How do you know you're the cause of it?"
"It didn't snow here until I got here. And I used to live somewhere where it didn't snow either. Until the local family took me in."
"Florida…", his eyes stared in awe at Edward, and he began to believe his words.
"Do you know why it's happening?"
"Well, it could be…that this world is a really heated place. People are inhumane to one another, in the most irrational ways. If things were a lot colder…I think that would help a lot of people cool down and cooperate. And appreciate the beauty more. You might have a role to play there. Maybe we need that icy B-Flat Major in our lives", he laughed.
"I see."
"But one thing: Edward, this is very important." Dr. Ravenscroft stared seriously at him. Don't tell anyone, and I mean anyone, that you're the reason it's snowing. I…fear the worst may happen if other people knew about that about you."

Edward understood this from his experiences with traitors, and he wouldn't divulge it any further. Dr. Ravenscroft's answer seemed plausible to him, enough to considered the issue settled.

After the lesson, Edward and Grant got to bond in the kitchen as they ate sandwiches and aided in the housework. Edward found that his hands were ideal for spearing pieces of trash and placing them in the wastebasket, and his extended reach enabled him to dust areas that were off-limits to other people. Grant retrieved food and water for all of the cats, using a cane to find his way around.

"So Edward, what do you like to do?"
"I like to create things…sculptures, topiaries, hairstyles…"
"You're a regular renaissance man!", Grant exclaimed. "How old are you?"
"How old do you think I am?"
"Hmmm…I don't know…based on your voice, I'm gonna guess maybe 26?"
"Okay. That sounds good to me."
"You actually don't know?"
"I had a…strange childhood…so no, I don't know."
"It's alright, man. No judgment here. I guess that makes you timeless or something."

Grant laughed at his pun. He reminded Edward of Kevin, if he were more mature and his abrasive edges had been smoothed out.

"Did you finish Dracula, Grant?"
"Yeah! It's all yours. Not sure what I want to read next…I've heard good things about Tolstoy, but dang, is War And Peace a big book. You could knock someone's teeth out with it! If I choose that sucker, it's gonna take a while to finish."
"What's it about?"
"It takes place during the War Of 1812. That's when Napoleon invaded Russia. All of Europe was thrown into chaos!"
"Wow…"
"Yeah, history is really interesting sometimes. Anyways, what'd you think of today's lesson?"
"I liked it a lot. It makes me want to listen to more music. Or sing."
"Haha! You go ahead, renaissance man. I'm gonna focus on writing my own novel. It's about a number code that's totally secret, and no one can figure out the meaning of it." Grant made his voice dramatic. "At least…not yet. DUN DUN DUN." Edward laughed at his antics.

"Hey Eddy!", Millvina approached Edward as he left, once the cleaning was over.
"Yes?" Edward asked.
"You said you have a girlfriend, right? Does she live around here?"
"She's visiting at the moment."
"Well that's just fan-freaking-tastic, she's invited to come over!"
"I'll let her know. Bye Millvina." He waved and walked out the gates to the curb.

On the bus ride back to his house, Edward reflected on the blessings that Dr. Ravenscroft, Millvina, and now Grant had given to his life. Unlike some of the neighbors he'd met last year, none of them seemed to have a crooked nature at all. The darkness couldn't overpower their light. He was inspired to give back and share with them things of his own. He considered asking if they'd like their hair cut, or gifting them handmade clay figurines. There were also other residents to meet, he reminded himself. What a lovely place, that home sweet home.

Edward walked into his house, into the bedroom, where Kim was sleeping in. It was past 11.
"Kim, I had a great time this morning."
"Edward…you woke me up." She groaned.
"I'm sorry. I'll be more careful."
"I appreciate that…anyways, you had a great morning? Were you with Dr. Ravenscroft again?"
"Yes. And they invited you to visit."
"That's so sweet…it sounds like a place with a lot of caring people. I'd love to check it out. When can we head over?"
"Maybe…tonight?"