|
|
Chapter 19: The Beginning
The Holiday Season
was approaching rapidly. So was Ike’s birthday. Diana planned
a birthday party for her son at a pizza parlor that specialized in arcade
and laser games.
That way Ike could have all his friends around that were his own
age and not mind that his younger brothers were also part of the party.
The boys were close, probably closer than most siblings, because they spent
most of their time together, but even in the close knit Hanson family,
peer pressure sometime arose.
Taylor and Zac disappeared playing on their favorite video games and Ike was left to surround himself with his friends his own age. His party was a success and then the family had a small private party that included only family and close friends.
Thanksgiving meant family.
They went to Walkers parents home for the holiday and the older Mrs.
Hanson
did her best fill everyone to the brim. Ike and Taylor played
soccer with their older cousins. This time they were able to hold
their positions successfully, thanks to all the hours spent practicing.
Zac disappeared. Vanished. The entire family scattered to try
to find him and after a twenty minute search they were frantic.
They were about to call the police when Zac just walked out of a closet
with a video game in his hand.
“I beat it!” he announced with a happy grin.
“Zac! Haven’t you heard everyone calling for you?” Walker demanded.
“No,” Zac answered totally oblivious to worry that he had caused.
“I think you and I need to have a little talk,” Walker exclaimed, as the rest of the family chuckled and laughed.
***
Diana put the Christmas tree up on the first day of December.
She and the boys spent a whole day making colored popcorn balls and sprinkled
colored sugar on them to make them sparkle. They waited until Walker
got home and they decorated
the tree together.
A couple of days later there were definite bare spots on the
tree. It seemed that every time she looked at the boys, at least
one of them was sporting a colored tongue
or colored sugar sprinkles stuck to their faces. Five days
after the tree went up it was bare. Next, they baked cookies.
Diana baked dozens and dozens of cookies that she let the boys decorate
in wild, bright colors and hang on the tree. She knew it would be
only a matter of days before the tree would be bare again but that didn’t
matter.
What was important, to her and Walker, was that the boys have joyful
memories.
She would just have to keep coming up with ideas to decorate the
tree.
Diana loved Christmas music.
She dug out all their Christmas albums and put them on the stereo
for them
to enjoy. The boys soon took over the chore of restacking the albums
and
they played their favorites over and over. Walker spent his
evening teaching them a medley of Gospel Christmas Carols in three-part
harmony. One evening they took the boys to local production of
‘The Nut Cracker’ which Diana loved, Walker enjoyed, but the show was
wasted on the boys. Towards the end of the program it was all they
could do to keep open warfare from breaking out between the popcorn throwing
trio. They faired much better at the Church Caroling Program.
The boys really enjoyed
the singing and they enjoyed the hot chocolate and cookies that
were served
afterwards.
Heavily involved in the church activities, the boys all had small
parts in the Christmas Pageant. That meant costumes had to be made
and parts had to be learned. There
were also Christmas parties to be attended. The home schooling
association
had a huge party for the children and there was the corporate parties
to
attend.
* * *
“Ike stand still. I can’t get this tie straight,” Diana exclaimed.
“If it’s a party and we’re supposed to have fun, how come we have to wear ties?” Ike asked struggling.
“It is a party, but I want my boys to look their best.” Diana
explained.
“Is Jerry going to be at the party?” Taylor asked.
“Jerry went home over Christmas break. He’s in Texas with his mother.” “Diana explained. “Now, boys listen to me. The people at this party are the people from Daddy’s work. We want you to be on your very best behavior.”
Ike and Taylor exchanged looks. They thought it was going to
be grown-up party. The fact that their parents had dropped Jessica
off at their aunts meant no babies were allowed. That meant it wasn’t
going to be very much fun for them either. At
grown-up parties their main job would be to keep track of little
brother Zac and keep him out of trouble.
But, when the boys got to the party they were surprised to
find that it was a kid friendly party. There was a huge Christmas
tree in the large auditorium and a massive amount of presents piled up
around it. Zac who was already a little suspicious
about the reality of Santa Clause started asking questions immediately.
Walker put his son off by telling him that the presents weren’t
from Santa but from his company and that he behaved himself he would get
one at the end of the evening. Walker gave the last minute warnings about
behaving themselves. Diana cautioned the boys not to pig out on all
the candy and sweets but to wait until later
when they would all eat together. Then boys were left to find
entertainment
for themselves. Zac ran off to check out the presents under
the Christmas
tree.
Several little girls passed them wearing pink tutu’s and sneakers.
“Do you think they’re going to dance?” Taylor asked his brother making a face.
“I hope not,” Ike answered with equal lack of appreciation for ballet. “Come on, there’s some video games over there. Let’s find Zac.”
Zac was Ike and Taylor’s secret weapon. When they couldn’t get someone to move off a game they often challenged them in a game against their little brother. Zac was little and innocent looking but on video games he was the Zac-inator. He had beaten every game that they owned or borrowed, challenging the built in programs. Against an opponent he was almost unbeatable. When he won, he would let out a wild, hysterical laugh. Zac loved a challenge.
Walker and Diana kept an eye on their boys until they were sure that they were interacting well with the other children. Then they began to relax and enjoy themselves talking to friends and acquaintances that they hadn’t seen in over a year.
The oil company Walker worked for prided itself in being family
oriented and supportive. Everyone was on a first name basis and it
was a friendly atmosphere. Children were running around and chasing
each other and occasionally they would,
with their parents encouragement, get up and perform. It wasn’t
an organized talent show, just children showing off their talents and their
innocent joy in performing. When they were ready, someone would announce
their names, or they would simply start performing and the adults in the
room would look to see who was performing. That evening the tutu’ed
little girls danced to an excerpt from ‘The Nut Cracker’. They were
not very coordinated or very good. The roomful of parents were polite
and applauded the efforts with good cheer although a great many of them
were simply not paying attention.
Ike, Taylor and Zac spent most of their evening playing video games. They periodically checked in with their parents, but they were left pretty much on their own. Ike and Taylor were checking out the large candy laden tables when two kids, a boy and a girl of about ten, stood up and began to sing.
They were slightly off-key and little out of synch with music, but the parents still clapped when they were through.
“Yuck. We can sing a whole lot better than that,” Taylor whispered to Ike.
Ike nodded his head and then he smiled at his brother. “Why don’t we sing?”
“Will they let us?” Taylor asked.
“Why not, we sing better than they do and if we don’t ask, nobody can tell us no.” Ike reasoned.
“Let’s find Zac,” Taylor exclaimed.
They found Zac at the desert table. He had a chocolate iced
brownie in his hand and a ring of chocolate around his mouth. Ike
took his little brother by the hand
and led him off to the bathroom.
“Zac do you think you could sing in front of those people out
there and not get scared?” Ike asked washing the chocolate off his brother's
mouth and hands.
“Why?” Zac demanded.
“Cause, we can sing better than those kids out there,” Taylor said, “and cause we want too.”
Zac shrugged not caring one way or the other. “Okay.”
“You won’t get scared?” Ike asked.
Zac rolled his eyes upward at his brother. “What I get for singing?”
“Zac, we don’t have anything to give you,” Taylor complained because his little brother always wanted something in exchange for doing what his brothers wanted him do.
“I want another brownie,” Zac said.
Taylor looked at Ike and shrugged.
“Okay, but you’d better not mess up!”
Zac stuck his tongue out at his brother as part of the bribe and exchange.
“What are we going to sing?”
Taylor asked turning to Ike to make the decision. The boys huddled together for minute and their choice was a classic Christmas song they had been singing at home.
The boys milled around the edge of the crowd for a good twenty minutes
before they summoned enough courage to determine that they were really
going to do it. They had never sung before anyone except their parents
and the family. The longer
they waited the more they were losing their nerve. Taylor
was getting a little red because he always blushed when he was nervous
or excited and he was looking to Ike to make the first move. Zac
was beginning to look like he was going to bolt at any second.
Ike took a deep breath and began to snap his fingers. Taylor
riveted his attention on his brother and started snapping his fingers and
on the eighth beat they began the
note with perfect harmony, Zac joined in perfectly on his note.
Focused on the sound of their own voices the boys were not aware of the
gradual silence that settled over the party room.
Walker and Diana noticed.
From the first note they looked at each other in surprise to hear the voices of their sons. Then they leaned into each other and listened with pride as their boys sang a beautiful rendition of White Christmas.
The applause was the loudest of the night. Someone shouted, “Sing another song!” and then there were several other voices that voiced the same request.
Ike, Taylor and Zac were grinning at each other but now they didn’t know what to do. Now that the song was over they were embarrassed by the clapping and shouts for more.
A man stepped forward and spoke gently to Ike. “Would you sing another song?”
Ike nodded, and the three blond head closed together for a short
whispering session.
“We can’t see them,” someone shouted from the back of the room.
The man that had spoken to Ike, lifted a flower arrangement off a table and motioned for the boys towards him. He lifted Zac and Taylor and Ike up on the table top.
Now the boys were facing a whole room of people who were directing
their attention only on them. Ike took a deep breath and started
snapping his fingers. Taylor and Zac
followed his lead and they launched into the medley of Christian
Christmas songs that they had been practicing with their father.
From the first note they captured and held the focus of every person in
the room. No one spoke, or lifted a drink or ate as they sang. When
the very last note of perfect harmony resonated there was a long silent
moment of disbelief. Then the applause erupted accompanied by many
words of
praise. “Beautiful,” “Wonderful,” “Lovely” as the table was
surrounded
by the adults congratulating the young boys.
Walker and Diana made their way through the crowd trying to reach their sons. Almost everyone had something to say in praise of their boys voices and talent. Several people made offers for the boys to sing at their Christmas parties. By the time they reached the table the boys were smiling and being polite but their parents could tell by the looks on their faces that they wanted out of the center of attention, fast. But they were trapped by the people surrounding them.
Walker and Diana reached for their boys effectively clearing an area around them. Ike and Taylor jumped off the table to the floor.
“Daddy! Did you see us sing?” Zac exclaimed.
“I heard you sing,” Walker corrected as his son jumped into his arms. “I also saw you.”
“Did we do good?” Taylor asked.
Diana hugged Ike and Taylor. “You sang beautifully.
Your Dad and I are very proud of you.”
Walker set his youngest son down on the floor and squatted down
to his level. “You guys were awesome. You were so good no one
could believe what they were hearing. I’m very proud of you.”
Ike and Taylor were grinning.
Zac had other things on his mind. “I get my brownie. Now.”
“I think I’m going to be peeling you off the ceiling tonight,” Diana said taking her son by the hand. “But, after that performance, I think you all deserve a brownie.”
The Hanson family wove their way through the partying crowd to try to find an empty table. They were stopped every few feet by someone praising their singing or just telling them how ‘cute’ the boys were. Depositing the boys at the table Walker and Diana went up to the buffet tablea and loaded up several plates with food and one plate with just deserts. One of the catering staff offered Diana a tray and she loaded it with plates of food. They were over at the beverage table getting drinks for the kids when the president of the company walked up behind Walker and pounded him on the shoulder.
“Walker those kids of yours have been the highlight of the party!” Mr. Johnson boomed.
“Thank you,” Walker exclaimed.
‘I read the reports and evaluations on your work in South America,” the man said. “Good work, very good work, your Christmas Bonus will show you how much it was appreciated.”
“Thank you,” Walker repeated with a smile. It was always nice to know your work was being noticed.
“I’m having a Christmas luncheon over at the Fairview Country Club,” Mr. Johnson explained. “Clients, potential clients, you know the d rill, boring as crap and dull as mud. How about bringing those kids over to sing and to liven it up a it?”
“I’ll have to ask boys?” Walker answered truthfully. “I mean, we were surprised that they sang tonight. They’ve never sang in public before.”
“Well you ask ‘um,” Mr. Johnson exclaimed with his loud voice. ‘In fact, if they’ll sing, I’ll even pay them. Put a little money away for their college fund.”
“That won’t be necessary,” Walker protested.
“Nonsense. If the little guys are going to work they should be paid for it,” Mr. Johnson exclaimed. “Talk to them.”
“I will,” Walker promised somewhat stunned. He looked at Diana and she just raised her eyebrows and shrugged her head slightly. She was just as surprised.
They carried their laded trays back to the table and sorted out the
plates for their children. Throughout their meal, they were interrupted
by smiling, enthusiastic friends. The tutu’ed little girls came over
to their table and stuttered and giggled
as their way through a few sentences of congratulations for Ike
and Taylor.
Then with a squeal and giggle they ran off.
“Hey Dad, when is your company going to have another party like this one?” Ike asked.
“Probably in the spring,” Walker answered. “Why?”
“Cause we could sing again!” Taylor blurted out.
“You boys really want to sing again?” Walker asked.
Ike scooped up a big bite of potato salad. “Yeah!” and Taylor echoed him with his own “Yeah! I like singing in front of people!”
Walker looked over to Zac who was much more interested in the piece of cake in front of him. “How about you little guy?”
“Me too!” Zac agreed.
“Okay guys, how about Saturday. You have your first official gig. You’ll be singing for Mr. Johnson at a Country Club luncheon.”
“Yeah!” the boys exclaimed together and then Taylor asked “Daddy, what’s a Gig?”
Walker looked over to Diana. “What have we started?” he asked.
Diana looked over at the happy faces of her children and the stunned face of her husband.
“I don’t know, but I have strange feeling that this is just the Beginning!”
The End.