Chapter 2

Sam McPherson and Jenny Brennan were both attractive and introverted, but despite that, they met on a rainy day at the Ohio State campus. He carried an open umbrella, reaching into the sky, above most other students, rushing to a psychology class, and Jenny went to the same building, getting wet. Sam saw an attractive woman next to him. He offered his umbrella to keep her partially dry, and she accepted.

“What’s your next class?” asked Sam, immediately attracted to her tall and slim body.

“Psychology,” said Jenny.

“That’s where I’m going. We could sit together.”

“Fine.”

The following Saturday, they went out for burgers and fries, and they talked. He noticed that Jenny was a sensitive person, relishing home values, whereas he was athletically inclined, playing soccer with a rougher demeanor. Jenny’s father immigrated from Ireland, and he married an Irish beauty. Sam’s mother was a fourth-generation Swede, and she married Phillip McPherson. His genealogy was hard to trace, but according to a DNA test, he was one-quarter black with Scotch, German, and Italian rounding out the remainder of his lineage. Sam and Jenny had a lot to talk about their heritage and their future. They planned their education as well as their life. They decided to marry, move into an apartment, and finish their studies. Sam studied engineering, and Jenny received her degree in education. In 2001, they married, and both received their Ph.D.’s. Then they returned to Cleveland, the city of champions. Both became teachers; Jenny in high school and Sam at a local engineering college. As soon as they accumulated enough money, they bought a beautiful home in Shaker Heights with four bedrooms and two baths. Since Jenny knew how to play the piano, they decided to put a keyboard into the living room. In their recreation room, they set up a thirty-seven inch, flat-panel TV. In 2003, the birth of their twins gave them the added responsibility of being new parents. Since both had active lives, teaching, they hired a live-in nanny. Her name was Mary Gonzalez. If it wouldn’t be for Mary, Jenny would have had to stay at home raising her twins. After one year, the twins developed into beautiful little girls. Their hair turned dark, and both had beautiful, dark eyes. Shortly after that, both started to walk. Then they ran around in the living room, and they crawled up and down the carpeted steps. And when Jenny went to her piano to practice a familiar tune, Sophia ran to the keyboard to sit to the right side of her mother. While Jenny played a simple melody, Sophia repeated the same song, or close to it, one octave higher. Jenny stopped playing, looked at her daughter, and said, “Sophia could you repeat that.”

“Yes, mother.” And Sophia repeated the same melody. Jenny called Sam. He was grading papers in the study, “Sam I have something to show you.” Sam was slightly perturbed because he wanted to finish grading papers, “Yes, what is it?” Jenny played a part of Kookaburra. Sam looked at his wife and said, “So. I know that you can play this song.”

“Sophia, can you repeat what I just played.”

“Sure, Mommy.” Then she played the same song, just one octave higher.” Sam couldn’t believe what he saw, “How is this possible?”

“That’s what I want to ask you, dear. How does Sophia do that?” Before Sam had an opportunity to say something, Olivia sang with the most precise voice, “Kookaburra sits on an old gum tree — Merry, merry king of the bush is he ….” Now both parents were speechless. Finally, Sam said, “This is incredible. Sophia plays the piano, and Olivia sings like an opera star. How is this possible?”

“I don’t know, Sam. However, I believe that they are gifted children.” From that day on, the twins spent lots of time with the piano. Occasionally, they broke away from the keyboard and went to the playground, under the supervision of Mary, their nanny. During those rare moments, the twins were happy. They ran, laughed, and hugged each other, but somehow, they knew that their life was predetermined by a belief that they are gifted. They did well in school. When Sophia was eight, she played Christmas songs at the school Christmas parties while Olivia sang the same songs. When the twins reached their tenth birthday, they performed in their local church. Sophia stayed in church after their performances, and she practiced on the church organ. The unique sounds she played resonated throughout the church, and priests returned and listened. Jenny always waited for her daughter, and when she finished practicing, Jenny said, “What am I going to do with the two of you?”

“What do you mean, mother?”

“Well, you both have God-given talents. Your dad and I believe that we should allow you to develop your skills when you are of age.”

“How, mother?” Jenny pressed her lips and said, “Your father and I talked about both of you, and we decided that we should send you to a music school. That is if they will accept you.” Sophia turned sad and said, “When will that happen, mother?”

“I don’t know yet. I have to call and find out.”

After discussing the subject with her husband, Jenny decided to call Vanity Music School. That institute specializes in piano, guitar, and brass instruments, and it also provides lessons in voice, ear training, composition, and music theory. The school is located on the West Side of Cleveland, in an idyllic location. One-hundred-year-old walnut trees grow along the beautiful paths, connecting the dormitories to the classroom buildings. Squirrels are jumping from tree to tree collecting nuts for the winter. The trails are removed from the hustle of city life, except for a couple of streets near the school.

The admissions officer granted the twins an opportunity to show off their musical skills. On a Saturday morning, Jenny and Sam drove the twins to the school to have them tested. When the twins were done, the instructor, Jordan Powell, said to Sam, “Professor McPherson, I have to talk to both of you in private. Please come to my office. The twins should wait outside.” Jenny and Sam looked at each other, and they thought, no question about it. The twins failed miserably. The instructor stepped behind his desk, “Please sit. I must talk to you.”

“So, what are you going to tell us, Jordan?” said Sam, anticipating dismissal.

“Professor, I have never before seen such talent at such an early age, discounting Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart.”

“Really,” said Sam and Jenny, relieved.

“Yes, indeed. When can the twins start? I could have a double room ready for the twins in one week.” The parents did not expect this response, and Jenny said, “We could register them on their twelfth birthday.” Jordan Powell was disappointed, but he finally agreed that the twins would start at the Vanity Music School in 2015.