Summer Sanctuary Read Online Free PDF Page B

might recognize it.
    Dinah settled into the front pew, as I began playing
Für Elise
. She remained completely silent through the whole piece. Then when I was done she gave me a standing ovation. “That was great!” she exclaimed. “Keep practicing.”
    I turned to
Londonderry Air
, another traditional piece that I thought she might recognize. I’d only played the first four measures when she jumped up and cried, “That’s
Danny Boy
! What key are you playing in?”
    I looked at the music—no sharps or flats. “C,” I said.
    â€œCan I play with you?” asked Dinah, as she pulled a harmonica out of her pocket.
    â€œSure,” I replied, trying to hide my surprise. I didn’t know anyone who played the harmonica. As I began playing again, the harmonica sweetly echoed the melody line I was playing. Dinah added a little riff at the end, and I stood up and applauded for her. “That wasreally good,” I complemented her sincerely. “Did you just play it from memory?”
    â€œKind of,” Dinah said. “Are there any other songs in that book I might know?”
    Dinah joined me on the piano bench, and we began looking through the index of the songbook together. “This is all classical stuff, isn’t it?” she asked looking a little disappointed.
    â€œIt is, but you might recognize some of it. How about
Ode to Joy
?” I asked flipping through the pages.
    â€œLudwig von Beethoven,
Symphony Number 9
, 4th Movement,” Dinah read from the songbook. “Never heard of it,” she said shaking her head. “How’s it go?”
    As I started playing, Dinah started nodding. “Yeah, I have heard that before.”
    â€œWe sing it at church,” I said, and began singing, “Joyful, joyful we adore thee, God of Glory, Lord of Love.” I had to quit playing because I can’t sing and play the piano at the same time.
    She put the harmonica to her lips and began playing with her eyes closed. I stopped singing and turned back to the piano. When I tried to play with her though, I sounded awful. “What key are you playing in?” she asked.
    â€œTwo sharps—key of D,” I said.
    â€œCan you play it in the key of C? I only have a C harp,” she said holding out the harmonica and pointing to a little C on the front to the left of the holes.
    â€œA C harp?” I asked. “I thought you were playing a harmonica.”
    â€œHarmonica—blues harp—same thing,” said Dinah. “They come in all different keys. C’s the most common. Mine’s a C harp.”
    â€œSo you can’t play in D?” I asked. This time I was disappointed.
    â€œNo. I’m trying to learn to play cross-harp so I can play things in the key of G, too, but it’s kinda harder than I thought it would be.” Dinah ran her fingers across the black piano keys and then back across the white keys. “I thought you could play in any key you wanted on the piano.” The back of her hand had little cuts and bruises all over it. I looked at her other hand holding the harmonica. There was a Band-Aid on her left pinkie.
    â€œWell, I have to play in whatever key the song is written in. I know professional musicians can look at a song written in one key and play it in another, but Ican’t,” I confessed. “I’m still working on being able to play what’s written in front of me.”
    â€œSo what do you have written in the key of C?” Dinah asked. I started flipping through the songbook trying to find something else in C. Something that I could play.
    â€œI know lots of hymns in C,” I offered doubtfully. I mean, Dinah didn’t seem like the hymn-playing type.
    â€œSo play something,” she said.
    I pulled out the hymn book and turned to
The Love of God
, a hymn that I’d practiced a lot to play for a special during the offering last month. Dinah watched my