Perfect Pitch

“It the place about which I have perfect pitch.” Reynolds Price

When Wendy arrived at her audition, she was asked to sing a song other than the one she prepared. It was familiar, but not in her range, which caused her to struggle reaching the high notes. Before crossing her name off the list, the director asked her to sing a song of her choosing, revealing her significant talent. He heard her perfect pitch.

He was not like the other fathers. He couldn’t throw a football, was incapable of going camping, and was completely uncomfortable at father-son nights at his child’s woodshop class. But he could play any song on the piano by ear, perform on the organ using both hands on the numerous keyboards and feet on the peddles, and, most impressive of all, compose music while sitting on the beach, not hearing a single note. Music was his home, the place he had perfect pitch, literally and figuratively.

She and her husband questioned having children. With emerging careers, and a love for the freedom of being child-free, they seriously considered remaining so. However, children arrived, and suddenly she found a part of her heart she didn’t know existed. The determined professional gave way to the enthralled mother. Never looking back, she embraced her children fully. She found her true self, her perfect pitch.

He packed for the wedding with deep excitement. Returning home to family and friends who knew him completely, filled him with deep excitement. In their presence, he did not have to perform, nor explain. Sitting among them, he could breath deep. These were the people, this was the place, about which he had perfect pitch.