One fine day, my friends and I realized that we are all very creative people, and thought why are we wasting it. So we decided to study violin. We could find a music school where violin, drums, guitar and key board are taught. So that evening, feeling no more can we suppress this urge of creativity, two of my friends and I went there.
The proprietor, a stout little guy, welcomed us. He was happy when we said we wanted to study violin. “But our violin teacher is not coming for some day now”, said he. We were disappointed. We enquired whether he could find a teacher for us. He sensed the urge of creativity in us. So he agreed that he, who taught drums, would double up as a violin teacher to us. We too agreed. “But,” he continued “it’s so long since I stopped practicing violin. So it will be difficult for me to teach you. But don’t worry you young men, I’ll take the risk”. We should have sensed the risk then. But unfortunately we didn’t.
We went for class, the next day. And it was the first time we were arriving in time for a class in our whole life. And he was there, with a smile on his face and a violin in his hands. He asked whether we wanted to study Carnatic or Western style. We then looked at each other. And, as usual, we asked together “What is the difference?”
He grinned at us, “Oh! Don’t you(ignorant idiots) (even) know that? It’s simple. In Carnatic style, we sit down on the ground and keep the top of violin down to the legs… and in Western; we stretch it on our arms placing one end on the shoulder like this..” and he demonstrated it.
A shudder passed down our nerves. Still, we forgave.
And thus began the violin class. He started to play drums with violin. We interrupted “Sir, could you please play any two lines of a song?”
“Why not? But, didn’t I say, its so long since I stopped practicing. There’s lack of practice. But that doesn’t matter. Any way I’ll play four lines. Is it enough?”
“Yes, sir. So kind of you.”
He took the bow on one hand. Hold the violin on his shoulder under his chin and stretched it side ways in his arm (Oh! The Western Style!). Closed his eyes slowly as if he is lost in the music he is going to play well before he started. And he started playing violin. We were shocked. That day we heard the ugliest noise, we have ever heard in our life. We looked at each other. We could say nothing. There was that man in front of us with his eyes closed and violin in his hands. What could we do. Before he opened eyes we escaped….
And we decide on that day to hold the creative expression for some day at least until this shock is over.
