Practicing the Piano (Part 5 of 6)

I did have some successes at piano playing. My teacher, Francine, had recitals three times a year. One was in the spring, another at the end of the summer and one more at Christmas time. The one in the spring was the biggest one. It was held in the church. Francine had even gotten special permission from the bishop of our ward to allow us to applaud after each number. Normally you don’t clap in church.
Francine’s parents had written some little verses for Francine to say before each student got up to play. I played a duet with Kevin Miller, a boy who lived behind our house. The song was called “March of the Wee Folk.”
As Kevin and I were going up to the piano, Francine read a little verse about us:

Here is Billy and Kevin,
Coming into view.
Listen up now,
They will play for you.

After the recital, Francine presented us with certificates for our performance. I got two of them. One was for practicing 113 hours during the past year since I began piano lessons and the other was for 98 percent attendance at my piano lessons. The only times I had missed were when I was sick. I left the recital with my family, feeling like I was the neatest person in the world.