Mom would like it, but I doubted Dad would appreciate me using my vacation to concentrate on music rather than playing with friends, participating in sports, and developing what he called 'a man's body'. I said nothing.

Subsequently, Helga pointed at books about musical notes and gave me a thin one, asking me to read it at home before our next lesson. After leaving, I opened it and began memorizing the different notes, both natural and sharps & flats. It was so different from the subjects I was used to reading, yet fun, knowing I was about to start playing the piano soon.

The next time I visited, Helga sat...