Banjo of Destiny by Cary Fagan Read Free Book Online Page A

they were doing their homework together. At dinner she acted the perfect guest. She always said please and thank you. She even encouraged Jeremiah’s parents with their idea to have a miniature yacht built for the moat.
    Then, in the middle of dessert (cherry meringue surprise), she turned to Jeremiah.
    â€œI’m so excited about the spring talent night,” she said in her best goody-goody voice. “I can’t decide which violin piece to play. What about you, Jeremiah? Are you playing piano again?”
    â€œI haven’t really — ”
    â€œOf course he is,” said his father. “Maestro Boris thinks Jeremiah has really improved.”
    â€œHe said I wasn’t as terrible as before,” Jeremiah said.
    â€œWell, it’s the same thing,” said his mother. “I think you should play something by Bach. It’s good to be ambitious. Isn’t it, Luella?”
    â€œOh, absolutely, Mrs. B. And I’m sure Jeremiah’s up to it. He’s so modest.”
    Up in his room, Jeremiah said to Luella, “I could have murdered you for that. I’ve been trying to find a way to get out of talent night. Now they’ll never let me skip it. Thanks a bunch.”
    â€œDo you want to see my present or not?”
    â€œNot if it’s got anything to do with talent night.”
    â€œWell, it doesn’t.” She opened her knapsack and pulled out a folded wad of heavy material.
    It looked like a quilt. Except when Luella unfolded it, Jeremiah saw it had two cloth straps and a zipper running up the side.
    â€œWhat is it, a giant diaper bag?”
    â€œYou can’t tell? Geez. It’s a bag to carry that tin can in.”
    â€œA gig bag! Cool. Let me try it.”
    Jeremiah unzipped the side and slipped his banjo into it. He zipped it up again and put a strap over each shoulder. Then he paced around his room with the banjo on his back.
    â€œHey, this is great. I can take it around with me. I can go and play in the park. I can take it to a jam session, if I ever find one.”
    â€œYou want to make jam?”
    â€œNo, a jam session. Where musicians come together to play.” He slipped the bag off his shoulders and held it in front of him. “Do you think these flowers on it look a little silly?”
    â€œHaven’t you heard of Flower Power? Anyway, I made it from my grandmother’s old dressing gown. It was the only material I had. You should bring Destiny to school tomorrow.”
    Jeremiah put it back on his shoulders.
    â€œMaybe I will,” he said.
    â€¢â€¢â€¢
    JEREMIAH HAD TO slip out of the house without his parents seeing the Flower Power banjo bag. He kept it against his side as he passed the dining room. Fortunately his father had the latest copy of Annals of Dental Floss in front of his face. He was reading aloud the latest figures from Scandinavia.
    â€œThose Scandinavians have healthy gums,” said Jeremiah’s mother.
    Jeremiah threw himself into the back of the limousine, slamming the door shut behind him. Monroe glanced into his rearview mirror as he pulled out of the drive.
    â€œLuella did a fine job with that bag,” Monroe said.
    â€œI must be crazy taking it to school,” Jeremiah said. “It’s like committing social suicide.”
    â€œThat reminds me,” said Monroe, “of when I was the first boy to wear bellbottoms to school. Bright red with peace symbols all over them.”
    â€œDid the other kids make fun of you?”
    â€œWorse. But then Mary-Beth Matheson came up and told me that she liked them. Made it all worth it.”
    â€œWell, there’s no Mary-Beth Matheson in my life.”
    â€œMaybe you just haven’t met her yet.”
    The limousine pulled up in front of the school just as the bell rang. Jeremiah sprang out, his briefcase in one hand and his banjo bag on his shoulder.
    No sooner had he begun walking up the stairs when someone called out,