sooner or later...

My brother's wife's sister's husband (I'll give you a minute...okay, got it?) is a funny guy. When they were newlyweds, they filled out those "forms" at church: Do you like camping? (so we can call you to work with the scouts) Do you cook? (so we can ask you to help out with parties) Dustin wrote down that Babe plays the piano.

She doesn't.

Imagine her surprise when she was called to be the primary pianist.

"We feel that you'd do a great job playing for the children."

Babe was confused, "But...I don't play piano."

"Uh...[papers ruffling] it says here that you do play."

"Oh, haha, my husband wrote that as a joke. I don't actually play."

You'd think that would be the end of it. But no.

"Just the same, we feel you should be the pianist. Oh, and the primary program is in three weeks."

Bless Babe -- she accepted the calling and went to the church each night to practice in preparation for the primary program.

*****

One of my visiting teachers (and neighbors) is a kindly woman who, each month, gives me a new count of how many great-grandchildren she has. Yeah...we have a lot in common that way. We call her Sister Griffindor. She plays the piano in Relief Society. The Griffindors have some property "down at Escalante" (pronounced Ess-ca-lannee), and she has, on occassion, phoned me with this: "Jenny, we're going to Escalante this weekend, would you mind playing in Relief Society on Sunday?"

Now, I don't play the piano. But I don't have the heart to tell her this, especially because she asks me on a regular basis. Luckily, I can fall back on, "Oh, sorry, I have to teach the Young Women on Sunday."

phew!

*****

A week or so ago, I took li'l ~j. to a fireside, featuring a man from our ward -- this guy. He's outstanding. You know how men can trace their priesthood lineage? Brother Shumway can trace his piano teacher lineage back to Bach. (Yes, that Bach.) (And, he also happens to be our ward's primary pianist -- lucky kids!)

At the cookies-n-punch reception following the performance, I was speaking with Sister Shumway. We were talking about music and composition and the like when she said to me, "Oh, and you play, too!"

I don't know her very well, so I began to think of a way to deny it in a kind way, but all that came out of my mouth was, "Uhhhhh...".

I didn't have time to deny it. She jumped right in, putting her reassuring hand on my arm: "I've heard you! You're very good!"

Well. How can I say no to that?! Here, the wife of one of the best pianists on the planet telling me that I'm very good at piano? I started to believe her! Do I play? Yes! And I'm VERY good!

Until I got to the car and remembered what happened to Babe. I'm counting down the minutes until this turns around and bites me.