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Description

As the violinist slowly lifted her bow from the strings, the echo of her final chord echoed and dissipated as I began to perceive the reality of the noisy airport concourse. She opened her eyes, the emotional concentration of her performance now shifting back to reality as well. A nervous expression appeared on her face as her eyes glanced around to see if anyone was watching her, and of course to see if any passers-by had graciously dropped any loose change or cash into her open violin case beside her.

I knew I had found the perfect gift for Raven . A living, breathing gift who would provide so much happiness and enrichment to the Company Assets of Pine Hills with her music. But could I? Should I? How would I? Here? She would be absolutely perfect if I could pull it off. My mind raced.

She hadn’t spotted me yet, as I had scurried up behind her and sat down while she was deeply lost in concentration weaving her tapestry of music on her violin. I quickly took out a tissue from my purse and dabbed the tears she had coaxed from my pink glowing eyes with her emotional performance. Before she turned around, the sound of my applause startled her.

“Bravo! Bravo! That was so beautiful!” I cheered in her direction, clapping my hands vigorously with the soaked tissue between my fingertips.

She spun quickly and faced me. Her face melted into a warm smile as she let loose a shy giggle with a blush. She placed her hand over her heart in appreciation and bowed playfully toward me.

“Thank you so much! I am glad you liked it!” she replied and stood there smiling at me as if waiting for me to provide some reaction.

“Oh, of course!” I smiled and quickly reached into my purse. I dropped the tissue inside and pulled out a money clip of cash. One of several $500 clips I had in my purse, I crossed my legs and held it out in front of me as if I was dangling a treat before her. “Here you go, but first, would you like to take a break and sit with me for a moment? I think you deserve one after that magnificent performance! I love music and would love to chat with you.”

Her eyes widened and her mouth dropped open as she focused on the neatly folded and crisp $50 bills wrapped in the shiny gold money clip I held in my fingertips. She blushed nervously, tucking her blonde hair behind one ear with her free hand before picking up her violin case and moved toward me with some hesitation.

Before handing her the money clip, I extended my hand as she took a seat beside me.

“My name is Savannah, by the way. And you are?”

“Hi, I’m Hannah! It’s nice to meet you. Thank you for your applause and your gratuity!” she greeted me as she shook my hand, her eyes still focused on the money clip.

I handed her the money clip. I could tell she was overwhelmed at my generosity and desperately wanted to count how much there was, but she didn’t want to be rude.

“I can’t believe it. I … are you sure you want to give me .. all of this?” She removed the money from the money clip. Placing the cash in her violin case and closing it, she looked at the money clip, realizing that it was no doubt many times more valuable than the cash it previously held. It’s 10k gold finish glittered in the artificial lights from the concourse. She held it up and spotted the embossed cursive “A” on the face and cocked her head to the side in wonder before trying to hand it back to me.

“Yes, of course. You deserve it. Good music deserves a good reward. And you can keep the money clip too as a special gift from me. It’s the least I can do for the way you warmed my heart with that rendition of “Danny Boy,” one of my very favorite songs in the whole world. And I’ve never heard it played so beautifully.” I explained.

“I … I … don’t know what to say. Um … thank you?” She looked at me in shocked disbelief at the chance encounter she was now experiencing with such a wealthy and generous person, every street musician's dream. Her eyes fell back to the money clip. “What does the “A” stand for?”

“It’s the logo for my employer actually. I work for the Argallado Corporation.”

“Ard - a - gallo Corporation, you say?” she asked inquisitively, not being familiar with the Company, which is usually a good thing in these situations.

“Hmm…close enough,” I shrugged, “You'll learn more about that later, Hannah." She looked at me with puzzled expression. Before she could ask me to repeat myself I quickly changed the subject, "Tell me about yourself, your music, your talent, what on earth are you doing here in the airport?”

“Oh, yes, the airport,” she sighed and looked down, “well, I actually will graduate from college soon with a violin performance degree. I’ve had several offers to join some of the premier symphonies around the country. But my scholarships have only taken me so far. I am nearly broke financially with student loan debt and living expenses from the past few years.”

I nodded and looked at her with a sympathetic look, placing my hand on her shoulder.

“But it’s fine. This is actually a pretty good side hustle. I get to practice in public and can usually make a few hundred dollars in a few hours. I love sharing my music in public like this too. It’s so raw. If you can tune out all the noise of the crowd, the acoustics of the concourse are actually really good. And I love meeting people. You never know who you’ll meet!” she said as the smile returned and nodded to me.

“I am so sorry about your financial situation, but you seem to have a great outlook on life. You just never know what fate has in store, and what better place to tempt fate than in an airport.” I said, trying my best to mask my wicked smile as my mind continued to form a plan for her capture, “Doesn’t your boyfriend or husband worry about you being here in the airport though, all alone?” I asked.

“Yes, he does worry actually. He doesn’t like me coming here. My boyfriend is a cellist in the city philharmonic. I’ve asked him to come with me and maybe we could play duets together, but he is a germaphobe and doesn’t like the airport.” she sighed. “And oh my … boyfriend …right … I’ve lost track of the time, he will be picking me up outside soon. Thank you so much for your generous tip. I really can't thank you enough.” she said frantically as she glanced up at a nearby clock to check the time. She reached for her violin case and started to get up..

It was now or never. Time to make my move or this one would slip away. I had to have her, for Raven. This would be my first “public” indoctrination. I would have to be very careful, but while Hannah had been telling me all about her life and boyfriend, I had been forming a plan in my mind.

”No wait!” I exclaimed as I reached out and grabber her by the wrist. She recoiled at the intrusion into her personal space as I tried recover calmly,.“Oh, sorry Hannah. Didn’t mean to startle you. I just wanted to tell you, before you go. I think I can help you with that financial problem of yours, if you would allow me...”

To be continued …

Inspired by and dedicated to Master Argallado and Edgardstrange

Description

As the violinist slowly lifted her bow from the strings, the echo of her final chord echoed and dissipated as I began to perceive the reality of the noisy airport concourse. She opened her eyes, the emotional concentration of her performance now shifting back to reality as well. A nervous expression appeared on her face as her eyes glanced around to see if anyone was watching her, and of course to see if any passers-by had graciously dropped any loose change or cash into her open violin case beside her.

I knew I had found the perfect gift for Raven . A living, breathing gift who would provide so much happiness and enrichment to the Company Assets of Pine Hills with her music. But could I? Should I? How would I? Here? She would be absolutely perfect if I could pull it off. My mind raced.

She hadn’t spotted me yet, as I had scurried up behind her and sat down while she was deeply lost in concentration weaving her tapestry of music on her violin. I quickly took out a tissue from my purse and dabbed the tears she had coaxed from my pink glowing eyes with her emotional performance. Before she turned around, the sound of my applause startled her.

“Bravo! Bravo! That was so beautiful!” I cheered in her direction, clapping my hands vigorously with the soaked tissue between my fingertips.

She spun quickly and faced me. Her face melted into a warm smile as she let loose a shy giggle with a blush. She placed her hand over her heart in appreciation and bowed playfully toward me.

“Thank you so much! I am glad you liked it!” she replied and stood there smiling at me as if waiting for me to provide some reaction.

“Oh, of course!” I smiled and quickly reached into my purse. I dropped the tissue inside and pulled out a money clip of cash. One of several $500 clips I had in my purse, I crossed my legs and held it out in front of me as if I was dangling a treat before her. “Here you go, but first, would you like to take a break and sit with me for a moment? I think you deserve one after that magnificent performance! I love music and would love to chat with you.”

Her eyes widened and her mouth dropped open as she focused on the neatly folded and crisp $50 bills wrapped in the shiny gold money clip I held in my fingertips. She blushed nervously, tucking her blonde hair behind one ear with her free hand before picking up her violin case and moved toward me with some hesitation.

Before handing her the money clip, I extended my hand as she took a seat beside me.

“My name is Savannah, by the way. And you are?”

“Hi, I’m Hannah! It’s nice to meet you. Thank you for your applause and your gratuity!” she greeted me as she shook my hand, her eyes still focused on the money clip.

I handed her the money clip. I could tell she was overwhelmed at my generosity and desperately wanted to count how much there was, but she didn’t want to be rude.

“I can’t believe it. I … are you sure you want to give me .. all of this?” She removed the money from the money clip. Placing the cash in her violin case and closing it, she looked at the money clip, realizing that it was no doubt many times more valuable than the cash it previously held. It’s 10k gold finish glittered in the artificial lights from the concourse. She held it up and spotted the embossed cursive “A” on the face and cocked her head to the side in wonder before trying to hand it back to me.

“Yes, of course. You deserve it. Good music deserves a good reward. And you can keep the money clip too as a special gift from me. It’s the least I can do for the way you warmed my heart with that rendition of “Danny Boy,” one of my very favorite songs in the whole world. And I’ve never heard it played so beautifully.” I explained.

“I … I … don’t know what to say. Um … thank you?” She looked at me in shocked disbelief at the chance encounter she was now experiencing with such a wealthy and generous person, every street musician's dream. Her eyes fell back to the money clip. “What does the “A” stand for?”

“It’s the logo for my employer actually. I work for the Argallado Corporation.”

“Ard - a - gallo Corporation, you say?” she asked inquisitively, not being familiar with the Company, which is usually a good thing in these situations.

“Hmm…close enough,” I shrugged, “You'll learn more about that later, Hannah." She looked at me with puzzled expression. Before she could ask me to repeat myself I quickly changed the subject, "Tell me about yourself, your music, your talent, what on earth are you doing here in the airport?”

“Oh, yes, the airport,” she sighed and looked down, “well, I actually will graduate from college soon with a violin performance degree. I’ve had several offers to join some of the premier symphonies around the country. But my scholarships have only taken me so far. I am nearly broke financially with student loan debt and living expenses from the past few years.”

I nodded and looked at her with a sympathetic look, placing my hand on her shoulder.

“But it’s fine. This is actually a pretty good side hustle. I get to practice in public and can usually make a few hundred dollars in a few hours. I love sharing my music in public like this too. It’s so raw. If you can tune out all the noise of the crowd, the acoustics of the concourse are actually really good. And I love meeting people. You never know who you’ll meet!” she said as the smile returned and nodded to me.

“I am so sorry about your financial situation, but you seem to have a great outlook on life. You just never know what fate has in store, and what better place to tempt fate than in an airport.” I said, trying my best to mask my wicked smile as my mind continued to form a plan for her capture, “Doesn’t your boyfriend or husband worry about you being here in the airport though, all alone?” I asked.

“Yes, he does worry actually. He doesn’t like me coming here. My boyfriend is a cellist in the city philharmonic. I’ve asked him to come with me and maybe we could play duets together, but he is a germaphobe and doesn’t like the airport.” she sighed. “And oh my … boyfriend …right … I’ve lost track of the time, he will be picking me up outside soon. Thank you so much for your generous tip. I really can't thank you enough.” she said frantically as she glanced up at a nearby clock to check the time. She reached for her violin case and started to get up..

It was now or never. Time to make my move or this one would slip away. I had to have her, for Raven. This would be my first “public” indoctrination. I would have to be very careful, but while Hannah had been telling me all about her life and boyfriend, I had been forming a plan in my mind.

”No wait!” I exclaimed as I reached out and grabber her by the wrist. She recoiled at the intrusion into her personal space as I tried recover calmly,.“Oh, sorry Hannah. Didn’t mean to startle you. I just wanted to tell you, before you go. I think I can help you with that financial problem of yours, if you would allow me...”

To be continued …

Inspired by and dedicated to Master Argallado and Edgardstrange