[00:07.77]Children were enthusiastically rehearsing
[00:11.40]and decorating the rural school for their approaching concert.
[00:15.74]As I glanced up from my teacher’s desk,
[00:18.72]Patty stood waiting to lodge her urgent request.
[00:22.74]“Every year I g-g-g-get to do quiet stuff.
[00:28.87]The other kids are always in a p-p-p-play or something.
[00:34.01]Talking. This year, I w-w-want to do a p-p-p-poem, myself!”
[00:41.13]As I looked into those eager eyes, all possible excuses fizzled.
[00:46.48]Patty’s yearning drew from me a promise that she would have a “reciting” part.
[00:52.50]That promise proved to be very difficult to keep.
[00:56.76]None of my resource books had any useful selections.
[01:01.04]In desperation, I stayed up most of the night writing a poem,
[01:06.32]carefully avoiding those letters that trick the tongue.
[01:09.67]It was not great literature,
[01:12.11]but it was custom-tailored to cope with Patty’s speech problem.
[01:16.24]Day after day, Patty and I plodded through recitals.
[01:20.40]She carefully matched her timing to my silent mouthing.
[01:24.67]She accepted the drudgery, eagerly anticipating her first speaking part.
[01:30.80]Concert night found the children in a frenzy of excitement.
[01:35.17]In a dither the master of ceremonies came to me, waving his printed program.
[01:40.53]“There has been a mistake! You have listed Patty for a recitation.
[01:46.33]That girl can’t even say her own name without stuttering.”
[01:50.93]Because there was not time enough for explanations,
[01:54.21]I brushed his objection aside with, “We know what we are doing.”
[01:58.69]The entertainment was moving along well.
[02:01.98]As item after item was presented,
[02:05.03]parents and friends responded with encouraging applause.
[02:08.32]When it was time for the questionable recitation, the MC again challenged me,
[02:14.78]insisting that Patty would embarrass everyone.
[02:18.06]Losing patience, I snapped, “Patty will do her part. You do yours.
[02:23.20]Just introduce her number.”
[02:25.61]The curtain parted to show Patty, radiant, confident.
[02:30.31]Those hours of rehearsing took possession of the moment.
[02:34.25]In perfect control, the little charmer synchronized her words
[02:39.64]to my silent mouthing below the footlights.
[02:42.13]She uttered each syllable with controlled clarity,
[02:46.53]and without a splutter or stammer.
[02:49.02]With eyes sparkling, she made her triumphant bow.
[02:53.29]The curtain closed. A hushed silence held the audience.
[02:58.42]Gradually the stillness gave way to suppressed chuckles, and then to enthusiastic applause.
[03:04.66]Utterly thrilled, I floated backstage.
[03:08.27]My little heroine threw her arms around me and,
[03:12.69]bubbling with joy, blurted out, “we d-d-d-did it!”
