First movement
Eighteen year old Stanley Lubaszenko‘s grandfather would have called it a Zal, Polish for “bittersweet melody.”
Stan would just say it sucked.
The four seniors, all eighteen years old, had played together for four years, ever since they first met as freshmen at Primrose Academy. They had only gotten better every year, and many said the four of them were the finest string quartet in the Academy’s one hundred and seventy three year history. Their senior year, they played at all the fundraisers, and even a few private functions hosted by prominent Primrose alumni.
But that was all in the past. The members of the string quartet all graduated this year and, after this summer, they would go their separate ways.
Stan was going to Boston University to study music. Stan was a more than adequate violinist (he was the quartet’s second violinist), but his real talents was in arrangement. He had dreams of being a composer.
The first violinist was Stephen Wright. Stephen would be the first to admit that his playing was technically flawless, but lacked passion. Stephen was both a star cross country runner and a ranked chess player. Stan knew how disconcerting it could be to fall under the gaze of Stephen’s green eyes. He could only imagine what it would be like sit across a chessboard from Stephen.
Stephen was going to Rice University in the fall.
The group’s cellist was Sean Campbell, whose grandparents had migrated from Scotland. Seam was on the Academy’s wrestling team and had the self-professed hands of a truck driver. But he played the cello beautifully. Sean told everyone he was going to MIT so he could get their pirate certificate.
But the real star of the quartet was their viola player, Zahra Pitafi.
https://www.pinterest.com/pin/pinterest ... 104813736/
Zahra played with a depth and passion beyond her years. Stan grabbed every viola piece he could find, and arranged it for their string quartet. With Zahra playing them, no one was ever unmoved when listening to their quartet.
Zahra cane from a very conservative family, and it was only the connections the Pitafi family obtained by having Zahra attend Primrose and playing in the quartet that got Zahra the freedom to attend the Academy and partipate in the quartet. After this summer, there would be no more viola for Zahra, and certainly no college. The rumor was, Zahra was to be married off to a distant relative or Pitafi family business ally.
Stan’s grandfather woukd say thus was Zal. Stan thought it just sucked.
A Shrinking Sonata
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MiniMary
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shrinkwrapped
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Re: A Shrinking Sonata
Excited to see where this goes! Love to see new stories on here.
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Prof Sai
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Re: A Shrinking Sonata
Wow, that's sad. Having your family deny your dreams like that. And now she is in an SW story. Poor Zahra.
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MiniMary
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Re: A Shrinking Sonata
Second Movement:
Before the story can continue, a few things must be understood about one of the characters who is going to be introduced.
The person you need to understand is Hirshaw Gingham, Primrose Academy’s most prominent alumni. Hirshaw is not a sensual man, but he is an ethical one. He didn’t enjoy fine foods or fine wines or sins of the flesh, so he didn’t indulge in any of these things. He didn’t enjoy making money either, but he was very good at it, and it was his way of connecting with people, so Hirshaw made money to the best of his ability.
Hirshaw was an ethical man, inasmuch as he obeyed the written and unwritten rules of society. But Hirshaw’s values were defined by society, not by his conscience. If society said Hirshaw should make a human sacrifice every new moon, he would do so.
Hirshaw had two rules that superseded societal laws. The first was that he expected society to provide a fair and level playing field for business. Anything else was considered cheating, and Hirshaw would destroy you. Hirshaw also considered himself morally obliged to protect guests and employees. Taking action against someone under his protection meant Hirshaw would destroy you.
Hirshaw had taken down prominent business leaders and politicians. No one crossed him lightly.
Finally, Hirshaw wasn’t omniscient, but he was thorough. Any malfeasance on an employee’s part always came to light.
And even though Hirshaw will only be peripherally involved in the unfolding of this story, he is like the sun. His influence is always felt, even when not directly involved.
Before the story can continue, a few things must be understood about one of the characters who is going to be introduced.
The person you need to understand is Hirshaw Gingham, Primrose Academy’s most prominent alumni. Hirshaw is not a sensual man, but he is an ethical one. He didn’t enjoy fine foods or fine wines or sins of the flesh, so he didn’t indulge in any of these things. He didn’t enjoy making money either, but he was very good at it, and it was his way of connecting with people, so Hirshaw made money to the best of his ability.
Hirshaw was an ethical man, inasmuch as he obeyed the written and unwritten rules of society. But Hirshaw’s values were defined by society, not by his conscience. If society said Hirshaw should make a human sacrifice every new moon, he would do so.
Hirshaw had two rules that superseded societal laws. The first was that he expected society to provide a fair and level playing field for business. Anything else was considered cheating, and Hirshaw would destroy you. Hirshaw also considered himself morally obliged to protect guests and employees. Taking action against someone under his protection meant Hirshaw would destroy you.
Hirshaw had taken down prominent business leaders and politicians. No one crossed him lightly.
Finally, Hirshaw wasn’t omniscient, but he was thorough. Any malfeasance on an employee’s part always came to light.
And even though Hirshaw will only be peripherally involved in the unfolding of this story, he is like the sun. His influence is always felt, even when not directly involved.
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ensmallen
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Re: A Shrinking Sonata
REALLY excited to see where this goes.
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MiniMary
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Re: A Shrinking Sonata
Third movement:
Making money was not only a means to connecting with other people, but an ends to connect with other people. Hirshaw neither liked nor disliked connecting with other people, but he was told by society he should want to connect with other people, and so he did.
One of the ways Hirshaw connected with other people was by attending Primrose alumni events and donating to the Primrose Academy. Another was the Observatory.
A decade ago, Hirshaw bought a small, liberal arts college that had been established right after the Civil War, but had gone defunct some time during the Great Depression. Hirshaw spent a small fortune converting the campus to his private residence. The masterpiece of the Hirshaw campus/residence was the Observatory. The Observatory had attached to it a library with an eclectic collection of star charts and other related texts, both astronomical and astrological, from a wide variety of civilizations. All these items were copies of originals but, considering they had been neglected for almost a century, were in very good shape.
Added to the observatory were a small number of apartments and a modern sports facility, making it perhaps the oddest guest house in modern history.
Beginning five years ago, a small group of recently graduated seniors from Primrose Academy were invited to spend their summer at the Observatory for a sort of artistic summer camp. Those invited would have access to whatever type of training they wished. In exchange, they would have lunch with Hirshaw once a fortnight, as well as perform for any functions that Hirshaw held on his campus/residence.
It should be noted that, like most things, Hirshaw neither liked nor disliked meeting with his student guests. He just knew it was expected of him, so he did it.
Last year, the students invited were all artists, and Hirshaw held a dinner that included an exhibition of their work. One Primrose student garnered a modicum of fame because of that exhibition, and has their works on display in an upscale gallery in New York.
This year, the String Quartet would be guests for the summer.
Of course, Zahra would have quarters some distance from those shared by Stan, Stephen and Sean. And the four would have a chaperone, a thirty-six year old woman named Alexandria Collins. Alexandria has a Master’s Degree in a Studies program, and considered her present assignment beneath her. She’s also the sort whose progressive politics embrace the plight of brown people, but whose doesn’t care to socially interact with those she doesn’t consider her peers.
It’s safe to say Sean, Stephen and Stan are looking forward to hanging out together for the summer in the lap of luxury. They just don’t know how they feel about Zahra being there. Although they know her better than anyone else at school, because of her continuous chaperonage, they don’t know her that well. And although they know she’s pretty, they don’t know just how beautiful she is.
And as for Zahra, she wished she wasn’t going to the Observatory at all this summer. She knew she was promised to marry the younger brother of a prominent businessman in the country the Pitafi family had originally migrated from. She just wanted to get it over with. This summer at the Observatory felt like getting a stay of execution, but knowing the execution wouldn’t be o returned.
And now the prelude is finished, and the story may begin in earnest.
Making money was not only a means to connecting with other people, but an ends to connect with other people. Hirshaw neither liked nor disliked connecting with other people, but he was told by society he should want to connect with other people, and so he did.
One of the ways Hirshaw connected with other people was by attending Primrose alumni events and donating to the Primrose Academy. Another was the Observatory.
A decade ago, Hirshaw bought a small, liberal arts college that had been established right after the Civil War, but had gone defunct some time during the Great Depression. Hirshaw spent a small fortune converting the campus to his private residence. The masterpiece of the Hirshaw campus/residence was the Observatory. The Observatory had attached to it a library with an eclectic collection of star charts and other related texts, both astronomical and astrological, from a wide variety of civilizations. All these items were copies of originals but, considering they had been neglected for almost a century, were in very good shape.
Added to the observatory were a small number of apartments and a modern sports facility, making it perhaps the oddest guest house in modern history.
Beginning five years ago, a small group of recently graduated seniors from Primrose Academy were invited to spend their summer at the Observatory for a sort of artistic summer camp. Those invited would have access to whatever type of training they wished. In exchange, they would have lunch with Hirshaw once a fortnight, as well as perform for any functions that Hirshaw held on his campus/residence.
It should be noted that, like most things, Hirshaw neither liked nor disliked meeting with his student guests. He just knew it was expected of him, so he did it.
Last year, the students invited were all artists, and Hirshaw held a dinner that included an exhibition of their work. One Primrose student garnered a modicum of fame because of that exhibition, and has their works on display in an upscale gallery in New York.
This year, the String Quartet would be guests for the summer.
Of course, Zahra would have quarters some distance from those shared by Stan, Stephen and Sean. And the four would have a chaperone, a thirty-six year old woman named Alexandria Collins. Alexandria has a Master’s Degree in a Studies program, and considered her present assignment beneath her. She’s also the sort whose progressive politics embrace the plight of brown people, but whose doesn’t care to socially interact with those she doesn’t consider her peers.
It’s safe to say Sean, Stephen and Stan are looking forward to hanging out together for the summer in the lap of luxury. They just don’t know how they feel about Zahra being there. Although they know her better than anyone else at school, because of her continuous chaperonage, they don’t know her that well. And although they know she’s pretty, they don’t know just how beautiful she is.
And as for Zahra, she wished she wasn’t going to the Observatory at all this summer. She knew she was promised to marry the younger brother of a prominent businessman in the country the Pitafi family had originally migrated from. She just wanted to get it over with. This summer at the Observatory felt like getting a stay of execution, but knowing the execution wouldn’t be o returned.
And now the prelude is finished, and the story may begin in earnest.
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MiniMary
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Re: A Shrinking Sonata
Fourth movement:
“This…is…Awesome!!.” Sean crowed. Stephen and Stan had to agree with their friend.
The three friends were unpacking in the three bedroom apartment they were sharing for the summer. The furnishings included top shelf laptops that they got to keep after the summer. The entire apartment was wired for voice command. The virtual reality gaming system was the best on the market.
Then there was the kitchen. Fully stocked, including prepared meals, and a direct line to the kitchen at the main house.
The only requirement was the guys were required to submit a daily schedule. Mr. Gingham wasn’t paying for the trio to game all summer. This was a study program, after all.
The guys didn’t mind. Stephen planned to spend time in the eclectic library attached to the observatory. Sean wanted to get “checked out” on the programming the updated observatory used. Stan wanted to start work on an arrangement of Brahms’ Viola Sonata No. 1 in F Minor, Op. 120, to adapt it to a string quartet.
That was possibly the only downside of the summer. The guys were going to have to share the summer with Zahra.
The guys didn’t dislike Zahra. She seemed nice enough. And there was no denying Zahra had talent. But she came with hijabs and chaperones and Mrs. Pitafi.
The guys were especially intimidated by Mrs. Pitafi. She was over in the apartment assigned to Zahra for the summer right now. Mrs. Pitafi was in that apartment with Zahra and the chaperone that Mr. Gingham had hired, laying down the law.
The guys were sure their summer was in the process of being ruined.
“This…is…Awesome!!.” Sean crowed. Stephen and Stan had to agree with their friend.
The three friends were unpacking in the three bedroom apartment they were sharing for the summer. The furnishings included top shelf laptops that they got to keep after the summer. The entire apartment was wired for voice command. The virtual reality gaming system was the best on the market.
Then there was the kitchen. Fully stocked, including prepared meals, and a direct line to the kitchen at the main house.
The only requirement was the guys were required to submit a daily schedule. Mr. Gingham wasn’t paying for the trio to game all summer. This was a study program, after all.
The guys didn’t mind. Stephen planned to spend time in the eclectic library attached to the observatory. Sean wanted to get “checked out” on the programming the updated observatory used. Stan wanted to start work on an arrangement of Brahms’ Viola Sonata No. 1 in F Minor, Op. 120, to adapt it to a string quartet.
That was possibly the only downside of the summer. The guys were going to have to share the summer with Zahra.
The guys didn’t dislike Zahra. She seemed nice enough. And there was no denying Zahra had talent. But she came with hijabs and chaperones and Mrs. Pitafi.
The guys were especially intimidated by Mrs. Pitafi. She was over in the apartment assigned to Zahra for the summer right now. Mrs. Pitafi was in that apartment with Zahra and the chaperone that Mr. Gingham had hired, laying down the law.
The guys were sure their summer was in the process of being ruined.
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MiniMary
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Re: A Shrinking Sonata
Fifth movement:
Mrs. Pitafi didn’t like Sean, Stephen and Stan at all.
In fairness, Mrs. Pitafi didn’t like anybody. She was a miserable old woman whose only pleasure in life was making sure other people were equally miserable.
At present, Mrs. Pitafi didn’t like her daughter. She thought it beyond foolishness to let Zahra to spend the summer playing that foolish and iniquitous musical instrument. But Zahra’s father had insisted that his daughter be allowed to accept Mr. Gingham’s invitation.
Zahra was her father’s youngest child, only daughter and the child of his old age. It was almost a given that he would dote on her. And, of course, Zahra’s father valued his business ties with Mr. Gingham, so he would not give insult to the other man unnecessarily.
Mrs. Pitafi thought her husband’s attitude towards their daughter was foolish and iniquitous as well. Fortunately, Zahra would be married off soon, and in a household where she would be expected to properly conform. Forced to conform, if need be.
The last thought put a hint of a smile on Mrs. Pitafi’s face.
If Mrs. Pitafi didn’t have to travel abroad with her husband to finalize their daughter’s marriage plans, she would have stayed the summer to properly chaperone her daughter.
However, Mr. Gingham had provided Zahra with a chaperone in the person of Alexandria Collins, an overly plump white woman in her mid-thirties with a pinched face. Mrs. Pitafi could sense a kindred spirit in the younger while woman, and was as satisfied with Mr. Gingham’s choice as she could be with anything in life.
Nevertheless, Mrs. Pitafi gave both Alexandria and her daughter a stern lecture of everything that was expected of them both this summer. Alexandria took copious notes on her phone. Zahra listened in dutiful silence.
After an hour, and that limitation only in place because Mrs. Pitafi had to go to the airport, Mrs. Pitafi left her daughter in Alexandria’s charge.
After her mother had gotten in her chauffeured vehicle and was driven off, Zahra was going to say something to Alexandria. The older woman held her finger up for silence, until Mrs. Pitafi’s town car was out of sight.
Mrs. Pitafi didn’t like Sean, Stephen and Stan at all.
In fairness, Mrs. Pitafi didn’t like anybody. She was a miserable old woman whose only pleasure in life was making sure other people were equally miserable.
At present, Mrs. Pitafi didn’t like her daughter. She thought it beyond foolishness to let Zahra to spend the summer playing that foolish and iniquitous musical instrument. But Zahra’s father had insisted that his daughter be allowed to accept Mr. Gingham’s invitation.
Zahra was her father’s youngest child, only daughter and the child of his old age. It was almost a given that he would dote on her. And, of course, Zahra’s father valued his business ties with Mr. Gingham, so he would not give insult to the other man unnecessarily.
Mrs. Pitafi thought her husband’s attitude towards their daughter was foolish and iniquitous as well. Fortunately, Zahra would be married off soon, and in a household where she would be expected to properly conform. Forced to conform, if need be.
The last thought put a hint of a smile on Mrs. Pitafi’s face.
If Mrs. Pitafi didn’t have to travel abroad with her husband to finalize their daughter’s marriage plans, she would have stayed the summer to properly chaperone her daughter.
However, Mr. Gingham had provided Zahra with a chaperone in the person of Alexandria Collins, an overly plump white woman in her mid-thirties with a pinched face. Mrs. Pitafi could sense a kindred spirit in the younger while woman, and was as satisfied with Mr. Gingham’s choice as she could be with anything in life.
Nevertheless, Mrs. Pitafi gave both Alexandria and her daughter a stern lecture of everything that was expected of them both this summer. Alexandria took copious notes on her phone. Zahra listened in dutiful silence.
After an hour, and that limitation only in place because Mrs. Pitafi had to go to the airport, Mrs. Pitafi left her daughter in Alexandria’s charge.
After her mother had gotten in her chauffeured vehicle and was driven off, Zahra was going to say something to Alexandria. The older woman held her finger up for silence, until Mrs. Pitafi’s town car was out of sight.
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MiniMary
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Re: A Shrinking Sonata
Sixth movement:
Alexandria tried to keep the frown off her face as she listened to the instructions Mrs. Pitafi was giving her. Inasmuch as Alexandria had a perpetual scowl on her face, she was mostly unsuccessful. But she at least managed to keep the disdain she felt for Mrs. Pitafi off her face.
Politically, Alexandria always kept the plight of non-whites in the forefront. Personally, she detested the Pitafi’s culture as being oppressive to women.
Of course, if Zahra was from a more modern, permissive culture, Alexandria would accuse it of objectifying women.
“First thing,” Alexandria began, as soon as Mrs. Pitafi’s town car was out of sight, “I won’t be staying on the grounds. I’ll be conducting your chaperonage via texts, phone calls and on-site inspections.” Alexandria thought it sheer foolishness that Mrs. Pitafi expected her to monitor her daughter’s activities 24/7, even though Mr. Gingham was paying Alexandria very, very well to do exactly that. Alexandria’s time was much too important for foolishness like that.
“Next, you’re not going to be going around like that all summer,” Alexandria continued, gesturing towards Zahra’s hijab and other outer garments. “Take it off immediately.”
Startled by Alexandria’s demand, Zahra tried to protest, but Alexandria merely clapped her hands impatiently. Zahra reluctantly removed her outer layer, revealing the light tan sweater underneath. Zahra’s clothing wasn’t form fitting per se, but it did display her fit body and impressive bosom.
https://www.pinterest.com/pin/448882287875558983/
If anything, Alexandria’s scowl deepened at the sight revealed. If she could have gotten away with it, the first thing Alexandria would have done is hacked off Zahra’s waist length hair, as it was a patriarchal standard of aesthetics. Unfortunately, Alexandria knew that was a line even she couldn’t cross.
So instead, she took Zahra in tow and marched over to the apartment Sean, Stephen and Stan were staying in.
The guys were discussing when to work their gaming sessions into their schedule when Alexandria pounded on their door.
To say the guys were stunned at the revealed sight of the fourth member of their quartet would be an understatement. They knew Zahra was pretty. They just didn’t know how hot she was.
The guys didn’t have time to ogle Zahra. Alexandria directed Zahra to a chair in the apartment’s common area. The younger woman meekly took a seat, her posture slightly curled in.
Alexandria then turned to the three guys and gave them both barrels.
First, Alexandria began reiterating instructions the guys had already received about their activities during the summer, adding that they needed to “cc” her when emailing their schedules in. Alexandria’s reiteration had a condescending dressing down feel to it.
Next, she bluntly told the three guys she expected them to keep their misogynistic tendencies in check and try to pretend they were more evolved than they probably were.
Finally, she told them chaperonage would be conducted by text, email and onsite inspections, including attending their lunch with Mr. Gingham every two weeks. She gave them her cellphone number, but told them to use it sparingly, as her time was very valuable.
Then, without waiting for (or soliciting) any questions or comments from Zahra or the three guys, Alexandria stormed off, leaving four bemused and shell shocked high school students in her wake.
Alexandria tried to keep the frown off her face as she listened to the instructions Mrs. Pitafi was giving her. Inasmuch as Alexandria had a perpetual scowl on her face, she was mostly unsuccessful. But she at least managed to keep the disdain she felt for Mrs. Pitafi off her face.
Politically, Alexandria always kept the plight of non-whites in the forefront. Personally, she detested the Pitafi’s culture as being oppressive to women.
Of course, if Zahra was from a more modern, permissive culture, Alexandria would accuse it of objectifying women.
“First thing,” Alexandria began, as soon as Mrs. Pitafi’s town car was out of sight, “I won’t be staying on the grounds. I’ll be conducting your chaperonage via texts, phone calls and on-site inspections.” Alexandria thought it sheer foolishness that Mrs. Pitafi expected her to monitor her daughter’s activities 24/7, even though Mr. Gingham was paying Alexandria very, very well to do exactly that. Alexandria’s time was much too important for foolishness like that.
“Next, you’re not going to be going around like that all summer,” Alexandria continued, gesturing towards Zahra’s hijab and other outer garments. “Take it off immediately.”
Startled by Alexandria’s demand, Zahra tried to protest, but Alexandria merely clapped her hands impatiently. Zahra reluctantly removed her outer layer, revealing the light tan sweater underneath. Zahra’s clothing wasn’t form fitting per se, but it did display her fit body and impressive bosom.
https://www.pinterest.com/pin/448882287875558983/
If anything, Alexandria’s scowl deepened at the sight revealed. If she could have gotten away with it, the first thing Alexandria would have done is hacked off Zahra’s waist length hair, as it was a patriarchal standard of aesthetics. Unfortunately, Alexandria knew that was a line even she couldn’t cross.
So instead, she took Zahra in tow and marched over to the apartment Sean, Stephen and Stan were staying in.
The guys were discussing when to work their gaming sessions into their schedule when Alexandria pounded on their door.
To say the guys were stunned at the revealed sight of the fourth member of their quartet would be an understatement. They knew Zahra was pretty. They just didn’t know how hot she was.
The guys didn’t have time to ogle Zahra. Alexandria directed Zahra to a chair in the apartment’s common area. The younger woman meekly took a seat, her posture slightly curled in.
Alexandria then turned to the three guys and gave them both barrels.
First, Alexandria began reiterating instructions the guys had already received about their activities during the summer, adding that they needed to “cc” her when emailing their schedules in. Alexandria’s reiteration had a condescending dressing down feel to it.
Next, she bluntly told the three guys she expected them to keep their misogynistic tendencies in check and try to pretend they were more evolved than they probably were.
Finally, she told them chaperonage would be conducted by text, email and onsite inspections, including attending their lunch with Mr. Gingham every two weeks. She gave them her cellphone number, but told them to use it sparingly, as her time was very valuable.
Then, without waiting for (or soliciting) any questions or comments from Zahra or the three guys, Alexandria stormed off, leaving four bemused and shell shocked high school students in her wake.