The Note Under the Door

Tomas was eleven. He had played the trumpet, which you blow into to make music, for three weeks. He played every afternoon. He sounded like a goose, a large bird, with a cold.

One Thursday, he found a note under the door. He thought someone was unhappy about the noise. But Mrs. Halloway, who lived below him, wrote that the fourth sound in his second song was too low. She told him to use more air.

Tomas tried this, and the sound was much better. He laughed.

More helpful notes arrived. Tomas left notes under her door too, thanking her and asking questions.

After a month, his mother sent him to Mrs. Halloway with some cake. Inside her home, he saw a silver trumpet behind glass and an old photo of a young woman playing it.

She said she had played for forty years. Then her hands got tired, so she stopped. She thought she didn't miss it, but his bad sounds made her miss playing again.

"Could you teach me?" Tomas asked.

She thought, then opened the glass box.

"Only if you give me time," she said."I haven't practiced in twelve years. I might sound like a goose too."