imonweekdayafternoons.Wheurnedfour,Eddiewentinwithmeoowork.IddrophimoffatthenurseryschoolandthenswingbyfromTwainwhenmymusicclasseswerethrough.InourfewprivatehoursItaughthimscales,butwhenheboredofthepiaoddledofftohisbloddinosaurs,iingimaginarygamesandpanionstowhileawaylonesomehours.Everyonawhile,hedbringoveraplaymatefortheafternoon,butthosechildrenneverseemedtoeback.Thatwasfinebyme,asIneverfullytrustedhisplaymates.Ahemcouldhavebeenagelingindisguise.

    Strangely,mymusicflourishedinthesplendidisolationwehadcarvedoutforourselves.Whileheeainedhimselfwithhistoysandbooks,Iposed.Tessencedmetofindmyownsound.Everyweekorso,shewouldbringhomeanotheralbumfeaturinganmusidiyusedrecordstore.ShecadgedticketstoHeinzHallperformances,dugupsheetmusidbooksonorchestrationandinstrumentation,andinsistedthatIgointothecitytoworkoutthemusimyheadatfriendlychurchesandthecollegemusicschool.Shewasre-creating,inesseherepertoireireasurechestfromCheb.Iwrotedozensofworks,thoughstsuccessorattentioedfrommyefforts—acoercedperformanceofanewarrabyalocalchoir,oronenightoricanwithawindensemblefromupstate.Itriedeverythingtogetmymusicheard,senttapesandscoresaroundthetrytopublishersandperformers,butusuallyreceivedaformreje,ifanything.Everygreatposerservesanapprenticeshipofsorts,evenmiddle-schoolteachers,buti,Ikhepositionshadfulfilledmyiions.

    Onephonecallgedeverything.IhadjusteinthedoorwithEdwardafterpighimupfromnurseryschool.Thevoitheotherendwasfromanotherworld.Anup-and-ingchamberquartetinCalifornia,whospecial