22. Father
[Albert's flashback begins]
The child held the trumpet. He placed his small mouth on the mouthpiece and blew air until both cheeks puffed out. From the trumpet, only the sound of wind flowing through the pipes could be heard. The door opened and McClain entered. He was looking for something in the locker when he carefully watched his son diligently blowing the trumpet. As with anyone, it's not easy to make trumpet sounds from the beginning. He had been that way, and his son would be the same.
He gently placed his hand on his son's shoulder. The child looked at him and smiled. When he held out his hand, the child handed him the trumpet. He pointed with his finger at his taut upper lip to the child, then brought his lips to the mouthpiece. Then, when he blew air in a long breath, a thin but strong trumpet sound spread from the small metal instrument. Breaking the silence in the empty space, the trumpet sound resonated cheerfully.
When the man removed his lips from the trumpet, the child looked at him with large eyes as if amazed. When the child brought the trumpet to his mouth again, the man shook his head and stretched his lips left and right, sending a look to the child as if telling him to follow. The child's small lips stretched long. The man placed his index finger in front of his lips and blew air toward it. The child also placed his small finger in front of his lips and blew air. The child's lips that had been stretched long were now sticking out.
The two silently continued blowing air toward their fingers. After some time passed, the man brought the trumpet to the child's lips again. At first, about a finger's width away. The air from the child's mouth traveled through the empty space and touched the metal. Gradually closer. Then finally he gently brought the mouthpiece to the child's lips. When the child blew air, a faint trumpet note leaked out between the wind sounds. The child continued to blow air. The faint trumpet note gradually became thicker and clearer, then soon resonated broadly throughout the entire space surrounding him.
McClain looked at his son and smiled contentedly.
＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊
Albert played the trumpet while looking at the town from Govan Hill. He suddenly recalled his father who had taught him trumpet as a child. He continued playing while blankly pressing the pistons. Albert didn't know why his father lived alone, separated from his family. His father didn't talk about his past or family. He only talked about the music he played on the trumpet and beautiful melodies. And when he talked about the applause poured toward him when performances ended and that sense of exhilaration, he was excited like a little child. He said he would someday perform trumpet on a big stage where millions of spectators gathered. It was unknown whether he really went on such a big stage. Just one day, his mother who came home after receiving contact from a police officer brought a cardboard box containing clothes and a rusty trumpet, saying they were his belongings.
Did he achieve his dream?
[Albert's flashback ends]