The old violin

I grimaced as the violin scream slowly tortured my ears. Mum claims that we, the Deckers are a violin family. Just because my great-great-great grandfather was so famous for his violin playing does not mean we are a violin family. In fact, I know that violin is a torture for me. I shut my room door that used to be my dad’s but not any more. He passed away five years ago.I hardly have any memory of him. I lay down on my bed, my mind blank and before I knew it I was snoring.

Thud! My eyes suddenly opened up. I slowly got up, my back aching until I had my eyes fixed on something under the bed. There was dust floating around it. It was dark under the bed but I knew what it was. Guess what? Another violin. Was I surprised? No. I stepped into the living room where mum was watching violin players.One of them looked awfully familiar.I showed the violin to mum. Mum was very shaken up to see it. She was shivering although I was melting, then with a push of breath she said shakily, “It was my first violin.”

“Leave it in the cupboard with old things.”

The violin was very dusty and it was way too old. We won’t get violins like this these days. They stopped selling in the 1980s. I carefully left it in the cupboard then I told myself I will go back in the night. Day slowly turned to night. Mum was really quiet for the whole day. The grandfather clock in the living room chimed as midnight came upon. I got up out of bed thinking to myself, it’s just another stupid violin, it will probably make worse noises than the one mum has right now.

I slowly crept into the living room like I was on some kind of stealth mission. My legs were low, my eyes focused on where I wanted to be, this will tell me my family’s history because the violin looked really expensive so it could not have been a practice violin or a first violin. The cupboard with the old things itself is very old. When I opened the doors the creak was so loud I would not have been surprised if my eardrums burst.Dhum!Dhum! There were footsteps coming down the stairs oh no! That’s mum. I quickly scurried behind the couch. Mum looked around but could not find me.My heart hammered against my chest as I got the violin out, dusted it off and I saw a name. It was carved in beautiful calligraphy. Decker 1974, I paused for a second, “1974,1974 think,think.” I dusted the violin more. Arnold. The name sounded familiar as well. By the time the clock showed 12:45 I went back to bed.

Jim wake up! We have a big day ahead of us. I had my breakfast, did everything I needed and we went to a violin museum.Once we arrived, there were many portraits of great violin players. “Montgomery Decker, my great-great-great grandfather, Arnold Decker, Syria…”

I looked back, Arnold Decker was on the violin I saw in the night. The guide said, “Here is Arnold Decker, beyond any argument, is the best violin player of all time. He was also related to Montgomery Decker. Unfortunately, he passed away 5 years ago.”

Hearing that, I was so happy to be the son of the best violin player of all time. When we reached home I thought about my opinion on violins and how I acted about violins. Maybe violins aren’t so bad. Maybe we are a violin family.