Serendipity

Ian wanted to sing. From the time he learnt to recognize himself in
the mirror he wanted to sing. Getting hold of songs was not a problem.
There was radio, there was television and there were CDs. On Saturdays
and Sundays when there was no school Ian listened to music all day
long. He liked almost all the singers. It was his life's ambition to be
able to perform like them. But there was one problem. He couldn't sing
to save his life. No matter how hard he tried, his words went one way
and the melody another. In the end it always seemed that whenever he
sang he was being punished. But Ian was a determined human being. He
was convinced that if he took music lessons and practiced hard enough
his singing would surely improve. His parents were not so certain. But
when their only son wanted to take admission in Calcutta School of
Music they decided to humour him. Eight year old Ian marched to the
picturesque school in the company of doting parents. Since there was no
admission test Ian was admitted to the first year without any hassles
to either party. Classes commenced a week later.
That is when the trouble started. The teacher assigned to Ian's class
was Nigel Mitra. Everyone referred to him as just Nigel. When Nigel
took his position at the piano the students seemed to be in awe of him.
But not our Ian. He had brought along a whistle and was blowing it
softly. Nigel was quick to catch the sound. Adjusting his tie he
declared, 'I would like each of you to sing a song you know. The boy
with the whistle, why don't you start.' Ian stood up immediately and
started singing Happy Birthday. O what a song it was. The voice seemed
to be a cry of the hyena and the braying of the donkey put together.
The words seemed to be barely audible. What everyone heard was a
terrible, sepulchral howling. That day Ian was handed a letter from the
school's office before he left its premises. When his parents read its
contents they were sad but not shocked. A gentle request had been made
to Ian's parents to engage their son in any pastime other than music.
Naturally Ian had to stop going to music school.
A few years later Ian was in the seventh standard. There was a talent
contest in school and he was itching to participate. By now he had
developed into a proficient illustrator. It was in this category that
he wanted to enter the contest. However he was disappointed. The
maximum number of participants had already been included. Ian was asked
whether he had any other talent. On an impulse he said he could sing.
The teacher-in-charge asked him to sing a song he knew. Without
thinking he sang 'I just called to say I love you.'But his voice
sounded terrible. It seemed as if he was wailing while being flogged.
All those present, both boys and girls, laughed till their stomachs
ached. Ian had never felt so terrible before. What had happened as a
child was now forgotten. But this was a public humiliation and it hurt
him badly.
There was a huge football field near Ian's school. It was now six pm
and very dark. Ian did not feel like going home. He sat near a goalpost
and started&;#8230;singing. It was the only way he could make
himself feel better. At least he thought that he sang well. He was into
his sixteenth song when he felt that he was being watched. He looked
behind him. Little figures with soccer-ball-like heads and tiny feet
were dancing all over the football field. As he sang on he realized
that they were dancing to his song. He was filled with pleasure that he
had not known before. Suddenly the ball-headed men stopped dancing. One
of them who was somewhat bigger came towards him. He did not know what
to do. This ball-man spoke to Ian. He said, 'Hello Ian, we are from
planet Ball. We visit soccer fields of earth once a year. We are very
very pleased with your singing. From now on whenever you sing the whole
world will stop to listen to you'. And then all the little people
vanished.
The next morning Ian took a taxi to the tallest building in Calcutta,
Chatterjee International. Then he got into the lift and traveled to the
terrace. And he started singing. First, all the people in the
surrounding buildings came out to hear him sing. Then it was all of
Calcutta. Then India. Gradually india's immediate neighbours had all
its people on the streets wanting to listen to Ian's singing. Then it
was all of Asia. And very soon people from all countries all over the
world poured on to the streets to hear Ian as he sang his heart out.
What the ball-man said the previous night came true much to Ian's
delight.