Another Evening At Andy’s

The waiting area isn’t plush, but the people working here are SO nice. They’ve put cartoons on the large TV for my daughter who is now munching on the wonton soup I brought her for dinner while watching SpongeBob. In one of the small practice rooms, I can hear my son practicing his clarinet for the teacher. 

All is calm, all is bright during another 30 minute session at Andy’s Family Music Center.

During the school year, we don’t frequent this famous Livingston place of music because The Boy gets lessons at school. But we do come here every other week during the summer.  Junior enjoys playing the clarinet and the teacher, Jeff, keeps him motivated and challenged.  Lessons twice a month make my son happy and keep his musical talent fresh for September. 

Although it’s a bit of a nuisance for us to cut summer pool time short for the lesson, I look forward to coming to Andy’s. It’s relaxing and the very kind staff does as much as possible to make the 30 minute wait while Junior is in his lesson pleasant. The music itself, even practice pieces, is soothing. Right now I’m listening to someone play the keyboard while the familiar notes of the songs my son has been practicing waft down the hallway.

So much of parenthood is spent waiting.  We wait for the children to be born and/or adopted.  We wait at doctors’ offices, dentists’ offices, Little League games, dance rehearsals, soccer games, for performances, and much more.  On occasion, we wait, in prayer, at hospitals. Most waits are unpleasant, monotonous, tedious.  But at Andy’s, it’s pleasant. It doesn’t have to be plush. For 30 minutes, all I ask for is nice.