Page 28 - The Gluckman Occasional Number Four

appearing incognito. He couldn’t stay away from music: it was his
life, his love, his living. He knew he had the ability to improvise in
the manner of jazz musicians, but he’d never had a chance to try it
in public. He was excited.
Again, Arturo was
an instant success. His
ensemble work was
flawless, his sense of
rhythm impeccable.
But it was the
elephant’s brief solos
that drew the most
attention. He could
play the blues now,
after what he’d been
through. The fans had
never heard such wild
yet soulful sounds. They went crazy, yelling and clapping every time
he raised his trunk and began blowing. Arturo was thrilled. He soon
attracted a small but loyal following, club-goers who loved his music
and knew nothing of his former life.
But he could not keep his secret forever. One night a music critic
for the Times happened to stop by the club on his way home. He
instantly saw through the elephant’s disguise. Very pleased with his
discovery, he hurried back to the newspaper office and rewrote his
article for the next day’s paper.