A Star is Born

a rare smile on his face - but i had had to grind it out of him

 I have found a star in 9 year old Osborn.

Out of my seven guitar students in my Extra Curricular Activity group on a Friday afternoon, he is the only one who not only has touched a guitar before, but knows a few chords too. He wants me to show him how to play “Comin Round The Mountain” and within three minutes he has picked it up and riffing it with me. We’re all blown away and i promise him that we'll duet for the Upper Primary kids on a Friday morning gathering. 

The following week, he asks if he can share a song he has written. I’m expecting a short riff in a similar vane to a “Kiddy Classics” but oh how wrong? He breaks out into what can only be described as a romantic love ballad with a mid-tune LA rap thrown in the middle that takes all together some five minutes to perform (with suitable outro), and he croons mournfully along to the chords about “the only one who makes me wanna sing”.

We all applaud rapturously, but Osborn takes it all solemn-faced. He is persuaded to write up the lyrics so we can all sing alongside him.

Clearly Osborn is much more thoughtful than what his face often portrays, although he does show a gritty determination in the playground, especially when there is a football involved. He is clearly quite gifted as a singer/songwriter and i’m expecting to learn some new riffs from him too.
  
Addis has got talent.