06 Drums Up!

Drums Up The next day, Mr. Todd handed back the homework do-overs. He was wearing his Proudof-Class-3T face. "I knew you would/you'd turn this around," he said. "Good work, 3T." Judy could not/couldn't believe her eyes. Triple stickers! Were her eyes playing tricks on her? Judy showed off her homework to Rocky and Frank. Their eyes bugged out of their heads. "Awesome-sauce banana peel?" said Frank. "That is/that's like the best of all the triple stickers!"

Rocky agreed. "You cannot/can't get any better than that. You are/you're like the Queen of Contractions." "Thanks!" said Judy, hoping Jessica Finch heard that one. She drew a picture of an apostrophe trophy and gave it to herself. Then she took out her bucket list and crossed off Get triple stickers on homework. That's when Learn a musical instrument caught her eye. She had an awesome-sauce after-school

idea. As soon as the last bell rang, Judy followed Frank and his tuba down the hall to the music room. He filled Judy in on the way. "Mr. Nulty is the music teacher." "Got it," said Judy. "He's really nutty about music." "Uh-huh." "But whatever you do, don't call him Mr. Nutty," said Frank. "Got it," said Judy. "Hi, Mr. Nulty," Frank called. "This is my friend Judy. Can we look around? Judy wants to play an instrument." "Great!" said Mr. Nulty. "Music should be a part of everyone's life, right, Frank?" "Right, Mr. Nutty," said Frank. Oops! "I mean Nulty."

"If you want to play," Mr. Nulty told Judy, "you have to come once a week after school for a twenty-two-minute lesson. And you'll need to give up one recess a week to come play. How does that sound?" "Good," said Judy. Mr. Nulty handed her a permission slip to get signed.

There were instruments all over the music room— on desks, on tables, on stands. Big brass horns and tiny, shiny flutes and violins with strings. "Go ahead. Take a look around," said Mr. Nulty. "What do you think you might want to play?" He held up a French horn and played a few bars from the theme to Star Wars. "Ooh-la-la!" said Judy. He held up a saxophone and played a riff from "Take Me Out to the Ballgame."

"Snazzy and jazzy," said Judy. Then he played some high sweet notes on the flute. "I like pressing buttons!" said Judy. The room was almost spinning. Her head was a symphony of sounds. "They all sound so good. How will I ever decide?" said Judy, twirling and untwirling a squiggle of hair around her finger. "Pick one up. Try it out," said Mr. Nulty. "Don't be shy. I have to run to the office and make some copies. I'll give you a few minutes. Frank here can help you." Frank held up a flute. "Here. Everybody likes the flute. Try this one." Judy held the flute to her lips. She blew into the mouthpiece. Eek! Squeak! "It sounds like a mouse!" Judy said. Frank cracked up.