Chapter 3 Pigs Might Fly
The staff did not bother to look up but indicated with her chin at the pen and registration form on the table.
Neil quickly wrote down the song he wanted to sing.
‘Dracorea the Beautiful‘
The female staff glanced at it indifferently and asked with a frown. “What song is that? I’ve never heard of it.”
Her words confirmed Neil’s theory.
This has been a popular Christmas song since 1984. Everyone should know it. Since she has never heard it, it can only mean one thing this song doesn’t exist in this reality!
–
Neil answered calmly, “I wrote it. It’s an original piece, and I have never performed it.”
For the sake of my wife and children, I have no choice but to plagiarize it shamelessly!
The woman furrowed her brow and asked disdainfully, “Who cares whether it’s your original work? Do you have accompaniment…”
Neil looked at the old piano at the end of the stage. “No, I’ll play the music myself!”
“Heh, how arrogant!” The woman added some notes on the registration form and number card. “Tear off the back of the card and paste it on your shirt. There are five more contestants before your turn.”
gave
him a
“Thank you!” Neil took the number card and went backstage.
He heard the woman telling someone beside her. “That trash only knows to drink, gamble, and fool around. How dare he thinks he can win a prize? Hah…”
Neil’s gaze turned dull.
The woman’s words did not anger him.
Instead, he wished he had come to his senses sooner. Then, he would not have caused so much pain and hurt to his wife and children.
Neil walked faster and reached backstage.
He went through the lyrics and rhythm in his mind.
He was a world–class pianist in his previous life and had muscle memories of the skill deep in his
bones.
A slender female host in a red dress went on stage and spoke into her microphone.
“Let’s welcome contestant number sixteen, Neil Grant. He will perform the song ‘Dracorea the Beautiful!”
Neil stepped onto the stage.
The audience began to jeer at him.
“Get off the stage, Neil. There’s no way you can sing!”
“How did a scoundrel like you qualify for a patriotic song competition? It looks like pigs in the pen might fly!”
“Neil, you scum! Your wife and children don’t even have enough money for food, yet you borrow money for gambling. Scram!”
It was a small town, so everyone knew each other.
They knew everything scandalous in someone’s family.
Thus, everyone knew Neil mixed with the wrong crowd, fooled around all day, and incurred a huge debt.
A few older women were furious and threw vegetables from their basket, hitting Neil’s legs.
Neil thought to himself.
They are right!I was a scum in my past life. I deserve to be scolded!However, I won’t mistreat my family this
time!
Neil calmed his emotions and bowed deeply to the audience.
The agitated crowd was stunned by that gesture.
I see him drunk all the time. When did he become so serious?
Before they could think further, Neil sat before the piano and placed his slender fingers on the black and white keys.
A pleasant melody filled the air.
The audience gasped in shock.
Does Neil play the piano?How does he play it so well?
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These folks knew nothing about music theory, yet they could hear the music’s beauty.
The melody played by Neil was somber and mournful but undeniably beautiful.
Everyone fell silent.
Neil turned to the microphone on the piano and began to sing.
“O beautiful for spacious skies.”
“For amber waves of grain.”
“For purple mountain majesties.”
“Above the fruited plain!”
“Dracorea! Dracorea!”
“God shed His grace on thee.”
“And crown thy good with brotherhood.”
“From sea to shining sea!”
The audience fell into pin–drop silence and widened their eyes in shock.
They looked at the man in shabby clothes and sporting a messy beard.
But Neil sat straight and belted the tune sentimentally with his mellow and magnetic voice.
It was the first time anyone saw him looking so solemn and handsome. They were awestruck by his exceptional piano and singing skills.
Everyone exchanged glances and listened attentively to his voice.
The melody picked up the pace, surging like a rapidly flowing river.
Neil gradually raised his pitch and sang the chorus.
“O beautiful for patriot dream.”
“That sees beyond the years.”
“Thine alabaster cities gleam.”
“Undimmed by human tears!”
bones.
A slender female host in a red dress went on stage and spoke into her microphone.
“Let’s welcome contestant number sixteen, Neil Grant. He will perform the song ‘Dracorea the Beautiful!”
Neil stepped onto the stage.
The audience began to jeer at him.
“Get off the stage, Neil. There’s no way you can sing!”
“How did a scoundrel like you qualify for a patriotic song competition? It looks like pigs in the pen might fly!”
“Neil, you scum! Your wife and children don’t even have enough money for food, yet you borrow money for gambling. Scram!”
It was a small town, so everyone knew each other.
They knew everything scandalous in someone’s family.
Thus, everyone knew Neil mixed with the wrong crowd, fooled around all day, and incurred a huge debt.
A few older women were furious and threw vegetables from their basket, hitting Neil’s legs.
Neil thought to himself.
They are right!I was a scum in my past life. I deserve to be scolded!However, I won’t mistreat my family this
time!
Neil calmed his emotions and bowed deeply to the audience.
The agitated crowd was stunned by that gesture.
I see him drunk all the time. When did he become so serious?
Before they could think further, Neil sat before the piano and placed his slender fingers on the black and white keys.
A pleasant melody filled the air.
The audience gasped in shock.
Does Neil play the piano?How does he play it so well?
These folks knew nothing about music theory, yet they could hear the music’s beauty.
The melody played by Neil was somber and mournful but undeniably beautiful.
Everyone fell silent.
Neil turned to the microphone on the piano and began to sing.
“O beautiful for spacious skies.”
“For amber waves of grain.”
“For purple mountain majesties.”
“Above the fruited plain!”
“Dracorea! Dracorea!”
“God shed His grace on thee.”
“And crown thy good with brotherhood.”
“From sea to shining sea!”
The audience fell into pin–drop silence and widened their eyes in shock.
They looked at the man in shabby clothes and sporting a messy beard.
But Neil sat straight and belted the tune sentimentally with his mellow and magnetic voice.
It was the first time anyone saw him looking so solemn and handsome. They were awestruck by his exceptional piano and singing skills.
Everyone exchanged glances and listened attentively to his voice.
The melody picked up the pace, surging like a rapidly flowing river.
Neil gradually raised his pitch and sang the chorus.
“O beautiful for patriot dream.”
“That sees beyond the years.”
“Thine alabaster cities gleam.”
“Undimmed by human tears!”
“Dracorea! Dracorea!”
“God shed His grace on thee.”
“And crown thy good with brotherhood.”
“From sea to shining sea!”
The lyrics were simple, hitting right in one’s heart. Moreover, it was accompanied by a majestic melody.
The song fully embodied the longing of overseas wanderers for their country.
It inspired the listeners‘ passion, triggering every fiber of their being to yearn for and love their beloved country.
Furthermore, the song lyrics included many symbolic places in Dracorea, expressing appreciation and desire for the scenic wonders of one’s homeland.
At the same time, the passionate and tender music expressed pride in the richness of Dracorea.
Every lyric touched their heart.
Neil sang
the song to the end and played the final note.
The audience was so moved that they responded with thunderous applause.
Someone shouted, “Bravo!”
The applause grew more fervent. Shouts of praise came continuously.
Even the mayor looked at him in a different light.
Neil came to the front of the stage and bowed deeply to the audience again before leaving.
The host returned to the stage and announced the previous contestant’s score.
“96.3!”
“Contestant number fifteen obtained the score of 96.3!”
“That’s the highest score we have at the moment!”
Neil remembered the contestant. His name was Harvey Wood. He became famous after participating in a competition in the state capital.
He was unsure whether there were prearrangements in this competition or whether the judges
liked his song.
He only hoped his score was high enough to defeat that contestant so that he could bring the winner’s certificate and prize money to Aneira.
Then, he would be able to convince her that he had repented.
While waiting for the score, the female staff at the registration looked at him fiercely and shouted, “Hey!”
Neil was surprised and pointed at himself. “You’re calling me?”
“If not you, who else?” The female staff rolled her eyes. “You sang very well. Stop hanging out with the wrong crowd and treat your wife and children better. Do you hear me?”
Neil felt a sting in his eyes. “I will. Thank
you, madam!”
Soon, it was time for the host to announce the score.
“Contestant number sixteen, Neil Grant’s final score is 99.8. He is currently in the first place!”
Voices of discussion rose from the audience.
“Wow, that’s an incredibly high score!”
“Neil sang well. He deserves this score!”
“I wouldn’t mind if they gave him a full score!”
“I heard he wrote the song
“Really? I don’t believe it!”
himself!”
“Didn’t you hear? He came from a wealthy family in a big city and learned to play musical instruments since young. However, his school results were quite bad. Later, his father went bankrupt and killed himself. He and his mother had no choice but to move to this place…”
Neil felt his heart clench.
(America the Beautiful. Lyrics by Katherine Lee Bates. Music by Samuel A. Ward.)
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