"Nine-nors": A ray of sunlight on a cloudy month!

Getting out of bed these days is a challenge. Maybe it's got to do with the endless hours I spend tossing around in my bed; maybe it's got to do with the fact that the recent change has drained me of my energy and vitality or maybe it's the 'fact' that drama follows me! Heee! But on most mornings, rolling out of bed to face a new day ain't one of my favorite things. But what can a girl do? 'One day at a time' I'd tell myself and try to get through the numbing humdrum I call life. 

So a few weeks back, I resumed my classes with Sam. Remember him? The 11 year old that I help with creative writing. Well, he just turned 12 and I was invited for his birthday party. Needless to say, I was the oldest invitee with the least energy to run around the house. So the other day, I was in one of my evening classes when all of a sudden he asks me what I do during the weekends! "The usual" I replied " I have worship practice on Saturdays, Church Service/ Sunday School on Sunday afternoons and Choir practices after". I later learnt that he joined his school choir a week after our conversation. 

So this is what he told me about his experience in the School Choir.

"Miss Zuali" he chirped, his eyes wide with excitement, "I can sing the highest in my choir. No one can sing as high as I can."

I realized, on further questions, that his choir didn't sing a four part harmony!!

I cringed when I imagine him singing in the choir, an octave higher than the rest yet not knowing that he's out of tune. Then I prompted to tell him about the different harmonies - the air, the soprano, the alto, the contralto, the tenor, the bass. 

"What do you think I can sing?" he asked me as he sang  two lines from a song. 

"I think you'd do well with an air and you can gradually work your way to singing a tenor" I told him. Satisfied, he nodded and we went on with our Shakespeare lessons and the webs and intricacies of "A Midsummer's Night Dream". 

After an hour and a half, I was wrapping up our class when all of a sudden he started.

"Miss Zuali, I think I'll make a good 'Nine-nor' rather than an air"

"A what???"

"A Nine-nor"

"What? Nine-nor?"

"Your told me that the highest male voice is the Tenor. My voice is high enough but since I haven't had any practice, I thought I could start with a part just below the 'Ten-or' - The 'Nine-nor'!!"

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'Nine-nor'. I haven't has such a hearty laugh in such a long time. A ray of sunlight finally getting through a cloudy month! My numbing humdrum finally being given an unsuspected tickle!

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'Nine-nors'! I haven't come across a word which makes more technical sense! 

Thanks Sam for the sunlight!