"Like you hear a note and know that it's a G or D or whatever?" Tabitha wrinkles her nose. "Okay, like, I can't really read music. I mean, I have an idea what that note sounds like when I see it on the paper, but I don't know the names of them. So if you mention them in abstract, I pretend to know what you're talking about, but I don't. I'm like the worst singer ever."
"Obviously you're not. Here, sing this." I play a note. She matches it perfectly. "Now go up a full step."
She does.
"Now come down a half-step."
She does that as well.
"Bring it down a full register."
Once again, she nails it.
"Now up."
I take my hands off the keys. "You may not know the names of the notes you're singing, but you know how to sing. You have a nice range and excellent control. I'd say you have relative pitch. You may not know the names of the notes, but you know the notes. I'm sorry, but I cannot dub you the worst singer ever. In fact, I'm much worse of a singer than you."
Tabitha laughs, sitting down on the piano bench next to me. "I doubt that."
"No, it's true. I'm a musician. Have you ever wondered why I don't sing the notes I want you to sing? I play them on the piano. My voice is not great. Especially not considering the wealth of vocal talent in the room." I waggle my eyebrows.
"How did you get started with music? Like, how did you find out you had talent? I'm guessing you didn't go to an open call like I did."
"Nah. My mom was a music teacher and my dad was in a jazz band. I was born into it. Also, my mom realized I had perfect pitch when I was like five, so the writing was on the wall from that time."
"What's perfect pitch?"
"I can identify any note by hearing it. I don't need a reference note or anything. You need the reference note and then can go from there. I can just hear a note and identify it."
"So, like any note?"
"Any note. Any key."
Tabitha cocks her head. "That's so cool. I've never heard of it before."
"It's also called absolute pitch. I read one time that like one in ten thousand people have it, so it's not that common. I mean, when I was at Berklee, I'd say like ten percent of my class had it, but we're all music nerds."
"You went to UC Berkeley? I love Northern California. We played there on tour when we were just starting out. It's a super fun college."
I smile at her error. Most people outside the performing arts industry would make the same assumption. "No, Berklee College of Music, in Boston. I'm from New Hampshire originally. Berklee's the best in the Northeast, second only to Juilliard, probably. John Mayer and Quincy Jones went there too."
"Well, aren't you the musical genius?" She laughs. "I may need you to teach me how to read music someday." She leans in, whispering in my ear, "I'm thinking I might like to do this theater thing."
"I think you'll do great at whatever you want to do. But if you want help breaking down the music, my door's always open."
Tabitha stands up and bops me on the nose with her finger. "You're adorable. And smart too. Some girl or guy needs to snatch you up."
"Girl," I say. "And maybe someday. I just found out the girl I was sort of seeing is shacking up with our bass player. She posted a pic on Insta, so I'm guessing she doesn't find me as adorable."
Tabitha shrugs. "Her loss. Totally. Because mark my words, someday Josh, you're going to be a big star. And when that happens, everyone you've ever met will come out of the woodwork claiming to be your best friend. But if they weren't good friends to you before, they're not really looking to be your friend now."
She reaches into her bag and pulls out her phone. Tabitha slides in close, holding her arm up, and snaps a selfie of the two of us at the piano. "I'm gonna tag you in that. Let her eat her heart out now."
I mull over Tabitha's words. I mean, I don't think I have to worry about being a star just yet, but it gives me perspective. Who do I have in my life that is my friend now? D'von probably. Definitely not Mark or Mei. Maybe some people from here? Grayson and Henderson are a possibility.
Then my mind wanders back to Leslie. I don't think she has enough reserves to even give to a friendship right now.
And that makes me sad.
