My wailing voice

One of my teenage rituals was to take care of my younger cousin from time to time. I quite enjoyed this, as I was an only child and we were fairly compatible companions. He was ten years my junior but we got along well and shared some fun times together, whilst giving his mother and my parents a breather. Some Saturdays, I would bicycle over to my aunt's home and we would hang out the local district or stay in. When we were not at the amusement arcade, beach, or play-park, we were often found in my aunt's bedroom. The reason being that there was a piano in there.

My younger cousin taught himself to play the piano by ear. He would play many of the hymns he had learned in church, as well as some popular songs, songs from school, and tunes that he had picked up from various other locations. Despite his being between eight and eleven at the time I minded him, he could play as well as any busker or amateur pianist. I would happily lend my vocals, though I was far from professional in my ability to sing. I simply enjoyed singing, so sung. My cousin occasionally told me I sounded terrible, but if he was going to play the piano, then I was going to sing!

One of the tunes I recognized when played was Kumbaya. This was one of our shared favorites, so often sounded out heavily pulsing from the piano in my aunt's bedroom. What the neighbors below thought of our performances, which could last up to an hour, I am uncertain. They did not complain whilst I was around but I believe they occasionally made some reference to our 'noise' after I had left. There were several others songs that we used to perform together, but this one was always in our repertoire.