The Unexpected Singer – #UnicornChallenge April 19, 2024

She was 20 years old the first time she heard him sing.

It was a normal weekend day. She was in her senior year in college and was studying for exams, sitting on the sofa in the living room. He walked into the living room with a Budweiser beer in his hand and carefully sat it down on the coffee table. He was in his work clothes, dirty from working overtime as the town electrician with a five o’clock shadow on his face and tired eyes.

She was hard at work at her books and had just looked up to say hello. There was no music playing, no television interrupting the quiet. She looked back down and continued to read.

Her head shot up when he started to sing. She listened for a moment. He wasn’t singing just anything. Without preparation, he was singing…..opera? How could that be?

Through her shock, she tried to place the opera and it was easy. He was singing a part of Don Giovanni in a beautiful baritone voice.

She had never heard him sing anything as simple as a lullaby. She couldn’t believe her ears.

Somehow, she knew not to go to him. She just listened. He sang the most beautiful music for what seemed forever but must have been just a few minutes.

”I don’t know what got into me,” he chuckled, as he started to walk off.

“Daddy, that was beautiful. Sing for me again,” she said as tears rolled down his face.

Thanks to C.E. Ayr and Jenne Gray for hosting the #UnicornChallenge!