[Lowry household, day. Gilda knocks on the door, and leans against a column as she waits for it to be answered. She hums to herself, before singing quietly]
Gilda: 🎵 Mainstream, are we moving too far away? / Mainstream, is it worth it if it doesn’t pay? / Mainstream, the centerline is status quo / Gotta stay within the / Mainstream, if you stay within the tried and true / Mainstream, you’ll remain among the chosen few / Mainstream, survive a year🎵 [scat sings the guitar fill as Carol opens the door] “Oh! Hello, Mrs. Lowry!”
Carol: “Hello, Gilda.”
Gilda: “Fancy seeing you at the house. I don’t see you much.”
Carol: “Yeah, well, you’d be surprised how busy the fire department keeps you.”
Gilda: “Y’know, we picked a good day to schedule Abby’s lesson. The Hynde triplets are at her uncle Shaun’s for the weekend, Wendy and Nicole have dentist’s appointments today, and April’s out with Jazz in the city, obviously you’d know that last one. And… uh, where’d you say August was again?”
Carol: “Hiking in Yonderpine’s woods. He saw… they saw, some robin’s eggs and wanted to take pictures, to could remember what the color looked like. They want Margo’s sister to make them something.”
Gilda: “Her name’s Molly.”
Carol: “Right. Molly.” [beat] “Anyways, Abby’s already at the piano, in fact, I think I hear her playing already.”
[Abby is heard playing ‘Louie Louie’]
Gilda: 🎵 A-A-A, D-D, E-E-E, D-D, A-A-A 🎵 “Yep, just as I taught her. ‘Louie Louie”s probably the easiest song there is to play on any instrument. Just three notes. And yet it’s a catchy riff, isn’t it?” [walks into the house]
Carol: “And if you’re hungry, we have some leftover lemon chiffon cake.”
Gilda: “Generabrand?”
Carol: “No, actually, the good stuff. Redfeather Commune.”
Gilda: “Ah, cool! For the record, Mrs. Lowry, they’re both the good stuff. But of course, Commune tastes better. And I’m not just saying that because the cake from the Commune is my grandma’s recipe! I’m saying that because the recipe –” [slaps mouth shut] “Just kidding, that’s secret.” [signs ‘NDA’ in sign language and goes to the kitchen. She calls out to Abby as she opens the fridge] “Good playing, Abby. You know the other riff?” [beat. Abby plays the other ‘Louie Louie’ riff. Gilda sings it quietly to herself] 🎵 A, A-D, D-E-E-E-D-D 🎵 “Sì, very good!”
[Gilda takes the cake out of the fridge, puts the plate in the sink, and goes to join Abby in the living room, holding the dessert in her hand. Abby stops and stares at Gilda as she walks in, taking her first bite of the cake]
Abby: “You… eat cake like that?”
Gilda: [swallows] “Eat cake like what?”
Abby: “Without a fork! Or a plate, for that matter!”
Gilda: “The cake’s still getting in my stomach, is it not?”
Abby: “Yeah, well, usually, if a food leaves behind a lot of crumbs or whatever, normal ines would use a fork or spoon or… ah, never mind. What do you know about normal anyway?”
Gilda: “That it’s a boring way to be.” [takes another bite of the cake as she sits on the floor by the piano] “Alright, let’s mix it up. You know the A-chord, major and minor. And also D and E in major and minor. Since I feel inspired by this song, show me a G-chord. Major.”
Abby: “Since you feel insp –“
Gilda: “Just do it.” [Abby plays the chord] “Very good. Show me three of them.” [Abby plays them slowly] “I was thinking a little faster, like G, G, G.” [Abby plays the chords as requested] “Okay. Now show me three minor A-chords, like A, A-A.” [Abby plays the A-chords as requested]
Abby: “What exactly am I playing?”
Gilda: “It’ll make sense in a moment. Now play them together, one after the other.” [Abby plays a G major-chord followed by an A-minor] “No, no, no, like what you just did. G, G, G, A, A-A.” [Abby plays as Gilda requested] “Very good. Now keep playing up until I start singing. Then start playing C-majors to the tune.” [Gilda stands up as she takes another bite out of the cake. Once she swallows the piece, she snaps her fingers and points at Abby, prompting the C-major chords] 🎵 I don’t know how I’m gonna do it / But I’m gonna make him mine / He’s the envy of all the girls / It’s just a matter of time 🎵
[Gilda flicks her hand around to signal Abby to stop]
Abby: “Wow, Gilda, you’re actually a really good singer.” [Gilda bows] “What song is that?”
Gilda: “‘My Sweet Lord’ by George Harrison.”
Abby: “Really? The Beatle?”
Gilda: “No, I was testing you. ‘He’s So Fine’ by the Ch –” [looks at her cake] “By a girl group from the 1960s. They have the same alternating chords, minor second and major fifth. Difference being ‘He’s So Fine’ is in G and ‘My Sweet Lord’ is in E.” [Abby plays the E-minor chord] “Major.” [Abby plays the E-major chord] “You know, there’s a funny story about the two songs. I’ll tell it to you some other time. But trust me, when we get to ‘My Sweet Lord’, it’ll click. Once you know ‘He’s So Fine’ in and out, it won’t take any time at all to learn ‘My Sweet Lord’.”
Abby: “I think I’m ready now.”
Gilda: “Not yet, you’re not. Let’s get those right hand fingers on the keys.” [Abby sets her fingers on the piano, light enough that she doesn’t play any notes] “Now, remember, Abby. Which hand do you use more often to do things?”
Abby: “The right, Ms. Lefty.”
Gilda: [squints at Abby] “That’s right. Um, that’s correct. And of course, that’ll be the hand you use to play the more complicated melody, as you play the more simple chords, with your left.”
Entry number three to fulfill my New Year’s resolution to draw at least one National [thing] day-themed artwork every month. For March, much like with last month, we have another twofer. Well, twofer as in two days are being addressed here. World Piano Day (the 88th day of the year, marking how many keys are on a traditional piano), and National Lemon Chiffon Cake Day. And for it, I came up with this artwork and ficlet, of Gilda eating lemon chiffon cake as she teaches Abby piano.
If a few ficlets ago was any indication, I’ve decided to have Gilda’s go-to instrument be the piano. Since a raccoon’s dominant sense is their touch, I thought it’d be fitting for Gilda to play key-based instruments, such as the keyboard, the harpsichord, the organ, and of course, the piano. And as an expansion on this, I’ve had this idea that Gilda serves as Abby’s piano teacher, because she’s the only one willing to teach rock and pop music, the stuff Abby wants to learn, rather than the traditional stuff like “Chopsticks” and “Heart and Soul”.
And if me saying this, as well as “Louie Louie” being played in the ficlet, makes you wonder if these ideas were inspired by the 1995 film Mr. Holland’s Opus… yep, you got me. I quite enjoyed the film, BTW, except for the Gershwin revue stretch of the film. Also, if anyone makes an unironic plea ‘for the children’, show them this clip. I apologize in advance for it being a pan-and-scan VHS rip. But the message is still correct.
Anyways, that’ll be all for this one. Until next time, take care, stay safe, get vaccinated, reject crypto, please I beg you TGAMM fandom do *not* turn heterophobic just because Molly x Ollie is apparently going to be a thing, and have a good one.
Twitter (Main): https://twitter.com/StormyAdlerPoG
Twitter (Art): https://twitter.com/TheOfficialOTOG
Instagram: www.instagram.com/phoenix_of_g…
Newgrounds: https://phoenixofgrunvale.newgrounds.com/
YouTube: www.youtube.com/channel/UCXj2N…
Discord: Contact me by my tag (Stormy Adler, P.o.G.#1752) for an invite to my server.
Grunvale/OTOG is owned by me. You’re free to draw fanart of it, as long as you credit me as the creator of the series.
“Mainstream” was written by Kerry Livgren for Kansas’ album Drastic Measures, owned by Sony Music Entertainment through Epic Records.
“Louie Louie” was written by Richard Berry and most famously recorded by The Kingsmen for their album The Kingsmen In Person, owned by Gusto Records.
“He’s So Fine” was written by Ronald Mack for the Chiffons’ album of the same name, owned by Universal Music Group through Capitol Records.
This artwork was made at a resolution of 5076×2160 (aspect ratio 2.35:1).
The Gallery of Stormy Adler 