When An Angel Sings
A musical drama set in America.

The story of a gifted young African American girl Deborah from a very poor family in Harlem, but who had a tall ambition to study music at the best music conservatory on Long Island. She went for the scholarship audition, but failed due to technical reasons. She did not give up. But she was ashamed to return home to tell her family the bad news. So, she begged to be employed to do anything in the school. They needed a good cleaner to mop the floors and she agreed to do it, because she wanted to remain in the school. So, she returned home and told her family that she had to go for summer trials to earn the scholarship.

Her mother was a hard working single mother and she had to also work as a cleaner to take care of her only daughter and two young sons in junior high school. Their father was a drunk who played an old violin to beg for alms in the subways. And only Deborah visited him. But her mother warned her to stop visiting him, because he had been convicted twice for intimate assault. He was an ex-con and they were divorced. 

Whilst Deborah was mopping the floors, she would be eavesdropping, secretly listening in on the music lessons of the classes and conversations of the students and music teachers. And she was a fast learner.

A day to her 16th birthday, she visited her father and expected him to remember her birthday, but he never even got the hint. She was so disappointed that she was in tears as she told him. He was ashamed and apologized to her. He told her to return on her birthday and even if he had nothing to give her, he would play her a special composition on his old violin. She said she would love to hear it. She left and whilst her mother was busy baking a birthday cake, Deborah was more interested in going to see her father the following day to hear the special composition. But, when she went to see him the following day, he was not there. She only saw a wrapped birthday present with a note that he had to go somewhere. She was heart broken. She opened the wrapped present and saw his violin with her name scratched on it. She wept that he was more important to her than a special birthday present. She returned home with the violin and couldn't hide the truth from her mother. She said, trusting him was hopeless. And she wanted to save her children from the failures of such a hopeless father.

Deborah treasured the violin and took it to work at the music conservatory. She would play the violin during breaks. But most of the students made fun of her, because they knew she was from a poor family that couldn't afford to pay for her music lessons. But Deborah was not discouraged. 

The Long Island Music Conservatory was busy with rehearsals for the  annualAll American Music Festival in Orlando, Florida and there was a big setback that could make the school to lose the title it had won for over seven years. The lead Soprano was ill and couldn't sing. So, the music director must get a replacement as soon as possible.

Deborah was on her way to work and as she crossed the wide road, she noticed an old woman who needed aid to cross the road. So, with her violin strapped to her back, she went back across the road to help the old woman and as Deborah was helping her, her violin fell off her back in the middle of the road and she couldn't leave the old woman as vehicles were speeding to and fro during the early morning rush hours. She hurriedly took her across the road and tried to rush back to pick up her violin. But a speeding truck ran over it and crushed the violin. Deborah was petrified on the spot as she froze in shock gazing at the crushed violin. She fell on her knees, sobbing profusely and picking up the pieces of her shattered violin (metaphor for shattered dreams). The old woman and other onlookers were very sympathetic. A man came and comfortingly pulled Deborah away from the dangerous spot she was in the middle of the fast traffic. The old woman came and hugged her and whispered some inaudible words into her right ear. Deborah still went to work. But she couldn't do much mopping of the floors. And most people ignored her. Because they were still engrossed in the rehearsals for the All American Music Festival in Orlando, Florida and the music director had begun auditions for a replacement for Alice Winters the indisposed Soprano.

All the students who came for the auditions failed to impress the music director. And he was now flummoxed in a state of desperation and frustration, because there were only three days to the closing date of registration for the All American Music Festival in Orlando, Florida. He was screaming in an argument with the principal over the problem whilst Deborah was mopping the floors nearby in the same hall. Something suddenly pushed her and she summoned up courage to walk up to the music director and said she could do it.
"I can do it," Deborah said.
"Do what?" asked the music director.
The principal waved her off in dismissal.
But the music director asked her to express herself aloud.
"I can sing Alice Winters' part," she said.
The students in the hall laughed at her.
The principal scorned her and ordered Deborah to return to her job of mopping floors.
But, she refused to go back. Then, the music director took the principal aside and told him that Deborah actually came for the last scholarship interview, but she failed and refused to leave. She asked for a job and got one to mop the floors.
The principal and music director said they had nothing to lose anyway if Deborah failed to impress them. So, they gave her the sheet music for the Soprano.
Deborah knew that this was the golden opportunity she had prayed, toiled and wept for.
She took a deep breath and sang like an angel.
They were too overwhelmed to say a word for 60 seconds.
Even Alice Winters' voice seemed ordinary when compared to the awesome Soprano they just heard like the voice of an angel from the blues.
"Who is she?" The principal asked in excitement.
"Deborah Thomas from Harlem," replied the music director.
"Oh! Blessed Jesus! She is Godsent for such a time as this," enthused the overjoyed principal.
They immediately admitted Deborah into the school choir and later that same day the necessary requirements for her admission into the Long Island Music School were processed and she was offered the full scholarship. She shed tears of joy and couldn't wait to return home to tell her family the good news.

Deborah led their choir to the All American Music Festival in Orlando, Florida and they retained their title.
And as they were rejoicing, her father was leaving rehab somehwere in New York and as he was about to cross the road, he saw an old woman in white. She reminded him of his late mother. He ran to help her across the road. But before he could reach her, she smiled and said, "Go and see my sweet grand daughter. She has made us proud today. Worry no more Thomas, because she will wipe away your tears."
And she just faded before his very eyes.


(All rights reserved)

By Orikinla Osinachi
February 27, 2007.
Bonny Island, Rivers State,
Nigeria.

 
N.B:
I wrote this short story on the spot on Nairaland at a sitting. Between 9 am an 1 pm.

that was good.
am not saying so becuase i need something from u but it shows the depth of your creativity, if u thought that up in a sitting then mmmn.

ibkn:

that was good.
am not saying so becuase i need something from u but it shows the depth of your creativity, if u thought that up in a sitting then mmmn.

Thanks Ibkn.
But, C'mon!
I don't think you would flatter me.
But where have you been?
I hope the state of emergency in PH is not too bad.

The original story with the dialogue has been written and it is actually for the screenplay and When An Angel Sings and Hysterics are meant for two film projects.
Hysterics is for a short psycho-analytical film while When An Angel Sings is for a musical feature like Dream Girls, but I love the grass to grace story of Deborah.
Both are very subtle Christian themes. And I am going to let professional WGA members to write the screenplays, because I don't want to take chances.

Nice, the grass to grace story in it, reminds me of this movie "step up", nice though.

very impressive Orikinla. you are a talent i must say.people who are talented dont need much time and effort. hows bonny island? been there b4,spent a month and enjoyed my stay.

Thanks for reading.

For people like me who are favoured by God to stay in the exclusive Nigerian LNG RAs, all is well. But for those outside the secured estate, there is no peace of mind.

I stay with my brother-in-law anytime I am here on location.

Shell led me to come here on my documentary film on the gas flares and Niger Delta crisis, but later said they were no longer interested. But a Brazilian filmmaker hopefully should be here early 2008 for the production of our documentary.
The funny thing, I can afford to produce the documentary now without Shell.

Orikinla I have followed every contribution of yours on this website, including Seun, and I most confess you guys are guilty of the crime called creativity. I belong to that dept. too, soon you will feel the energy from me soonest.

richyodilu:

Orikinla I have followed every contribution of yours on this website, including Seun, and I most confess you guys are guilty of the crime called creativity. I belong to that dept. too, soon you will feel the energy from me soonest.

Richyodilu,
I am addicted to literature.
I love reading and listening to stories of life and writing about them and I do add my own salt and pepper to make it hot or sweet.

Seun is safe, because he put the horse before the cart. His Nairaland is already phenomenal and the vehicle of fame and fortune. And he can write whatever he desires.
But most of the writers worldwide are actually suffering and smiling. The ones we know are only the successful ones.
Ben Okri was living on charity in the UK until he won the Booker Prize.

Writing is like cooking.
Literature is food for the soul.

You have to pass through the fire of the crucible to become invincible.

writing, especially creative writing, is a gift that can never be undermine, and findding the time to read - quality reading - is not only gratifying and satisfying but could be energy sapping. Orikinla I understand virtually everything. I am an emerging writer myself and a voracious reader.
I want to be a celebrated writer and I know that I am good. My present fight that I am gaining advatage upon is writers block.
I will overcome
when the time has come
for me to spring forth
like a diamond, with much worth

Writing, especially creative writing, is a gift that can never be undermine, and finding the time to read - quality reading - is not only gratifying and satisfying but could be energy sapping. Orikinla I understand virtually everything. I am an emerging writer myself and a voracious reader.
I want to be a celebrated writer and I know that I am good. My present fight that I am gaining advantage upon is writers block.

"I will overcome
when the time has come
for me to spring forth
like a diamond, with much worth"

Orikinla, this is a materpiece I was actually carried away while reading it, i thot it was culled from some american literature. Wow!, this is beautiful, thumbs up, & keep it up.

PS: i usually look foward to your posts in this section, pls don't stop writing,

zukkie4eva:

Orikinla, this is a materpiece I was actually carried away while reading it, i thot it was culled from some american literature. Wow!, this is beautiful, thumbs up, & keep it up.

PS: i usually look foward to your posts in this section, please don't stop writing,

Zukkie4eva,
Your words mean a million to me. Because, I am surrounded by people who don't appreciate literature. The only people who encouraged me were my beloved mother who told me stories and my German companion who was my muse till she returned to Munich and Mr. Bisi Ojediran of Shell has been the only person in Nigeria who is encouraging me. Others offline are more interested in the fortune and to reap where they have not sowed.
My greatest inspiration is the Word according to John 1: 1 of the Holy Bible.

richyodilu:

Writing, especially creative writing, is a gift that can never be undermine, and finding the time to read - quality reading - is not only gratifying and satisfying but could be energy sapping. Orikinla I understand virtually everything. I am an emerging writer myself and a voracious reader.
I want to be a celebrated writer and I know that I am good. My present fight that I am gaining advantage upon is writers block.

"I will overcome
when the time has come
for me to spring forth
like a diamond, with much worth"

Richyodilu,

You can become the great writer you are determined to be.
Once you set the goal, you can make it.
We pray for divine inspiration and protection all the way.

good one Orikinla but that your tori abt jenni,
@ post good read.

angel empy
well,cant wait to c
ur published work!!

angel_empy:

wow,orikinla, dat waz a masterpiece.it'll make good viewing as a movie.
ya writeups are always so nice.i am also a writer though unpublished.my problem is imporving on my creativity,cos i am unsure of how good my wriote ups are.i hear sometimes that my stories are good but after pouring them on paper i just feel its all trash,

please keep on writing.your pieces are a treasure!

Even though I got my first break as a child prodigy, winning a first prize at 13 and becoming a professional script writer for the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA) at 18 and my first book was published when I was 25. But I am also still learning and the only way is to keep on practicing your craft until it becomes an art.

No writer is perfect.

Try and get published and let your readers decide how you are doing.

Good one. the story was heart touching.