The Exciting European Adventures of the Young Corzoo

It was a rainy day in the suburbs of Philadelphia, and as anyone knows, there is no better activity during a thunderstorm than to cuddle up inside with a good book!  That is how I found my young friend Corzoo who has lived with us since December.  He was propped up on some cozy pillows, quite absorbed in a copy of  – what?  What book is that?

“Ahem…young master Corzoo, what book is that you are reading?  Are you perhaps thinking of going somewhere?”  I caught him beside my stack of travel books with his own nose buried in my Vienna book.

“I’m studying up, of course.” he said.

“Oh!” I said.  “And when are you planning to depart?”

“Why, tomorrow.  With you.”

“Corzoo, that is simply not possible.  We haven’t planned on it.  I don’t have a ticket for you!”

“I can stow away easily enough in your carry-on bag, or in your suitcase if need be.  You know I am very resilient.  Shall I quote the Oxford English Dictionary definition of resilient for you, or do you know what that means?” he asked in his honest, but slightly patronizing young voice.  He has not yet learned the nuances of respectful conversation.

“No, Corzoo.  Thank you, but I know that you are quite adaptable and can rebound from any hardship.” I replied.  “But why is it that you have your heart set on going with me?  Don’t you think you might get a little bored and antsy?  I mean, hotel rooms are not easy places to practice.  And we’re just going to be flitting from one place to another.  We will hardly get settled in one city before we move on to the next.”

“I’ve been practicing all summer long!  I think I have gone as far as I can, being a kazoo and so forth.  I need adventure!  I need to see the world!  Aren’t you always writing in that blog of yours about how travel stretches the spirit and enriches the “inner landscape” of a young, budding musician?  This is EXACTLY what I need, even if only to get a taste of each city.  Since I am so precocious… shall I quote the definition of precocious for you?  Or…”

“NO, Corzoo!  I know you are quite intelligent and aware for your tender age!”  He was starting to agitate me, I admit.

“Well, since I am so precocious, I am fully cognizant of all of the composers who lived in the various cities you are going, your destinations being apparent by the very large stack of travel books you are packing.  I can use this trip to experience the cities the of the composers, visit the churches they wrote for, attend the concert halls where their music has been played for hundreds of years.  Think of my musical education!”

Hmm, he had a point.

“But, Corzoo,” I said, “I’m not interested ONLY in going to musically-related sites.  There is so much more to see and experience.  Beautiful gardens, impressive castles, museums.  And eating – what about eating?  You are hardly interested in experiencing food like I am, although I daresay you might like Sachertorte!  And I plan on doing a fair amount of window-shopping.  I like to wander and just see what I fall across sometimes.”

“All very true,” he said.  “But you will need a travel companion while your Mr. Bilger is working.  You’ll be lonely without me!”  He paused for a while, I imagine considering what he could say to be convincing.

“Alright!” he said, finally, with the tone of a final deal in his voice.  If you allow me stow away, I promise to go along with whatever you want to do.  You have my word, that in exchange for my companionship, I will only every once in a great while remind you of my presence in your bag, so that you might not get carried away with your wanderings and forget to think of my musical and cultural education.”

Having appealed to the teacher in me, he had me, and he knew it.

“Alright, resilient, precocious lad.  You may go.  Pack your daily warm-ups and some etudes though.  We both will be doing a little bit of daily practicing before we go exploring.”

And that is the way the Exciting European Adventures of the Young Corzoo began.