The narrator, Elsy, reflects on her journey from being a lonely and ordinary girl to becoming a talented musician. Growing up in a small town in Nebraska, Elsy felt like she didn't fit in and struggled to find her place. However, after being kicked in the head by an angry donkey at a fair, she developed a unique connection to music and became an exceptional pianist. With the help of her grandmother, Elsy's talent flourished, and she started performing in concerts and competitions.
However, after hitting her head on the bottom of a pool, Elsy's musical abilities disappeared, leaving her feeling lost and embarrassed. With the encouragement of her friend Gina, Elsy starts practicing again and eventually regains her skills. She participates in a talent show and, despite initial doubts, wins the competition with a stunning performance of Beethoven's piece.
The story concludes with Elsy reuniting with her friend Zack, who had been away on an exchange program in China, and they make plans to meet up for piano lessons. Throughout the narrative, Elsy learns valuable lessons about perseverance, friendship, and finding one's passion in life.
Here are the key facts extracted from the text:
1. The narrator, Elsy, lived in a small town in Nebraska.
2. Elsy grew up without siblings and found her childhood boring and lonely.
3. Elsy's parents encouraged her to play outside.
4. Elsy rode her bike in circles around the driveway because she wasn't allowed to go anywhere.
5. Elsy fell asleep in class and found her school experience uneventful.
6. Elsy's best friend, Gina, was more outgoing and fun-loving.
7. Elsy and Gina worked on a science project together, creating a volcano and a robot.
8. Elsy was inspired by a video of a girl playing the violin and wanted to learn to play.
9. Elsy's parents signed her up for violin lessons, but she struggled to play.
10. Elsy tried playing the guitar, but the strings hurt her fingers.
11. Elsy sang, but her parents eventually told her to stop.
12. Elsy learned to play the piano with the help of her grandmother.
13. Elsy's grandmother was a skilled musician who could play better than the violinist in the video that inspired Elsy.
14. Elsy entered a local piano competition and won first prize.
15. Elsy became famous and started performing concerts.
16. Elsy's agent came to her house and asked to represent her.
17. Elsy performed at many cities and became a superstar.
18. Elsy missed Gina's birthday due to her busy schedule.
19. Elsy and Gina had a falling out, and Gina was unhappy with Elsy's new lifestyle.
20. Elsy met a boy named Zack at a pool party and had a crush on him.
21. Elsy got a concussion after hitting her head on the bottom of the pool.
22. Elsy's musical talents disappeared after her concussion.
23. Elsy was unable to play the piano and had a disastrous performance at a talent show.
24. Gina encouraged Elsy to practice and play the piano again.
25. Elsy started taking piano lessons from her grandmother over video chat.
26. Elsy and Gina made up and started hanging out again.
27. Elsy saved up her allowance to buy tickets to visit the electron microscope lab with Gina.
28. Elsy found out that Zack had left town and didn't know why.
29. Elsy decided to enter the talent show again and practiced hard.
30. Elsy's competitor, Ashley, was the head cheerleader and the student body president.
31. The lights went out just before Elsy's performance, but she played anyway and received a standing ovation.
32. Elsy won the talent competition.
33. Elsy ran into Zack in the lobby after the competition and found out he had been in China as an exchange student.
34. Zack asked Elsy to give him piano lessons, and they made a date.