What You Know

Some things, you just know.

For example, I know that all the men at the Lunch Hour Concerts who have hair will look from behind as though they are sitting in a stiff breeze, which is blowing towards the stage. It is the way their hair grows.

I was at one yesterday. The Elder Trio played Schubert, then Beethoven. It struck me that the Schubert was better than the Beethoven, probably because Beethoven was deaf.

Later in the evening I wrote in my diary: The Schubert was lovely, the Beethoven was not. Then I felt sorry for Beethoven, so I decided to draw a picture of him, and one of Schubert, side by side, and allow them a speech bubble in which to say whatever they liked.

Now, I know what Schubert looks like. He has no legs. He is just a head and shoulders. His hair is wavy and slightly receding although he is really quite young. His lips are romantic and full. He wears a soft cravat.

I also know what Beethoven looks like. He too has no legs. He is just a head and shoulders. His hair is wild and unkempt, his face has a permanent glower. He wears a kind of jacket, with a white shirt underneath, and a string tie.

I didn't practice my drawings, I drew them straight on to the page. This was a mistake because they looked like two scarecrows, one fair and one dark. And they both looked really sad. This wasn't right for Schubert, so I added a little upturning curl to one end of his downturning mouth. After that he looked wry. And the word that appeared in his bubble was THANKYOU.

Beethoven's shoulders got wider and wider, to make him look like a man. But I'd accidentally given him a Peter Pan collar, and a bow, and puffed sleeves. I couldn't see that adding more details would make him look better, so I stopped, and gave him a bubble. And the word that appeared in his bubble was WHY?