Charles was playing the piano while Mom decorated the tree (Corwin’s decorating needs were fufilled enough that he was off playing Re-Volt). But it’s not good to just bang on the keyboard — Charles requires sheet music. He gets quite vexed if there isn’t a book of music on the piano for him to peruse. Dad tried to just leave him to play but Charles was having none of that! Dad was forced to make himself useful by holding the music book open to te page selected by Charles.
Ultimately normal sheet music wasn’t challenging enough for our prodigy. He deciced to try playing the gadget catalog Dad was looking at. Dad put it on the piano and Charles tried it a bit. Interesting, but still not quite right. Charles then made Dad page through the catalog, Charles intently studying each page until he found just the right one. Eventually after several playings, we reached the back of the catalog. But Dad had let the corner dangle over the edge of the music ledge! Charles played one note and stopped, carefully pushed the edge back into position, and then resumed his recitation. Dad was forgiven. Yay!