The Violin Shop

Chapter 3 Family is Forever Something secret, Something gold. Something new is something old. Turn back time, And you will see You always were. You’ll always be. Think of how strange it was to see your father crying for the first time. Think of how disoriented you felt when you first saw your mother truly hurting, her cheeks wet with tears or her eyes reddened with sorrow. Think of the first funeral you ever attended, family all around…pained faces long as they tried to process the situation. Most of the people you love and respect were probably there. They were much different that day, weren’t they? Picture it. See it. Do you remember? Were you speechless? How did you act? How did you respond? The first time the veil of perfection is pulled back from those we love is incredibly unnerving. To a child, a moment like this is poignant and sticks around in their consciousness for a long time. Depending on the level of intensity, a moment such as this can even change t...

The Violin Shop Chapter 1 - Sorrento June 11, 1995 - Evening Feet pounding hard on the wet pavement, he ran. The night sky was black and rumbling overhead. Storm clouds hid the moon and Charlie Keyser couldn’t see very well. It was cold outside and he was sucking in wind, but he couldn’t stop. Not now. Not for anything. The rain beat on him mercilessly as if God Himself had turned on the faucet, but he kept running. Turn after turn he ran past the old houses and new tourist traps in Sorrento, Italy. His dark brown dress shoes were slipping and sliding on the concrete, and the bottoms of his feet were starting to get very sore. His socks were completely soaked through. He could feel the outside of his feet rubbing raw with blisters, but he didn’t stop. Charlie’s side started to ache and his breathing became more irregular. Fear urged him on...Faster...Farther...Charlie feared for his life at this point, but the adrenaline pumping through his veins made him truly...