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After a week or two of nasty encounters with various uncooperative violins--violins in name only, I might add--I found a light at the end of the tunnel. Two of my students heeded my advice and called the Wyatt Violin Shop to set up a future with a happy, much obliging violin for a change. Upon opening the case of the first arrival, I caught my breath. If you could imagine Dorothy stepping out of her black and white farmhouse from the aftermath of a tornado, you'd be close to seeing how it felt to step away from the Violin-Shaped-Object into the world of color and sound. I had to shuffle back a tear, actually, it was so beautiful. Voices sang, "You're out of the woods, you're out of the dark, you're out of the night; step into the sun, step into the light..." The mom and daughter may have a small idea, but they probably won't ever fully appreciate the many disasters they narrowly avoided by sparing their money from a VSO.

And then, I received a gift from a previously unknown reader who'd felt for my plight and wanted to offer his unused beginner model violin as an example of the productive possibility available in an affordable price bracket. I received the violin in the mail today, and when I opened it, I was immediately giddy at the sight of something so absolutely playable for just $400. I would have guessed it easily at $800, but these Chinese violins have such a competitive market, it's possible to walk away with an absolute steal of a bargain when it comes to cheap playable instruments. I revel at the thought of introducing it to a needy beginner. I revel at the thought of dispelling the cheap, soul-less pieces of garbage once and for all. No one deserves the punishment of a Violin-Shaped-Object. I will see to it that none of my students suffer needlessly.