“I'd like to compete in the singing competition, please.” Katie Johnson plunked down five one-dollar bills and the rest in change on the table at the local elementary school.
The man looked up at the young girl. “Do you have a guardian here to sign for you?”
“No, my grandma's at work.”
“Sorry, but you have to have an adult sign for you. We can't take minors unless they're accompanied by an adult.”
Dejected, Katie picked up her entrance fee and stood back from the line of people waiting to pay their money. She looked around for anyone she knew, but they were all strangers to her, having moved into the area just the week before. An empty bench sat behind her, and since she was tired, she walked back to it and sat down. It was a hot trip to get to the school for nothing. Realizing that this town wasn't going to be her friend after all, tears teased her eyes. She didn't know any of the kids in the school either, because it was summer vacation.
“Is this seat taken?”
Looking up, she saw an old woman standing beside her with a walker. “No.” Katie grinned, devising her plan. “Are you here with someone?”
“Oh, no. My family's long dead.” She pointed toward the nursing home across the street as she sat down. “That's where I live, and my friends are my family.”
“I have a question for you. Would you adopt me for the next ten minutes or so?”
“Adopt you? I don't even know you.”
Katie reached out and shook the old woman's hand. “Well, my name's Katie Johnson. I want to enter the singing contest, but I need an adult to sign for me. My grandma has to work today, so she can't be here.”
The old woman stared at the young girl. “Where are your parents?”
Katie lowered her eyes. “They died in a car crash three years ago. I'm the oldest of my family and my grandma raises us. We just moved to Wisconsin for her job and live out in the country.”
“How did you get here?”
“I walked, but that's beside the point. Registration is almost over. Will you do it for me? Will you sign as my guardian so I can sing?”
“That's a tough decision. If they find out I'm not related to you-”
“They won't. I doubt I'll win. I just want to be heard. I want to touch their hearts with my song.”
The old woman grinned. “I bet you could win on your looks alone. That red hair and those freckles tell me that you're a fighter and you get what you want.” The woman stood up, positioned her walker and strolled beside the girl to the registration table, facing the man behind the table. “She's with me, and I'll sign for her.”
“That's fine,” the man said. “Registration is about over, so make it snappy.”
Katie grinned, handed over her ten dollars and filled out the registration form. As soon as the old woman signed her name, Katie hugged her in thanks.
“Good luck,” the woman whispered. “I'll be watching.”
“Thank you.” Katie walked inside the building using a side door, joining the crowd of other contestants backstage. They were all practicing their songs and warming up their voices, but Katie didn't need to. She was ready. She'd been singing the whole way to the school, and knew her song backward and forward.
After the call, the first contestant walked onstage. Curious, Katie peeked out from behind the curtain and saw a packed auditorium with three judges sitting at the front table.
Singing in what sounded like an operatic voice, Katie couldn't understand the first contestant's words. His voice sounded like he had something up his nose, and she couldn't help but shake her head. He hadn't the privilege of her parents' tutoring. Being professional musicians, they'd taught her so much before they were taken from her.
“Fantastic voice,” the first judge said. “What a way to kick off this competition.”
“I'd like to know what you were singing,” the second judge said. “Was that even English?”
Katie smiled.
The third judge was even more brutal. “Were you even trying to for a single pitch? That was horrendous and hurt my ears!”
The crowd chuckled, and Katie knew she'd better do her best when her turn came. Her goal wasn't to win, but to make the people feel her words, in memory of her parents. She wanted them to hear the song, to bring the dead alive again. Winning the money would be nice, but it wasn't everything in the world.
