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1 7 t h A n n u a l Te e n C o n t e s t W i n n e r s
Lost and Found by Jason Jewik
3rd Place Short Story, Grade 8
Lost and Found
Jamal had been home two days for spring break. Everything was like it used to be, except for one thing. He
hadn’t heard the faintest piano sound since he got back.
When he was a young child, he remembered the old man down the street, Mr. Greenburg, playing the piano
every day. He was Jamal’s childhood hero. His playing was so beautiful. His music was smooth like flowing
water. It was something that tugged at the heart and pierced the soul.
Jamal had always wanted to learn to play the piano because of Mr. Greenburg’s music, but his family was
never able to afford it. His mom once said that $50 for a lesson could cover his baby brother’s diapers for a
month. It was his biggest regret. But that didn’t matter now. He grabbed his jacket, headed down the street,
and rang the doorbell of Mr. Greenburg’s house.
As he waited, he thought back to how Mr. Greenburg’s music had helped him to do well in school. He
connected mathematical formulas and scientific laws to phrases of the music Mr. Greenburg played. A
minute had passed and raindrops began to fall. Finally the door opened.
“Jamal! Stanford on spring break? Want to come in?” “Sure, Jacob. How is your grandfather these days? I
haven’t heard his awesome piano playing ever since I got back.” Jacob’s face darkened. “He’s over at the
piano right now.”
“That’s great! He—”
“—has Alzheimer’s and can barely remember a thing. That’s why I’m here during my spring break.”
Jamal swallowed the lump in his throat and looked at Mr. Greenburg again. He didn’t notice it earlier, but
the old man was desperately tapping the keys with his quivering fingers. There was confusion in his face
and frustration in his eyes.
Jamal was speechless as he walked toward the piano. Then, he began to slowly hum Debussy’s Deux
Arabesques. The sound made Mr. Greenburg tilt his head inquisitively. His eyes went out of focus, staring
blankly at Jamal. His hands stopped shaking and went slack at his sides. Jamal gently grabbed Mr.
Greenburg’s fingers, wanting to show them how to play once more. But Jamal didn’t even know how to play
the piano. How could he help Mr. Greenburg? Out of anger at himself, he rushed out the front door.
Jamal ran back across the street with teary eyes as the rain began to pour down. His mind was spinning. Mr.
Greenburg couldn’t play piano anymore and Jamal couldn’t help him—yet. He was a Bill Gates Scholar and
had all his college expense covered, including his own laptop. He could look up music on 8notes, tutorials
on YouTube and practice with the music department’s piano. Now was the right time for him to finally learn
piano!
Four months later, Jamal’s fingers were gliding across the piano, playing Deux Arabesques. What Mr. Greenburg had lost, Jamal found—an affinity for music.