Ms. Miller:  Do you have any questions so far?

Bette looked at Daniel and indicated that she was good.

Daniel:  No mam, I think I can get what information I need from the material you provide and from orientation.

Ms. Miller:  Are you interested in any of the after-school activities?

Daniel:  Yes, I’m interested in violin and guitar lessons. I would love to play tennis a couple of times a week maybe even be on the team. I may want to take an art class as well if my schedule allows it.

Ms. Miller: Have you had music lessons before?

Daniel:  I took piano lessons four years ago. But I taught myself after that. Now I play from either sheet music or by ear.

Bette:  He is a very good piano player.

Ms. Miller:  How long did you take lessons.

Daniel:  I took for one whole school year. I asked to quit.

Ms. Miller had a baby grand piano in the corner of her office. She asked Dan to go play something on the piano.

Daniel walked over and sat down on the stool and he started play The Sting by Scott Joplin. Ms. Miller was blown away. When he was finished, she applauded.

Ms. Miller:  How long did it take you to learn that one?

Daniel:  Actually, that is the first time I’ve played it. I heard it yesterday and it been going around in my mind, so I thought I would give it a try.

Ms. Miller (looking at Bette):  You can’t teach that. You have it or you don’t. Thank you, Daniel. You have made my morning.

Bette: Yes, his mother and I are really proud of him.

Ms. Miller:  And may I ask about his other mother?

Bette:  My wife is Tina Kennard Porter.  She is a recently retired movie producer. She worked for the Tribeca Film Industries in New York.  She is a graduate of University of North Carolina.  She has worked in the film industry and in non-profits during her work career. We were residents of Los Angeles for the first 10 years of our life together. She is planning to start a new career in painting as soon as we get settled. The reason she is not here today is that she is in New York sorting out the fall wardrobe for our daughter Angelica who will be a freshman at Yale come September.