Offbeat

Offbeat — page 5 — cleanest side Their car smells like dog because of their springer spaniel Jeffrey I don’t mention it Shilo and I were just talking about the music festival Looks like you two will get to share a room with me Anna says as she hops into the driver’s seat I guess your mom won’t be joining us because of her work schedule I don’t need to answer because Anna is now focused on moving the car through the lineup of other parents I let Anna grill Shilo about her school day while I stare out the window playing tunes in my head Hey so how about that contest Shilo asks from the front seat I need to find out more I say Let’s check out their website when we get to your place We pull up to Shilo’s house minutes later and walk through the wild jungle of plants in the front yard Anna heads straight to the kitchen I know she’s probably making us a snack Some home made banana bread or maybe those weird but tasty seaweed chips Shilo opens her laptop and types Blackberry Festival into the search engine Check out the main page she says There’s a huge picture of a guy onstage with a guitar his long hair pulled back in a ponytail He and a 4 MEGAN CLENDENAN

Offbeat — page 6 — fiddler are holding hands as though they are about to bow She’s wearing a sparkly shirt and tons of beaded jewelry This is going to be so fun Click on that button there I say wishing I was the girl on the home page Blackberry Fiddle Contest Come on out and show off your best tunes First round Day 1 at the Garden Stage Each contestant will play one tune of choice The Top 20 will advance to the final round on Day 6 Maybe you will be the lucky Grand Prize winner who gets to perform onstage with Lunar omg can you imagine how awesome that would be I say I click on another link The People’s Choice Award Back by popular demand VOTE for YOUR favorite performer from the first round on Day 1 Winner gets their own 15-minute slot at the Marketplace on Day 3 5 OFFBEAT

Offbeat — page 7 — Wait says Shilo Does that mean that some lucky someone gets to perform their own little mini concert I think so I say So we need to practice I’m going to sign up tonight I need to win that spot Shilo has a solo in our performance because she also plays the Irish flute I really wish I had a solo too I want to push myself to see what I can do I want to be heard We play until just before dinnertime and then Anna offers to give me a ride home Do you have your key Anna asks I can tell by her voice that she’s not exactly comfortable dropping me off at an empty house I do thanks I say with my parent-winning smile back on I don’t want her to feel bad about not inviting me for dinner She knows my mom works late And thanks so much for driving me You rock I hop out and wave my grin still plastered on key in hand I walk up the three steps to our townhouse and don’t look back 6 MEGAN CLENDENAN

Offbeat — page 8 — Two Good morning my mom says as I enter the kitchen She looks over her laptop and stops typing as my toast pops up She noticed me She even made me toast I’m surprised Sometimes I’m halfway through eating before she looks up usually with a confused face like When did Rose walk in Hi Mom I say crashing down into the padded kitchen chair Hey can you pass me Just give me a second to finish this email she interrupts and is once again lost in elec tronics She is dressed in her usual navy suit her hair perfectly straightened She just made partner in her law firm Apparently law-firm partners need to keep three times as many stacks of paper on their kitchen tables There’s barely room for 7

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