“Stripes! Play us a jazzy tune!” the crowd called to the stage of Zavier the Zebra, who was known for his piano playing.
He played every Thursday night at the Black and White Stage on the banks of the Orange River in South Africa.
Of course, one piano was not enough for Zavier; he played two honky-tonk pianos at once with one hand over the other. The right hand played the bass clef’s part on the piano to the left, and the left hand played the treble’s part to the right.
He wobbled on the piano bench with his black-and-white-striped legs stretched between the two pianos’ silver pedals.
“Hey! Did you notice that your stripes match the piano keys?” a fan from the crowd called to Zavier as he played.
By the end of the song, Zavier dripped sweat onto the keys. “I need myself a duet player!” he announced to the crowd. “I’m taking references! Find me a lady. My wrists are hurting, and I don’t want to play both parts anymore alone.”
For hours, he sat in auditions all week, listening to girly zebras with impressive fur coats, but very little talent.
“Oh, was that supposed to be a sharp note? I thought it was flat,” a womanly zebra said, squinting at sheet music.
“I’m sorry for running late,” the next zebra said. “I chipped a nail on the way. How am I supposed to play for you?”
“I forgot to practice before the audition,” another zebra with a pink hat said. “I was so nervous that I couldn’t sleep either.”
When she fell asleep and her head hit the keys, Zavier decided that he had enough of the lousy auditions.
“Thank you for coming,” Zavier said, shutting the door on the last zebra who missed her chance by a long shot.
“Where can I find a duet partner?” he said to himself. “It’s almost better if I stop looking, and she will come to me.”
“Maybe you need to stop looking for a zebra!” said a black mare as she walked into the music studio.
“Well, I usually only work with zebras,” said Zavier, admiring his sleek black and white stripes.
“I play classical piano, and I can keep up with your jazz licks any day of the week,” she said. “My name is Onyx.”
“So, you’re a jewel,” Zavier said. “Let’s see what you’ve got! Play me your best number. I only have a few minutes.”
As Onyx sat down at the piano keys, she straightened her radiant mane before starting to play flawlessly.
“Did you write that?” Zavier said. She only smiled at him as he was transfixed on her beautiful eyes.
As the audition number ended, Zavier decided that he better take her as his duet partner before someone else did.
“You’re mine! Please play with me tonight at the Black and White Stage,” Zavier said, reaching out his hand.
When the duo took the stage that evening, the audience cheered and applauded from the crowd.
“Your duet partner is a black mare? Couldn’t you find yourself a zebra?” a gray stallion in the audience chided.
The stallion threw a big fat tomato on the front of the stage. It splatted everywhere, landing on Onyx’s mane. With more dignity than most horses, she wiped it from herself and quietly decided to be the better horse.
“Stop saying such cruel things!” another zebra from the crowd said. “Your coat is gray anyhow! What do you care?”
“What’s with the tomatoes?” a white horse said. “Don’t you have any common sense? Someone get him out of here!”
With that, the crowd escorted the gray stallion out of the Black and White Stage as the concert started. Onyx had the opening number, an original classical piece that she had written by herself, and Zavier backed her up.
Before the evening was over, Zavier and Onyx played the best duets that anyone had ever heard along the Orange River. The crowd rocked and rolled to the jazzy honky-tonk licks and swayed and dipped to the classical passages.
“That will teach ‘em to judge a zebra or a horse by his or her coat!” Zavier said to Onyx before leaving the stage.
“It’s only black and white,” Onyx said, kissing Zavier on the cheek. “It’s no different than this piano!”
Copyright 2016 Jennifer Waters
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