The Most Important Thing: Stories about Sons, Fathers, and Grandfathers

Marco’s grandfather (who goes by Gramps) picks him up every day after school, and they often spend the walk home with Marco quizzing Gramps on what Marco learned in school that day. One day, Marco brings a new friend with him named Nicky, whose mother is a music teacher who teaches the recorder. This makes Gramps think about how he never learned to play an instrument, and Marco says he would like to try the drums. Gramps considers drums to be less like real music and more like just beats for music, and he insists that Marco learn to play the recorder first. Gramps signs up for lessons as well.

The music teacher, Mrs. Pelescue, is polite and kind. Marco seems to have a natural talent for music, while Gramps struggles to get his fingering right and his breathing slow enough. Gramps sticks with it, however, and returns for lessons each week with Marco. As Marco improves dramatically, playing more and more complex pieces, Gramps practices for hours a day and hardly improves at all. When Mrs. Pelescue announces an upcoming recital, Gramps is reluctant to perform, knowing he isn’t very skilled, but he agrees after Mrs.