He Knew of What he Was Talking

My undergraduate degree is in music and I know work part time at a music store as I complete my masters.  Whenever we hear any type of performance my boyfriend turns to me and says, "how are they? are they any good?"  At the store I hear many people play the pianos, from the toddlers who bang on the keys to the teenagers who play whatever trendy song has a prominent piano part to adults playing anything from jazz to classical.  My training puts me in a position where I can tell who is good and who...needs more practice.

Because of this I loved this line in eric Kelly's The Trumpeter of Krakow, "he studied music at the university.  Therefore when he said that the trumpeter in the tower had not played well he knew of what he was talking."  The Trumpeter of Krakow is a modern day legend and a captivating read.  It is the story of the Charnetskis as they travel from the Ukraine to Poland carrying precious hidden cargo. 

But embedded within the tale of the Charnetskis is the tale of the trumpeter.  The trumpter sounds the Heynal on the hour every hour.  But alas there is always a broken note in honor of the trumpeter who gave his life sounding the Heynal.  Enemy arrows shot him down in the middle of the tune and ever since the tune ends unfinished. Now the Heynal is unfinished no more-but you're going to have to read the book to find out why. 

Knowing of what you are talking...that's kids stuff.

PS Speaking of knowing of what you are talking, children have such great conviction in everything they say.  For example, one of my reading camp students has persuaded the entire group that he rode a shark.  When it comes to sharks he knows of what he is talking.