March 14

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The Time I Drove 100 Miles Per Hour

There is a story I always whip out when a student is playing too fast.

Which is pretty much every day.

As a college student, I was running late getting back to campus. I needed to be at a fellow student's recital. If I were one minute late, there would be hell to pay.

So, I did what any 19-year-old would do at the time. I slammed the gas. They were long, empty New Hampshire roads, so I figured everything would be fine.

I didn't realize how fast I was going until I looked down.

And saw that the odometer was over 100 miles per hour.

I could feel the wheel beginning to shake. I felt the fear of possibly spinning out of control if I made one false move.

Then, the oddest thing happened. Something I will never forget.

Someone passed me!

That's right. I was going over 100, and someone was going even faster.

The punch line? It was a little old lady who looked calm as could be.

While I made it to the recital just in the nick of time, I never dared to drive that fast again.

It's too scary. There's danger of spinning out of control. People get hurt.

The same can be said of playing music too fast.

Pace yourself. Check the speed limit. Enjoy the ride.

When you're an experienced little old lady, then you can burn rubber.

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About Jonathan Roberts

I am the founder and director of the South Shore Piano School, and I have been teaching the piano for nearly 20 years. My work centers around bringing music to the lives of kids, parents, and adults in an enriching, meaningful way. At the South Shore Piano School, my incredible colleagues and I accomplish this through skill-based teaching, community, and an innovative, people-first business model. You can read more about me here.

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