Shadows Dancing in the Sun - 15. Shad Chapter 15

When the service was finally completed, we all stood for the departure of the dignitaries, and officiates, before the headmaster stood at the alter and asked for quiet. Ladies and gentlemen, and students, on behalf of the school I wish to thank you all for attending this event today, now to make this an orderly departure, those who have vehicle parked at nearby Matilda Bay Reserve, will you please make your way to the awaiting buses.

Everyone else please take a seat, and once those people have been dropped off, the buses will return to transport you all back to Guildford, have a safe journey home, and once again thank you for attending,” the headmaster announced. “Come on, this is not over for us just yet,” Uncle Mitch said to me, when he approached, and he led the way out a side door, and over to building two, with Kyle also in tow, which surprised me a little.

“What is going on uncle?” I asked as the three of us stepped into the elevator, and Uncle pressed the Penthouse 1 button, after swiping his access card. “You will see,” Uncle Mitch replied smiling. When we entered the main sitting room, I heard a lot of chatter in Italian, and I was wondering what on earth was happening.

“Ah there you are, they are all in the rock garden courtyard” Maria said to Uncle Mitch, before changing to Italian again, to give some instructions to the other ladies in the kitchen and dining room, and Kyle and I followed him out to the rock garden, where much to our surprise, was all the dignitaries and officiates and a few others, including the Headmaster, deputy headmaster and some of the senior school staff.

“Here they are, Archbishop, this is our host and owner of this property, Mr Mitchell Garrison, and his son Tobias, and a classmate of his Kyle Appleton,” the headmaster said, and I noticed that the Archbishop and Bishops and removed a lot of their official gear, and were now just in suits.

“Your Grace, My Lords, Chaplain Reverends, it is an honour to have you all here today,” I said giving a slight bow of the head, “My word, a young lad knows the official titles and how to address one,” the Archbishop said, as he held out his hand to shake mine, and I gave another short bow of the head before taking a step back.

“The Bishop of Bunbury, and the Bishop of the North West,” the Archbishop said, and I took a step towards them to greet them, “My lords,” I said as I shook their hands, “My such a well-mannered young man. Tell me how did you learn how to address us the correct way?’ the Bunbury Bishop asked.

“I can answer that, Bishop. Tobias here is my year 11 top student in Divinity class,” the Chaplain answered, and I just nodded my head to confirm that. “Not only that, even though he is not part of the choir, he is a talented singer, as well as being able to play the piano, trumpet and the oboe,” the Music Master said as he joined the group.

“Yes, I agree, I was listening to him singing as he was playing the piano during the service, having a seat close to the piano,” one of the other chaplain’s stated. “Tell me, what is your favourite piece on the oboe?” the Archbishop asked me, “I can answer that one your Grace, as his best friend, I have heard him play it often, it is a piece from the movie called, ‘The Mission’,” Kyle said, “Ah, that would be Gabriel’s Oboe, a very nice piece, but very haunting,” the Bishop of Bunbury said.

“Yes, My Lord, that is the one, excuse me for a moment please” I replied, and after taking two steps back I turned and headed indoors, and I grabbed my oboe and my trumpet, which I had placed in the living room when I came upstairs, from the music room, before heading down to the ground floor.

From the central courtyard, I took a deep breath before beginning to play the piece, and the courtyard created a perfect acoustics as I played Gabriel’s Oboe, followed by the Star Wars Theme tune and Rhapsody in Blue on the trumpet, and I ended my mini concert with the Carmen Suite No 2 on oboe.

When I had finished playing, I decided to try something different, so I began to sing, Ave Maria, raising my head upwards so as to reach the top of the building, and the sound was magical, even I was surprised at how well my singing sounded. There was a short period of silence when I had finished, and I was about to step back inside, when I heard applause coming from upstairs, as well as from behind me, and looking over my shoulder I saw Kyle, Mrs Appleton and Maria applauding, which made me blush a little.

“That was wonderful my little song bird, just wonderful,” Maria said as she gave me a big hug, which made me blush even more, as I thought of the name, she just called me. “Songbird fits perfectly with you,” Kyle whispered, and once I was released from the hug, I headed inside and upstairs, with the others joining me.

Instead of stepping out onto level one of the Penthouse with the others, I remained, and headed up to the next level, as I was feeling a little tired from everything happening today, and I retreated to my suite and lay down for a short rest.

I must have fallen asleep, as the next thing I know is Maria waking me, to announce that dinner was served and on the table, so I struggled off my bed, went to my bathroom wo wash my face, before going to the dining room, where there was just Uncle Mitch, Giorgio and Maria. “I must have been really tired, has everyone left?” I said as I sat down, “yes, it is just us four, Margaret and Kyle left about an hour ago,” Uncle Mitch responded.

“I am glad today is over, that was so tiring,” I said, as Maria place a hot meal in front of me, which looked and smelt delicious. “It appears that you made quite an impression with our guests, with your impromptu concert. I’m not sure if you were aware of it, but two of the filming camera’s, were rolling for the whole concert, with one of them filming you from ground level,” Uncle Mitch announced, which resulted in me groaning in annoyance.

Still feeling a little tired, after dinner, I said goodnight to everyone and retreated to my suite, and I had a shower before heading to bed. Since the next day was Sunday, I made an effort to sleep in, but that was not to be, when Maria came in to wake me at 9 am. “Come along songbird, you have a place to go, get dressed as we have church to attend,” she said to me before leaving as fast as she entered.

I staggered out of bed and walked into the lounge where Uncle Mitchell was reading a newspaper. “Good morning, you have hit the papers, it appears that one of the parents is a staff member of the Sunday paper, and there is a few pictures and a story about yesterday’s event, with one photo of you,” Uncle Mitch announced, and I staggered over to where he sat, and looked over his shoulder.

‘Senior Clergy and Vice Regal guests gathered yesterday for the Chapel of St Lawrence Consecration’ was the headlines of the article, and I groaned in annoyance, as I walked around and sat down on the lounge. “The grammar school’s new campus located opposite the UWA in Crawley, saw its first large gathering for the official consecration of its chapel.

The lead officiate was the Archbishop of Melbourne, who is also the Anglican Primate of Australia. Those who joined him to lead the service, included the Bishops of Perth, Bunbury and the North-West, as well as the Chaplains of the Grammar School, St Georges College and the University of WA. His Excellency the Governor of WA and the WA Premier also attended the service, along with school staff & teachers, students and parents, and approximately 540 people had crammed into the new chapel.

The new campus will begin education studies for senior school day and boarder students, at the start of the new school year in February, with two days of Open days held a couple months earlier, and already it is obvious that security and privacy has been a main point, with very high walls and big security gates at the main entry points,” Uncle Mitch said as he read out the news article.

“Why did I get woken up to go to church, today is my day off?” I asked, “Yes it is, but the School Chaplain has asked for a 10.30 am service at the chapel, as the school has received requests from parents who couldn’t attend yesterday, to attend a service today, so as soon as chapel is over at the school he will be making his way over to here,” Uncle Mitch announced.

“And you want me to play the piano?” I asked, “Nope, the organ as the piano was returned to the music shop late yesterday afternoon, now up you get, go and get dressed and come and have some breakfast before we head over next door,” Uncle Mitch responded.

When I arrived on the ground floor and exited building two, I found a smiling Kyle waiting for me, “Good morning, how are you feeling now? A bit better after that little nap yesterday?” he asked me, and I laughed. “Good morning, yes I do feel a little better, but a little peeved when I was woken up to attend another service,” I replied, and this time it was Kyle who laughed.

“Come along you, or we will be late,” Kyle said as he grabbed my arm and dragged me towards building one. When I entered the chapel, I was surprised to see that it was nearly full, and that the school choir was also present, “Wow, big crowd,” I whispered, as I walked around the side of the chapel to get to my place at the organ.

“All rise” came the headmaster’s voice from the back of the chapel, and with the organ facing partially towards the back, as I began to play a hymn, I was able to look up and see towards the back, and I was surprised to see that the Archbishop was back, and he was joined by the school Chaplain, and the two chapel prefects who led the procession towards the front of the chapel, as the choir sang a hymn, and I chose to not sing today.

“Good morning and welcome to the very first Sunday service at the Chapel of St Lawrence, for those who don’t know, I am Archbishop Michael Parks, the Anglican Primate of Australia, and I was honoured to officiate yesterday’s Consecration service and to be here this morning, before I fly home to Melbourne later today,” the Archbishop announced, as he glanced over to me, and smiled, before continuing on with the service.

As the service was coming to a close, as the last hymn was sung, which I joined in, and I saw the Archbishop look at me and smile, “To conclude the service today, I wish to ask a very talented singer to sing the Benediction for us, which is Numbers chapter 6, verse 24 to 26,” the Archbishop said as he looked towards me, and reluctantly I smiled and nodded, and I began to play the tune, before singing the Benediction.

When I finished, the Archbishop raised his hands, “Go in peace, to serve the lord, in Jesus’s name. Amen,” and the congregation all said Amen, before I began to play ‘Hallelujah’, and I decided that I might as well sing the hymn on my own, and as I came to the chorus, the choir joined in, which made me smile, and I continued.

When I finished, everyone was still seated, no one including the Archbishop had moved, and after a moment, the whole chapel filled with applause, which I was not expecting, and the Archbishop came over and shook my hand. “Bless you Tobias, you have a wonderful voice, please don’t hide it away,” he said to me before walking down the centre aisle to conclude the service.