There was a "fence" -- basically a large metal pipe held by posts -- that bordered my elementary school property, stopping only to allow walkways to the doors. In grade 4 or 5, we were playing outside the school one afternoon. I was out there and found a rock, with which I found great pleasure in tapping on this pipe.

Ping ping ping ... ping ping ping ...

Gosh, it must have been so annoying a sound, but I somehow enjoyed making that ruckus. The music teacher Mrs. Cumberbirch walked by and asked if I was the one doing that. I was sure I was in trouble, but she only walked by towards the doors, commenting how interesting it was that the tapping sound travelled so well through the pipe to the opening on the end.

For years, I thought that was just the sort of thing a music teacher would notice. It wasn't until this memory came back to me just recently that I realized she was trying to instill a curiosity for sound (and by extension, music) into our young children's minds.

My love for music and sound today finds great pleasure in that little comment she made, tapping into our minds.