Evelyn Egglesby Evans, The Super Soprano

Little Evelyn Ann Egglesby of Eggville, Arkansas, was not little, and although her face, skin, eyes, and hair were beautiful, her body was just plain fat. Her arms, legs, and tummy bulged tightly against her clothing. Because she was still so young, Evelyn’s parents worried about her oversized body and huge appetite. Friends called her “Egg-Shaped Egglesby, The Everything Eater” because when they gathered for lunch at the school cafeteria, she always cleaned her plate and gulped down anything left over by them--even foods that no one else liked. Evelyn ignored their taunting, smiled at them, and continued eating.

When the school principal announced that he wanted to organize a children’s choir, Evelyn, who had never sung before, decided to try out for a part. The choirmaster explained that he wanted both boys and girls and that the choir must be composed of different voices, including soprano, bass, alto, tenor, and so on. Most of the youngsters were only fair singers. However, when the choir master handed Evelyn a sheet of music and instructed the pianist to play, to her surprise and everyone else’s, Evelyn burst forth with such a beautiful soprano voice that it brought applause from everyone.

The choirmaster was speechless. “Young lady,” he said, “In all my years of training youngsters to sing, I have never heard a soprano voice more natural than yours.” After dismissing the others, he began teaching Evelyn to read music, and to find out if her natural musical ability would apply to instruments, he asked her to sit at the piano and play according to the notes on a simple sheet of music. After listening intently to each key and remembering its sound, she began playing. Amazed again, he hugged the girl and said, “Evelyn, music is your calling in life.”

With the choirmaster’s tireless training and Evelyn’s constant practice, she learned to sing some of the world’s greatest musical pieces. At a football game, she received a standing ovation from the crowd when she sang the National Anthem. These blessings were not the only good things that came her way. In high school, she blossomed into a beautiful young woman, and the excess weight that had plagued her in earlier years began to disappear. Still, despite her slim figure and beautiful voice, Evelyn’s kind personality did not change, and instead of envying her, the other students loved her.

Evelyn attended a famous music school whose choir traveled all over the world to perform. She sang the solo parts and always received numerous encores. Then, one day while practicing at the piano, a young man named Edward Evans sang while she played. He had a booming, deep bass voice — just the opposite of Evelyn’s, and because opposites attract, they were an ideal combination. Their music produced many bestselling records; of course, they married, sang lullabies to their babies, and lived happily ever after. Her new name was known throughout the music world: Evelyn Egglesby Evans, the super soprano.

NOTE: Jimmy Reed is a retired college professor and author of several books. This story is from his latest, a children’s book entitled FROM A TO Z, TO YOU FROM ME. Each story in the book maximizes the use of an alphabetical letter, enhanced by alliteration and assonance. The book is available on Amazon, or can be purchased directly from the author. His email address is jimmycecilreedjr@gmail.com.

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