麻辣校园

I practise my piano lessons every day in different roomettes of the music store. Everytime I enter a new room, the graffiti on the wall shock me.

Most of the pictures I see on the wall is crying boys and girls. And the sentences are even more shocking…

Room No. 1: “I hate mummy very much!”   

Room No. 2: “Daddy is an bad egg!”  

Room No. 3: “Daddy is a lazy pig!” 

Room No. 4: “ I want to commit suicide!”   And this sentence is doodled on the wall with a picture in which a crying girl hangs herself on a tree.   

…

My mouth went dry when I saw the graffiti and the pictures.

Everyone knows who wrote the sentences and drew the pictures. The little boys and the little girls are forced to come to the music store and spend their “happy” childhood in the small cell with a piano. I know how dull it is since I am a begginer here. They have no weekends. (Weekends is the time when the music store is the busiest. I waited an hour yesterday before I have my turn to practise.)  

Those children buried their childhood here just to, in their parents’ eyes, possibly become a musician in the future. They are so small and weak that they can not say no. Or they did say no to piano, but were still forced to learn. What those little ones can do is to give vent to their anger and despair on the wall...   

Those mums and dads are “good” parents. They are willing to pay a large amount of money for the lessons and escort their children to learn piano every day with high expectation. They smile when they see the hands of their sons or daughters dancing on the keyboard. They frown when they see their children make mistakes. They care a lot about their children. The only things they don’t care is the children’s feelings and hobbies.   

Piano is a magical musical instrument. I like it very much and don’t think it is a punishment or agony when I have to go practising everyday. But for those who don’t like it, it will become a dull and painful devil.   

Looking at the desperate cries on the wall, my heart is aching.   

I say to myself that I will not make my Coco a unhappy girl like this in the future. I will take her to the piano lessons for she likes music so much. But I will not force her to learn it if she really don’t like it. A happy childhood for her is the most important exprience and the best gift I can give her.   

And I hope Chinese parents will set free their children and give back their happy childhood.