On our longest drive of the year, the CCA cars passed each other on the highway. Our black-van caravan was mistaken for an official government entourage. We sang to music on a CD made by one of the kids and blared it as we waved to passing cars. Without an announcement, the jury got spontaneous applause as they entered to take their seats. The kids talked to strangers and took their photos. The singers from the first half approached the kids to chat during the pause. I tried to convince the kids that Canadian kleenex is the same as German tissue but promised to post some anyway. The jury got free bread and pretzels just by asking! One kid yelled "Bravo" as the instrumentalists sat down to start to play. We heard the loudest stomach grumble in the history of the world. Three kids gave the show a standing ovation. Others were thrilled it was over. We sat on stage in the performers' chairs to meet the conductor and four musicians. The kids asked them what animal they would be if they had the choice. One kid got to hold a cello. Others asked for autographs. We danced and sang our hearts out to Dirty Dancing outside, possibly disrupting a wedding reception. We saw a rat. We almost got locked in our parking lot. We taught each other German and English the whole car ride back. There were 502 photos on the camera when I got home.
It was CCA just the way it's meant to be. It was AWESOME.
