Chapters 8 & 9 Summary

In Chapter 8, The Elf and the Fairy (Siddalee, 1963), piano lessons are the calmest part of Sidda's day. Despite her piano teacher's doubts, nine-year-old Sidda chooses The Elf and the Fairy to play for her fourth grade recital. The music is difficult, but it transports Sidda to a different land where it is easy to breathe and fairies watch over you like guardian angels with a good sense of humor. She believes that if she plays the song perfectly at her recital, Baby Jesus will forgive all her sins, like pinching her little sister Lulu in church.

Sidda has almost perfected the piece for her recital when Mama gets drunk at a big Ya-Ya party at Spring Creek, and slices her foot open stepping on a broken Coke bottle. The Ya-Yas take her to the emergency room for stitches, but Mama has to walk...