What Tom Lehrer Left Us

Ours was not a musical family. My siblings and I didn’t play instruments, except for a compulsory stint at the piano that never lasted longer than a year. My parents didn’t raise quitters, but who were we kidding? None of us were close to competent and the lessons were cutting into more important things, like watching TV and having sleepovers. My parents didn’t really play music in the house, and as far as singing, only two of us can even hold a tune. We loved musicals, though, and belted show tunes from Anything Goes, West Side Story, and (of course!) Fiddler on the Roof. Today, when asked what I like to listen to, I panic—“I’m a fan of the classics! Hate their new stuff”—and hope no one asks for a follow-up.