Reviewed:
This is one of the earlier stories from Holly Rennick. It is a great read, a captivating drama, an innocent excursion into sexual play, a slowly developing romance—with fits and starts, with halting steps, with self-doubt and self-examination before the unambiguous dive into satisfaction. While not a stroke story, it should set your heart beating fast and raise your respiratory rate as you follow the tortuous path through the story.
Ruthie is in Mr. Rampton's math class. She has a crush on him, but how would he ever notice the tall, ungainly, not-brilliant student, with so many cute cheerleaders and gifted math students also in class? But when Ruthie discovers Mr. Rampton's hidden secret (he's a part-time jazz ukulele player), she uses her secret knowledge to introduce herself in a different way. A bold, scary act for a tremulous teenager.
Holly Rennick presents themes in "Jazz Ukulele" that she uses in her other writings: school; teachers and students; shy and uncertain protagonists; computer searches; not ignoring religion; subtle descriptions of sexual encounters; youth-adult relationships; serious characters; slowly unfolding comprehension. And most of all, not a theme but a style: Holly's unusual vernacular (as Ruthie, here) that turns a phrase, with surprising constructions, into a new, descriptive language—her prose sings a new verse, paints a differently colored image, exudes an attracting aroma.
Enjoy this story, paying special attention to her delightful phrasings; don't rush the reading, luxuriate in it. You will find similar word pictures in her other stories, favorites of mine include "Wesleyan Partners" and "Dancing Lessons."