Once upon a time there was a sheep named Baa who had a friend named Ian. Ian was not a sheep; he was a human boy. Baa and Ian were both 8 years old and they were best friends. Until Ian went to school, they were hardly ever apart. Baa didn't go to school because his job was to stay home and guard Ian's pillow.

One day Ian was practicing piano before he went to school and Baa was listening. Ian was going to be in a recital and was working very hard. He liked his teacher and the music he was playing. His mom had brought him a program for his computer so he could compose music too. He thought maybe composing was something he wanted to do when he grew up, so he was practicing that, too. His mom called, "Let's go Buddy; time for school!" "OK Mom," and he ran from the room. "Do you know where my glove is?"

So Baa stayed on the piano. After a while the house was very quiet. No humans were there. So Baa thought, "Well, I'll just try this piano playing too." So he wriggled himself down on to the piano keys. He experimented for a while with making the notes work. It was hard work for a sheep made of socks and love, but Baa was determined. He found he could push one leg down and then the other and make sounds! What fun! Baa sat there all day working out where the high sounds and where the low sounds were and what sounded good together and what he didn't like. He was playing away when he heard the door. "Oops -- I'm not ready for Ian to hear this yet," he thought. So he wriggled off the keys and plopped onto the floor. "I'm glad they have carpeting here; it's much softer than the sidewalk where Ian left me yesterday."

All that afternoon and evening Baa thought about the wonderful sounds that he had made. He wanted Ian to practice more and to take him back to the piano. But Ian wanted to play outside. "Sigh," thought Baa. Then Ian's mom put a plate into a box and the most wonderful sounds came out! "Why haven't I heard all this before," Baa thought. "I've seen them put those little plates into that box before. This is great."

Ian came back in to the kitchen and said,"I'm hungry. May I have something to eat?"

"Sure. Here's some apple slices. Do you hear what's playing?" said Ian's mom.

"Piano music. What?" said Ian.

"This is music by the same composer that you'll start on next year. This is Bach's music."

Well, Baa almost sat up and yelled. You see, he thought Ian's mom said "BAA's music." He had had the most wonderful sounds in his head and to think that some other sheep had written it!

That night Ian took Baa upstairs with him and started to get in bed to read a book. Then he changed his mind and with Baa still in his hand, he walked over to the computer. He turned it on and found the program to write music. He plunked Baa down by the computer and started to put sounds together. Baa was fascinated. He loved watching Ian put the notes together. He thought the whole computer and the sounds must be magic, but Ian didn't seem that impressed. "Oh, I wish I could put some sounds down and make them play back like Ian. I'd better watch carefully so I'll know what to do if I ever get a chance." Then Ian's mom called that it was time to brush teeth. Ian ran out of the room and quick like a sheep, Baa tumbled down onto the computer. It made a CRASH noise and Ian came running back. "Baa," he said, "how did you get there? What made you fall?" "Music," thought Baa.

and then the most magical thing happened. Ian said, "Isn't the music great, Baa? I'm so glad you like it too. Tomorrow, let's write some more."

Baa was so happy that he forgot to pretend that sheep made of socks and love couldn't move and he reach up and kissed Ian's cheek! Ian was so surprised that he almost dropped Baa. He quickly yelled "G'night!" and climbed into bed.

Then he said to Baa, "Did you really move? Are you real?" Baa thought "I can move but I can only talk to you in your mind." Ian said "I heard you! I'm so happy we can talk now." Baa snuggled closer, "Me too! And we can do music together too!"

And so they did. But that's another story.