‘Make Up Your Mind, Millie!’

“Choose one, Millie!” her brother Jason demanded. “Come on. If we’re going to play Monopoly, you’ve got to make up your mind.”

But there were too many choices. The thimble was cute, but it was so ordinary. She liked the little car, but Jason had that. She put the top hat on the Monopoly board, but it toppled over. That wouldn’t do.

It was always this way. Millie just couldn’t make up her mind. Earlier that morning, she hadn’t been able to decide whether the red shorts or the blue looked better.

“What difference does it make?” Mom had asked, throwing up her hands. “It’s Saturday, and you’re not going anywhere.”

But it made a difference to Millie. She wanted her choices to be perfect, all the time.

Monday, at school, Mr. Fisher, the teacher, asked Millie to choose the song to begin the class day. She couldn’t decide between “This Land is Your Land,” and “We Are the World.”

Finally Mr. Fisher said, “Too much time, Millie. We’ll do ‘We Are the World.’ ”

Millie knew everyone was annoyed, but she didn’t know how to change.

Later in the day, Mr. Fisher announced that the school had received a grant to start an orchestra.

“Auditions are Wednesday afternoon,” he added. “Mrs. Andreas, the director, will first hear students who already play an instrument. But there will be lessons for those who don’t play an instrument yet and want to learn. We especially need flute players. This is a great opportunity, so think it over and be ready on Wednesday.”

For once, Millie didn’t have to think it over. With two years of piano behind her, she knew she’d be the perfect pianist for the orchestra.

But what should she play? A classical piece, like Beethoven’s Fur Elise? Or would a popular song work better? Or should she choose something Mrs. Andreas preferred? Maybe a tune from the Bee-Gees or ABBA? Who knew what a grown-up liked?

“Millie, please begin,” Mrs. Andreas said at the auditions. Millie felt torn, but she finally decided on Fur Elise.

“You play very well for someone your age,” the director said.

“I know I’ve won!” she told herself.

But at the Friday assembly, she was shocked when Mrs. Andreas announced that Christy had been chosen as pianist.

“Why?” she wailed at her. “You said I was good.”

“Yes, you are,” the director answered, “but so is Christy. But the pianist will be choosing some of the pieces we will be playing. We need someone who can make quick decisions.”

Christy’s face flushed with embarrassment.

“Sometimes,” Mrs. Andreas continued, “with a big decision, you need to take more time. You’ll want to think long and hard about it. But other times, like with the orchestra, you have to think quickly.”

She said something else, but Millie rushed out of the auditorium and didn’t listen.

At home, she put in the ear buds for her iPod and sprawled out on the floor.

“I knew I should have played something different instead of that moldy old classic,” she mumbled. “It would have been so perfect to be part of that orchestra. I ruined my chances.”

Finally, she closed her eyes and let the music wash over her. Soon, as if from far away, she heard the sound of a flute, high and peaceful, over all the other notes.

Then she remembered what Mrs. Andreas had been telling her earlier. There was an opening for someone who wanted to learn to play the flute.

Millie sat up and pulled the buds out of her ears. She could be a part of the orchestra, after all! She wouldn’t be perfect right away, she knew, but that was all right as long as she could be in the orchestra. She jumped up and ran to the phone.

“Hi, Mrs. Andreas?” she said. “It’s me, Millie. I’ve made up my mind.”

Special thanks to Jennifer Olson for her illustration. To see more of her work, visit childrensillustrators.com/jennifergrayolson.