Out on the field, hot and sweaty, about to march in the best show ever made. That was where Victoria dreamed of being. Ever since her father became a world renowned mellophone, she strived to live up to his legacy. She picked up her mother's old clarinet, found a couple of unopened reeds, and it fell together. As soon as her father heard the horrible screech of her attempt, he immediately found private lessons for his daughter.
Victoria learned swiftly. She mastered reading notes within a week, and correlated the fingerings in another two. Her lesson teacher was amazed, and her father saw his only child as the beaming pride of his life. Not his horn solo, not his all-state marching band, but his little child playing the clarinet.
One thing bothered him, however. She never really grasped the concept of phrasing. She would breathe in the most awkward places, nearly ruining the beautiful music she learned to play. He decided that it wouldn't be a big deal, and she would learn to overcome it soon.
Eight years later, Victoria is exactly where she dreamed to be as a child. The Grand National marching competition, next to all of her friend in the band. Her father, who cannot make it to the state, decides to watch it in a bar. Victoria's solo comes up, and just before she finishes, she breathes in the worst place possible. Luckily, the band quickly recovers from her mistake, almost as if it never happened. Although he would have a huge lecture with her by the time she came home, he was proud of her.
To celebrate, he decides to order a single drink. Nothing too much, as he would need to drive back, but something to commemorate the amazing show just performed. The only bartender was backed up in a corner, and due to some unfortunate architecture, he would need to wait in a line.
The man in front of him was openly smoking a cigarette. He tried not to breathe in the smoke, but it eventually got to him. He started a bit of a coughing fit, and appeared quite embarrassed when it stopped. He tapped the man on the shoulder.
"Excuse me, could you please not smoke that?" The man was having none of it.
"I'll smoke where I'd like, thank you very much." It was very easy to tell that he was at his wit's end, for whatever reason it was. This made it quite difficult to compromise."
"But if you could just-" Victoria's father was interrupted by a slap to the face. Having his honor hurt, her father attempted to fight back. Everyone crowded around, some attempting to pull the two out of the situation. Victoria's dad was knocked out. One of the band parents called him an ambulance.
Victoria came home to see her father in critical condition, and nearly broke down in tears to see her one inspiration so helpless. They both knew that this would be the last time they would ever talk.
"I just have one thing to say to you Victoria."
"What's that?"
"Don't ever breathe in bar lines."