Once upon a time in a small Westchester community named Laurelville, 71-year-old David Goldstein is called out of retirement to direct and piano accompany the high school production of “Fiddler on the Roof.”
A disgruntled former Laurelville High School student named Michael LaDonna, enters the auditorium during rehearsal, shooting down students left and right. To stop further carnage, an injured Goldstein crawls over to the shooter and engages him in talk. It seems the previous school theater director molested LaDonna’s sister, and he is out for revenge.
Goldstein’s brave and delaying tactic gives the police time to act, and they storm the auditorium, killing the shooter. In this horrific shooting, three students and the shooter lie dead, and many others are injured.
Although a novel, this story is a scary reminder of the times we live in, and what happens all too often in differing scenarios throughout the country.
Gary D. Chattmanhas been a teacher all his life, primarily in public high schools in the Bronx. He has also been a principal, an academic leader, and has created a special program for teaching Bar Mitzvah and Bat Mitzvah programs for young Jewish men and women outside of Hebrew School. He is a concert pianist, a lyricist, and a composer. A grandfather of four, the love of his life is his wife Patti. This is his tenth book.