A kindred spirit
He sat across from us at the volunteer appreciation lunch. A shriveled bald man with a too big jacket. His hands quivered as we ate our salads. I noticed he was a lefty, just like me.
“We do everything backwards!” I said, trying to break the ice.
“Yes, but we’re also more creative.” he replied with bright twinkle in his watery, pale blue eyes.
He had played piano from the time he was a young boy.
“I was lucky because I had a teacher who let us learn popular songs, not just classical. You see, back then only sissies played classical. By the time I was in high school I had discovered that the piano was a girl magnet. Our band played every prom within a hundred miles of our town. It was a fantastic experience for a young kid.”
After the war he walked the streets of New York City for two weeks before landing an entry level advertising job on Madison Avenue. Rose quickly and did very well. But his real passion was always the piano. And now, at eighty, he still plays. Jazz, popular ballads, sing alongs... We swapped stories about what an incredible impact the music we make has on the residents of the assisted living facility we play for. It was wonderful to meet someone who understands...