The Thiers: Like New Piano

Monday, September 30, 2013

Like New Piano

When I was in 7th and 8th grade, I took a piano class in school. I would then ride home with 2 teachers: My Aunt Peggy, who was my French and English teacher, and her best friend, Mrs. Broussard, the piano teacher. Once I arrived at Aunt Peggy’s, she would sit with me at her piano and she would help me practice. I loved playing, and I loved her beautiful piano.

Fast forward 20 years, and I’m looking for a piano of my own. I have dreams of relearning, and of my children taking lessons. I call my dad to see if he’d mind me borrowing his truck and trailer, should I find a used one on Craigslist. He says, “You know, Aunt Peggy is looking for someone to take her piano, don’t you?” I quickly contacted Aunt Peggy and she said she was about to run an ad in the paper for a free piano. I told her I’d gladly take it in. But I didn’t know how to transport it the 250 miles from her home to mine. Then my dad swoops in and saves the day – he drives down with his truck and trailer, then drives the piano to my house. He and my Uncle Mike had managed to get it on the trailer with pure muscle. But at my house, with it’s steps and incline, required professional movers. And in the transport, some of the bottom had come unglued, leaving the pedals useless. I had this beautiful piano, but it would be delayed in playing also due to the changes in humidity. So it sat in our living room, mostly unused, being tuned a few times over the last 4-5 years.

The piano tuner tells me that it’ll cost a bit to fix it. Some of it was damaged, some of it was maintenance. Some of it was just from being old. But finally, the day arrived! The tuner had spent time in his shop, reworking its inner parts, and then time at my home, laying that mamoth beast down on it’s back to reglue the parts back into place. And then he spent hours retuning, changing felt, and retuning some more. At last, she’s done. And she’s beautiful.